Impact of two annual single-dose mass drug administrations with diethylcarbamazine alone or in combination with albendazole on Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia and antigenaemia in south India

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Mar;98(3):174-81. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(03)00042-7.

Abstract

A two-arm community-based lymphatic filariasis elimination trial is being carried out in Tamil Nadu state, India to assess the effect of 2 annual single-dose mass drug administrations of diethylcarbamazine + albendazole (DEC + ALB) on microfilaraemia and antigenaemia in one arm, and diethylcarbamazine(DEC) alone in the other arm. In a cross-sectional survey at each time-point, 450-650 subjects in childhood (2-9 years old) and young adulthood (10-25 years old) were screened from each treatment arm. After 2 annual mass drug administrations, microfilaraemia prevalence in the 2-drug arm was reduced by 54% and 62% in the 2-9 year old and 10-25 year old groups respectively; and corresponding figures for the single-drug arm were 26% and 37%. Though higher reductions were recorded for geometric mean intensity of microfilaraemia in the 2-9 year old groups for both treatment arms, reduction was more pronounced in the 2-drug arm than the single drug arm (74% vs. 24%) in the 10-25 year old group. The reduction in the antigenaemia prevalence in the 2-9 year old group was evident in both treatment arms, but in the 10-25 year old group the reduction was only 16.8% in the 2-drug arm. Our results suggest that the annual, single-dose combination (DEC + ALB) mass treatment regimen has an enhanced effect against bancroftian filariasis compared to single-drug therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Albendazole / administration & dosage*
  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / administration & dosage*
  • Antigens, Helminth / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diethylcarbamazine / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Patient Compliance
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Wuchereria bancrofti

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Antigens, Helminth
  • Albendazole
  • Diethylcarbamazine