Influence of Compound 16.842 on hookworm infections

Abstract

T olerability was considerei rather satisfactory, m ainly am ong th e patients receiving tw o single doses (50-150mg), according to th e age, 4 -6 w eeks apart). These results suggest th a t 2-4 courses of therapv w ith in a shorter span of tim e should be th e ideal for a m ass tre a tm en t cam paign. Efficacy van ed from 26.6% to 76.2% parasitological cure m th e various groups, w ith a wide range of variation also in th e percent of m ean reduction o f eggs for hookw orm .The drug showed also som e effect against Ascaris lum bricoides giving cure rates betw een 10,5 % and 35.7% in th e various groups, w ith a percentage reduction in m ean egg counts of 27% to 83.3% according to the various groups. It was concluãed th a t C om pound 16.842 possesses a m arked effect on hook w orm and a m ild effect on A. lum bricoides. The findings in li cate the need for m ore accurate stu iie s to determ ine th e m ost effic.en t schedules of trea tm en t and th e real value of the drug, as com pared to other antih elm in th ics against th e tw o parasites under stu d y.In testin al h elm inthias's have been know n to constitute a m ajor Public H ealth problem in B razil for m any decades, if not for centuries. Among these helm inthic diseases, (Figs. I-A and B ), hookw orm infection, for obvious reasons (high prevalence, wide distribution an d under certain circum stances, a hign degree of m orbity, In term s of im pairm ent, disability an d even death) h as deserved special a tte n tion from th e Public H ealth Service au th orities, m ainly a t th e F ederal levei.M ass cam paigns aim ing a t th e control of hookw orm infection w ere organized on th ree d ifferen t occasions. At the present tim e, m ost of th e activities concerning the control of in testin al helm inthic infections are u n der th e responsibility of th e "De p artam ento N acional de Endem ias R urais", an agency of th e M inistery of H ealth. A b ran ch of th a t departm ent, th e "Instituto N acional de E n d en ras R urais" is in charge of special investigation an d research of th e various endem ic ru ra l diseases. In ad-