Article Sidebar
Published:
Dec 1, 2016Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
A compariso of mebendazole and albendazole in treating children with Trichuris trichiura infection in Durban, South Africa
Abstract
Objective. To compare the efficacy of mebendazole 500 mg and aIbendazole 400 mg single-close treatments of Trichuris trichiura infection in children in the Durban area of KwaZuluatal, South Africa.
Design. A single-blind randomised trial in children with a documented moderate infection of T. mchiura. Ova were counted in stool specimens before and 10 days after treatment by the formal-ether concentration method.
Setting. Two shelters for abandoned and orphaned children in Durban.
Participants. inety-six children aged between 2 and 12 years.
Outcome measures. The number of children who showed reduced T. trichiura ova counts after the treatments, and reductions in ova counts, both expressed as percentages. Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon 2-sample test and the
chi-square test.
Results. Eighty-two children completed the trial; 42 received mebendazole and 40 albendazole. Of the mebendazole group 85% showed a reduction in T. trichiura ova count, compared with 75% of children who received albendazole. Mebendazole treatment was associated with a median percentage reduction in ova count of 72.2%, which significantly exceeded the 44.1% reduction after albendazole (P =0.024).
Conclusion. The mebendazole 500 mg single-close therapy was more efficacious than the albendazole 400 mg singledose therapy in treating T. trichiura infection in these children.
