title: Low efficacy of albendazole against Trichuris trichiura infection in schoolchildren from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
abstract: Albendazole is one of two standard drugs for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis.
  
  
  
  A total of 149 schoolchildren from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, were examined for soil-transmitted helminth infections using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears before and 2 weeks after administration of albendazole (400 mg).
  
  
  
  Trichuris trichiura was the predominant soil-transmitted helminth species (prevalence 60.4%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (47.7%). While albendazole was highly efficacious against A. lumbricoides (cure rate [CR] 97.2%; egg reduction rate [ERR] 94.3%), it lacked efficacy against T. trichiura (CR 1.1%; ERR 46.0%).
  
  
  
  Our study confirms low efficacy of single dose albendazole against T. trichiura. There is a need for safe and efficacious drugs against T. trichiura.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.|University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.|Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, St. Jakobsturm, Birsstrasse 320B, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beyleveld
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, St. Jakobsturm, Birsstrasse 320B, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, St. Jakobsturm, Birsstrasse 320B, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pühse
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: du Randt
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.|University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Utzinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leyli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zondie
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland peter.steinmann@unibas.ch.|University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steinmann
keywords: Albendazole; Ascaris lumbricoides; Drug efficacy; Kato-Katz technique; South Africa; Trichuris trichiura