@article{94747,
  keywords = {Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Infectious Diseases, Albendazole, Mebendazole},
  author = {Zeleke AJ and Bayih A and Afework S and Gilleard JS},
  title = {Treatment efficacy and re-infection rates of soil-transmitted helminths following mebendazole treatment in schoolchildren, Northwest Ethiopia},
  abstract = {<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>Transmission of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection remains high in Ethiopia. This study aimed at assessing the therapeutic efficacy of mebendazole against soil-transmitted helminths and determining the re-infection rates of the parasites among schoolchildren in Northwest Ethiopia.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec>
<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Stool specimens were examined using direct wet mount microscopy and Kato-Katz methods. Schoolchildren who tested positive for soil-transmitted helminths were treated with 500 mg single-dose of mebendazole. Cure and egg reduction rates were evaluated 2 to 3 weeks post treatment. Moreover, the re-infection rate of these parasites among those who were cured was determined 1 year after treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> value &lt; 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec>
<jats:title>Result</jats:title>
<jats:p>A drug efficacy study was conducted on 62, 52, and 14 children infected by <jats:italic>Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides)</jats:italic>, hookworm, and <jats:italic>Trichuris trichiura (T. trichiura)</jats:italic>, respectively. The cure rates (CR) of mebendazole against <jats:italic>A. lumbricoides</jats:italic>, hookworm, and <jats:italic>T. trichiura</jats:italic> were found to be 96.9%, 23.1%, and, 28.6%, respectively. The egg reduction rate (ERR) of <jats:italic>A. lumbricoides</jats:italic> was found to be 99.6% whereas 49.6% and 56.3% were reported for hookworm and <jats:italic>T. trichiura</jats:italic>, respectively. Eighty schoolchildren who were treated and cured from any STH infections were included for the determination of re-infection rate. Out of 80 children, 36.3% (29/80) were found to be re-infected after 1 year: 22 (75.9%), 6 (20.7%), and 1 (1.3%) of study participants were re-infected with <jats:italic>A. lumbricoides</jats:italic>, hookworm, and both infections, respectively. All re-infections were grouped under the “light infection” category.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec>
<jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title>
<jats:p>Mebendazole was found to be highly effective against <jats:italic>A. lumbricoides</jats:italic>, but had relatively low efficacy against hookworms and <jats:italic>T. trichiura</jats:italic>. These results bring into question the use of mebendazole in STH mass drug administration (MDA) programs in this region if albendazole, a drug with higher efficacy against hookworms, is available. Moreover, a significant number of treated children were re-infected with either or both of <jats:italic>A. lumbricoides</jats:italic> or hookworms 1 year after treatment emphasizing the need for better integrated intestinal helminthiasis control measures.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>},
  year = {2020},
  journal = {Tropical Medicine and Health},
  volume = {48},
  publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
  issn = {1349-4147},
  doi = {10.1186/s41182-020-00282-z},
  language = {eng},
}