title: Drug efficacy of praziquantel and albendazole in school children in Mwea Division, Central Province, Kenya.
abstract: The objective of this research was to assess drug efficacy in school children after mass chemotherapy with praziquantel and albendazole conducted in Mwea Division, Kirinyaga District, Central Kenya in 2004. In total 2300 children aged between 4 and 18 years in five primary schools were selected for the study. Before mass chemotherapy, prevalence of infection was 47.4% for Schistosoma mansoni, 16.7% for Necator americanus, 1.6% for Ascaris lumbricoides, and 0.8% for Trichuris trichiura. Post-treatment stool examination was carried out 8 weeks later, and a total of 1942 stool samples were collected. Prevalence decreased to 8.6% for S. mansoni, 0.2% for N. americunus, 0 for A. lumbricoides, and 0.6% for T. trichiura. Efficacy was good for S. mansoni and N. americanus (92.6% and 95.0%, respectively). Results of the first round of treatment of school-age children in Mwea indicate a good reduction in parasite burden.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector borne Diseases, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 20750 ,00202 Nairobi, Kenya; Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite control, KEMRI, PO Box 54840, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. jhkihara@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhoho
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Njomo
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Mwobobia
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Josyline
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Awazawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mwandawiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel; D015766:Albendazole