An evaluation of levamisole for treatment of ascariasis
Miller, M.J.; Farahmandian, I.; Arfaa, F.; Katz, N.; Winsor, E.; Bennett, E.
Southern Medical Journal 71(2): 137-140
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0038-4348 PMID: 341337 Document Number: 127301
In trials in Iran, Brazil and USA (Mississippi and Louisiana) levamisole was compared with piperazine citrate and pyrantel pamoate as a treatment for Ascaris infection in children aged 2 to 15 years. Levamisole in a single oral dose of 50 to 150 mg (depending on child weight) cured 92% of 453 children and reduced faecal egg counts by 98%. Piperazine (150 mg/kg orally, maximum 3.5 g) cured 66% of 461 children and reduced egg counts by 90%. 16 of 17 children were cured by pyrantel pamoate (11 mg/kg orally, maximum 1.0 g). Side effects were more frequent with piperazine (22%) than with levamisole (13%); most were mild. Levamisole is regarded as particularly useful for mass chemotherapy of Ascaris infections.