Article Document Academic Article Information Content Entity Continuant Continuant Journal Article Entity Entity Generically Dependent Continuant 2025-05-07T04:21:59 RDF description of Albendazole therapy and enteric parasites in United States-bound refugees - http://repository.healthpartners.com/individual/document-rn38530 public document-rn38530 Retrospective Studies Albendazole therapy and enteric parasites in United States-bound refugees 23770 Immigrants 2025-02-14T21:34:35.132-06:00 New England Journal of Medicine Cohort Studies 16 <p>BACKGROUND: Beginning on May 1, 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended presumptive treatment of refugees for intestinal parasites with a single dose of albendazole (600 mg), administered overseas before departure for the United States. <br>METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 26,956 African and Southeast Asian refugees who were screened by means of microscopical examination of stool specimens for intestinal parasites on resettlement in Minnesota between 1993 and 2007. Adjusted prevalence ratios for intestinal nematodes, schistosoma species, giardia, and entamoeba were calculated among refugees who migrated before versus those who migrated after the CDC recommendation of presumptive predeparture albendazole treatment. <br>RESULTS: Among 4370 untreated refugees, 20.8% had at least one stool nematode, most commonly hookworm (in 9.2%). Among 22,586 albendazole-treated refugees, only 4.7% had one or more nematodes, most commonly trichuris (in 3.9%). After adjustment for sex, age, and region, albendazole-treated refugees were less likely than untreated refugees to have any nematodes (prevalence ratio, 0.19), ascaris (prevalence ratio, 0.06), hookworm (prevalence ratio, 0.07), or trichuris (prevalence ratio, 0.27) but were not less likely to have giardia or entamoeba. Schistosoma ova were identified exclusively among African refugees and were less prevalent among those treated with albendazole (prevalence ratio, 0.60). After implementation of the albendazole protocol, the most common pathogens among 17,011 African refugees were giardia (in 5.7%), trichuris (in 5.0%), and schistosoma (in 1.8%); among 5575 Southeast Asian refugees, only giardia remained highly prevalent (present in 17.2%). No serious adverse events associated with albendazole use were reported. <br>CONCLUSIONS: Presumptive albendazole therapy administered overseas before departure for the United States was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of intestinal nematodes among newly arrived African and Southeast Asian refugees.<p> Parasitic Diseases Drugs and Drug Therapy 10.1056/NEJMoa1103360 366 41160