For treatment of Chagas disease, benznidazole can be taken for a shorter period of time and at lower doses with similar efficacy to the current standard regimen and is much more tolerable, a new study suggests.
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Latin America, where an estimated 5.7 million people are infected.
Benznidazole is a highly effective antiparasitic treatment for Chagas disease but side effects with the standard dose and long duration of treatment (300 mg daily for eight weeks) lead many patients to stop treatment.
The current study found that a reduced dose and shorter course of benznidazole is effective in patients with chronic indeterminate Chagas disease, with clearance of parasitemia and decrease in lytic antibody titers, with superior safety.
The BENDITA trial included 210 adults from Bolivia with chronic indeterminate Chagas disease, confirmed by serological testing and positive qualitative PCR results.
Source: Medscape