Unfortunately, no one is 100% protected from being infected by worms - neither adults nor children. If the stool analysis showed the presence of helminths or their larvae in the body, the doctor urgently raises the question of selecting the most effective anthelmintic agent. According to doctors, Dekaris is one of those. This is a proven medicine for worms, which is prescribed for both adults and children. From the materials in this article you can learn about everything that relates to Dekaris: instructions for use, analogs, reviews of patients and specialists - these and other questions will be considered in more detail.
Description of the drug
An interesting feature of Dekaris is its immunomodulatory properties, as repeatedly mentioned by parasitologists. The main active ingredient is the substance levamisole and auxiliary synthetic compounds. Dekaris, like most anthelmintic analogues, is available in tablets that differ in the "adult" and "children's" dosage. In the first case, 150 mg of levamisole falls on each pill, in the second - three times less. In addition, children's pills contain a light orange dye and flavor that clogs the bitterness of the medicine. Produced by Dekaris in Hungary by Gedeon Richter.
How levamisole works
For the treatment of helminthic invasion, a single dose of the drug is often enough. Levamisole as part of Dekaris is a paralyzing substance that in small doses does not have a particular effect on the human body, but is detrimental to worms. In simple words, parasites located in the intestines of the patient die instantly, and are eliminated from the body over the next days. In parallel, the drug has a stimulating effect on the immune system, since levamisole helps increase the activity of protective cells - lymphocytes and neutrophils.
On the one hand, this principle of action is very effective for combating worms with developed muscles, and on the other hand, it is useless in the presence of tapeworms and flukes. This was convinced by those who prefer to be treated independently, judging by some reviews. The instructions for use of Dekaris clearly state which types of parasites are affected by the drug. Among them are roundworms, pinworms, nematodes and other species. The ineffectiveness of the drug against tapeworms and flukes can only be explained by the fact that these types of parasites are firmly attached to the mucosa of the intestinal walls.
Indications for taking the medicine
The annotation to this drug indicates a very limited list of conditions in which this drug is used. In practice, Dekaris has a very wide range of uses. The medication is used not only to kill helminths in the body, but also to increase immunity. This drug is prescribed for cancer patients after resection of intestinal fragments, with cancer of the bronchi, mammary glands. The medicine is included in a comprehensive regimen of maintenance therapy for lymphogranulomatosis, and Decaris is also prescribed in the intermediate periods between courses of chemotherapy for leukemia. Very rarely, the drug is taken by patients with autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease.
It is quite effective as an antiparasitic in the fight against chronic pathologies of the lungs, kidneys, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. "Dekaris" prevents exacerbations in diseases such as glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, pleurisy.
In case of infectious viral diseases, patients are often prescribed Dekaris as an integral part of immunomodulating therapy. The drug shows a good therapeutic effect with herpes simplex, chickenpox in adults, warts, active hepatitis B.
But still, the main indications for the use of Dekaris are helminthic infestations:
- Ascaridosis is a helminthiasis from the group of nematodoses. The causative agent of this disease are roundworms, parasites that live in the small intestine.
- Enterobiosis. Pinworms are most often diagnosed in children aged 2 to 10 years. Enterobiosis is often referred to as a “dirty hand” disease, since the larvae of the pathogen worms enter the body through unwashed hands and unprocessed foods.
- Trichocephalosis. The ailment is provoked by a whipworm - a round primary celiac worm occupying the gastrointestinal tract. Trichocephalosis is a fairly common helminthic invasion, which is more often detected in adults.
- Hookworm. This type of helminthiasis is caused by hookworms - round parasites. Compared with other forms of defeat by worms, hookworm infection is quite rare.
- Necatorosis A complex disease characterized by severe dyspeptic disorders, the development of allergies and hypochromic anemia. The causative agent is nekator.
- Toxoplasmosis. The causative agents of this form of helminthiasis are carried by rodents and domestic animals. Toxoplasmosis can occur latently for several years after infection.
- Strongyloidosis. This type of helminthic invasion quickly acquires a chronic course, provokes its intestinal acne. For the disease, characteristic expressed dyspeptic disorders.
- Trichostrongiasis. The nematode, which causes the disease, affects mainly the small intestine. The disease often proceeds in a chronic form.
Dekaris banned
An impressive list of cases in which this drug can be prescribed is directly proportional to the list of contraindications. There are really many restrictions on the use of this drug due to the high toxicity of levamisole.
