Effects of single-dose praziquantel on morbidity and mortality resulting from intestinal schistosomiasis.
The long-term effect of single-dose praziquantel on morbidity and mortality from Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in surveys in 1987 and 1994 in central Sudan. Prevalence of infection dropped from 53% to 34%, and intensity of infection (> or = 400 eggs/g of faeces) from 31% to 18%. There was a reduction in hepatomegaly and hepatosplenomegaly, although splenomegaly alone was unchanged. Prevalence of periportal fibrosis decreased from 14% to 10%. Endoscopic investigation of patients with fibrosis showed a reduction in oesophageal varices from 47% to 30%. Mortality due to bleeding varices was high (community-wide, up to 11/100 infected patients with bleeding). Thus praziquantel mass treatment can be spaced to a much longer period, reducing the expense of treatment, delivery and distribution.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
M M
MM
Kheir
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OZ
Baraka
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el-Tom
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Mukhtar
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Homieda
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000469:parasitology; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000469:parasitology; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel