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Macrofilaricidal effect of 4 weeks of treatment with doxycycline on Wuchereria bancrofti
Author(s) -
Debrah Alexander Yaw,
Mand Sabine,
MarfoDebrekyei Yeboah,
Batsa Linda,
Pfarr Kenneth,
Buttner Marcelle,
Adjei Ohene,
Buttner Dietrich,
Hoerauf Achim
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01949.x
Subject(s) - doxycycline , wuchereria bancrofti , microfilaria , ivermectin , regimen , medicine , filariasis , wolbachia , surgery , gastroenterology , onchocerciasis , antibiotics , immunology , biology , helminths , veterinary medicine , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , host (biology)
Summary Objective To evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline as a macrofilaricidal agent against Wuchereria bancrofti. Method In the Western Region of Ghana, 18 patients infected with W. bancrofti were recruited and treated with 200 mg doxycycline per day for 4 weeks. Seven untreated patients served as controls. Four months after doxycycline treatment, all patients received 150 μg/kg ivermectin. Patients were monitored for Wolbachia and microfilaria loads, antigenaemia and filarial dance sign (FDS). Results Four months after doxycycline treatment, cases had a significantly lower Wolbachia load than controls; and 24 months after treatment, microfilaraemia, antigenaemia and frequency of FDS were significantly lower in cases than controls. Most importantly, 4 weeks of doxycycline killed 80% of macrofilariae, which is comparable with the results of a 6‐week regimen. Circulating filarial antigenaemia and FDS were strongly correlated. Conclusion A 4‐week regimen of doxycycline seems sufficient to kill adult W. bancrofti and could be advantageous for the treatment of individual patients, e.g. in outpatient clinics.