Table 1.

Treatment Options for Intestinal Worms^a,2-7.

Parasite/Disease	Drug	First line or Alternative	Adult Dose	Pediatric Dose
Intestinal nematodes
Hookworm	Albendazole	First line	400 mg single dose	1-2 years: 200 mg single dose
				≥2 years: 400 mg single dose
	Pyrantel pamoate	Alternative	11 mg/kg of pyrantel base (up to 1 g) daily for 3 days
Ascaris lumbricoides	Albendazole	First line	400 mg single dose
	Ivermectin	Alternative	150-200 µg/kg single dose
	Nitazoxanide	Alternative	500 mg twice daily for 3 days	1-3 yearsb: 100 mg twice daily for 3 days
				4-11 yearsb: 200 mg twice daily for 3 days
	Pyrantel pamoate	Alternative	11 mg/kg of pyrantel base (up to 1 g)
Pinworm	Albendazole	First line	400 mg once and repeat dose in 2 weeks
	Pyrantel pamoate	Alternative	11 mg/kg of pyrantel base (up to 1 g); repeat in 2 weeks
Whipworm	Albendazole	First line	400 mg for 3 days (7 days for high worm burden)
	Ivermectin and albendazole	Alternative for high worm burden	Ivermectin 200 µg/kg single dose and albendazole 400 mg single dose
	Ivermectin	Alternative	200 µg/kg every day for 3 days
	Nitazoxanide	Alternative	500 mg for 3 days	1-3 yearsb: 100 mg twice daily for 3 days
				4-11 yearsb: 200 mg twice daily for 3 days
Intestinal trematodes
Fasciolopsis buski; Heterophyes heterophyes; Metagonimus yokogawai; Nanophyteus salmincola	Praziquantel	First line	25 mg/kg 3 times daily for 1 day
Intestinal cestodes (tapeworm)
Taenia saginata (beef), Taenia solium (pork), Diphyllobothrium latum (fish), Dipylidium canium (dog)	Praziquantel	First line	5-10 mg/kg single dose	≥4 yearsc: 5-10 mg/kg single dose
	Nitazoxanide	Alternative	500 mg twice a day for 3 days	1-11 yearsb: 7.5 mg/kg (100 or 200 mg) twice a day for 3 days ≥12 years: 500 mg twice a day for 3 days
Hymenolepis nana (dwarf tapeworm)	Praziquantel	First line	25 mg/kg single dose
	Nitazoxanide	Alternative	500 mg twice a day for 3 days	1-11 yearsb: 7.5 mg/kg (100 or 200 mg) twice a day for 3 days
				≥12 years: 500 mg twice a day for 3 days

^aTable only includes agents commercially available in the United States.

^bDosage varies depending on indication and reference; oral suspension only for <12 years.

^cCase reports exist with safe and efficacious use as young as 2 weeks of age.⁸