Posttreatments Reactions After Single-Dose Diethylcarbamazine or Ivermectin in Subjects With Loa loa Infection

Background. Severe adverse reactions have been observed in individuals with Loa loa infection treated with either diethylcarbamazine (DEC), the drug of choice for loiasis, or ivermectin (IVM), which is used in mass drug administration programs for control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in Africa. In this study, posttreatment clinical and immunologic reactions were compared following single-dose therapy with DEC or IVM to assess whether these reactions have the same underlying pathophysiology. Methods. Twelve patients with loiasis and microfilarial counts