So, for example, you should not take the drug during pregnancy in any case. Judging by the reviews, “Decaris” is prescribed for many women with helminthic infestation by worms, but most of them had to undergo a examination by a gynecologist to completely exclude pregnancy before treatment with this medication. If the pregnancy is confirmed, the patient should not risk the health of the future baby. As an alternative and safer way to treat helminthiasis, natural remedies should be used, including pumpkin seeds, enemas with garlic.
If you are hypersensitive to levamisole or another component, the use of Dekaris should be completely discontinued. There are many reviews from patients whose body does not tolerate this drug.
Levamisole passes into breast milk, which is why “Decaris” is contraindicated during lactation. If worms are found in a nursing mother, lactation should be stopped for a while before treatment.
Agranulocytosis in the history of a patient with helminthic invasion is an obstructive condition for the appointment of "Dekaris". In the reviews, experts do not advise self-medication and keep silent about the fact of taking an anthelmintic agent for this blood disorder, since uncontrolled administration of levamisole can lead to serious complications.
It is strictly forbidden to give "Dekaris" to children under the age of 3 years.
Despite the fact that the reviews of parasitologists and the instructions for use with Dekaris do not say anything about liver and kidney failure, you should take the drug with these conditions with extreme caution. The calming stage of leukemia and cerebrovascular insufficiency can also aggravate while taking levamisole.
What are the side effects?
Very often, in reviews of Dekaris tablets, people indicate side effects. Moreover, the medication causes negative reactions in both adults and children. This anthelmintic drug affects various systems of internal organs:
- Digestion can respond to medication by the appearance of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the navel.
- If you believe the reviews, from "Dekaris" can develop stomatitis in the oral cavity.
- Not in the most favorable way levamisole affects the work of the nervous system. Against the background of taking Dekaris, body temperature often rises, headache, cramps, dizziness, and sleep disturbances appear.
- One of the most common side effects is an allergic reaction to levamisole, which appears on the skin with a rash, red spots.
However, the relationship of these adverse reactions with the use of this medication remains not fully understood. Researchers cannot yet give a clear and convincing answer to the question of why those patients who took Dekaris for a long time (according to reviews) developed leukopenia, tremor, agranulocytosis. You should not think that such adverse reactions will necessarily occur when taking levamisole, but it is still necessary to take into account their likelihood.
Based on the toxicity of the drug, it is easy to guess without instructions and reviews: "Dekaris" can not be combined with alcohol. Alcohol is forbidden to drink during the day before taking the tablets and another day after taking. In addition, we must not forget about the likelihood of dizziness after this means, so you should refuse to drive a car or drive another vehicle, mechanism on the day you take the pills.
Treatment of worms with Decaris in a child
The use of this drug for the treatment of helminthiasis at an early age is carried out only for the direct appointment of a specialist. In some cases, the use of this tool is resorted to if less toxic and safer drugs are ineffective.
For patients older than three years (before this age, "Dekaris" can not be given), tablets are made with a levamisole content of not more than 50 mg. The dosage is determined individually and depends on the weight of the small patient: 1 tablet is calculated per 10 kg of body weight. For example, a baby weighs 20 kg - this means he needs to be given 2 tablets of 50 mg once. If the child weighs 30 kg, he is given 3 baby pills or 1 tablet for adults. Thus, the dosage for children aged three to 14 years (from 15 years old the child should take the medicine at the same dosage as adults) is calculated approximately as follows:
- 3-6 years - a single dose of 50-75 mg of levamisole;
- 6-10 years - 75-125 mg;
- 10-14 years - 125-150 mg.
It is more correct to adhere not to this scheme, but to the principle of calculating the dosage taking into account the weight of the child. If you have any questions, it is better to ask your doctor again how to use Dekaris. According to parasitologists, the probability of developing side effects is 90% dependent on the dosage used.
It is also worth noting that when prescribing Dekaris in childhood, doctors, as a rule, do not pursue the goal of strengthening immunity. Only a child will not be prescribed this drug solely as an immunomodulator, since there are many new, no less effective, but much safer drugs. Only an immunologist is competent to prescribe Dekaris as an immunomodulator to a child.
Based on the reviews, "Dekaris" for children with roundworms or pinworms is prescribed, if not in the first place, then very often. Most comments on treatment with this drug are positive. Interestingly, in childhood, side effects occur much less frequently than in adults. Satisfied parents also note that taking a pill once is convenient for treating preschoolers, since it is very difficult to make a child drink the medicine several times a day for at least a week.
Manufacturer's recommendations in the annotation
Levamisole tablets are taken orally. There are no strict indications regarding the time of administration, but it is not advisable to drink Decaris on an empty stomach. Tablets need to be washed down with a large amount of water (not less than a glass).
