Targeted chemotherapy for parasite infestations in rural black preschool children

Objective. To investigate whether targeted chemotherapy can reduce parasite prevalence rates in rural black preschool children.Design. The study consisted of a before/after trial. Stool and urine samples were analysed on four occasions over a 21-week period.Setting. Creches in two rural areas of southern _ Kwazulu/Natal (coastal and inland). Patients. Two hundred children of 4 - 6 years of age attending 19 creches in the area. Intervention. Targeted chemotherapy using albendazole for nematode infestations, praziquantel for trematode and cestode infestations and metronidazole for protozoal infections was administered twice at an interval of 14 weeks.Main outcome measure. Prevalence rates.Results. The prevalences of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Necator americanus infestation decreased significantly after treatment. Reinfestation rates 12 weeks after treatment were 16% for A lumbricoides, 33% for T. trichiura, 24% for Giardia lamblia and 3% for N. americanus. No reinfestation was noted for Schistosoma haematobium, Hymenolepsis or Taenia species.Conclusion. The study suggests that parasite prevalence rates in children can be reduced by the administration of appropriate chemotherapy at regular intervals. However, the provision of clean water and adequate sewerage facilities remains a high priority for black communities living in rural areas of South Africa

Helminth control as an entry point for healthpromoting schools in Kwazulu-Natal

No Abstract

Parasites, nutrition, child development, and public policy

Most public policy with respects to intestinal parasites is built on the premise that children would be better off without them. The evidence in the research literature for a casual link between parasitic infection and impaired cognitive function or delayed cognitive development is by no means complete. Review articles in the past few years have returned cautious verdicts regarding the beneficial effect of treatment: "not proven" but "plausible", or "a qualified yes". These views have raised a number of questions about the way in which research in this field has been conducted ad the conclusions that may legitimately be drawn from this body of work. This paper takes developmental view of the questions raised in the reviews, and outlines some of the implications for public policy.

Child development, parasites and public policy

Paper presented at the 6th Commonwealth Conference on Diarrhoea and Malnutrition, Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, Ma

School based parasite control in KwaZulu-Natal

Paper presented to the Colloquium "Improving the health of school age children in an era of HIV/AIDS: Linking policies, programmes and strategies for the 21st century", Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, Durban, 16-19 Marc

The Takalani Sesame AIDS baseline study: knowledge and attitudes of three to five year-old children regarding HIV and AIDS

Commissioned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Johannesburg, South Africa, DecemberThe aim of this study was to investigate children's knowledge and attitudes with respect to HIV and AIDS prior to the introduction of Kami, an HIV positive muppet to the Takalani Sesame Programme

Ethekwini water customer service project report

Commissioned by the EWS Customer services

The family literacy project: bringing literacy skills to young children: a qualitative evaluation

Commissioned by the Family Literacy Project, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, OctoberThe Family Literacy project addresses the need to raise the level of literacy in disadvantages areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Literacy groups have been established in a number of rural communities in the mountainous western part of the province. The present evaluation investigates the ways in which the project has influenced family practices with respect to literacy. This has been done by comparing literacy practices of three groups of women who are caregivers to three to five year old children; those who had participated in a literacy group for more than two years, those who had joined a literacy group more recently, and women with similar educational backgrounds from the same areas with children of the same age who did not take part in the project. All of the participants in the study have less than Grade 9 education themselves

Colloquium report: improving the health of school age children in an era of HIV/AIDS in Durban, South Africa

Increased morbidity and mortality due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa necessitates the examination of policies for the protection and support of school age children. At a colloquium held in Durban participants from government and non-government health and education sectors briefed delegates on key policies and programmes for promoting the health and mental health of school age children. Researchers gave evaluative accounts of the impacts of these measures and presented an overview of South African children?s health and mental health needs. In the discussions that followed four critical issues emerged: intersectoral collaboration, accountability, retraining middle management, and a more comprehensive strategy to support pupils and teachers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.