OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: To test the efficacy of albendazole against the whipworm Trichuris trichiura for school-based deworming in the south-western Cape, South Africa. Children infected with Trichuris were randomised to 3 doses of albendazole (400, 800 or 1200 mg), each repeated 4 times. The boy/girl ratio was 1. A group not infected with worms was treated with placebo, creating a negative control. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Pupils at a primary school serving a wine-producing area approximately 90 km east of Cape Town. OUTCOME MEASURES: Trichuris cure rates and reduction in the number of eggs/g in faeces, as well as the infection dynamics of Trichuris and Ascaris during treatment with placebo. RESULTS:Albendazole treatment was associated with Trichuris cure rates of 23% (400 mg), 56% (800 mg) and 67% (1200 mg) after the final treatment. The corresponding reductions in the number of eggs/g of faeces were 96.8%, 99.3% and 99.7%. Environmental pollution by human faeces was confirmed because worm egg-negative children in the placebo group became egg-positive while the study was in progress. CONCLUSION: The 400 mg stat dose had a low Trichuris cure rate. To repeat the dose on 2 or 3 days would increase cost, reduce compliance and complicate management. Albendazole cannot be used in deworming programmes in South Africa because it is a Schedule 4 prescription medicine. De-scheduling is needed urgently, particularly because of high efficacy against hookworm in KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring countries.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: To test the efficacy of albendazole against the whipworm Trichuris trichiura for school-based deworming in the south-western Cape, South Africa. Children infected with Trichuris were randomised to 3 doses of albendazole (400, 800 or 1200 mg), each repeated 4 times. The boy/girl ratio was 1. A group not infected with worms was treated with placebo, creating a negative control. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Pupils at a primary school serving a wine-producing area approximately 90 km east of Cape Town. OUTCOME MEASURES: Trichuris cure rates and reduction in the number of eggs/g in faeces, as well as the infection dynamics of Trichuris and Ascaris during treatment with placebo. RESULTS:Albendazole treatment was associated with Trichuris cure rates of 23% (400 mg), 56% (800 mg) and 67% (1200 mg) after the final treatment. The corresponding reductions in the number of eggs/g of faeces were 96.8%, 99.3% and 99.7%. Environmental pollution by human faeces was confirmed because worm egg-negative children in the placebo group became egg-positive while the study was in progress. CONCLUSION: The 400 mg stat dose had a low Trichuris cure rate. To repeat the dose on 2 or 3 days would increase cost, reduce compliance and complicate management. Albendazole cannot be used in deworming programmes in South Africa because it is a Schedule 4 prescription medicine. De-scheduling is needed urgently, particularly because of high efficacy against hookworm in KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring countries.
Authors: Vera J Adams; Miles B Markus; Joanita F A Adams; Esme Jordaan; Bronwyn Curtis; Muhammad A Dhansay; Charlie C Obihara; John E Fincham Journal: Afr Health Sci Date: 2005-06 Impact factor: 0.927
Authors: Vera J Adams; Miles B Markus; Joanita F A Adams; Esme Jordaan; Bronwyn Curtis; Muhammad A Dhansay; Charlie C Obihara; John E Fincham Journal: Afr Health Sci Date: 2005-09 Impact factor: 0.927
Authors: Aissatou Diawara; Lesley J Drake; Richard R Suswillo; Jimmy Kihara; Donald A P Bundy; Marilyn E Scott; Carli Halpenny; J Russell Stothard; Roger K Prichard Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2009-03-24
Authors: Vera J Adams; Miles B Markus; Zilungile L Kwitshana; Muhammad A Dhansay; Lize van der Merwe; Gerhard Walzl; John E Fincham Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2006-05-26 Impact factor: 3.090