ALBENDAZOLE VERSUS THIABENDAZOLE AS THERAPY FOR TRICHINOSIS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

An outbreak of trichinosis caused by ingestion of horse meat occurred in December 1993 in France; more than 500 people were affected. We com pared the immediate and midterm efficacy and tolerability of thiabenda zole and albendazole as therapy for the 46 patients seen in our depart ment. Forty-four patients (96%) were treated. The first 26 patients re ceived thiabendazole therapy; the next 18 received albendazole therapy . All the patients were treated with prednisone. Eight relapses occurr ed (seven in the thiabendazole group and one in the albendazole group [not significant]). Side effects of treatment were reported by seven p atients, all of whom were treated with thiabendazole (P = .01). Six mo nths after treatment, 16 of the 31 patients who responded to a questio nnaire still had symptoms, the most frequent of which were myalgias (8 1%) and fatigue (69%). No significant difference was observed between the two treatment groups. The immediate efficacy of thiabendazole and albendazole as therapy for trichinosis was comparable, but albendazole was better tolerated.