Mass Praziquantel Treatment for Schistosomiasis

Praziquantel was given by Merck KGaA; Darmstadt, Germany to the World Health Organization (WHO) for mass distribution by the national program in the fight against schistosomiasis in Senegal. The Niakhar study area is one of the sites selected for five rounds of annual mass treatment against schistosomiasis based on the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis higher than 50 % [29 (link)]. This study took place a year before the beginning of mass treatments in the study zone. The drug was made available to us by the national program and was administered at the standard dose of 40 mg/kg at the health centers of the study zone, and in the presence of a nurse and an agent from the national program.