02848nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653002400058653001700082653001900099653003100118653002200149653002300171100001500194700001500209700001200224700001400236700001200250700001200262700001400274700001300288700001300301700001200314700001500326245019700341856015300538300001100691490000800702520178600710022001402496       2022                            d  bElsevier BV10aInfectious Diseases10aParasitology10aInsect Science10aVeterinary (miscellaneous)10aalbendazole (ALB)10apraziquantel (PZQ)1 aEneanya OA1 aGankpala L1 aGoss CW1 aMomolu AT1 aNyan ES1 aGray EB1 aFischer K1 aCurtis K1 aBolay FK1 aWeil GJ1 aFischer PU00aCommunity-based trial assessing the impact of annual versus semiannual mass drug administration with ivermectin plus albendazole and praziquantel on helminth infections in northwestern Liberia  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X22001358/pdfft?md5=4b0a24af4f77347f8b35d502d7b56eae&pid=1-s2.0-S0001706X22001358-main.pdf  a1064370 v2313 a<p>We assessed the impact of three annual vs five semiannual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin plus albendazole followed by praziquantel for the control or elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF), onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and schistosomiasis in Lofa County, Liberia. The study started in 2012 and was interrupted in 2014 during the Ebola virus outbreak. Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted in individuals 5 years and older to measure infection markers.&nbsp;<em>Wuchereria bancrofti</em>&nbsp;antigenemia prevalences decreased from 12.5 to 1.2% (90% reduction) and from 13.6 to 4.2% (69% reduction) one year after three rounds of annual or five rounds of semiannual MDA, respectively. Mixed effects logistic regression models showed decreases in odds of antigenemia positivity were 91 and 74% at that time in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively (<em>p</em>&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001). Semiannual MDA was slightly more effective for reducing&nbsp;<em>Onchocerca volvulus</em>&nbsp;microfiladermia prevalence and at follow-up 3 were 74% (from 14.4 to 3.7%) and 83% (from 23.6 to 4.5%) in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively. Both treatment schedules had similar beneficial effects on hookworm prevalence. Thus, annual and semiannual MDA with ivermectin and albendazole had similar beneficial impacts on LF, onchocerciasis, and STH in this setting. In contrast, MDA with praziquantel had little impact on hyperendemic&nbsp;<em>Schistosoma mansoni</em>&nbsp;in the study area. Results from a long-term follow-up survey showed that improvements in infection parameters were sustained by routine annual MDA provided by the Liberian Ministry of Health after our study endpoint.</p>
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