Efficacy of different dosage schedules of praziquantel in active intestinal schistosomiasis

ABSTRACT

This study is conducted on 420 patients with active intestinal bilharziasis, their age range from 16-60 year. 380 are males and 40 are females. Bilharzial activity was diagnosed after urine and stool analysis and/or rectal and colonic mucosal biopsy. All of them received praziquantel orally as anti-bilharzial drug. They were divided into 4 groups according to the dose of praziquantel given. From the results, it was found that there is insignificant increase in hemoglobin concentration in the first and second groups and significant increase in the third and fourth groups. The increase in hemoglobin concentration after praziquantel therapy may be attributed to improvement of appetite and increased degree of intestinal absorption. Also, it may be attributed to stoppage of bleeding per rectum following treatment