A 7-DAY-COURSE OF EFLORNITHINE FOR RELAPSING TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI-GAMBIENSE SLEEPING-SICKNESS

Forty-seven patients with a relapse following a first treatment of Try panosoma brucei gambiense trypanosomiasis were treated with a 7 d cour se of intravenous eflornithine (100 mg/kg every 6 h) and followed for 2 years. Four patients died after treatment, 2 of them possibly due to trypanosomiasis. One patient was completely lost to follow-up, 36 wer e followed for at least one year, and 25 have completed the 2 years' f ollow-up. Only one patient, a 5 years old child, subsequently relapsed . Considering this child and 2 of the fatalities as treatment failures , the rate of failure was 6.5%. A 7 d course of intravenous eflornithi ne is an adequate treatment for cases of Gambian trypanosomiasis relap sing after treatment with another drug.