       Document 0463
 DOCN  M9590463
 TI    The treatment of scabies with ivermectin.
 DT    9509
 AU    Meinking TL; Taplin D; Hermida JL; Pardo R; Kerdel FA; Department of
       Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of; Miami School of
       Medicine, FL, USA.
 SO    N Engl J Med. 1995 Jul 6;333(1):26-30. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95295757
 AB    BACKGROUND. Ivermectin is an anthelmintic agent that has been a safe,
       effective treatment for onchocerciasis (river blindness) when given in a
       single oral dose of 150 to 200 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.
       Anecdotal reports of improvement in patients who suffered from
       infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei suggest that the
       ectoparasitic disease scabies might be treated with ivermectin. METHODS.
       We conducted an open-label study in which ivermectin was administered in
       a single oral dose of 200 micrograms per kilogram to 11 otherwise
       healthy patients with scabies and to 11 patients with scabies who were
       also infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 7 of whom had
       the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. All patients received a full
       physical and dermatologic examination; scrapings from the skin of all
       patients tested positive for scabies. Patients were reexamined two and
       four weeks after treatment, when the scrapings for scabies were
       repeated. The patients used no other scabicides during the 30 days
       before ivermectin treatment or during the 4-week study period. RESULTS.
       None of the 11 otherwise healthy patients had evidence of scabies four
       weeks after a single dose of ivermectin. Of the 11 HIV-infected
       patients, 2 had < or = 10 scabies lesions before treatment, 3 had 11 to
       49 lesions, 4 had > or = 50 lesions, and 2 had heavily crusted skin
       lesions. In eight of the patients the scabies was cured after a single
       dose of ivermectin. Two patients received a second dose two weeks after
       the first. Ten of the 11 patients with HIV infection (91 percent) had no
       evidence of scabies four weeks after their first treatment with
       ivermectin. CONCLUSIONS. The anthelmintic agent ivermectin, given in a
       single oral dose, is an effective treatment for scabies in otherwise
       healthy patients and in many patients with HIV infection.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS  Adult  Aged  Drug
       Administration Schedule  Female  Human  HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS
       Ivermectin/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Male  Middle Age
       Scabies/COMPLICATIONS/*DRUG THERAPY  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Treatment
       Outcome  CLINICAL TRIAL  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

