Growth reduction among primary schoolchildren with light trichuriasis in Malaysia treated with albendazole.

Abstract

We studied asymptomatic primary schoolchildren in northeastern Malaysia with light to moderate trichuriasis to determine the effect of albendazole treatment on growth rates and TNF-alpha levels. Thirty-seven schoolchildren aged 6-7 years with stool samples positive for Trichuris trichiura and negative for other geohelminths and protozoa were randomized to receive albendazole 400 mg or a placebo daily for 2 days. Anthropometric parameters at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months were compared between the 2 groups. The placebo group had a significantly greater increase in height (p = 0.04) than the albendazole treatment group. There were no significant differences in urinary TNF-alpha levels (p = 0.8) between the 2 groups and no significant changes between baseline and 1 month post-treatment levels. Further studies are needed to determine the etiology of this apparent association between the albendazole treatment group and the delay in growth rate at 6 months post-treatment.

• Authors: Meng Hun Tee, Yeong Yeh Lee, Noorizan Abdul Majid, Nazmi Mohamed Noori, Sundramoorthy Mahendra Raj
• Journal: The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health (Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health) Vol. 44 Issue 1 Pg. 19-24 (Jan 2013) ISSN: 0125-1562 [Print] Thailand
• PMID: 23682433 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anthelmintics
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Albendazole

Topics

• Albendazole (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Anthelmintics (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child Development (drug effects)
• Feces (parasitology)
• Female
• Growth (drug effects)
• Humans
• Malaysia (epidemiology)
• Male
• Parasite Egg Count
• Severity of Illness Index
• Trichuriasis (drug therapy, epidemiology, pathology)
• Trichuris (isolation & purification)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (urine)