Effect of a single dose (3 mg/kg) of diethylcarbamazine on Wuchereria bancrofti var pacifica microfilaraemia

Cartel, J.L.; Celerier, P.; Spiegel, A.; Burucoa, C.; Roux, J.F.; Cartel, J.L; Celerier, P; Spiegel, A; Burucoa, C; Roux, J.F

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Effect of a single dose (3 mg/kg) of diethylcarbamazine on Wuchereria bancrofti var pacifica microfilaraemia

Cartel, J.L.; Celerier, P.; Spiegel, A.; Burucoa, C.; Roux, J.F.

Medical Journal of Australia 152(9): 502

1990

ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X

PMID: 2199802

Document Number: 348807

In 1988, 14 apparently healthy male Tahitians aged between 18 and 50 years, who had W. bancrofti var pacifica microfilaraemia ( 100 microfilariae/ml), were treated by a single dose of 3 mg/kg of diethylcarbamazine (DEC), and were followed-up over 6 months. Determination of blood microfilariae (mf) density was carried out on days 0, 7, 14, 30, 90 and 180 using the membrane filtration technique. Individual densities before treatment ranged from 171 to 3938 mf/ml (median 791 mg/ml, geometric mean 978 mf/ml). After treatment a complete clearance of microfilaraemia was observed in 2 carriers, and a decrease of mf density in all 14 carriers, with decreases ranging from 35.2 to 99.2% (median 78.75%). The percentage decrease in mf density, determined for the whole group from the geometric mean of the 14 mf counts, was 86% by day 7 and it reached 95% by day 180. The significance of these results is discussed.