Albendazole in the treatment of hymenolepiasis in school children

ABSTRACT

Hymenolepiasis is a helminthic and occasionally fatal disease of human imposing heavy economic losses to human society. Present study was aimed to diagnose the school children for the prevalence and control of Hymenolepiasis. A school based cross-sectional analysis of stool samples collected from 188 children aged 06-15 years was carried out [February to June 2016]. Two stool samples were collected from each student before diagnosing and after treatment. The samples were fixed in 10% formalin and observed under the light microscope using the methods of direct smear in Lugol's solution, normal saline and flotation techniques. On the basis of drugs accessibility all the H. nana infected children were divided in to 2- groups. Children in group A were treated with albendazole [bendazol] 400mg once orally, group B was treated with albendazole [zentel] 200mg orally. Eggs per gram of faeces were counted in each group before and after treatment. Of the 188 children, current study reveals only 6.08% [n=18/296] infection with H.nana and 10.5% [n=16/151] were diagnosed with co infections. The % efficacy of albendazole [Zentel] and albendazole [bendazol] against Hymenolepis nana infection was reported as 83% and 75% respectively. Present study was concluded that albendazole [zentel] is the drug of choice for the treatment of hymenolepiasis in children