Safety of Praziquantel and Albendazole Coadministration for the Control and Elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths Among Children in Rwanda: An Active Surveillance Study

• DOI: 10.1007/s40264-022-01201-3
• Publication Date: 2022-07-12T11:03:06Z
• Authors: Joseph Kabatende; Abbie Barry; Michael Mugisha; Lazare Ntirenganya; Ulf Bergman; Emile Bienvenu; Eleni Aklillu
• Keywords: Albendazole

School-based preventive chemotherapy (Deworming) with praziquantel and albendazole to control eliminate schistosomiasis soil-transmitted helminths as public health problems is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Safety monitoring during mass drug administration (MDA) imperative but data from sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. The aim of this active safety surveillance study was identify incidence, type, severity, risk factors for adverse events (AEs) following albendazole. Overall, 8037 school children aged 5–15 years in Rwanda were enrolled. Baseline sociodemographic, medical history any pre-existing clinical symptoms recorded. Participants received a single dose MDA. AEs actively monitored on days 1, 2, 7 post 3196 reported 1658 children; 91.3%, 8.4%, 0.3% mild, moderate, severe, respectively, most resolved within 3 days. Headache (21%), dizziness or fainting (15.2 %), nausea (12.8%) stomach pain (12.2%) common AEs. overall cumulative incidence experiencing at least one type AE 20.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.7–21.5%), being significantly higher (p < 0.001) pre-MDA (27.5%, 95% CI 25.4–29.6%) than those without (18.7%, 17.7–19.7%). Females, older age, having events, types food taken before MDA taking two more tablets significant predictors Praziquantel safe well-tolerated; however, five experience transient mild few cases varies between sex age groups. Pharmacovigilance program timely detection management