Single-dose diethylcarbamazine in the control of periodic brugian filariasis in Peninsular Malaysia

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
S L HakimJ W Mak

Abstract

The study compared the effectiveness of a single dose of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) (6mg/kg) with the standard regimen of 6 doses (total 36 mg/kg) in mass chemotherapy for the control of brugian filariasis. Mass chemotherapy with single-dose DEC was instituted in one area and standard dose in the other and treatment was repeated after one year. Parasitological surveys were conducted before, and 3, 7 and 12 months after treatment. Pretreatment characteristics were not significantly different between the 2 treatment areas. There was a significant reduction in microfilaraemia prevalence rate from 24.7% to 14.7% at 12 months and to 6.8% at 19 months in the single dose area and from 22.8% to 9.6% at 12 months and to 2.7% at 19 months with the standard dose. Maximum reduction was at 7 months after treatment with both regimens. There was also significant progressive reduction in mean microfilarial density from 4.39 +/- 20.37 to 0.89 +/- 4.16 per 60 microL in the single-dose area and from 4.43 +/- 17.31 to 0.75 +/- per 60 microL in the standard dose area. There was a greater reduction of both microfilarial prevalence and density using the standard regimen but it was not statistically significant. Thus, a single dose of DEC is as effectiv...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 1, 1997·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·J NorõesD Addiss
May 27, 2006·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·I VythilingamB Singh
Jul 27, 2017·Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease·Benjamin F R DicksonWilliam J McBride
Aug 29, 2021·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·Nur Dalila Zakaria, Richard Avoi

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