Physical activity and growth of Kenyan school children with hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides infections are improved after treatment with albendazole

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition Vol. 124; no. 8; pp. 1199 - 1206
• Main Authors: Adams, E.J. (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.), Stephenson, L.S, Latham, M.C, Kinoti, S.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1994
• Subjects: ACTIVIDAD FISICA; ACTIVITE PHYSIQUE; Albendazole - therapeutic use; ANCYLOSTOMATIDAE; Animals; APETITO; APPETIT; Appetite; Ascariasis - drug therapy; Ascariasis - parasitology; ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES; Ascaris lumbricoides - parasitology; BENZIMIDAZOLE; BENZIMIDAZOLES; Child; Child, Preschool; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; ENFANT; Exercise; FECES; Feces - parasitology; Female; GENERO HUMANO; GENRE HUMAIN; GROUPE D'AGE; Growth; GRUPOS DE EDAD; HECES; HELMINTHE; HELMINTOS; HEMOGLOBINA; HEMOGLOBINE; Hookworm Infections - drug therapy; Humans; INFECCIONES POR NEMATODOS; KENIA; KENYA; Male; MEDICION DEL CUERPO; MENSURATION CORPORELLE; NEMATODOSE; NINOS; OVULE; OVULO; Parasite Egg Count; Regression Analysis; TERAPIA; THERAPEUTIQUE; Trichuriasis - drug therapy; Trichuriasis - parasitology; TRICHURIS; Kenya
• ISSN: 0022-3166; 1541-6100
• DOI: 10.1093/jn/124.8.1199

Growth, activity, appetite and intestinal helminth infections were compared for 55 Kenyan primary school children with hookworm (93% prevalence), T. trichiura (84% prevalence) and A. lumbricoides (29% prevalence) before and 9 wk after treatment with three 400-mg doses of albendazole (Zentel) or placebo. Fecal samples were examined for helminth eggs using a modified Kato technique. Activity was measured during free-play with motion recorders on the dominant thigh. Children rated their appetites on a 5-point scale. After baseline measurements, children were randomly allocated to the albendazole-treated (n = 28) and placebo (n = 27) groups, treated, and re-examined 9 wk later. At follow-up, egg counts were significantly lower than at baseline in the albendazole-treated group (P less than or equal to 0.002), and gains in activity, reported appetite and most indices of growth were significantly greater for the albendazole-treated group than for the placebo group. We conclude that treatment of undernourished school children for intestinal helminth infections with albendazole may improve growth and appetite and increase spontaneous physical activity