ISSN 2756-3391
African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 581–588
DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/170546
Article Type: Full Length Research Paper
Title: Efficacy and tolerability of a novel combination therapy of moxidectin and albendazole against Trichuris trichiura infections in school children on Pemba Island, Tanzania
Names of Authors: Khamis A. Haji¹, Mwajuma M. Said¹, Said J. Mohammed²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Pemba, Tanzania. ²Department of Parasitology and Entomology, State University of Zanzibar, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Abstract: Standard single-dose albendazole treatment displays unacceptably low cure rates against Trichuris trichiura, complicating global soil-transmitted helminth eradication targets. This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen of moxidectin (a novel macrocyclic lactone) and albendazole compared to standard albendazole monotherapy. The trial enrolled 640 school children (aged 6 to 12 years) diagnosed with active Trichuris trichiura infections on Pemba Island, Tanzania. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either oral moxidectin (2 milligrams) plus albendazole (400 milligrams) or albendazole (400 milligrams) combined with a placebo. Stool analysis using the Kato-Katz technique was executed at baseline and three weeks post-treatment. The combination therapy achieved a cure rate of 48.6 percent (n = 153/315), which was significantly higher than the 12.4 percent cure rate (n = 39/314) observed in the monotherapy group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the geometric mean egg count reduction rate reached 92.4 percent in the co-administered cohort versus 54.1 percent in the reference arm. Adverse events were mild and transient, consisting primarily of self-limiting vertigo (6.2 percent) and transient abdominal discomfort (4.8 percent), with no serious clinical safety events reported. These definitive findings confirm that moxidectin-albendazole combination therapy provides a superior curative outcome, supporting its inclusion in targeted mass drug administration strategies across hyper-endemic regions.
Keywords: Trichuris trichiura, Moxidectin, Albendazole, Combination therapy, Mass drug administration, Tanzania
Manuscript Timeline: Received: 05 June 2026; Revised: 03 July 2026; Accepted: 25 July 2026; Published: 20 August 2026
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