Adverse Reactions to Anthelminthic Drugs

The document reports on adverse reactions to anthelminthic drugs, including a case where a 21-year-old man developed a severe hypersensitivity reaction after being treated with 1.8 g of praziquantel for chronic Schistosomiasis mansoni. The reaction was characterized by symptoms such as rash, myalgia, fever, and pleuritic chest pains, leading to exudative polyserositis, but the patient improved with supportive treatment. The reaction was attributed to the release of schistosomal antigens, not the drug itself. Additionally, the document notes the toxicity of suramin, an anti-trypanosomal drug, which caused severe polyneuropathy in 4 out of 38 patients treated for malignancies, with a 40% risk of polyneuropathy at plasma levels of 350 µg/ml or higher.