Abstract
Background: Loa loa infection is endemic in limited areas of West-Central Africa. Loiasis has been associated with excess mortality, but clinical studies on its treatment are scant, particularly outside endemic areas, due to the rarity of cases diagnosed. Methodology/Principal findings: With this retrospective TropNet (European Network for Tropical Medicine and Travel Health) study, we aimed at outlining the treatment schedules followed by different reference centers for tropical medicine across Europe. We gathered information about 238 cases of loiasis, 165 of which had follow up data. The regimens followed by the different centers were heterogeneous. The drugs most frequently administered were: diethylcarbamazine alone (74/165, 45.1%), ivermectin alone (41/165, 25%), albendazole + ivermectin (21/164, 11.6%), ivermectin + diethylcarbamazine (16/165, 9.7%). Conclusions/Significance: The management of loiasis substantially differs across specialized travel clinics in Europe. These discrepancies could be due to different local protocols as well as to (un)availability of the drugs. An harmonization of clinical protocols for the treatment of loiasis would be suggested across reference centers for tropical medicine in Europe.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e0006917 |
| Journal | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 1 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases
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Comparison of different drug regimens for the treatment of loiasis—A TropNet retrospective study. / Gobbi, Federico; Bottieau, Emmanuel; Bouchaud, Olivier; Buonfrate, Dora; Salvador, Fernando; Rojo-Marcos, Gerardo; Rodari, Paola; Clerinx, Jan; Treviño, Begoña; Herrera-Ávila, Juan Paulo; Neumayr, Andreas; Calleri, Guido; Angheben, Andrea; Rothe, Camilla; Zammarchi, Lorenzo; Guerriero, Massimo; Bisoffi, Zeno.
In: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol. 12, No. 11, e0006917, 01.11.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of different drug regimens for the treatment of loiasis—A TropNet retrospective study
AU - Gobbi, Federico
AU - Bottieau, Emmanuel
AU - Bouchaud, Olivier
AU - Buonfrate, Dora
AU - Salvador, Fernando
AU - Rojo-Marcos, Gerardo
AU - Rodari, Paola
AU - Clerinx, Jan
AU - Treviño, Begoña
AU - Herrera-Ávila, Juan Paulo
AU - Neumayr, Andreas
AU - Calleri, Guido
AU - Angheben, Andrea
AU - Rothe, Camilla
AU - Zammarchi, Lorenzo
AU - Guerriero, Massimo
AU - Bisoffi, Zeno
PY - 2018/11/1
Y1 - 2018/11/1
N2 - Background: Loa loa infection is endemic in limited areas of West-Central Africa. Loiasis has been associated with excess mortality, but clinical studies on its treatment are scant, particularly outside endemic areas, due to the rarity of cases diagnosed. Methodology/Principal findings: With this retrospective TropNet (European Network for Tropical Medicine and Travel Health) study, we aimed at outlining the treatment schedules followed by different reference centers for tropical medicine across Europe. We gathered information about 238 cases of loiasis, 165 of which had follow up data. The regimens followed by the different centers were heterogeneous. The drugs most frequently administered were: diethylcarbamazine alone (74/165, 45.1%), ivermectin alone (41/165, 25%), albendazole + ivermectin (21/164, 11.6%), ivermectin + diethylcarbamazine (16/165, 9.7%). Conclusions/Significance: The management of loiasis substantially differs across specialized travel clinics in Europe. These discrepancies could be due to different local protocols as well as to (un)availability of the drugs. An harmonization of clinical protocols for the treatment of loiasis would be suggested across reference centers for tropical medicine in Europe.
AB - Background: Loa loa infection is endemic in limited areas of West-Central Africa. Loiasis has been associated with excess mortality, but clinical studies on its treatment are scant, particularly outside endemic areas, due to the rarity of cases diagnosed. Methodology/Principal findings: With this retrospective TropNet (European Network for Tropical Medicine and Travel Health) study, we aimed at outlining the treatment schedules followed by different reference centers for tropical medicine across Europe. We gathered information about 238 cases of loiasis, 165 of which had follow up data. The regimens followed by the different centers were heterogeneous. The drugs most frequently administered were: diethylcarbamazine alone (74/165, 45.1%), ivermectin alone (41/165, 25%), albendazole + ivermectin (21/164, 11.6%), ivermectin + diethylcarbamazine (16/165, 9.7%). Conclusions/Significance: The management of loiasis substantially differs across specialized travel clinics in Europe. These discrepancies could be due to different local protocols as well as to (un)availability of the drugs. An harmonization of clinical protocols for the treatment of loiasis would be suggested across reference centers for tropical medicine in Europe.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056548890&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85056548890&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006917
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006917
M3 - Article
C2 - 30383753
AN - SCOPUS:85056548890
VL - 12
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
SN - 1935-2727
IS - 11
M1 - e0006917
ER -