title: Population dynamics and chemotherapeutic control of Trichuris trichiura infection of children in Jamaica and St. Lucia.
abstract: Population dynamical parameters of Trichuris trichiura infections in children were estimated from longitudinal intensity and prevalence data from a population (n = 23) in a children's home in Jamaica. The theoretical predictions of a deterministic model incorporating these parameters were approximated to observed horizontal-age prevalence data from a naturally infected population (n = 203) of children in a St. Lucian village, and a rough estimate of the basic reproductive rate (Ro = 8-10) of T. trichiura obtained. The findings suggest that T. trichiura populations are intrinsically more difficult to control by traditional mass-treatment chemotherapy (eradication requires greater than 91% of the population to be treated every 6 months for greater than 5 years) than are populations of Ascaris, but may be more susceptible to selective chemotherapy programmes which aim to treat only the most heavily infected individuals.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007563:Jamaica; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008954:Models, Biological; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012008:Recurrence; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014258:Trichuris / Q000254:growth & development; D014900:West Indies
chemical_list: D008463:Mebendazole