Following a recent Cochrane Systematic Review on deworming of school children against soil-transmitted helminthiasis, WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases (STAG-NTD) has issued a statement regarding the same.

The STAG-NTD has reviewed the evidence (including the Cochrane Review) and states that it “continues to endorse WHO’s recommendation for mass deworming in areas where the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections is over 20%.”

The statement adds that:

“The administration of single-dose albendazole or mebendazole in such areas is safe and the most cost-effective strategy to reach infected children and improve their health and well-being.”

Useful Links:

Link to the statement:

http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/news/update-deworming-children/en/

Link to an article on the Review hosted on The Cochrane Collaboration web site:

http://www.cochrane.org/CD000371/INFECTN_deworming-school-children-developing-countries

Link to the abstract of the Review:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000371.pub6/epdf/abstract

Link to the standard version of the Review:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000371.pub6/epdf/standard

Link to the full Review:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000371.pub6/epdf