PHYSICAL-FITNESS, GROWTH AND APPETITE OF KENYAN SCHOOL BOYS WITH HOOKWORM, TRICHURIS-TRICHIURA AND ASCARIS-LUMBRICOIDES INFECTIONS ARE IMPROVED 4 MONTHS AFTER A SINGLE-DOSE OF ALBENDAZOLE

We studied physical fitness with the Harvard Step Test, growth, and ap petite in primary school boys infected with hookworm (96% baseline pre valence), Trichuris trichiura (98% prevalence) and Ascaris lumbricoide s (41% prevalence) who received a single 600-mg dose of albendazole or an identical placebo. Boys were examined, allocated at random within pairs by descending hookworm egg count to placebo (n = 26) or albendaz ole (n = 27) groups, treated, and re-examined 4 mo later. Four months after treatment, the albendazole group showed highly significant impro vements in fitness score, resting heart rate, and heart rates at 1, 2, 3 and 4 min after the Harvard Step Test, whereas the placebo group ha d not changed significantly. The albendazole group also exhibited sign ificantly more rapid growth judged by weight gain (1.0 kg greater than the placebo group, P < 0.0002), height increment (0.6 cm more, P < 0. 003), arm circumference (0.3 cm more, P < 0.0002), and triceps and sub scapular skinfolds (1.0 mm more, P < 0.0002), and showed improved appe tite with objective and subjective measures. We conclude that single-d ose treatment with albendazole can allow improved physical fitness, gr owth, and appetite in school-age children in areas where these helmint hs and poor growth are highly prevalent.