The aims of the World Health Organizations Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis are to stop the spread of Wuchereria and Brugia infection and alleviate the suffering of individuals affected by lymphatic filariasis. Control of transmission is based on mass drug administrations (MDA). In the MDA entire populations at risk of filarial infection will be given four to six annual treatments with a combination of albendazole and a microfilaricide - either diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) or ivermectin. Inclusion of albendazole in this two-drug treatment regimen is expected to result in a public-health impact beyond lymphatic filariasis (LF) alone largely because of this drugs effectiveness against geohelminth infections. The anticipated health benefits of albendazole use include nutritional benefits (such as height and weight gains and reduction of anaemia) greater cognitive development among children and greater productivity in the adult population (Ottesen et al. 1999). (excerpt)
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Silva et al. (2003) studied this question.
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