Although this is not said in the instructions, according to parasitologists, it is best to drink Dekaris in the evening, right at dinner. If necessary, it will be possible to take the tablets again in a couple of weeks. Antiparasitic therapy with this medicine does not require a strict diet, cleansing the intestines, gastric lavage, or taking absorbents.
For the treatment of toxoplasmosis, one tablet is taken for three days. It is advisable to conduct several such courses, after each of them a week-long break should be taken. Similarly, Dekaris is used as an immunomodulator, but in this case the intervals between courses should not be less than 14 days. The total duration of therapy is determined by the attending physician, under the supervision of immunological studies.
Analogs
Anthelmintic drugs, which would also contain levamisole, cannot be found in a pharmacy. In this regard, Dekaris has no analogues. In the reviews, many patients note that there are, in fact, a lot of funds like this - they all produce the same therapeutic effect. The most powerful ones with a wide spectrum of action are Vermox and Pirantel. Let's try to find the similarities and differences of these drugs with Dekaris.
Which is better: Dekaris or Vermox?
Both of these drugs belong to the category of anthelmintic drugs, but they have a completely different mechanism for influencing worms. Dekaris, as we have said, will be effective only against round helminths, and Vermox copes well with both round and tape parasites. But at the same time, Vermox does not have an immunostimulating property.
If the choice is between these two drugs, then according to the predominant number of reviews from parasitologists, preference should be given to “Vermox” - this is a more sparing and safe medication. At the same time, Vermox is not always able to give the desired result in the treatment of helminthic invasions. Specialists often advise using both drugs: first, the patient should drink the Dekaris tablet, and after a few days, take the Vermox, which will destroy the surviving parasites.
What about Pirantel?
This anthelmintic drug has more similarities with Dekaris. In particular, Pirantel has a detrimental effect on the same types of parasites. In addition, Pirantel has the same principle of action. Moreover, the indications for the use of both drugs have no differences, however, it must be borne in mind that Pirantel is not an immunomodulator.
The differences are in the number of contraindications - the Dekaris has an order of magnitude more. You can not take Pirantel only for patients with individual hypersensitivity and myasthenia gravis, but with caution, the drug can be used by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under three years of age. The list of side effects, judging by the instructions and reviews, the "Dekaris" and "Pirantela" are almost identical.
According to parasitologists, “Pirantel” is more suitable for children, as in some cases the forced intervention in the work of the child’s immune system brings its complications. Unlike Dekaris, this drug is available not only in tablets, but also in a suspension that has a sweet taste and is used with pleasure by babies of six months.
Reviews on the use of "Dekaris"
Comments are ambiguous. Negative feedback is written by patients who have experienced the side effect of an anthelmintic medication. In most cases, people complain of a feeling of weakness and malaise, dizziness, headaches. Some note nausea, vomiting, short-term loss of ability to distinguish odors. However, there is not a single review of Dekaris from a person who would blame for the ineffectiveness of this tool. An indisputable plus is its value. In various pharmacies in Russia, the price of Dekaris does not exceed 90 rubles.
Doctors advice
Parasitologists in reviews of "Dekaris" recommend a thorough examination before starting antiparasitic therapy. It is especially important to make sure that there are no contraindications to taking the drug. In addition to laboratory analysis of feces, which has already confirmed the presence of helminths in the body, a peripheral blood test should be taken and make sure that none of the indicators is abnormal. The level of leukocytes is of fundamental importance - blood cells are prone to lowering their concentration in the blood during treatment with levamisole.
Another recommendation from the reviews: Dekaris should be taken very carefully when taking drugs that affect hematopoiesis in parallel. Otherwise, the patient's prothrombin time increases, which requires an urgent dose adjustment, otherwise the medicine will not give the desired result.
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Underwear and bedding must be changed every day after hygiene procedures, and after washing - be sure to iron with a hot iron. Not only during treatment, but also in the following days, it is necessary to carefully monitor the personal hygiene of a child infected with worms. The baby needs to wash his hands only with antibacterial soap on time, trim his nails, and not allow them to bite. In addition, parents should ensure that the child does not comb the anus, since with helminthic invasions severe itching is a common symptom.
For prophylactic purposes, drinking antiparasitic drugs is recommended not only to those who have contracted helminthiasis, but also to other households. Also, deworming of domestic animals should be carried out, if any. When choosing medicines, it is advisable not to be guided by reviews of Dekaris or any other drug, but by the recommendations of doctors. So a specialist consultation is required!