Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.

<h4>Background</h4>Robust reference values for fecal egg count reduction (FECR) rates of the most widely used anthelmintic drugs in preventive chemotherapy (PC) programs for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) are still l...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bruno Levecke, Antonio Montresor, Marco Albonico, Shaali M Ame, Jerzy M Behnke, Jeffrey M Bethony, Calvine D Noumedem, Dirk Engels, Bertrand Guillard, Andrew C Kotze, Alejandro J Krolewiecki, James S McCarthy, Zeleke Mekonnen, Maria V Periago, Hem Sopheak, Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté, Tran Thanh Duong, Nguyen Thu Huong, Ahmed Zeynudin, Jozef Vercruysse
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-10-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003204
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849331841462435840
author Bruno Levecke
Antonio Montresor
Marco Albonico
Shaali M Ame
Jerzy M Behnke
Jeffrey M Bethony
Calvine D Noumedem
Dirk Engels
Bertrand Guillard
Andrew C Kotze
Alejandro J Krolewiecki
James S McCarthy
Zeleke Mekonnen
Maria V Periago
Hem Sopheak
Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté
Tran Thanh Duong
Nguyen Thu Huong
Ahmed Zeynudin
Jozef Vercruysse
author_facet Bruno Levecke
Antonio Montresor
Marco Albonico
Shaali M Ame
Jerzy M Behnke
Jeffrey M Bethony
Calvine D Noumedem
Dirk Engels
Bertrand Guillard
Andrew C Kotze
Alejandro J Krolewiecki
James S McCarthy
Zeleke Mekonnen
Maria V Periago
Hem Sopheak
Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté
Tran Thanh Duong
Nguyen Thu Huong
Ahmed Zeynudin
Jozef Vercruysse
author_sort Bruno Levecke
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Robust reference values for fecal egg count reduction (FECR) rates of the most widely used anthelmintic drugs in preventive chemotherapy (PC) programs for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) are still lacking. However, they are urgently needed to ensure detection of reduced efficacies that are predicted to occur due to growing drug pressure. Here, using a standardized methodology, we assessed the FECR rate of a single oral dose of mebendazole (MEB; 500 mg) against STHs in six trials in school children in different locations around the world. Our results are compared with those previously obtained for similarly conducted trials of a single oral dose of albendazole (ALB; 400 mg).<h4>Methodology</h4>The efficacy of MEB, as assessed by FECR, was determined in six trials involving 5,830 school children in Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Vietnam. The efficacy of MEB was compared to that of ALB as previously assessed in 8,841 school children in India and all the above-mentioned study sites, using identical methodologies.<h4>Principal findings</h4>The estimated FECR rate [95% confidence interval] of MEB was highest for A. lumbricoides (97.6% [95.8; 99.5]), followed by hookworm (79.6% [71.0; 88.3]). For T. trichiura, the estimated FECR rate was 63.1% [51.6; 74.6]. Compared to MEB, ALB was significantly more efficacious against hookworm (96.2% [91.1; 100], p<0.001) and only marginally, although significantly, better against A. lumbricoides infections (99.9% [99.0; 100], p = 0.012), but equally efficacious for T. trichiura infections (64.5% [44.4; 84.7], p = 0.906).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>A minimum FECR rate of 95% for A. lumbricoides, 70% for hookworm, and 50% for T. trichiura is expected in MEB-dependent PC programs. Lower FECR results may indicate the development of potential drug resistance.
format Article
id doaj-art-c4c3452d587045a5b44bd2b73512c00a
institution Kabale University
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
language English
publishDate 2014-10-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-c4c3452d587045a5b44bd2b73512c00a2025-08-20T03:46:23ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352014-10-01810e320410.1371/journal.pntd.0003204Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.Bruno LeveckeAntonio MontresorMarco AlbonicoShaali M AmeJerzy M BehnkeJeffrey M BethonyCalvine D NoumedemDirk EngelsBertrand GuillardAndrew C KotzeAlejandro J KrolewieckiJames S McCarthyZeleke MekonnenMaria V PeriagoHem SopheakLouis-Albert Tchuem-TchuentéTran Thanh DuongNguyen Thu HuongAhmed ZeynudinJozef Vercruysse<h4>Background</h4>Robust reference values for fecal egg count reduction (FECR) rates of the most widely used anthelmintic drugs in preventive chemotherapy (PC) programs for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) are still lacking. However, they are urgently needed to ensure detection of reduced efficacies that are predicted to occur due to growing drug pressure. Here, using a standardized methodology, we assessed the FECR rate of a single oral dose of mebendazole (MEB; 500 mg) against STHs in six trials in school children in different locations around the world. Our results are compared with those previously obtained for similarly conducted trials of a single oral dose of albendazole (ALB; 400 mg).<h4>Methodology</h4>The efficacy of MEB, as assessed by FECR, was determined in six trials involving 5,830 school children in Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Vietnam. The efficacy of MEB was compared to that of ALB as previously assessed in 8,841 school children in India and all the above-mentioned study sites, using identical methodologies.<h4>Principal findings</h4>The estimated FECR rate [95% confidence interval] of MEB was highest for A. lumbricoides (97.6% [95.8; 99.5]), followed by hookworm (79.6% [71.0; 88.3]). For T. trichiura, the estimated FECR rate was 63.1% [51.6; 74.6]. Compared to MEB, ALB was significantly more efficacious against hookworm (96.2% [91.1; 100], p<0.001) and only marginally, although significantly, better against A. lumbricoides infections (99.9% [99.0; 100], p = 0.012), but equally efficacious for T. trichiura infections (64.5% [44.4; 84.7], p = 0.906).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>A minimum FECR rate of 95% for A. lumbricoides, 70% for hookworm, and 50% for T. trichiura is expected in MEB-dependent PC programs. Lower FECR results may indicate the development of potential drug resistance.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003204
spellingShingle Bruno Levecke
Antonio Montresor
Marco Albonico
Shaali M Ame
Jerzy M Behnke
Jeffrey M Bethony
Calvine D Noumedem
Dirk Engels
Bertrand Guillard
Andrew C Kotze
Alejandro J Krolewiecki
James S McCarthy
Zeleke Mekonnen
Maria V Periago
Hem Sopheak
Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté
Tran Thanh Duong
Nguyen Thu Huong
Ahmed Zeynudin
Jozef Vercruysse
Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
title_full Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
title_fullStr Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
title_short Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic.
title_sort assessment of anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole in school children in six countries where soil transmitted helminths are endemic
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003204
work_keys_str_mv AT brunolevecke assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT antoniomontresor assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT marcoalbonico assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT shaalimame assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT jerzymbehnke assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT jeffreymbethony assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT calvinednoumedem assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT dirkengels assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT bertrandguillard assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT andrewckotze assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT alejandrojkrolewiecki assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT jamessmccarthy assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT zelekemekonnen assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT mariavperiago assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT hemsopheak assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT louisalberttchuemtchuente assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT tranthanhduong assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT nguyenthuhuong assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT ahmedzeynudin assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic
AT jozefvercruysse assessmentofanthelminticefficacyofmebendazoleinschoolchildreninsixcountrieswheresoiltransmittedhelminthsareendemic