BACKGROUND: At present, control of onchocerciasis depends almost entirely on yearly treatments with 150 microg/kg ivermectin. We aimed to compare the effect of higher doses, more frequent doses, or both with the standard regimen on adult Onchocerca volvulus. METHODS: We randomly allocated 657 patients who had onchocerciasis to 150 microg/kg ivermectin yearly (reference group), 150 microg/kg every 3 months, 400 then 800 microg/kg yearly, or 400 then 800 microg/kg every 3 months. We took skin snip samples from every patient before, and 3 years and 4 years after the first dose, and, at the same time excised one subcutaneous O volvulus nodule, which was examined histologically. The primary outcome was the vital status of the female worms. Analysis was done per protocol. FINDINGS: We obtained nodules from 511 patients. After 3 years of treatment, more female worms had died in the groups treated every 3 months than in the reference group (odds ratio=1.84 [95% CI 1.23-2.75], p=0.003 for 150 microg/kg; and 2.17 [1.42-3.31], p<0.001 for high doses). Female worms were also less fertile in these groups than in the reference group (0.24 [0.14-0.43], p<0.0001; and 0.14 [0.06-0.29], p<0.0001, respectively). No difference was recorded between groups treated yearly (p=0.83 for the proportion of dead females). Unexpected side-effects consisted of mild, temporary, subjective visual changes in patients on high-dose regimens. INTERPRETATION: Treatment with 3-monthly ivermectin could greatly reduce the number of female worms and acute itching and skin lesions; lower transmission of O volvulus; and change the duration of control programmes.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: At present, control of onchocerciasis depends almost entirely on yearly treatments with 150 microg/kg ivermectin. We aimed to compare the effect of higher doses, more frequent doses, or both with the standard regimen on adult Onchocerca volvulus. METHODS: We randomly allocated 657 patients who had onchocerciasis to 150 microg/kg ivermectin yearly (reference group), 150 microg/kg every 3 months, 400 then 800 microg/kg yearly, or 400 then 800 microg/kg every 3 months. We took skin snip samples from every patient before, and 3 years and 4 years after the first dose, and, at the same time excised one subcutaneous O volvulus nodule, which was examined histologically. The primary outcome was the vital status of the female worms. Analysis was done per protocol. FINDINGS: We obtained nodules from 511 patients. After 3 years of treatment, more female worms had died in the groups treated every 3 months than in the reference group (odds ratio=1.84 [95% CI 1.23-2.75], p=0.003 for 150 microg/kg; and 2.17 [1.42-3.31], p<0.001 for high doses). Female worms were also less fertile in these groups than in the reference group (0.24 [0.14-0.43], p<0.0001; and 0.14 [0.06-0.29], p<0.0001, respectively). No difference was recorded between groups treated yearly (p=0.83 for the proportion of dead females). Unexpected side-effects consisted of mild, temporary, subjective visual changes in patients on high-dose regimens. INTERPRETATION: Treatment with 3-monthly ivermectin could greatly reduce the number of female worms and acute itching and skin lesions; lower transmission of O volvulus; and change the duration of control programmes.
Authors: Moses N Katabarwa; Albert Eyamba; Philippe Nwane; Peter Enyong; Souleymanou Yaya; Jean Baldiagaï; Théodore Kambaba Madi; Abdoulaye Yougouda; Gervais Ondobo Andze; Frank O Richards Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2011-12 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Joseph D Turner; Nicholas Tendongfor; Mathias Esum; Kelly L Johnston; R Stuart Langley; Louise Ford; Brian Faragher; Sabine Specht; Sabine Mand; Achim Hoerauf; Peter Enyong; Samuel Wanji; Mark J Taylor Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2010-04-13
Authors: Daniel Globisch; Amira Y Moreno; Mark S Hixon; Ashlee A K Nunes; Judith R Denery; Sabine Specht; Achim Hoerauf; Kim D Janda Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2013-02-25 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Hugo C Turner; Thomas S Churcher; Martin Walker; Mike Y Osei-Atweneboana; Roger K Prichard; María-Gloria Basáñez Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2013-04-25