Effect of albendazole and mebendazole on soil-transmitted helminth eggs.

Primary school children from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, on endemic area of soil-transmitted helminths, were selected for study. The infected children were divided into two groups and pair-matched according to intensity of infections: group I were given albendazole (400mg) single dose and group II were given mebendazole (100mg) twice daily for 3 days. On the day following treatment, the number of Trichuris eggs in the stool markedly increased and the egg shape was also altered. These phenomena did not occur in Ascaris infections since 100% cure rate were obtained using both drugs. Incomplete ovicidal effect of the drugs to Trichuris and Ascaris eggs were demonstrated, embryos were observed to develop within the treated eggs and they hatched after feeding them to experimental animals. In hookworm infection, albendazole stimulated the females to release more eggs after medication, but both drugs showed complete ovicidal effect upon examining the eggs from the second bowel movement.