Albendazole in Human Loiasis: Results of a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

To assess the filaricidal activity and clinical safety of albendazole in human loiasis, a doubleblind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in an endemic area in Benin, Africa. Twenty-three men with microfilaremia (100-30,OOO/mL) were randomly assigned to receive albendazole (200 mg; n = 11) or pl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1993-07, Vol.168 (1), p.202-206
Main Authors: Klion, Amy D., Massougbodji, Achille, Horton, John, Ekoué, Serge, Lanmasso, Toussaint, Ahouissou, Narcisse-Leon, Nutman, Thomas B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adverse effects
Africa, Western
Aged
Albendazole - adverse effects
Albendazole - pharmacokinetics
Albendazole - therapeutic use
Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents
Antibodies
Antiparasitic agents
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Dosage
Double-Blind Method
Eosinophils
Female
Geometric mean
Humans
Infections
Loiasis
Loiasis - drug therapy
Major Articles
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Placebos
Pretreatment
Tropical medicine
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Summary:To assess the filaricidal activity and clinical safety of albendazole in human loiasis, a doubleblind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in an endemic area in Benin, Africa. Twenty-three men with microfilaremia (100-30,OOO/mL) were randomly assigned to receive albendazole (200 mg; n = 11) or placebo (n = 12) twice daily for 21 days; 1 patient from each group withdrew from the study. There were no clinical adverse effects and no observed hepatotoxicity, renal toxicity, or hematologic abnormalities attributable to the drug. In the albendazole group, microfilarial levels began to decrease at day 14 after treatment and by 6 months had fallen to a geometric mean of 20% of pretreatment levels (vs. 84.8% in the placebo group). Blood eosinophil levels and anti-filarial IgG and IgG4 also fell significantly in response to albendazole. Taken together, these data suggest that albendazole has a primary (possibly embryotoxic) effect on the adult parasite, resulting in a slow decrease in microfilaremia.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/168.1.202