Swiss TPH "Swiss TPH researchers tested two different drug combinations against the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura on Pemba Island, Tanzania. Findings show that a new treatment combination (moxidectin and albendazole) is inferior compared to the current recommended treatment combination (ivermectin and albendazole). However, moxidectin might serve as an alternative in areas in which ivermectin is not readily available or potentially where there are resistances against ivermectin. Results were published on 28 October in the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide are infected with soil-transmitted helminths. The infections occur mainly in tropical and subtropical areas in sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, China and East Asia and is closely linked to poverty. Infections can lead to nutrient deficiency, anaemia, and impaired growth, thus children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to these detrimental effects. Soil-transmitted helminth infections are caused by several species of parasitic worms. One of them is the whipworm Trichuris trichiura."
