Tetramisole in the Treatment of Nematode Infections in Man

More than 3,000 persons were studied in a survey on the prevalence of nematode infections in Indonesia and Belgium. In Indonesia, ascariasis and hookworm infection were more prevalent than expected (at least 67% and 15%, respectively), and in the Belgian children studied enterobiasis was surprisingly widespread (at least 65%). A single dose (2.5 mg per kilogram) of L-tetramisole was about 90% effective against ascariasis and about 80% effective against hookworm infection, but ineffective against trichuriasis and almost ineffective against enterobiasis. L-tetramisole was well-tolerated even at several times the recommended dose (2.5 mg per kilogram).