[Clinical and therapeutic behaviour of Fasciola hepatica in a series of 87 patients].

BACKGROUND

in the last few years, the Incidence rate of fascioliosis caused by Fasciola hepatica has increased worldwide. Cuba is one of the countries that have reported sporadic cases and also some outbreaks of fasciolosis.

OBJECTIVE

to describe clinical and therapeutic features of this trematodiasis of digestive transmission found in 87 patients, who had been admitted to "Pedro Kourí" Institute of Tropical Medicine from January 1996 to December 2005.

METHODS

patients were divided into 2 groups according to the prescribed drug, that is, triclabendazole and dihydroemetine. The clinical variables were collected at the time of diagnosis and 90 days after treatment; the means and the standard deviation were estimated.

RESULTS

males was slightly predominant (54) in our series of patients admitted to the institute service. Consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) was found in almost half of the patients. Abdominal pain, fever and malaise were the most frequent symptoms. Both drugs were useful to treat F. hepatica.

CONCLUSIONS

this study showed the usefulness of lab tests for diagnosis and follow-up of patients after treatment. The anti-parasitic drugs dihydroemetine and triclabendazole proved to be effective at the prescribed doses in this research with minor adverse effects.