Effectiveness of Single-Dose vs Triple-Dose Albendazole and Mebendazole for Treating Soil-Transmitted Helminths
Author Information
Author(s): Steinmann Peter, Utzinger Jürg, Du Zun-Wei, Jiang Jin-Yong, Chen Jia-Xu, Hattendorf Jan, Zhou Hui, Zhou Xiao-Nong
Primary Institution: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
Hypothesis
Is triple-dose treatment more effective than single-dose treatment for soil-transmitted helminths?
Conclusion
Single-dose oral albendazole is more effective against hookworm than mebendazole, and triple-dose regimens are necessary for high cure rates against both hookworm and T. trichiura.
Supporting Evidence
- Albendazole cured significantly more hookworm infections than mebendazole.
- Triple-dose regimens outperformed single doses against T. trichiura.
- Both drugs were highly efficacious against A. lumbricoides.
- Triple-dose treatment cured all Taenia spp. infections.
Takeaway
This study found that taking more doses of medicine can help get rid of worms in your belly better than just one dose.
Methodology
A community-based randomized controlled trial comparing single-dose and triple-dose treatments in 314 individuals aged 5 years and older.
Potential Biases
Open-label design may introduce bias, although outcome assessors were blinded.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a single village, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 5 years and older, with a comparable composition of sex and age across treatment groups.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 55–81%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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