Pulmonary alterations on X-rays werefound in 28.8% of patients with schistosomiasis mansoni infection post-treatment with oxamniquine. They comprised bronchopneumonitis (41%), pneumonitis (35%), prominent medium arc (17%), and pulmonary congestion (7%). These alterations were transitory starting within 3 days after treatment. In 51% of the cases spontaneous, often complete, recovery occurred in 15 days. They were more common in patients, 4 to 12 years of age and did not depend on the pre-treatment radiologic pattern, race, sex, origin norphase of the disease. In the chronic phase of the disease there were clinical manifestations (ronchi and rales) associated with the X-ray alterations, while in the acute, toxemic phase these were absent or mild. The presence of sputum eosinophils up to the 12th day post-treatment had a direct correlation with the appearance of X-ray abnormalities and did not depend on the phase or form of the disease.
Schistosomiasis mansoni; Oxamniquine; Treatment; Pulmonary complications