[Poor results of treatment of echinococcosis with albendazole in 7 patients].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of treatment of echinococcal disease with albendazole, a drug recently licensed in the Netherlands for this treatment.

SETTING

The University Hospital Utrecht and the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht.

DESIGN

Follow-up study.

METHOD: Clinical symptoms, serology and size and morphology of cysts of all patients (n = 7) treated with albendazole with a therapeutical dose (10 mg/kg for adults and 6 mg/kg for children in two daily doses during three cycles of 28 days) were monitored for at least one year.

RESULTS

Two patients improved, two patients did not show any change, and the condition of three patients deteriorated.

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of albendazole treatment with this regimen for hydatid disease is disappointing. If patients are treated with albendazole, the total dose administered to adults should be more than 80 g.