Efficacy of single dose albendazole on the prevalence and intensity of infection of soil-transmitted helminths in Orang Asli children in Malaysia

The efficacy of a single-dose 400 mg albendazole to treat Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm infection was studied in Orang Asli community. Kato-Katz examination was performed on fecal samples which were collected before treatment, 1 and 4 months after treatment. A total of 123 children were involved in all three surveys. The cure rate of Ascaris infection was 97.4% and the egg reduction after treatment was 99.9%. The cure rate for hookworm infection was 93.1% with 96.6% egg reduction. Although the cure rate was low in Trichuris infection (5.5%), egg reduction was more evident (49.1%). The reinfection rate at 4 months after treatment was 54.5%, 3.6% and 10.3% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm infection, respectively. Within 4 months after treatment almost one-fifth children with Ascaris and hookworm infection reached pre-treatment intensity infection. In Trichuris infection, however more than half of the children reached their pre-treatment intensity infection at 4 months after treatment. Findings suggest that 4-monthly targeted periodic treatment with 400 mg single-dose albendazole in highly endemic areas can have a significant impact on intensity infection of Ascaris and hookworm, but not on Trichuris infection.