Therapy of filariasis in Tamarins

A regimen of thiacetarsamide sodium (0.22 ml/kg twice daily for 2 days) plus levamisole phosphate (11 mg/kg/day for 10 days) was effective in eliminating unidentified microfilariae from the blood in seven of eight tamarins. No serious side effects resulted from the treatment. All of the animals were initially freed of circulating microfilariae after treatment, and five have remained microfilaria-negative for 1 year. Two of the tamarins died of causes unrelated to filariasis and were microfilaria-negative before death. One tamarin remained microfilaria-positive after two courses of this treatment.