Efficacy of single dose albendazole on the prevalence and intensity of infection of soil-transmitted helminths in Orang Asli children in Malaysia.
The efficacy of a single-dose 400 mg albendazole to treat Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm infection was studied in Orang Asli community. Kato-Katz examination was performed on fecal samples which were collected before treatment, 1 and 4 months after treatment. A total of 123 children were involved in all three surveys. The cure rate of Ascaris infection was 97.4% and the egg reduction after treatment was 99.9%. The cure rate for hookworm infection was 93.1% with 96.6% egg reduction. Although the cure rate was low in Trichuris infection (5.5%), egg reduction was more evident (49.1%). The reinfection rate at 4 months after treatment was 54.5%, 3.6% and 10.3% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm infection, respectively. Within 4 months after treatment almost one-fifth children with Ascaris and hookworm infection reached pre-treatment intensity infection. In Trichuris infection, however more than half of the children reached their pre-treatment intensity infection at 4 months after treatment. Findings suggest that 4-monthly targeted periodic treatment with 400 mg single-dose albendazole in highly endemic areas can have a significant impact on intensity infection of Ascaris and hookworm, but not on Trichuris infection.
Norhayati
M
M
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Oothuman
P
P
Azizi
O
O
Fatmah
M S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission
D000871:Anthelmintics; D012987:Soil; D015766:Albendazole