Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Concurrent Administration of Albendazole and Praziquantel in Schoolchildren with Schistosomiasis and Geohelminths

A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the concurrent administration of albendazole and praziquantel was conducted in > 1500 children with high prevalences of geohelminths and schistosomiasis. The study sites were in China and the Philippines, including 2 strains of Schistosoma japonicum, and...

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Published inThe Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 179; no. 4; pp. 996 - 1003
Main Authors Olds, G. R., King, C., Hewlett, J., Olveda, R., Wu, G., Ouma, J., Peters, P., McGarvey, S., Odhiambo, O., Koech, D., Liu, C. Y., Aligui, G., Gachihi, G., Kombe, Y., Parraga, I., Ramirez, B., Whalen, C., Horton, R. J., Reeve, P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published University of Chicago Press 01.04.1999
Subjects
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Hemoglobins
Infections
Major Article
Medications
Placebos
Schistosomiasis
School age children
Side effects
Symptoms
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Summary:A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the concurrent administration of albendazole and praziquantel was conducted in > 1500 children with high prevalences of geohelminths and schistosomiasis. The study sites were in China and the Philippines, including 2 strains of Schistosoma japonicum, and 2 different regions of Kenya, 1 each with endemic Schistosoma mansoni or Schistosoma haematobium. Neither medication affected the cure rate of the other. There was no difference between the side effect rate from albendazole or the double placebo. Praziquantel-treated children had more nausea, abdominal pain, and headache but these side effects were statistically more common in children with schistosomiasis, suggesting a strong influence of dying parasites. The subjects were followed for 6 months for changes in infection status, growth parameters, hemoglobin, and schistosomiasis morbidity. In all 4 sites, a significant 6-month increase in serum hemoglobin was observed in children who received praziquantel, strongly supporting population-based mass treatment.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613