TREATMENT OF ACUTE TOXOPLASMOSIS WITH INTRAVENOUS CLINDAMYCIN

The interim results are presented of an ongoing large-scale, prospective, randomized study to determine the potential role of clindamycin in the treatment of toxoplasmic encephalitis. Patients were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and had clinical signs compatible with toxoplasmic encephalitis. Data was available on 33 patients, 15 of whom received pyrimethamine p.o./clindamycin i.v. and then p.o., and 18 of whom received pyrimethamine p.o./sulfadiazine p.o. The interim evaluation did not reveal a remarkable difference between the two regimens in the clinical or radiologic response. Adverse reactions to both regimens were common and frequently multiple, there being more adverse gastrointestinal reactions in patients on gastrointestinal reactions in patients on pyrimethamine/clindamycin and more adverse hematological reactions in those on pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine.