Le Hung, Qde Vries, Peter JGiao, Phan TBinh, Tran QNam, Nguyen VKager, Piet A2009-05-272009-05-272005-05-30Le Hung Q, de Vries PJ, Giao PT, Binh TQ, Nam NV, Kager PA. Intestinal helminth infection in an ethnic minority commune in southern Vietnam. The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. 2005 May; 36(3): 623-8http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/31006The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health.A program to control intestinal helminth infections, based on stool surveys, mass treatment of children below 17 years, improvement of sanitation and health education was performed between 1997 and 1999 in Phan Tien, an ethnic minority community in mountainous southern Vietnam. Before intervention, 28.6% of children excreted eggs of at least one parasite, hookworm being the most common (23%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (1.9%), Hymenolepis nana (1.9%), Enterobius vermicularis (0.9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.5%), and multiple kinds of helminthes (0.5%). Strongyloides stercoralis was never detected. Poor sanitation and personal hygiene, and walking barefoot were considered the main risk factors for intestinal helminth infections. The success of 400 mg albendazole single dose mass treatment was initially frustrated by the poor quality of the drug formulation used, only containing half of the indicated amount of albendazole. Using another formulation quickly reduced the hookworm infection rate. Praziquantel was used to treat H. nana infections. After three years of intervention, intestinal helminth infections were reduced to 3.3% (p<0.0001). We conclude that interventions combining health education, improvement of sanitation and mass treatment effectively control intestinal helminth infections, but the quality of the drugs used is an important factor.engAdolescentAlbendazole --therapeutic useAnimalsAnthelmintics --therapeutic useChildChild, PreschoolCommunicable Disease ControlFeces --parasitologyHealth EducationHelminthiasis --drug therapyHelminths --classificationHumansIntestinal Diseases, Parasitic --drug therapyMinority Groups --statistics & numerical dataPraziquantel --therapeutic useRural Health --statistics & numerical dataSanitationVietnam --epidemiologyEvaluation Studies