Nitazoxanide compared with quinfamide and mebendazole in the treatment of helminthic infections and intestinal protozoa in children

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 66; no. 3; pp. 251 - 254
• Main Authors: Davila-Gutierrez, CE, Vasquez, C, Trujillo-Hernandez, B, Huerta, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS ASTMH 01.03.2002; Allen Press
• Subjects: Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - drug therapy; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; Male; Mebendazole - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Nematode Infections - drug therapy; Nematode Infections - parasitology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Protozoan Infections - drug therapy; Protozoan Infections - parasitology; Quinolines - therapeutic use; Thiazoles - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Tropical medicine; Human; Protozoal disease; Quinfamide; Treatment efficiency; Gut; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Infection; Mebendazole; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Nitazoxanide; Benzimidazole derivatives; Parasiticid; Child; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2002.66.251

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of nitazoxanide compared with that of quinfamide, mebendazole, or both in the treatment of intestinal protozoa and helminthic infections. A total of 677 stool specimens from children aged 2-12 years living in 3 communities of Colima, México, were analyzed in order to detect the presence of cysts, trophozoites, eggs, or larvae of intestinal protozoa or helminths. A total of 275 infected children were enlisted in a double-blind controlled study and randomly assigned to one of 2 treatment groups: Group A, nitazoxanide (200 mg for 3 days) and Group B, quinfamide (100 mg for 1 day), mebendazole (200 mg for 3 days), or both. A posttreatment fecal examination was conducted on Day 14 from treatment initiation. In Group A (n = 143), the parasitosis eradication rate was superior to that of Group B (n = 132). However, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05).