Clinical evaluation of praziquantel(Embay 8440; Biltricide) in the treatment of Paragonimus westermani

ABSTRACT

A total of 52 paragonimiasis patients was treated with praziquantel at three dose levels 21 patients received 3 x 25.0 mg/kg bwt on a single day, 21 patients were treated with 3 x 25.0 mg/kg for 2 consecutive days and 10 patients were treated with the same dose for 3 consecutive days. Follow-up examination were carried out at monthly up to 4 months (120 days) after treatment. Fifteen (71.4%) out of 21 patients who received the drug 3 x 25.0 mg/kg bwt on a single day were parasitologically cured. Eighteen (85.7%) out of 21 patients who received 3 x 25.0 mg/kg bwt for 2 consecutive days were also cured. Six and 3 of uncured cases in each above groups were treated again with doses of 3 x 25.0 mg/kg bwt for 2 or 3 consecutive days. Two (consisting each one in each group ) of nine retreated cases were failed in parasitological cure. Therefore the overall cure rates of 95.2 % (20 out of 21 cases) in each group were finally obtained. On the other hand, in 10 patients who received 3 x 25.0 mg/kg bwt for 3 consecutive days, complete cure was obtained at 4 months follow-up examinations. Praziquantel is well tolerated and side effects consist particularly of mild and transient headache and dizziness. There was no great difference between the three dosage groups. Extended hematological and biochemical tests, and urinalysis, revealed no abnormal findings which could be related to the compound after therapy. The disappearance of precipitating bands of immunoelectrophoresis together with the disappearance of abnormal shawdows in chest X-ray after treatment gave a potent proof on assuring the cure of paragonimiasis.