Background Strongyloides stercoralis is one of the most common parasites in tropical areas. Nowadays, the treatment of such parasite is based on ivermectin. However, ivermectin is not marketed in Spain. Hospital pharmacists are responsible for permitting this treatment to patients, only after drawing up an exhaustive report. In this article, we have reviewed all the reports as well as classified the information in order to present our clinical practice.

Purpose To present our clinical experience regarding the treatment of strongyloidosis.

Material and methods Descriptive observational study. Patients’ data were obtained from their clinical history. Variables examined: age, sex, nationality, doses, diagnostic methods (ELISA and coproparasitological test), co-infections, eosinophilia and immunosuppressed patients.

Results Ivermectin was first used in February 2012.15 patients were analysed 8 men and 7 women. The average age was 36. Nationality: 12 patients from Bolivia, 1 from Guinea-Conakry, 1 from Cuba and 1 with unknown nationality. Posology: 1 oral dose of 200 mcg/kg/day of ivermectin for two days in 100% of patients. The ELISA test and the coproparasitological test were used in 100% and 86% of the patients respectively. The ELISA test result was positive in 93.3% of patients, whereas the coproparasitological test result was negative in 84.3%. Co-infections: Chaga’s disease, toxocariasis, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, intestinal amoebiasis, uncinariasis (hookworm) and hymenolepis (tapeworm). Top of Form.

Before [JM1] the treatment, the average eosinophilia was 15.99%. However, after the treatment, it decreased to 4.67%. No patients were diagnosed with HIV-1 or treated with corticosteroids.

Conclusion The decrease in eosinophilic cells reveals that ivermectin is effective for the treatment of strongyloidiasis. As our study shows, most of the patients also carry other coexisting parasitic diseases, likewise transmitted by the faecal-oral cycle. Therefore, pharmaceutics could play an important role in the prevention of this type of diseases. both by ensuring the appropriate use of this drug as well as by providing some useful advice on healthy practices.

References and/or Acknowledgements [JM1]

No conflict of interest.