A comparison of the efficacy of single doses of albendazole, ivermectin, and diethylcarbamazine alone or in combinations against Ascaris and Trichuris spp

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 81; no. 1; pp. 35 - 42
• Main Authors: BELIZARIO, V. Y, AMARILLO, M. E, DE LEON, W. U, DE LOS REYES, A. E, BUGAYONG, M. G, MACATANGAY, B. J. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Genève Organisation mondiale de la santé 2003; World Health Organization; The World Health Organization
• Subjects: Adolescent; Albendazole; Albendazole - administration & dosage; Albendazole - therapeutic use; Albendazole/administration and dosage; Anthelmintics - administration & dosage; Anthelmintics - therapeutic use; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic agents; Ascariasis; Ascariasis - drug therapy; Ascaris/drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Care and treatment; Case reports; Child; Comparative study; Diethylcarbamazine; Diethylcarbamazine - administration & dosage; Diethylcarbamazine - therapeutic use; Diethylcarbamazine/administration and dosage; Dosage and administration; Drug combinations; Drug dosages; Drug Therapy, Combination; Eggs; Health Policy & Services; Humans; Infections; Ivermectin; Ivermectin - administration & dosage; Ivermectin - therapeutic use; Ivermectin/administration and dosage; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Philippines; Placebos; Quality control; Randomized controlled trials; Regression analysis; Roundworm infections; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome; Trichuriasis - drug therapy; Trichuris/drug effects; Tropical medicine; Variance analysis; Asia; Philippine Islands; Philippines; Anthelmintic; Parasiticid; Diethylcarbamazine; Nematoda; Child; Human; Trichuris suis; Drug combination; Treatment efficiency; Single dose; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Infection; Ascariasis; Trichuriasis; Chemotherapy; Albendazole; Treatment; Benzimidazole derivatives; Nematode disease; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Invertebrata; Comparative study; Ascaris; Ivermectin; Estudio comparativo; Treatment outcome; Evaluation résultats traitement; Drug combinations; Dietilcarbamacina; Randomized controlled trials; Diéthylcarbamazine; Resultado del tratamiento; Etude comparative; Placebos; Ivermectina; Niño; Filipinas; Ivermectine; Association médicamenteuse; Philippines; Albendazol; Combinación de medicamentos; Ensayos controlados aleatorios; Enfant; Essai clinique randomisé; Placebo; Trichuris
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.1590/S0042-96862003000100008

To determine the efficacy of single doses of albendazole, ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine, and of the combinations albendazole + ivermectin and albendazole + diethylcarbamazine against common intestinal helminthiases caused by Ascaris and Trichuris spp. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, infected children were randomly assigned to treatment with albendazole + placebo, ivermectin + placebo, diethylcarbamazine + placebo, albendazole + ivermectin, or albendazole + diethylcarbamazine. The Kato-Katz method was used for qualitative and quantitative parasitological diagnosis. The chi2 test was used to determine the significance of cure rates, repeated measures analysis of variance for the comparison of mean log egg counts, the Newman-Keuls procedure for multiple comparison tests, and logistic regression for the comparison of infection rates at days 180 and 360 after treatment. Albendazole, ivermectin and the drug combinations gave significantly higher cure and egg reduction rates for ascariasis than diethylcarbamazine. For trichuriasis, albendazole + ivermectin gave significantly higher cure and egg reduction rates than the other treatments: the infection rates were lower 180 and 360 days after treatment. Because of the superiority of albendazole + ivermectin against both lymphatic filariasis and trichuriasis, this combination appears to be a suitable tool for the integrated or combined control of both public health problems.