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Where can I find reliable dosing guidelines for antiparasitic drugs in humans?
Executive summary
For reliable human dosing guidelines of antiparasitic drugs, authoritative clinical-reference summaries and public-health agency pages are primary places to look: StatPearls’ "Antiparasitic Drugs" offers a broad clinical overview (updated May 29, 2023) [1], and institution pages such as Cleveland Clinic explain that dosing varies by drug and by parasite and advise following a clinician’s prescription [2]. Disease- or drug‑specific resources — CDC guidance for toxocariasis and pharmacokinetic reviews for agents like albendazole — give concrete regimens used in practice (e.g., albendazole commonly 400 mg daily; albendazole regimens for neurocysticercosis cited as 15 mg/kg daily in review literature) [3] [4] [5].
1. Start with clinical reference summaries — broad, updated overviews
Comprehensive, clinician‑oriented summaries such as StatPearls’ "Antiparasitic Drugs" are reliable first stops because they aggregate indications, common agents, and clinical considerations in one place; the StatPearls entry cited here was last updated May 29, 2023 and is designed for bedside reference [1]. These overviews do not replace product labels or specialist advice but help you frame which drug class is appropriate for which parasite and highlight safety concerns.
2. Use major medical centers and specialty pages for patient-facing dosing context
Reputable hospital sites like Cleveland Clinic describe that dosing "varies with each type of drug" and emphasize that providers match drug and dose to the specific parasite, warning that some agents have serious side effects and may require repeat dosing or follow-up [2]. Such pages are useful to understand practical patterns (e.g., single-dose vs. multi‑day regimens) and patient counseling points, but they intentionally avoid exhaustive dose tables.
3. Consult disease-specific public‑health guidance for concrete regimens
Public-health agencies provide disease-focused guidance with recommended regimens. For example, the CDC’s clinical-care page for toxocariasis discusses use of albendazole and mebendazole, notes albendazole has been used safely in mass drug administration and that children as young as one year can be treated under WHO MDA guidance, and states systemic albendazole/mebendazole doses for visceral or ocular disease are similar to those for visceral disease [3]. When you need dosing for a specific parasitic disease, CDC or WHO disease pages are authoritative starting points.
4. Use pharmacology and pharmacokinetic reviews for dosing details and special populations
Peer‑reviewed pharmacokinetic and pharmacology articles give explicit dose numbers and discuss bioavailability, CNS penetration, and weight‑based dosing. For instance, a systemic pharmacokinetics review notes albendazole is commonly dosed 400 mg daily and discusses plasma and tissue penetration that underpins choices for conditions like neurocysticercosis [4]. Another review lists regimens such as albendazole 15 mg/kg daily for neurocysticercosis and various mebendazole regimens used historically, showing how dose and duration can differ by syndrome [5].
5. Prescription labels, specialty guidelines, and pharmacists for final, legally authoritative dosing
Product package inserts and national formularies provide legally binding, approved dosing information; professional pharmacists and infectious‑disease specialists should be involved for complex cases. Clinical articles and reviews repeatedly advise involving specialists for neurologic or ocular infections where dying parasites can worsen inflammation and treatment must be individualized [6]. Cleveland Clinic and clinical‑pharmacology sources both stress following a provider’s dosing instructions [2] [4].
6. Beware of cross‑use of veterinary products and resistance issues
Do not rely on animal/veterinary dosing information for humans: the FDA warns veterinary antiparasitics differ in concentration and misuse risks, and antiparasitic resistance is a recognized problem when dosing is inappropriate [7]. The AMA and drugs-reference pages likewise stress that human formulations and dosages are specific and animal products should not be used for people [8] [9]. Resistance and public‑health implications make correct human dosing both a safety and stewardship issue [7].
7. How to combine sources in practice — a stepwise approach
1) Identify the parasite and syndrome. 2) Consult a disease‑specific public‑health page (CDC/WHO) for recommended regimens [3]. 3) Check clinical-reference overviews (StatPearls, Cleveland Clinic) for context and safety flags [1] [2]. 4) Consult pharmacology reviews or primary literature for weight‑based or CNS‑penetrant regimens [4] [5]. 5) Confirm with product package inserts, a pharmacist, or an infectious‑disease clinician before prescribing [6].
Limitations and gaps: available sources here provide general guidance and examples (albendazole dosing and CDC recommendations) but do not produce a single comprehensive dose table covering all antiparasitic agents and indications; for that, package inserts and specialty guidelines must be consulted [1] [2] [4].