Preliminary report on the therapeutic effect of mebendazole in guinea worm infection.

Mebendazole was found to be effective in the treatment of patients infected with adult guinea worms. The patients consistently reported a rapid relief of pain, tenderness and swelling. The worms emerge from the ulcers in a degenerated, fragmented form. No extraction of worms is needed as the fragments are expelled spontaneously. Some cases need repetition of treatment when fresh lesions appear but healing is as rapid as in original lesions. No side-effects were encountered in spite of repetition of the course in some cases. The drug was well tolerated by all the patients included in the present study.