[Treatment of schistosomiasis haematobium with metritionate in OPD-patients (author's transl)].

40 patients--5 to 50 years of age--voiding eggs of Schistosoma haematobium in their urine--underwent treatment with Metrifonate at the OPD of Bong Mine Hospital, Liberia. The patients received 10 mg/kg body weight 3 times at a fortnight's interval. The drug was swallowed under medical supervision. 27 patients no longer passed eggs after the 1. dose of Metrifonate, 37 no longer voided eggs after the 2. administration. 1 patient did not show up for control after the 3. dose. Theoretically he may not be healed. 1 other patient who came for control after 12 months had been exposed to reinfection and again voided eggs in her urine. She had been negative after the 2. treatment. Reinfection may have happened. Patients could be controlled over a period of 6-14 months. Thus, Metrifonate seems to be an effective drug in the treatment of urinary schistosomiasis. Side-effects (nausea, abdominal pains, and--very rare--vomiting) were mild and disappeared spontaneously within less than 24 hours after medication. Patients did not have to interrupt school, daily activities, and treatment. Statistically, Metrifonate did not show any influence on transaminase SGOT, SGPT, and LDH during and after the course of treatment. The same evaluation applies to eosinophilia. There is no increase or decrease of this particular type of cell during and after treatment 7 patients showed alterations of their ECG curves. There were changes of the T-wave in V1-4. In adults traces were normal again several months after completion of treatment. It seems to be difficult to interpret ECGs in West African youngsters. X-ray photos of the lungs never revealed any pathological findings which could be connected to the course of treatment. Metrifonate seems to be a valuable drug in treatment of Schistosoma haematobium-infection. The drug is well tolerated if the treatment scheme--mentioned above--is used.