Anti-parasite drug ivermectin can prevent Covid-19 spread: AIIMS-Bhubaneswar study

BHUBANESWAR: Anti-parasite drug ivermectin can prevent Covid-19 infection to a great extent, a latest study by AIIMS-Bhubaneswar said. The researchers hope the low-cost drug would open new window of opportunities to contain the virus spread as the world awaits a vaccine.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar director Gitanjali Batmanabane, who is among authors of the study, said though ivermectin is being used as an off-label treatment option for Covid-19 in some states, the findings on its effectiveness in prevention of the infection is significant.
At a time when around 20 to 25 of its staff members were testing positive per day in early September, AIIMS started administering ivermectin to the healthcare workers after reviewing the available literature, two doses in 72 hours interval. It was voluntary. The infections sharply fell. “We found that those who received two doses of ivermectin had 73% less chances of getting the virus infection for the next one month. We are confident it can be an effective tool to check the infection spread,” Batmanabane told TOI.
Around 2600 healthcare workers of AIIMS including doctors nurses, paramedics and security staff members were given the tablets while 1600 others voluntarily did not take it. The dose given was dependent on their body weights at the rate of 0.3 mg per kg of body weight.
Binod Patro, additional professor of community medicine in AIIMS who is also an author, said the institute took a queue from administering of the medicine to students of a university in Egypt. “Given the fact that ivermectin is very low-cost, it can be a potent weapon to prevent virus spread among people in different settings. If it is used before the second wave, may be the new infections will be far less,” he said.
Administering ivermectin tablets available in 3 mg, 6 mg and 12 mg may cost Rs 16 to Rs 24 per head. The study ‘Role of ivermectin in the prevention of Covid-19 infection among healthcare workers in India: A matched case-control study’ is in pre-print stage (https://www.medrxiv.org) and not yet peer-reviewed.
Experts are optimistic. Jayant Panda, professor of internal medicine in SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack and technical adviser to government on Covid-19, said currently ivermectin is used in Odisha in identified Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms if they have indication of heart problems where hydroxychloroquine is not advised. “If it is working in prevention, it should be good news,” he said.
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