Efficacy of Albendazole and Albendazole-Mebendazole against Trichuris trichiura Infections

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Trichuris trichiura infections treatment using albendazole or mebendazole as a single dose is rated unsatisfactory. The combination of albendazole-mebendazole is viewed to have better efficacy against T. trichiura infections due to the nature of each drug.
 AIM: This study compared the efficacy of albendazole and albendazole-mebendazole for T. trichiura infection treatment in Talawi, Batu Bara, North Sumatra, among primary school children.
 METHODS: An open randomized clinical trial was carried out in Talawi, Batu Bara. The efficacy of albendazole as a single dose and albendazole-mebendazole as a single dose was compared. Research subjects were school children aged 6–12 years old with T. trichiura infections. Chi-square test was performed to compare the cure rate and unpaired t-test was done to compare the number of eggs per gram (epg) in both groups.
 RESULTS: From a total of 463 children, 235 of them suffered from T. trichiura infections. The cure rate of the group with 400 mg albendazole as a single dose was 52.5%, while the other group with albendazole 400 mg – mebendazole 500 mg as a single dose was at 71.1% cure rate. The cure rate of the two groups showed a significant difference with p = 0.011. Both groups were observed to have a significant reduction in the number worm eggs with p = 0.04.
 CONCLUSION: Albendazole 400 mg – mebendazole 500 mg combination as a single dose treatment has better efficacy than albendazole 400 mg alone, where the drug combination gave a higher cure rate and greater reduction in the number of T. trichiura eggs.