Single-dose therapy for giardiasis in school-age children.
A randomized controlled trial was carried out to study the efficacy of combined albendazole and praziquantel in the treatment of giardiasis in school-age children. Eighty-four children were randomly allocated to 3 groups: group 1 (n = 31) albendazole 400 mg combined with praziquantel 20 mg/kg; group 2 (n = 26) albendazole 800 mg as a single dose; group 3 (n = 27) tinidazole 50 mg/kg as a single dose. The treatment was considered curative when Giardia was not found in two consecutive stool samples. The parasitological cure rate was 74.2% for combined single-dose albendazole-praziquantel, 50% and 92.6% in the albendazole and tinidazole groups respectively (p = 0.0023). There was no statistically significant difference between the cure rates of the combined regimen and tinidazole (p > 0.05). This combined regimen was considered safe, with only minor side-effects being observed. Of the single-dose regimens, tinidazole still achieves the highest parasitological cure rate for giardiasis. The albendazole-praziquantel combined regimen may be an alternative single-dose therapy for giardiasis in children, especially as this combination will eradicate common intestinal protozoa and co-existing helminths. Whether the dosage of this combination treatment should be adjusted for G. intestinalis remains to be established by further study.
Pengsaa
Krisana
K
Department of Tropical Pediatrics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. tmksp@mahidol.ac.th
Limkittikul
Kriengsak
K
Pojjaroen-anant
Chanathep
C
Lapphra
Keswadee
K
Sirivichayakul
Chukiat
C
Wisetsing
Pataraporn
P
Nantha-aree
Panida
P
Chanthavanich
Pornthep
P
D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013334:Students; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000871:Anthelmintics; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D014011:Tinidazole; D011223:Praziquantel; D015766:Albendazole