Prevalence, treatment and reinfection of intestinal helminths among schoolchildren in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The overall prevalence rate of soil-transmitted helminths among 389 primary school-children attending four different schools in Kuala Lumpur was found to be 64.0%. The most common helminth parasite occurring among the children was Trichuris trichiura (53·7%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (37·5%) and hookworm (5·4%). There was one case of strongyloides, two cases of Hymenolepis nana and five cases of Enterobius vermicularis.All positive cases were treated with pyrantel pamoate administered as a single dose(10 mg/kg bodyweight). A cure rate of 89·7, 56·4 and 44·4% was achieved against Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm. The egg reduction rate was 96·7, 59·8 and 64·3% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm, respectively. There was no effect on Hymenolepis nana infection. The reinfection rate 15 weeks following treatment was also studied.