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Treatment of pre-school children under 6 years of age for schistosomiasis : safety, efficacy and acceptability of praziquantel
Joint Authors
Amin, Mutamad A.
Swar, Muhammad
Kardaman, Muhammad
al-Husayn, Durriyah
Numan, Jibril
Mahmud, Abd al-Hafiz
Appiah A.
Babiker, Ahmad
Homeida, Mamun
Source
Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
Issue
Vol. 7, Issue 2 (31 Mar. 2012), pp.67-76, 10 p.
Publisher
Omdurman Islamic University Faculty of Medicine
Publication Date
2012-03-31
Country of Publication
Sudan
No. of Pages
10
Main Subjects
Topics
Abstract EN
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends praziquantel for the control and treatment of schistosomiasis, with no real alternative.
Pre-school children are excluded from population treatment programs mainly due to paucity of safety data on this age group.
Objectives: This study investigated safety, efficacy and acceptability of praziquantel for the treatment of S.
haematobium and S.
mansoni infections among pre-school children aged <6years.
The study also investigated the burden of schistosomiasis in this age group.
Methods: Pre-school children (n=188) from Sudan were included in the study.
The children were treated with praziquantel tablets at a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight.
Adverse events were assessed at 24 hours and 7 days later, via questionnaire administration to parents and guardians.
Efficacy of treatment was assessed at 1, 3 and 6 months by examining stool and urine samples for schistosome eggs.
Acceptability was determined by the number of children spitting or vomiting during administration of the drug.
Results: The burden of schistosomiasis among pre-school children aged <6 years was high (31.1%), and this was comparable to that observed among school children-aged 6 years (32%).
Praziquantel treatment achieved high cure rates (egg negative) for both S.
haematobium and S.
mansoni infections when assessed at 1 month after treatment (89.6-92.1%) and remained high for S.
haematobium (89.6-100%) up to 6 months.
However, cure rate dropped from 90.5% at one month to 58.8% and 69.2% at 3 and 6 months among S.
mansoni-treated children.
Praziquantel treatment decreased egg counts considerably with post-treatment geometric mean egg reductions rates ranging from 96.4% to 99.4% at 1 month.
Acceptability of praziquantel treatment was high, only for one child the dose had to be repeated after initial spitting.
Treatment resolved haematuria and improved weight of the children.
There were no drug-related adverse events in all the treated children during follow-up at 24 hours and 7 days.
Conclusions: Praziquantel is safe, effective and acceptable among children aged <6 years.
Preschool children represent a high risk group for schistosomiasis and should be included in population treatment programs.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Amin, Mutamad A.& Swar, Muhammad& Kardaman, Muhammad& al-Husayn, Durriyah& Numan, Jibril& Mahmud, Abd al-Hafiz…[et al.]. 2012. Treatment of pre-school children under 6 years of age for schistosomiasis : safety, efficacy and acceptability of praziquantel. Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences،Vol. 7, no. 2, pp.67-76.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-300837
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Kardaman, Muhammad…[et al.]. Treatment of pre-school children under 6 years of age for schistosomiasis : safety, efficacy and acceptability of praziquantel. Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 7, no. 2 (Jun. 2012), pp.67-76.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-300837
American Medical Association (AMA)
Amin, Mutamad A.& Swar, Muhammad& Kardaman, Muhammad& al-Husayn, Durriyah& Numan, Jibril& Mahmud, Abd al-Hafiz…[et al.]. Treatment of pre-school children under 6 years of age for schistosomiasis : safety, efficacy and acceptability of praziquantel. Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences. 2012. Vol. 7, no. 2, pp.67-76.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-300837
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references : p. 74-76
Record ID
BIM-300837