Change in Haematuria and Proteinuria Levels in Urinary Schistosomiasis after Treatment with Praziquantel : Population-based Study in a Kenyan Community

In order to investigate efficacy of praziquantel (biltricide) on morbidity related to Schistosoma haematobium infection, 300 subjects of which 219 had eggs in the urine were examined for urinary eggs, blood and protein before and three months after treatment. Haematuria and proteinuria disappeared in 80.4% and 75.5% of the studied subjects respectively. The disappearance rates were not related to pre-treatment levels of haematuria and proteinuria. The rates both for haematuria and proteinuria were significantly lower in the age group 15 years and over than in the younger age group. Parasitologically, praziquantel cured 85.3% of the egg positives and reduced the mean egg count by 98.2%

Side Effects of Praziquantel in the Treatment of Urinary Schistosomiasis in Kenya

Side effects of praziquantel in a single-dose treatment of urinary schistosomiasis at 40 mg/kg were studied on 174 subjects by means of questioning clinical manifestations before and　24 hr after treatment. The numbers of abdominal pain/discomfort, nausea/vomiting and dizziness/lassitude increased after treatment at a statistically significant level. "Possible" side reactions, defined as clinical manifestations developed newly or increased their degree of severity after treatment, were experienced by 55.7% of the treated people. Females suffered more nausea/vomiting than males, and people of age 16-20 years had reactions more frequently than the other ages. With a few exceptions, the adverse effects were mild and disappeared within 11 hr after their onset