title: Mass treatment for intestinal helminthiasis control in an Amazonian endemic area in Brazil.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and evaluate the sanitary conditions and the role of a mass treatment campaign for control of these infections in Santa Isabel do Rio Negro. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2002, to obtain data related to the sanitary conditions of the population and fecal samples for parasitological examination in 308 individuals, followed by a mass treatment with albendazole or mebendazole with coverage of 83% of the city population in 2003. A new survey was carried out in 2004, involving 214 individuals, for comparison of the prevalences of intestinal parasitosis before and after the mass treatment. The prevalences of ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection were 48%; 27% and 21% respectively in 2002. There was a significant decrease for the frequency of infections by Ascaris lumbricoides (p < 0.05; OR / 95% CI = 0.44 / 0.30 - 0.65), Trichuris trichiura (p < 0.05; OR / 95% CI = 0.37 / 0.22 - 0.62), hookworm (p < 0.05; OR / 95% CI = 0.03 / 0.01 - 0.15) and helminth poliparasitism (p < 0.05; OR / 95% CI = 0.16 / 0.08 - 0.32). It was also noticed a decrease of prevalence of infection by Entamoeba histolytica / dispar (p < 0.05; OR / 95% CI = 0.30 / 0.19 - 0.49) and non-pathogenic amoebas. It was inferred that a mass treatment can contribute to the control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis as a practicable short-dated measure. However, governmental plans for public health, education and urban infrastructure are essential for the sustained reduction of prevalences of those infections.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Tropical, IOC, FiocruzRJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Márcio Neves
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bóia
authors.forename: Filipe Anibal
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Carvalho-Costa
authors.forename: Fernando Campos
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sodré
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Eyer-Silva
authors.forename: Cristiane Cruz
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lamas
authors.forename: Marcelo Rosadinski
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lyra
authors.forename: Vitor Laerte
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cantalice Filho
authors.forename: Ana Lucia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Liège M Abreu
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Julise B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Ana Lucia S
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Teruo Ito de
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Elkin Hernán
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Bermudez-Aza
authors.forename: Ezequias Baptista
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: José Rodrigues
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Coura
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D008463:Mebendazole; D015766:Albendazole