Albendazole in the treatment of intestinal helminthiasis in children.
One hundred sixteen children between 2 and 15 years of age entered a clinical trial of albendazole after examination of their stools revealed ova of one or more intestinal helminths. The drug was administered as a single 400-mg dose (20 ml of 2% suspension) to all the patients except those having Hymenolepis nana infection, who received treatment for three consecutive days. The stools were reexamined on days 7 and 14 posttreatment and after three months for Taenia infections. Patients were considered cured if all parasitological examinations of the feces were negative after treatment. After a single oral dose, albendazole was highly effective in ascariasis (91.9%), ancylostomiasis caused by Ancylostoma duodenale (87.2%), and H nana infection (71.4%). The drug was well tolerated, and no abnormalities were observed in hematological or blood chemistry values. Since the drug is safe and effective as a single-dose treatment of common helminthic infections, it should be considered for mass therapy in the community.
D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole; D000724:Ancylostomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006925:Hymenolepiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000871:Anthelmintics; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015766:Albendazole