Field trials of ambilhar in the treatment of urinary bilharziasis in schoolchildren.

The deficiencies of the drugs used for the treatment of bilharziasis have limited attempts at control of the disease by chemotherapy. The present paper records a series of field trials with a new, orally administered, non-metallic schistosomicide, Ambilhar, in schoolchildren in an area of endemic urinary bilharziasis in Tanzania. The results indicate that the compound represents an important advance in the chemotherapy of Schistosoma haematobium infections. High cure rates and marked reduction of egg excretion in those not cured reveal prospects of wider population coverage by drug treatment of schoolchildren, the age-group most at risk and most in need of treatment.