by Jittamala P, Monteiro W, Smit MR, Pedrique B, Specht S, Chaccour CJ, Dard C, Giudice PD, Khieu V, Maruani A, Failoc-Rojas VE, Sáez-de-Ocariz M, Soriano-Arandes A , Piquero-Casals J, Faisant A, Brenier-Pinchart M-P, Wimmersberger D, Coulibaly JT, Keiser J, Boralevi F, Sokana O , Marks M, Engelman D, Romani L, Steer AC, von Seidlein L, White NJ, Harriss E, Stepniewska K, Humphreys GS, Kennon K, Guerin PJ,Kobylinski KC. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021;15(3): e0009144. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009144
Summary: Oral ivermectin is a safe and efficacious drug for the treatment of neglected tropical diseases. It is not currently indicated in children weighing less than 15 kg due to insufficient safety data. The authors conducted a PRISMA-level systematic review and identified 97 potential sources. All lead investigators were contacted and individual-level patient data from 15 studies were provided, representing a database of 1,088 children weighing less than 15 kg treated with oral ivermectin. Mild and self-limiting adverse events were reported in 1.4% of children and there were no serious adverse events. This suggests that ivermectin is safe for use in children weighing less than 15 kg. Further data are needed to assess its safety at escalating doses in this population.
