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Clearance of Wuchereria bancrofti Antigen after Treatment with Diethylcarbamazine or Ivermectin
Mark L. Eberhard
Mark L. Eberhard
Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Allen W. Hightower
Allen W. Hightower
Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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David G. Addiss
David G. Addiss
Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Patrick J. Lammie
Patrick J. Lammie
Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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The present study was undertaken to assess the relationship between microfilarial clearance and clearance of circulating filarial antigen from the blood of Wuchereria bancrofti-infected persons following chemotherapy with either diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin. Patients received either 12 weekly doses of 6 mg/kg of diethylcarbamazine (DEC), a single dose of 6 mg/kg of DEC, a single dose of 420 µg/kg of ivermectin, or 20 µg/kg of ivermectin, followed by 6 mg/kg of DEC five days later. Microfilarial clearance was marked in all groups, but was significantly less in the single-dose DEC. In contrast, as monitored by the Og4C3 monoclonal anitbody assay, clearance of circulating filarial antigen was highly variable, not only between groups but within each group. As a result, there were few statistically significant differences in antigen clearance between groups. In no instance did the antigen level fall to zero, even in individuals that remained microfilaria negative during two or three years of follow-up. These results suggest that living adult worms persist in almost all persons treated with DEC and/or ivermectin.
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| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2280 | 1833 | 378 |
| Full Text Views | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| PDF Downloads | 12 | 2 | 0 |