Preventive chemotherapy in human helminthiasis – coordinated use of anthelminthic drugs in control interventions

Overview

Helminth infections impose a great burden on poor populations in the developing world. Yet there are robust, low-cost and effective public health interventions that can relieve that burden and enable people in poor settings to lead better lives. Preventive anthelminthic chemotherapy aims at using available anthelminthic drugs either alone or in combination as a public health tool for preventing morbidity due to more than one form of helminthiasis at once. The emphasis of preventive chemotherapy is therefore on the best, coordinated use of drugs rather than on specific forms of helminthiasis. The greatest challenge is to expand regular anthelminthic drug coverage as a public health intervention to reach all at risk of morbidity induced by helminth diseases.
This manual provides health professionals and programme managers with long-needed general recommendations regarding the safety and effectiveness of coordinated drug distribution for the treatment of helminth infections. The manual not only provides general advice applicable in all epidemiological situations, but it also offers two easy-to-use algorithms through which programme managers can tailor the recommended combinations of interventions to their local needs.
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