Abstract

Mebendazole was tested for its efficacy in individual treatment and mass control of Trichuris trichiura infection in Korea. The results were as follows: The efficacy of mebendazole in 430 cases 3 weeks after treatment with mebendazole(100-1,200 mg) was not so satisfactory (15.0-64.0 and 24.6-95.2% in cure and egg reduction rates respectively). But it was observed that the higher the total dose of the drug the better the efficacy. The egg positive rate of the inhabitants in mass control programme by 600 mg mebendazole decreased form 40.0 to 5.6 % during one year, May 1982-May 1983, by repeated blanket mass chemotherapy every 3 months (in conventional regimen), while the decrease was less marked or unrecognizable in 3-month (signle or two divided doses), 6-month, 12-month interval and placebo control groups. From the results, it was concluded that, although mebendazole was not highly effective in individual treatment of T. trichiura infection, it was fairly useful in mass cotrol, by repeated mass chemotherapy every 3 months.