title: Effectiveness of a school-based deworming campaign in rural Kenya.
abstract: In 2007, the rate of intestinal helminth infection in primary school-aged children in a rural village in Southwestern Kenya was estimated to be at least 68%, based on direct stool smear. Since the 2007 survey, these same school children have been treated with 400-mg albendazole every 3 months. We repeated a cross-sectional stool survey in the same area in 2010 (i.e. 3 years later) to estimate the current parasite prevalence. While only 44.5% of children were infected in 2010, the decline was not as marked as one might expect from a well-managed quarterly deworming campaign. Due to the relative insensitivity of the technique utilized here-the direct smear examination of a single stool sample-we were only able to identify heavy infections, and the true rate of parasitism is likely much higher, suggesting heavy environmental contamination and rapid re-infection rates. Community education and sanitation improvements are needed for more definitive impact.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37212, USA. laura.s.peterson@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ondiek
authors.forename: Denis O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Oludhe
authors.forename: Brett A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Naul
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012572:School Health Services; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole