Absence of an Association Between Plasmodium falciparum Infection and Post-Ivermectin Loa-Related Non-Neurologic Serious Adverse Events

Joël Fokom-Domgue Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Sébastien D. Pion Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Raceline Gounoue Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Julie Akame Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Patrick Nguipdop-Djomo Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Nana A. Y. Twum-Danso Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Björn Thylefors Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Michel Boussinesq Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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Joseph Kamgno Center for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon; UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon; Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, Georgia; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0189
Volume/Issue:
Volume 90: Issue 2
Page(s):
335–338
Restricted access
Get Permissions

Although ivermectin treatment can induce serious adverse events (SAEs) in individuals harboring high Loa loa microfilaremia (mf), not all patients with high mf levels develop such reactions, suggesting that cofactors may be involved. A study was conducted in Cameroon to investigate the possible role of Plasmodium coinfection at the time of ivermectin treatment in the development of SAEs. Before their first ivermectin treatment, thick smears were obtained from 4,175 individuals to determine the burden of Plasmodium sp., L. loa, and Mansonella perstans. After treatment, 18 (4.3 per 1,000) patients developed a non-neurologic SAE. Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, P. falciparum infection, and M. perstans infection intensities, confirmed that L. loa mf was the main risk factor for SAEs. We found no evidence that coinfection with P. falciparum at the time of ivermectin treatment was associated with the occurrence of Loa-related SAEs in this population.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Sébastien D. Pion, UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 911 Av Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France. E-mail: Sebastien.Pion@ird.fr

Authors' addresses: Joël Fokom-Domgue, Patrick Nguipdop-Djomo, and Joseph Kamgno, Center for Research on Filariasis and other Tropical Diseases, Yaounde, Cameroon, E-mails: joeldomgue@yahoo.fr, patrick.nguipdop-djomo@lshtm.ac.uk, and kamgno@crfilmt.org. Raceline Gounoue, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon, E-mail: gounoue@crfilmt.org. Julie Akame, Helen Keller International, Yaounde, Cameroon, E-mail: jakame@hki.org. Nana A. Y. Twum-Danso and Björn Thylefors, Mectizan Donation Program, Decatur, GA, E-mails: ntwumdanso@yahoo.com and bthylefors@gmail.com. Sébastien D. Pion and Michel Boussinesq, UMI233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France, E-mails: sebastien.pion@ird.fr and michel.boussinesq@ird.fr.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2014
Received:
10 Apr 2013
|
Accepted:
23 Aug 2013
|
Published Online:
05 Feb 2014
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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