Albendazole Therapy and Enteric Parasites in United States–Bound Refugees

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 366; no. 16; pp. 1498 - 1507
• Main Authors: Swanson, Stephen J, Phares, Christina R, Mamo, Blain, Smith, Kirk E, Cetron, Martin S, Stauffer, William M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Waltham, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 19.04.2012
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Africa - ethnology; Albendazole; Albendazole - therapeutic use; Animals; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic Agents - therapeutic use; Asia, Southeastern - ethnology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Confidence intervals; Entamoeba - isolation & purification; Feces - parasitology; Female; General aspects; Giardia lamblia - isolation & purification; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - diagnosis; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - drug therapy; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - ethnology; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - prevention & control; Intestinal parasites; Intestine; Male; Medical sciences; Minnesota - epidemiology; Multivariate Analysis; Nematoda - isolation & purification; Ova; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prevalence; Public health; Refugees; Retrospective Studies; Trematoda - isolation & purification; United States; United States; North America; America; Asia, Southeastern; Minnesota; Africa; United States > US; Southeast Asia; Infection; Human; Medicine; Albendazole; Anthelmintic; Treatment; Benzimidazole derivatives; Parasite; Parasiticide; Refugee; Parasitosis; Bound form
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1103360

To reduce intestinal helminths among refugees arriving in the United States, the CDC has recommended albendazole therapy before departure. Among African and Southeast Asian refugees in Minnesota, albendazole reduced the proportion with stool nematodes from 20.8% to 4.7%. Approximately 25% of the world's population is infected with intestinal helminths. 1 These neglected tropical infections disproportionately affect the world's least privileged and most vulnerable populations and are among the most common medical conditions in refugees. 2 – 4 Among resettled refugees, intestinal helminths can persist for years and are associated with increased risks of illness and death. 5 – 7 The United States resettles up to 80,000 refugees annually. Before resettlement, refugees undergo mandated health screenings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines, oversees, and monitors these health screenings in accordance with the Refugee Act of 1980. 8 , 9 In 1997, the CDC . . .