An assessment of anti-schistosomal treatment on physical work capacity.

Acting as their own controls, village subjects from the Gezira are of the Sudan with relatively high levels of schistosomiasis infection were first tested in an exercise laboratory in Khartoum and the tests were then repeated after a period of about 1 yr during which time the subjects were treated with hycanthone and periodically monitored to ensure that they had remained free of the disease. In the meantime they were also given anti-malarial prophylaxis. Laboratory tests showed a significant improvement in physiological work capacity of up to 20% after treatment compared with untreated controls. An overall improvement in pulmonary function, particularly forced vital capacity, was observed as well as a significant increase in mean haemoglobin concentration by 1.1 g/100 ml of blood in the treated group. Apart from these improvements in physical working capacity, the treated subjects subjectively felt better after the exercise tests, as expressed by the disappearance of fatiguability.