The impact of population level deworming on the haemoglobin levels of schoolchildren in Tanga, Tanzania.
The impact of albendazole (400 mg) and praziquantel (40 mg/kg body weight) treatment of schoolchildren was compared with placebo according to the presence of anaemia (haemoglobin concentration < 11. 0 g/dl) and heavy (> 5000 epg) or light (< 5000 epg) hookworm egg load. The study was conducted in rural Tanga. Medication was administered in September 1994 and children were followed-up in January 1995. Overall, anthelminthic treatment reduced the fall in haemoglobin concentration compared with that observed in the placebo group (- 0.11 g/dl vs. - 0.35 g/dl; P = 0.02). Anthelminthic treatment was of greatest benefit to the 9% of children with both anaemia and heavy hookworm egg load (+ 0.67 g/dl vs. - 0.67 g/dl) and was also of significant benefit to the 38% of children with anaemia and light hookworm egg load (+ 0.07 g/dl vs. - 0.21 g/dl). It was of no significant benefit to children who were not anaemic. This study suggests that single-dose anthelminthic treatment distributed in schools in this area achieves haematological benefits in nearly half of children infected with S. haematobium and geohelminths (37% of total population).
Beasley
N M
NM
Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Oxford.
Tomkins
A M
AM
Hall
A
A
Kihamia
C M
CM
Lorri
W
W
Nduma
B
B
Issae
W
W
Nokes
C
C
Bundy
D A
DA
D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D013636:Tanzania; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology
D006454:Hemoglobins