Physical Activity and Growth of Kenyan School Children with Hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides Infections Are Improved after Treatment with Albendazole

Abstract

Growth, activity, appetite and intestinal helminth infections were compared for 55 Kenyan primary school children with hookworm (93% prevalence), T. trichiura (84% prevalence) and A. lumbricoides (29% prevalence) before and 9 wk after treatment with three 400-mg doses of albendazole (Zentel) or placebo. Fecal samples were examined for helminth eggs using a modified Kato technique. Activity was measured during free-play with motion recorders on the dominant thigh. Children rated their appetites on a 5-point scale. After baseline measurements, children were randomly allocated to the albendazole-treated (n = 28) and placebo (n = 27) groups, treated, and re-examined 9 wk later. At follow-up, egg counts were significantly lower than at baseline in the albendazole-treated group (P < or = 0.002), and gains in activity, reported appetite and most indices of growth were significantly greater for the albendazole-treated group than for the placebo group. We conclude that treatment of undernourished school children for intestinal helminth infections with albendazole may improve growth and appetite and increase spontaneous physical activity.

Association between geohelminth infections and physical growth in schoolchildren

“…The negative impact of parasitic infections on growth is observed in many studies that use different measurements and indicators of anthropometric status, such as weight [15][16][17][18] , height [19][20][21] weight-forage 16,22 , height-for-age 16 and weight-forheight 17,[22][23][24] . For these authors, infections act negatively over the genetic growth potential of children and adolescents, keeping them from reaching full somatic growth.…”

Soil‐transmitted helminthiasis in Myanmar and approximate costs for countrywide control

“…These infections especially affect children in developing countries and are associated with poor growth, reduced physical activity and impaired learning ability (Stephenson et al 1990;Nokes et al 1992;Adams et al 1994;Koroma et al 1996;Stoltzfus et al 1996). Regular treatment of the population at risk with a broad spectrum anti-helminthic drug has been advocated as a cheap and effective means of reducing the worm burden and its related morbidity (WHO 2002).…”

Prevalence and intensity of infections of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura and associated socio-demographic variables in four rural Honduran communities

“…Clinically, A. lumbricoides can cause blockage of the intestine and T. trichiura has been associated with dysentery (Cooper et al 1992). Both helminths have also been associated with stunted growth (Cooper & Bundy 1988, Stephenson et al 1989, 1993, Adams et al 1994, Simeon et al 1995, Hadju et al 1996, Saldiva et al 1999) and impaired cognitive functions in children (Nokes et al 1992a, b, Oberhelman et al 1998. Another common soil transmitted helminth that causes severe morbidity and is often found with A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections is hookworm (WHO 1987).…”