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

• Published in: The 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
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-04-1999; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Albendazole - administration & dosage; Albendazole - adverse effects; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Double-Blind Method; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Helminthiasis - drug therapy; Hemoglobins - analysis; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Praziquantel - administration & dosage; Praziquantel - adverse effects; Schistosomiasis - drug therapy; Human; Performance evaluation; Schistosoma mansoni; Drug combination; Prevalence; Schistosoma haematobium; Praziquantel; Trematode disease; Plathelmintha; Parasitosis; Schistosoma japonicum; Helminthiasis; Trematoda; Infection; Schistosomiasis; Chemotherapy; Albendazole; Treatment; Benzimidazole derivatives; Parasiticid; Helmintha; Invertebrata; Child
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/314686

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.