Single oral dose medication of Albendazole & DEC in Filariasis

The present study is an attempt to find out the safety and acceptability of single dose oral therapy of Albendazole with DEC in Microfilaraemic patients and to assess the toxicological profile of standard dose and high dose regimen of Albendazole with DEC when administered by oral route to albino mice. It was concluded that single high dose was safe & acceptable to the majority of the study participants. The responses from male compared to female subjects was good. Most of the subjects preferred to take medicine in less frequent dose. Also most of them refused to take the chewable one. From this study, it was also found to be a more effective regimen in reducing microfilaria and/or adult worm load, which was useful for maintaining persistent amicrofilaraemic state for a prolonged period. This regimen when applied to the global programme can effectively sustain the transmission blocking potential of the drug and thereby reducing the time required for elimination of the infection.