Efficacy and Safety of Ivermectin for Treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Background: Up-to-date, there is no recognized effective treatment or vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19 that emphasize urgency around distinctive effective therapies. This study aims to evaluate the anti-parasitic medication efficacy "Ivermectin" plus standard care in the treatment of mild/moderate and severely ill cases with COVID 19 infection, as well as prophylaxis of health care and/ or household contacts.Subject and methods: 600 subjects; 400 symptomatic confirmed COVID-19 patients and 200 health care and household contacts distributed over 6 groups; Group I: 100 patients with mild/moderate COVID-19 infection received a 4-days course of Ivermectin plus standard of care; Group II: 100 patients with mild/moderate COVID-19 infection received hydroxychloroquine plus standard care; Group III: 100 patients with severe COVID-19 infection received Ivermectin plus standar care; Group IV: 100 patients with Severe COVID-19 infection received hydroxychloroquine plus standard care. Routine laboratory investigations and rT-PCR, were reported before and after initiation of treatment. Group V stick to personal protective measures (PPM ) plus Ivermectin o.4mg / kg on empty stomach to be repeated after one week, and group VI stick to PPM only .Both groups V&VI were followed for two weeks ..Results: Patients received ivermectin early reported substantial recovery of laboratory investigations; and significant reduction in rT-PCR conversion days. A substantial improvement and reduction in mortality rate in Ivermectin treated groups; group I (99% & 0.0%, respectively) and group III (94% & 2.0% respectively) versus hydroxychloroquine plus standard care treated groups; group II (74% and 4%, respectively) and group IV (50% and 20%, respectively). Ivermectin had significantly reduced the incidence of infection in health care and household contacts up to 2% compared to 10% in non ivermectin group when used as a prophylaxis. Conclusion: Early addition of Ivermectin to standard care is very effective drug for treatment of COVID-19 patients with significant reduction in mortality,rt-PCR conversion days , recovery time hospital stay compared to Hydroxychloroquine plus standard care. Early use of Ivermectin is very useful for controlling COVID 19 infections; prophylaxis and improving cytokines storm