Table 1. Characteristics of included studies that tested Mass Drug Administration–with or without selective chemotherapy (n = 10).
| Study ID and references | Country and year/s of study | Study type | Participants: number, age, specific characteristics |
Intervention | Drug and dose | Pop. coverage (%)a | Follow-up period | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allan et al. 1997 [34] | Guatemala 1994–1996 |
BA | n = 2019; all ages. | Selective chemotherapy of cases; MDA of uninfected individuals (2–3 months later) | NICL 2g (≥ 6 years), 1g (<6 years) | 74.9% | 10 months | • Infection rate with TS taeniasis–prevalence • Porcine cysticercosis rate—seroprevalence |
| Braae et al. 2017 [35, 55–57, 60] | Tanzania 2012–2015 |
CBA | n = 951 Mbozi; school aged children (4–15 years); area co-endemic for schistosomiasisb n = 880 Mbeya |
IntA—Annual MDA (3 times over 2 years) plus selective chemotherapyc (3 times over 2½ years) plus information IntB—Biennial MDA (2 times over 2 years) plus selective chemotherapyc (3 times over 2½ years) plus information |
PZQ 40mg/kg for MDA; NICL 50mg/kg or PZQ 10mg/kg for selective chemotherapy | NR | 9–10 months (post final round of MDA) 6–7 months (post final track-and-treat) |
• Infection rate with TS taeniasis–prevalence • Risk of side-effects • Porcine cysticercosis rate—seroprevalence |
| n = 561 Mbozi, n = 621 Mbeya; adults > 15 years; area co-endemic for schistosomiasisb | IntC—Selective chemotherapyc (3 times over 2½ years) plus information. | NICL 2g or PZQ 10mg/kg—3 times over 3 years | NR | 6–7 months (post final track-and-treat) | ||||
| Cruz et al. 1989 [37, 58] | Ecuador 1985–1987 |
BA | n = 739 at follow-up; all ages ≥ 6 years; person with a history of epilepsy, allergies, pregnant women, or those severely ill excluded. | MDA plus education | PZQ 5mg/kg | 75.8% in houses examined | 1 year | • Infection rate with TS–prevalence • Risk of side-effects • Costs • Feasibility • Values and preferences of participants • Impact on equity • Porcine cysticercosis rate—prevalence |
| Diaz Camacho 1991 [39] | Mexico 1988–1989 |
BA | n = 559; all ages > 5 years; pregnant women and persons with liver cirrhosis or neurologic symptoms excluded. | Selective chemotherapy of cases and then MDA | 2g NICL for selective chemotherapy of taeniasisd; PZQ 10mg/kg for MDA | 60.6% (71% of eligible pop.) |
1-year | • Infection rate with TS taeniasis–prevalence • Infection rate with STH–prevalence • Porcine cysticercosis rate—prevalence |
| Keilbach 1989 [42] | Mexico 1986–1987 |
BA | n = 760; all ages ≥ 5 years; persons suspected to suffer from neurocysticercosis did not receive PZQ but NICL instead. | MDA plus education | PZQ 5mg/kg | ≈60% | 4 months | • Feasibility • Values and preferences of participants • Porcine cysticercosis rate—prevalence & seroprevalence |
| Okello 2016 [14, 46, 54] | Lao People's Democratic Republic 2013–2015 |
BA | n = 298; all ages > 6 years; persons with acute illness, pregnant and lactating women excluded. | MDA—twice 6 months apart—plus education plus pigs vaccinated with TSOL18 and treated with oxfendazole at 30mg/kg—three times 6 months aparte. | ALB 400mg per day for three consecutive days | MDA1–64% MDA2–63% (>85% of eligible pop.) |
10 months (post MDA2) |
• Infection rate with TS taeniasise–prevalence • Infection rate with STH–prevalence • Risk of side-effects • Feasibility • Values and preferences of participants |
| Sarti 2000 [13, 48] | Mexico 1991–1996 |
BA | n = 3007; all ages > 4 years; persons with hepatic disease and pregnant women excluded. | MDA | PZQ 5mg/kg | 87% | 6 and 42 months | • Infection rate with TS taeniasis–prevalence • Risk of side-effects • Porcine cysticercosis rate—prevalence & seroprevalence |
| Steinmann 2008 [51] | China 2007 |
RCT | n = 66 ALB, n = 57 Tribendimidine; all ages (range 5–87 years); persons with acute illness, pregnant, or who had drunk alcohol on the day of treatment excluded. Area co-endemic for soil-transmitted helminths. | Int—MDA with ALB Cont—MDA with Tribendimidine |
ALB 400mg (≥ 15 years), 200mg (5 to 14 years); Tribendimidine 400mg (≥ 15 years), 200mg (5 to 14 years) |
NA | 2–4 weeks | • Infection rate with TS taeniasis–cure rate & prevalence • Infection rate with STH–cure rate & prevalence • Risk of side-effects |
| Steinmann 2011 [49, 64] | China 2008 |
RCT | n = 314; all ages ≥ 5 years; persons with chronic disease or other conditions likely to interfere with treatment, pregnant women, recent anthelminthic treatment excluded. Area co-endemic for soil-transmitted helminths. | MDA: IntA—single dose ALB IntB—triple dose ALB given over 3 consecutive days ContA—single dose mebendazole ContB—triple dose mebendazole given over 3 consecutive days |
ALB 400mg Mebendazole 500mg |
NA | 3–5 weeks | • Infection rate with TS taeniasis—cure rate & prevalence • Infection rate with STH—cure rate & prevalence • Risk of side-effects • Values and preferences of participants • Observation time of side-effects |
| Steinmann 2015 [50] | China 2007–2013 |
CBA | n = 760, 100 samples per village; all ages ≥ 2years; persons with acute or chronic illness, pregnant women excluded. Area co-endemic for soil-transmitted helminths. | IntA—Annual MDA; IntB—6-monthly MDA; IntC—6-monthly MDA + latrine construction + regular health educationf (3-year period). Then annual MDA by local village doctors for another 2-year period. |
ALB 400mg | 80–90% of the eligible pop. (phase one of study) |
≈2 years and 5 years following baseline measure | • Infection rate with TS taeniasisf–prevalence • Infection rate with STH—prevalence |
Abbreviations: ALB—albendazole; BA—before-after study; CBA—controlled before-after study; Cont—control; CT—controlled trial; Int—intervention; MDA—mass drug administration; NICL—niclosamide; NR—not reported; pop.—population; PZQ—praziquantel; RCT—randomized controlled trial; STH—soil-transmitted helminths; TS—Taenia solium
a coverage of total population unless otherwise stated
b MDA of children done as part of National Schistosomiasis Control Programme.
c small number of pigs also treated with oxfendazole 30mg/kg
d selective chemotherapy for other intestinal parasites also given: ALB 400mg per day for three consecutive days for Hymenolepis nana; ALB 400mg for ascaris, enterobius, and Trichuris; and metronidazole, 20mg per day for five days for Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica.
e efficacy results cannot be attributed to MDA given the intervention in pigs. Only information on side-effects can be used.
f efficacy results for intervention C cannot be attributed to MDA given the construction of latrines as well as more intense education.