Recent study of Hymenolepis nana infection in Egyptian children

Survey on 1800 children was conducted to detect the prevalence of H. nana infection in Egyptian children, by direct smear and concentration techniques. The incidence of infection was found to be 16%. Two hundred cases of them were subjected to full clinical history, thorough physical examination and anthropometric assessment. Different clinical manifestations were found in 84% of cases. Delayed growth manifested by decrease of the body weight below the third percentile was found in 62% of cases, in addition to marked affection of the body, height, head circumference, midarm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness in 16%, 10%, 32% and 28% of cases respectively. Trials on these 200 cases were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of "Praziquantel" in comparison with "Mebendazole". Praziquantel gave significant higher cure rates, being 91.1% and 97.7% after 2 and 4 weeks respectively, compared to Mebendazole which gave cure rates of 50% and 59%. Both drugs were well tolerated and have no side effects, however Praziquantel was given as a single dose, and so have the advantage of being more effective, easily administered, safe with higher cure rate.