Infection, cure and egg reduction rates of soil-transmitted helminth infections after anthelminthic drugs treatment among school children in Kokap, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

The prevalence of helminthiasis on primary school children in Indonesia is high, around 40- 60%. This study aims to assess the impact of treatment and predictors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections at 3 months after treatment. Population of this study was students of a primary school in Kokap (Sekolah Dasar Negeri/SDN Gunung Agung), Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, determined based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria (n = 65). Stool samples examined using Kato Katz method. Students infected with STH were given appropriate treatment and stool samples were collected again to determine cure rate (CR) and egg reduction rate (ERR) at 2 week post-treatment and at 3 months post-treatment to determine incidence of re-infection, new infection or failed treatment. Information on personal hygiene and sanitation were collected by interview with students of SDN Gunung Agung. Treatment with pyrantel pamoat was effective against hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides with CR of 100% and ERR of 100% while treatment with albendazol was ineffective against Trichuris trichiura (CR = 12.8%, ERR = 62.4%) though the Wilcoxon test for T. trichiura showed a significant reduction egg count (epg) before and 2 week after treatment (p 0.05). The existence of double infection before treatment showed p value 0.05. Presence of re-infection, new infection and untreated cases confirms that an integrated approach is necessary to control STH infection in Kokap, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.