One-week therapy with oral albendazole in hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans: a retrospective study on 78 patients.

We evaluated retrospectively the efficacy and tolerability of oral albendazole (400 mg/day for 1 week) in 78 patients with hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans characterized by multiple and/or extensive lesions. The diagnosis was based on history and the clinical picture. Neither topical or systemic drugs nor physical treatments were used. All patients were followed-up for at least 3 months after the therapy. All patients were cured at the end of the therapy. The disappearance of pruritus was reported after 2-3 days and skin lesions after 5-7 days of therapy. One patient reported nausea and abdominal pain; another patient reported worsening of pruritus: in both cases it was not necessary to stop the therapy. No recurrences were observed during follow-up. One week of therapy with 400 mg/day oral albendazole is very effective (cure rate: 100%) in patients with cutaneous larva migrans characterized by multiple and/or extensive lesions. This therapeutical regimen is not accompanied by the appearance of new and/or more severe side effects.