Failure of Thiabendazole and Metronidazole in the Treatment and Suppression of Guinea Worm Disease
- 1 May 1975
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Vol. 24 (3) , 444-446
- https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1975.24.444
Abstract
Guinea worm disease is endemic in West Africa. In 1973 a field drug trial was conducted to compare effectiveness, cost, and side-effects of thiabendazole and metronidazole in treating active guinea worm disease and preventing latent worms from emerging. A mass chemotherapy campaign was planned to follow the drug trial. Only 15.5% of the treated patients expelled the worm completely, and in 28.4% of the cases worms continued to appear. Both drugs were equally unsatisfactory in their anti-helminthic effect. Consequently, our efforts to control guinea worm have shifted from chemotherapy to chemical control of cyclops and improvement of rural water supplies.Keywords
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