02599nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001653002900042653001800071653001300089653001900102653001500121653001400136653000900150653001500159653001100174653001600185653001100201653003300212653001900245653002100264653001000285653001200295653002500307653001200332653001000344653001500354100001600369700001200385245015800397856004700555300001100602490000700613520157900620022001402199       1998                            d10aSkin Diseases, Parasitic10aPublic health10aPruritus10aonchocerciasis10aOnchocerca10aMorbidity10aMale10aIvermectin10aHumans10aFilaricides10aFemale10aDrug Administration Schedule10aCohort Studies10aChild, Preschool10aChild10aBurundi10aAntiparasitic Agents10aAnimals10aAdult10aAdolescent1 aVyungimana 1 aNewell 00aTreatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin (Province of Bururi, Burundi): parasitologic and clinical evaluation of different periodicities of treatment.  uhttp://www.ajtmh.org/content/59/5/828.long  a828-310 v593 a<p>To find out whether biannual treatments of onchocerciasis with ivermectin were necessary or whether annual treatments could suffice, parasitologic and clinical results in Burundi were compared at 12 months after a single treatment and after two treatments with an interval of six months. Adverse reactions were also compared at 12 months, after a second or third treatment, respectively. The biannual treatment resulted in a greater reduction of parasitologic parameters, had a longer-lasting effect on itching, and produced less side effects (especially itching, rash, and swellings) at 12 months than an annual treatment. Skin lesions were not significantly modified by any of the treatment schemes at 12 months. Notwithstanding this slight advantage of biannual treatment, operational constraints forced us to choose an annual distribution of ivermectin. With minimal resources, a distribution scheme was organized that was adapted to the different levels of endemicity of onchocerciasis. The results of this study may be of interest to policy makers and public health officials in areas where logistical and resource issues severely restrict the scope of treatment programs. In view of the planned activities of the African Programme of Onchocerciasis Control, the achievements in Burundi indicate that even with limited resources, an appropriate annual distribution scheme can give meaningful results. In spite of the persistence of skin lesions, their severity decreased and most patients considered that their condition had improved even after just one year.</p>
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