article · Journal of Advances in Microbiology
Monitoring anthelmintic efficacy relies on measuring stool egg reductions following medication. An investigation into the performance of a single 400 mg dose of albendazole was conducted among pre-school and school-aged children across rural health districts in north-west Cameroon. Baseline screening of 1,146 stool samples detected soil-transmitted helminth prevalence at 56.5% using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay coproantigen detection, compared to 17.6% using the McMaster method. Following treatment, the overall parasitological cure rate reached 81.5%. Cure rates varied across species, recording 88.8% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 86.7% for hookworm, 76.9% for Strongyloides stercoralis, and 60.3% for Trichuris trichiura. Egg reduction rates were 91.7% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 89% for hookworm, and 30.9% for Trichuris trichiura. Because the standard single dose showed limited efficacy across these species, particularly Trichuris trichiura, alternative strategies such as species-specific combination therapy and adjusted treatment durations are required.
Soil-transmitted helminth infections remain a major public health challenge affecting children in rural areas. Routine mass deworming relies heavily on single-dose albendazole. Demonstrating that standard single-dose treatments fail to achieve high cure rates, particularly for whipworm infections, is critical for public health authorities and international organisations seeking to reform treatment guidelines and prevent persistent reinfection.
This applied clinical research informs public health programmes, non-governmental organisations, and pharmaceutical developers addressing neglected tropical diseases. The findings point towards the need to formulate and clinically test species-specific combination therapies and revised dosage regimens, moving beyond single-agent albendazole. While diagnostic coproantigen testing is applied and validated in the field, new multi-drug therapies remain at the stage of needing clinical formulation and efficacy trials.
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To monitor anthelmintic drug efficacy, the World Health Organization recommends measuring the reduction in the number of eggs excreted in stool after drug administration. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a single dose of albendazole (400 mg) against STHs amongst pre-school- and school-aged children. A community-based study targeting pre-school-aged (≤5 years) and school-aged (6-15 years) children in the rural communities of Ngo-Ketunjia, Batibo and Santa health districts was carried out. Stool analysis for parasitological cure rate was performed using stool ELISA coproantigen detection, while the egg reduction rate was assessed using the McMaster method: Out of 1,146 stool samples examined for STHs during the baseline survey, ELISA coproantigen detection showed a prevalence of 56.5% (648/1,146), whereas the McMaster technique showed a prevalence of 17.6% (202/1,146). The parasitological cure rate following a single dose of albendazole was 81.5%. Species-specific cure rates were: Ascaris lumbricoides 88.8% (245/276), hookworm (Necator americanus/Ancylostoma duodenale) 86.7% (150/173), Trichuris trichiura 60.3% (73/121) and Strongyloides stercoralis 76.9% (60/78). A single dose of albendazole (400 mg) was not highly effective against A. lumbricoides, Hookworm and T. trichiura, although the egg reduction rates (ERRs) for all three STH species were moderate: A. lumbricoides (91.7%; 1378/1503), Hookworm (89%; 808/908) and T. trichiura (30.9%; 79/256): Alternative strategies using species-specific combined therapy, together with an appropriate duration of treatment, are needed to reduce the transmission and burden of STHs in pre-school- and school-aged children.
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DOI: 10.9734/jamb/2026/v26i101188
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