Sodium Antimony Dimercapto-Succinate (TWSb) in the Treatment of Human Schistosoma Mansoni Infections

Abstract

Summary Fifty-five patients with intestinal schistosomiasis were treated with an adult dose of 2 g of sodium antimony dimercapto-succinate (TWSb). Side effects were found to be moderate in severity. At 12 weeks after treatment 15 of 21 African patients and 1 of 16 Europeans were still passing living eggs. The European that was positive at 12 weeks was later negative on repeated followup examinations; thus all Europeans were presumptively cured. The presence of prepatent infections and the occurrence of reinfection were possibly responsible for the high number of apparent failures in the African group. Aside from considerations of cure-rate, the relative severity of side effects from the drug, its relatively high cost and lack of stability in solution, make it unsuitable for mass treatment under field conditions.