The efficacy of three anthelmintic drugs given in a single dose.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of a single dose mebendazole 500 mg from the original manufacturer and a formulation locally produced by State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation of Sri Lanka and albendazole 400 mg in mass treatment of soil-transmitted nematode infections.


METHODS
Randomised trial.


METHODS
Government owned plantations in low-country regions of Sri Lanka with poor sanitary facilities.


METHODS
399 children 3 to 15 years of age infected with at least one type soil-transmitted nematode.


METHODS
Mebendazole 500 mg or albendazole 400 mg given as single dose treatment.


METHODS
Cure rates and egg reduction rates calculated from egg counts of pre- and post-treatment stool samples using the quantitative Kato-Katz technique.


RESULTS
All three drugs were effective against Ascaris infection with cure rates above 95%. The efficacy against Trichuris trichuria was uniformly poor. For hookworm infection albendazole appeared to be more effective in a single dose with cure rates of 77.9% compared with 28.7% and 35.8% for the two mebendazole formulations; corresponding egg reduction rates were 95.4% compared with 72.0% and 74.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Albendazole is the drug of choice for mass deworming where hookworm disease is prominent. There was no statistically significant difference between the original and locally produced mebendazole.
Sorensen
E
E
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo.
Ismail
M
M
Amarasinghe
D K
DK
Hettiarachchi
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000871:Anthelmintics; D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D012987:Soil; D008463:Mebendazole; D015766:Albendazole