title: One-week therapy with oral albendazole in hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans: a retrospective study on 78 patients.
abstract: We evaluated retrospectively the efficacy and tolerability of oral albendazole (400 mg/day for 1 week) in 78 patients with hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans characterized by multiple and/or extensive lesions. The diagnosis was based on history and the clinical picture. Neither topical or systemic drugs nor physical treatments were used. All patients were followed-up for at least 3 months after the therapy. All patients were cured at the end of the therapy. The disappearance of pruritus was reported after 2-3 days and skin lesions after 5-7 days of therapy. One patient reported nausea and abdominal pain; another patient reported worsening of pruritus: in both cases it was not necessary to stop the therapy. No recurrences were observed during follow-up. One week of therapy with 400 mg/day oral albendazole is very effective (cure rate: 100%) in patients with cutaneous larva migrans characterized by multiple and/or extensive lesions. This therapeutical regimen is not accompanied by the appearance of new and/or more severe side effects.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Anestesiologia, Terapia Intensiva e Scienze Dermatologiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. stefano.veraldi@unimi.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veraldi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bottini
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzitelli
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Persico
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007815:Larva Migrans / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole