South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy of albendazole against the whipworm trichuris trichiura--a randomised, controlled trial.
To test the efficacy of albendazole against the whipworm Trichuris trichiura for school-based deworming in the south-western Cape, South Africa. Children infected with Trichuris were randomised to 3 doses of albendazole (400, 800 or 1200 mg), each repeated 4 times. The boy/girl ratio was 1. A group not infected with worms was treated with placebo, creating a negative control. ⋯ The 400 mg stat dose had a low Trichuris cure rate. To repeat the dose on 2 or 3 days would increase cost, reduce compliance and complicate management. Albendazole cannot be used in deworming programmes in South Africa because it is a Schedule 4 prescription medicine. De-scheduling is needed urgently, particularly because of high efficacy against hookworm in KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring countries.