Treatment of complicated schistosomiasis mansoni with oxamniquine
Bassily, S.; Farid, Z.; Higashi, G.I.; Watten, R.H.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 27(6): 1284-1286
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9637 PMID: 727334 Document Number: 125114
Twenty male patients (mean age 23 years) with Schistosoma mansoni infections (mean egg count 429/g faeces) were each treated with oxamniquine orally in a single daily dose of 20 mg/kg body-weight for 3 consecutive days. 17 patients had hepatosplenomegaly and 2 of these had ascites. 3 patients had diffuse colonic polyposis and one of these had ascites. Except for one who developed mild haematemesis 3 days after treatment, all patients tolerated the drug very well. However, 11 patients developed a fever 24 to 48 hours after completing treatment, which lasted for 2 to 3 days and coincided with increased excretion of schistosomal antigens in urine. 3 months after completing therapy, all except one young patient ceased to have live eggs in the stools or rectal tissue. 6 months after treatment, 3 patients with colonic polyposis showed marked clinical improvement and sigmoidoscopic and barium enema examination demonstrated almost complete disappearance of all polyps. [AS].