title: The effect of the community-directed treatment approach versus the school-based treatment approach on the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among schoolchildren in Tanzania.
abstract: This study compared the effect of the community-directed treatment (ComDT) approach and the school-based treatment approach on the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) among schoolchildren. Following a parasitological survey in a randomly selected sample of 1140 schoolchildren, school-age children in 10 study villages received one dose of praziquantel (40 mg/kg body weight) against schistosomiasis and one dose of albendazole (400mg) against STH. Five of these villages implemented the ComDT approach and received treatment by community drug distributors, while school teachers administered treatment in five other villages using the school-based approach. At 12 months follow-up, the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and Trichuris trichiura infections were similar between the ComDT and the school-based approaches when examined in randomly selected schoolchildren (10.1 vs. 9.4%, P=0.66 and 0.8 vs. 1.4%, P=0.37). However, the prevalence of S. haematobium and hookworm infections were significantly lower in the ComDT approach villages compared to the school-based approach villages (10.6 vs. 16.3%, P=0.005 and 2.9 vs. 5.8%, P=0.01, respectively). The results showed that the ComDT approach is at least as effective as the school-based approach in reducing prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis and STH among schoolchildren.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Health, P.O. Box 1475, Tanga, Tanzania. kmkmassa@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Massa
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheshe
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ntakamulenga
authors.forename: Benedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ndawi
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D012987:Soil; D011223:Praziquantel; D015766:Albendazole