ALBENDAZOLE-INDUCED PSEUDOMEMBRANOUS COLITIS

We report a patient with AIDS and intestinal microsporidiosis. While u ndergoing treatment with albendazole, he developed worsening diarrhea with abdominal pain and fever, The diagnosis of pseudomembranous colit is was made by flexible sigmoidoscopy and a positive stool specimen fo r Clostridium difficile toxin, The patient's symptoms resolved with or al vancomycin and his stool C. Difficile toxin became negative, Albend azole is an antibiotic that is chemically related to metronidazole. Al though a few case reports link metronidazole with the development of p seudomembranous colitis, albendazole has not been associated with the development of this condition, The spectrum of antimicrobial activity of albendazole and its efficacy in the treatment of intestinal microsp oridiosis are reviewed, Pathogenic mechanisms for the development of p seudomembranous colitis and the epidemiology of this condition in pati ents with AIDS are discussed.