Chemotherapeutic trial to control enterobiasis in schoolchildren

To assess several chemotherapeutic schemes for control of enterobiasis, 738 children in five primary schools in Chunchon, Korea, were studied from May 1994 to June 1995. They were divided into 6 groups by the schemes: treatment of once or twice a year; treatment of positive cases or of whole class students; treatment with or without family members. The overall egg positive rate before intervention was 17.5% out of 789 children. Treating all individuals in a class together with family members of positive cases brought better control efficacy than other schemes (p = 0.000). However, when egg positive rate is less than 30%, treating only egg positive cases also can reduce egg positive rate. The confounding factors for the enterobiasis control in primary schoolchildren were new-comer to a class and familial infection.