"SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT WITH AMPHOTERICIN B OF PATIENTS WITH VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS RESISTANT TO MEGLUMINE ANTIMONATE"

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is usually treated with pentavalent antimonial drugs given alone or in combination with other drugs. The efficacy of these treatments is diminishing, however, and development of alternative treatments has been recommended.We studied 13 patients with leishmaniasis who were unresponsive to meglumine antimonate, at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight/per day given for 30 days. These patients were treated with daily regimen of amphotericin B, starting with an escalating dose of 0.1mg/kg body weight per day until a day dose of 1.5 mg/kg was reached for a period of 4 weeks. All 13 patients using the treatment regimen were cured; no patient relapsed in one year of follow-up. Treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) with the daily regimen of amphotericin B at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg body weight was effective.