Adult Dosing
American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease)
- (Child 17 years or older): 8-10 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days
Pediatric Dosing
American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease)
- (Child 11-16 years): 12.5-15 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days
- (Child < = 10 years): 15-20 mg/kg per day orally in 3 or 4 divided doses for 90 days
[Outline]
- American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease)
Note: Not FDA approved and is available only from CDC under investigational protocols.
- Use of nifurtimox may aggravate conditions such as behavioral disorders, epilepsy, or psychoses; use cautiously in patients with seizures and cerebral impairment or patients with history of psychotic disorders
- Use cautiously in patients with active or history of peripheral neuropathy
- Use cautiously in history of alcohol and/or drug abuse, or history of allergies, especially of the skin
- Close monitoring of body weight is recommended because the patient can lose appetite during treatment resulting in weight loss; dosage should be adjusted if body weight decreases during treatment; for patients who are overweight, dosing should be based on ideal body weight
- Adverse Reactions then to be more frequent and severe with increasing age
Cautions: Use cautiously in:
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Geriatrics
Pregnancy Category: Unknown
Breastfeeding: It is not known whether benznidazole is distributed into breast milk; caution advised
