Taeniasis

Controlling diseases due to helminth infection, D.W.T. Crompton, A. Montresor, M.C. Nesheim, L. Savioli, editors (World Health Organization, Geneva) 2003. 248 pages . Price: Sw.fr. 35.00/US $ 31.50; in developing countries: Sw. fr. 24.50 ISBN 92-4-156239-0

Geohelminthiasis is an important public health problem worldwide especially in the developing countries possibly because of lack of proper sanitation facilities, lack of safe drinking water, and poor and illiterate population. In India, in spite of better health education and diagnostic facilities available, intestinal helminthic infestations continue to be a threat to the mankind especially due to the impact of high worm burden on malnourished and school going children. Familial distribution of Ascaris lumbricoides, anaemia resulting in low birth weight babies during pregnancy because of hookworm infection, higher incidence of intestinal taeniasis in pig rearing than in non pig rearing communities, negative effects on growth and development particularly in malnourished children and economic consequences on the family and community, higher prevalence among children under five years in rural and semi urban slums and recent detection of some of these helminths in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients are some of the reported facts which indicate the magnitude of the problem and need for control of these soil transmitted helminths particularly targeting the children and pregnant women. Mebendazole, albendazole and some others like praziquantel are promising and effective antihelminthic drugs. The WHO is promoting school-based strategy to control these diseases. These drugs as such or as medicated salts in combination with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) may serve useful purpose for most prophylaxes and treatment in geohelminthic/filariasis endemic areas. Since major underlying cause of several parasitic diseases is poor hygienic condition, integration of control efforts with hygiene-related diseases should have a synergistic effect in reducing poverty related diseases in general. For this, the knowledge of epidemiology, appropriate use of antihelminthic drugs monitoring the impact of control measures, and ensuring the sustainability of control efforts are important. The present publication is an earnest and sincere attempt toward fulfilling these major lacunae. The book originated from the proceedings of the conference held in Bali, Indonesia in February 2000 is divided into four parts on Public health significance, Strategies and major programmes for the control of diseases due to helminth infections, Antihelminthic chemotherapy, and Experience from national control programmes.

Under Public health significance, the enormicity of the problem due to various helminths in endemic areas and the resultant effects on growth and development of children and pregnant women with compromised immune status has been adequately highlighted.

The second part deals with several strategies adapted for control of intestinal helminths and lymphatic filariasis in different countries with the help of WHO through the existing school health system, the Hashimoto Initiative and control of soil-transmitted helminth infections: the Japanese challenge. It was shown that focusing resources on effective school health system would result in improving quality and equity of education.

Part III deals with the available antihelminthic drugs and those in pipeline and their usefulness in control programmes so as to lower the morbidity and mortality. The knowledge of epidemiology in a given population has been adequately emphasized for success of control programmes. Detection and management of drug resistance has also been highlighted.

Part IV deals with the experiences gained through different national and local antihelminth control programmes in different countries of South East Asia. It was demonstrated that deworming is an affordable cost-effective public health measure that can be readily integrated with existing health care programmes and therefore deserves high priority in endemic countries.

Sustainability of its benefits will depend upon having dedicated health professionals, political commitment, community participation, health education and investment in providing sanitation facilities. The book will certainly be of immense help to local and national health related control/eradication agencies/bodies to formulate their plans and also to research investigators studying the endemicity of microbial diseases. I wish that the price of this book is within the reach of investigators and is made available to all the libraries for wide use.

R.C. Mahajan

Emeritus Scientist

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

Chandigarh 160012, India

Copyright Indian Council of Medical Research Aug 2004
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