Conclusion
helminth infection, hookworm infection
HELMINTH INFECTION, HOOKWORM, HOOKWORM INFECTION
Single-dose albendazole is the backbone treatment of MDA for hookworm. However, despite the long-term use of single-dose albendazole as an MDA method, when the prevalence of hookworm infection is consistently high, as in Mayuge district in Uganda, the use of dual-dose albendazole may be a practical recommendation for controlling hookworm infection. This clinical trial indicates that dual-dose albendazole can improve the drug efficacy of albendazole for treating hookworm infection in Mayuge, Uganda. Therefore, we would recommend a change to dual-dose treatment in order to enhance albendazole efficacy in areas where hookworm infection is still prevalent, even though it may be challenging to administer more than a single-day regimen in many settings. In light of the challenges of administering a multi-day regimen, drug combinations such as benzimidazole drugs with ivermectin should also be considered as an alternative means of improving effectiveness while reducing risk of resistance. While we did not demonstrate any benefit with use of avocado co-administration, there remains scope for future studies to investigate whether albendazole efficacy against intraluminal helminth infection could be improved through co-administration with different types of food.