Low efficacy of albendazole against Trichuris trichiura infection in schoolchildren from Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Background: Albendazole is one of two standard drugs for the control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Methods: A total of 149 schoolchildren from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, were examined for soil-transmitted helminth infections using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears before and 2 weeks after administration of albendazole (400 mg). Results: Trichuris trichiura was the predominant soil-transmitted helminth species (prevalence 60.4%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (47.7%). While albendazole was highly efficacious against A. lumbricoides (cure rate [CR] 97.2%; egg reduction rate [ERR] 94.3%), it lacked efficacy against T. trichiura (CR 1.1%; ERR 46.0%). Conclusions: Our study confirms low efficacy of single dose albendazole against T. trichiura. There is a need for safe and efficacious drugs against T. trichiura.