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Levamisole therapy in children at risk from severe measles
Insights
Levamisole did not significantly improve measles outcomes in at-risk children, despite a trend toward recovery. No adverse effects were observed, but the drug is not recommended for measles treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Measles can cause severe illness in children, particularly those with lymphopenia.
- Identifying effective treatments for severe measles is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Levamisole in treating severe measles in black children.
Main Methods:
- A placebo-controlled trial involving 47 black children with measles and lymphopenia.
- Participants received either Levamisole (2.5 mg/kg/dose) or placebo orally for six weeks.
- Outcomes measured included mortality, radiological pneumonia, and various immune response markers.
Main Results:
- Levamisole group: 74% experienced death or persistent pneumonia; Placebo group: 92% experienced death or persistent pneumonia.
- No significant differences were observed in immune responses (lymphocyte counts, antibody titers, etc.) between groups.
- A non-significant clinical trend towards recovery was noted in the Levamisole group.
Conclusions:
- Levamisole showed a trend towards improving clinical recovery in measles patients but did not reach statistical significance.
- No side effects were associated with Levamisole treatment.
- Levamisole cannot be recommended for the treatment of measles based on this study.
Abstract:
A placebo-controlled trial of Levamisole in 47 black children with measles is reported. The children were of satisfactory nutrition but at risk from severe disease as judged by a lymphopenia of less than 2000 X 10(-9)/m3 (less than 2000/mm3) early in the exanthem. A placebo or Levamisole (2.5 mg/kg/dose) were given orally weekly for six weeks. Death or persistence of radiological pneumonia at six weeks occurred in 74% of the Levamisole and 92% of the placebo group. No side effects of the drug were noted. The immune responses that were monitored for six weeks were total lymphocyte and lymphocyte subpopulation counts, PHA stimulated lymphocyte transformation, leucocyte migration inhibition, measles antibody titres and serum levels of immunoglobulins and complement components. In none of these was a significant difference found between the two groups. While there was a trend clinically towards complete recovery in the group that received Levamisole, statistically it was not significant, and therefore Levamisole cannot be recommended for treatment of measles.