Oxantel and oxantel-albendazole in the treatment of whipworm and hookworm infections

ISRCTN ISRCTN54577342
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN54577342
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
15/08/2012
Registration date
22/08/2012
Last edited
12/06/2014
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Infections and Infestations
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Between 600 and 800 million people are infected with one or several of the common soil-transmitted helminths, which are Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworms. The current strategy to control soil-transmitted helminths is to administer either albendazole or mebendazole to people at risk. However, these drugs are not effective or only partially effective against T. trichiura and hookworm. Therefore new safe drugs are needed. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness and safety of albendazole, mebendazole, oxantel pamoate and an albendazole-oxantel pamoate combination against infections with T. trichiura and hookworm.

Who can participate?
Children aged 6-14 infected with T. trichiura or hookworm, or both.

What does the study involve?
Two stool samples will be collected from school-aged children until 380 cases of T. trichiura and/or hookworm infections have been identified. Positive tested children will be randomly assigned to one of the following four treatment groups: group 1 will receive oxantel pamoate on the first day and albendazole and a placebo (dummy) tablet on the next day. Group 2 will receive oxantel pamoate on day 1 and two placebo tablets on day 2. Group 3 will receive a placebo tablet on day 1 and one tablet of albendazole plus a placebo tablet on the next day. Group 4 will be administered a placebo tablet on day 1 and one mebendazole tablet plus one placebo tablet on day 2. Adverse effects will be assessed at 3 and 24 hours after each treatment.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The three drugs which are being compared are well known and have few adverse effects. All enrolled children will benefit from a free treatment against soil-transmitted helminths.

Where is the study run from?
The study will be carried out in three schools on Pemba, Tanzania and will be conducted by the Public Health Laboratory Ivo de Carneri (Tanzania).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study will take place from September to November 2012.

Who is funding the study?
The study will be funded by the Medicor Foundation (Liechtenstein).

Who is the main contact?
Jennifer Keiser, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.

Contact information

Prof Jennifer Keiser
Scientific

University of Basel
Socinstr. 57
Basel
4051
Switzerland

Study information

Study designDouble-blind randomized controlled trial with four treatment arms
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleEfficacy and safety of albendazole-oxantel combined and single oxantel albendazole, and mebendazole, in the treatment of Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections in Pemba: a randomized, double blind trial
Study acronymOXAALB-STH
Study hypothesisOxantel-albendazole reaches higher cure rates against T. trichiura and hookworm infections than the standard treatments (mebendazole).
Ethics approval(s)1. Ethics Committee of Basel [Ethikkomission beider Basel (EKBB)], 20/01/2012, ref: 390/11
2. Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, 27/07/2012, ref: ZAMREC/0001/JAN/011
ConditionT. trichiura or/and hookworm infections
InterventionGroup 1:
Day 1: 20 mg/kg oxantel pamoate; Day 2: 1 albendazole tablet plus 1 mebendazole matching placebo

Group 2:
Day 1: 20 mg/kg oxantel pamoate; Day 2: 1 albendazole matching placebo plus 1 mebendazole matching placebo

Group 3:
Day 1: 20 mg/kg oxantel pamoate placebo; Day 2: 1 albendazole tablet plus 1 mebendazole matching placebo

Group 4:
Day 1: 20 mg/kg oxantel pamoate placebo; Day 2: 1 mebendazole tablet plus 1 albendazole matching placebo
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Oxantel, oxantel-albendazole
Primary outcome measureCure rates and egg reduction rates 3 weeks after treatment. For diagnosis two stool samples will be collected before and after treatment. From each stool sample duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears will be examined.
Secondary outcome measuresAdverse events will be assessed 3 and 24 hours after each day of treatment.
Overall study start date10/09/2012
Overall study end date26/10/2012

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupChild
SexBoth
Target number of participants650
Participant inclusion criteria1. Written informed consent signed by parents and/or legal guardian; and oral assent by children
2. Able and willing to be examined by a study physician at the beginning and at the end of the study (3 weeks post-treatment)
3. Able and willing to provide two stool samples at the beginning and at the end of the study
4. Positive for T. trichiura or hookworm, or both STH concurrently (presence of helminth eggs in stool)
5. Absence of major systemic illnesses (e.g. cancer, diabetes, clinical malaria or hepato-splenic schistosomiasis) as assessed by a medical doctor, upon initial clinical assessment
6. No known or reported history of chronic illness such as cancer, diabetes, chronic heart, liver or renal disease
7. No recent anthelminthic treatment (within past 4 weeks)
8. No known allergy to study medications
Participant exclusion criteria1. No written informed consent by parents and/or legal guardian
2. Presence of any abnormal medical condition, judged by the study physician
3. History of acute or severe chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes, chronic heart, liver or renal disease
4. Recent use of anthelminthic drug (within past 4 weeks)
5. Attending other clinical trials during the study
6. Negative diagnostic result for T. trichiura and/or hookworm (absence of helminth eggs in stool)
Recruitment start date10/09/2012
Recruitment end date26/10/2012

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Switzerland
  • Tanzania

Study participating centre

University of Basel
Basel
4051
Switzerland

Sponsor information

Medicor Foundation (Liechtenstein)
Charity

Landstrasse 11
Postfach 141
Triesen
9495
Liechtenstein

Website http://www.medicor.li/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0469pxf24

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Medicor Foundation (Liechtenstein)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 13/02/2014 Yes No