Ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic agent, was found to be an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the laboratory and a Bangladesh study found that it may be effective for the treatment of early-onset mild Covid-19 in adult patients.
According to the study, published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, early viral clearance of SARS-CoV-2 was observed in treated patients. Remission of fever, cough and sore throat did not differ between those treated with or without ivermectin. No severe adverse event observed with the longer duration of ivermectin use.
Larger trials will be needed to confirm these preliminary findings, the authors noted.
Study details
A five day course of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 may reduce the duration of illness
Sabeena Ahmed, Mohammad Mahbubul Karim, Allen G. Ross, Mohammad Sharif Hossain, John D. Clemens, Mariya, Kibtiya Sumiya, Ching Swe Phru, Mustafizur Rahman, Khalequ Zaman, Jyoti Somani, Rubina Yasmin, Mohammad Abul Hasnat, Ahmedul Kabir, Asma Binte Aziz, Wasif Ali Khan
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2 December 2020
Highlights
• Ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic agent, was found to be an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the laboratory.
• Ivermectin may be effective for the treatment of early-onset mild COVID-19 in adult patients.
• Early viral clearance of SARS-CoV-2 was observed in ivermectin treated patients.
• Remission of fever, cough and sore throat did not differ among treatment groups. No severe adverse event was observed.
• Larger trials will be needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Abstract
Ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic agent, was found in vitro to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication. To determine the rapidity of viral clearance and safety of ivermectin among adult SARS-CoV-2 patients we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral ivermectin alone (12 mg once daily for 5 days) or in combination with doxycycline (12 mg ivermectin single dose and 200 mg stat doxycycline day-1 followed by 100 mg 12hrly for next 4 days) compared with placebo among 72 hospitalized patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Clinical symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat were comparable among the three treatment arms. Virological clearance was earlier in the 5-day ivermectin treatment arm versus the placebo group (9.7 days vs. 12.7 days; P = 0.02); but not with the ivermectin + doxycycline arm (11.5 days; P = 0.27). There were no severe adverse drug events recorded in the study. A 5-day course of ivermectin was found to be safe and effective in treating mild COVID-19 adult patients. Larger trials will be needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
[link url="https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(20)32506-6/fulltext"]Full text in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Open access)[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ivermectin-stops-sars-cov-2-virus-growing-in-cell-culture-within-48-hours/"]MedicalBrief Archives: Ivermectin stops SARS-COV2 growing in cell culture within 48 hours(Open access)[/link]
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