Evaluation of the impact of overseas pre-departure treatment for infection with intestinal parasites among Montagnard refugees migrating from Cambodia to North Carolina.
We evaluated the effectiveness of an overseas pre-departure regimen of five days of albendazole for presumptive treatment of intestinal parasites by examining stool specimens in treated and untreated Montagnard refugees after arrival in the United States. Among 815 refugees evaluated, fully treated refugees had a significantly lower prevalence of helminths (11 [1.4%] of 777), specifically hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides, than untreated pregnant women (3 [20%] of 15) (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that treatment was associated with significantly lower rates of infection with helminths but not protozoa. Post-arrival gastrointestinal symptoms were not associated with findings on stool examination. Our evaluation suggests that although additional studies are needed to determine optimal treatment regimens for intestinal parasites, especially among young children and pregnant women, a five-day course of pre-departure albendazole was effective in reducing helminthic infection in treated refugees.
Shah
J Jina
JJ
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4018, USA. jina.shah@gmail.com
Maloney
Susan A
SA
Liu
Yecai
Y
Flagg
Elaine W
EW
Johnston
Stephanie P
SP
Young
Suzanna A
SA
Weston
Robert
R
Merritt
Samuel
S
Wilkins
Patricia P
PP
Keane
Vincent
V
Calderon
Jaime
J
Sharp
Donald J
DJ
Causer
Louise
L
Maguire
James H
JH
Cetron
Martin S
MS
D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002160:Cambodia / Q000208:ethnology; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D012036:Refugees; D014195:Travel; D014347:Trypanosoma brucei gambiense; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014370:Tsetse Flies; D014481:United States
D000871:Anthelmintics; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015766:Albendazole