High risk of early sub-therapeutic penicillin concentrations after intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections in Ethiopian children and adults with rheumatic heart disease.
Ezra B KetemaNigus Z GishenAbraha HailuAbadi LeulAbera Hadgu BerheKiflom HagosSamual BerhaneTemesgen Tsega DestaMadhu Page-SharpTimothy M E DavisBrioni R MooreKevin T BattyJonathan CarapetisSam SalmanLaurens ManningPublished in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases (2021)
The majority of Ethiopian patients receiving BPG as secondary prophylaxis to prevent RHD do not attain target concentrations for more than two weeks during each 4-weekly injection cycle, highlighting the limitations of current BPG strategies. Between-population variation, together with PK differences between different preparations may be important considerations for ARF/RHD control programs.