Changes In Peripheral Leukocyte And Body Fluids Of Onchocerciasis Patients Treated With Ivermectin

Abstract

This study evaluated the peripheral leukocyte count and the presence of microfilariae in the body fluids of onchocerciasis patients treated with ivermectin. Fifty-three patients over the age 10 years were selected from Ipogun, an onchocerciasis endemic area in Ondo State, Nigeria. Before and after treatment, all patients received a parasitologic and clinical examination that included physical examination, palpation of onchocercal nodules, assessment of microfilarial densities in iliac crest skin snips, diagnosis of concomitant parasitic infections in stool specimens and total leukocytes differential counts. Results indicated that ivermectin did not induce a decrease in the total number of peripheral leukocytes but there was a decrease in the number of eosinophils. Microfilariae were not found in increase frequency in the urine, blood and sputum, while the number of microfilariae per mg of skin snip decreased.


Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2004; 5 (3): 225-230