Effectiveness Of Albendazole On Soil Transmitted Nematodes Among School Children- A Case Of Kakamega County, Kenya
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Date
2019-02
Authors
Ngonjo, T.W.
Okoyo, Collins
Simiyu, Elses
Kihara, Jimmy
Lelo, Agola Eric
Kabiru, Ephantus
Mwandawiro, Charles
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AJOL
Abstract
Recent assessment by WHO on Soil Transmitted Nematodes (STN) point that their morbidity is still high in people mainly in children. A. lumbricoides globally infects 1.2 billion people and T. trichiura 795 million worldwide. Infections with Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus 740 million leading to 135,000 deaths per year. It became necessary to find
out the effectiveness of Albendazole on soil transmitted Nematodes among school children- a case of kakamega county, kenya.
METHODOLOGY
Study respondents were selected fom public primary school children in Kakamega County. A total of 731 and 665 (pre & post) children in 7 primary schools in three sub counties of Kakamega County were recruited in the study. Pre-treatment survey was done in March, 2014 and follow up in September 2014. Fecal samples were examined for the presence of STN . 14 days after treatment using Kato- Katz method. The total number of eggs were expressed as eggs/gm of feaces (epg). Pretreatment prevalence was 43.5% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 1.8% for hookworm and 0.9% for Trichuris trichiura.
RESULTS
Mean intensity of hookworm, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections in the pre-and post-surveys were reduced by 1.2%, 98.4% and 100% respectively. Prevalence decreased to 2.3% for Ascaris lumbricoides and 0 % for T. trichiura. Post treatment prevalence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections were significantly reduced by 94.8% and 100% respectively. A slight increase in hookworm prevalence was observed. However, this increase was not significant (p=0.993).
CONCLUSION
The therapeutic efficacy of Albendazole indicated a good reduction in parasite burden. Albendazole satisfactorily reduced STN infection while for hookworm there was a non-significant increase in prevalence.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Cure rate, Albendazole, Kenya, Egg reduction rate
Citation
Ngonjo, T. W., Okoyo, C., Simiyu, E., Kihara, J., Lelo, A. E., Kabiru, E., & Mwandawiro, C. (2019). Effectiveness of albendazole on soil transmitted nematodes among school children-: a case of Kakamega County, Kenya. African Journal of Health Sciences, 32(1), 93-107.