Therapeutic efficacy of a single oral dose of albendazole against hookworm infections and its impact on iron indices among tea plantation workers in the Kericho highlands, Kenya

African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 661–668

DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/140661

Article Type: Full Length Research Paper

Title: Therapeutic efficacy of a single oral dose of albendazole against hookworm infections and its impact on iron indices among tea plantation workers in the Kericho highlands, Kenya

Names of Authors: Emmanuel K. Kiprop¹, Beatrice C. Cheruiyot¹, David O. Omondi²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹School of Science and Technology, University of Kabianga, Kericho, Kenya. ²Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya.

Abstract: Hookworm infections cause chronic intestinal blood loss, leading to severe iron-deficiency anaemia among agricultural workers. This open-label trial evaluated the cure rate, egg reduction rate, and post-treatment iron profile improvements following a single oral dose of albendazole (400 milligrams) among 520 tea plantation workers in Kericho, Kenya. Fecal samples were evaluated using the Kato-Katz method at baseline and 21 days post-treatment. Complete blood counts and serum ferritin testing were performed at baseline and at a 60-day follow-up. The baseline hookworm prevalence was 26.5 percent (n = 138), consisting mostly of Necator americanus. Treatment yielded a cure rate of 88.4 percent (n = 122/138) and an egg reduction rate of 94.2 percent. At the 60-day follow-up, cured workers showed significant haematological improvements: mean haemoglobin levels rose from 10.4 to 12.6 grams per deciliter (P < 0.001), and serum ferritin increased from 14.2 to 28.5 micrograms per liter (P < 0.001). Mean packed cell volume values also increased significantly from 32.4 percent to 38.6 percent. Linear regression associated baseline heavy egg burdens with delayed iron recovery. These results confirm that single-dose albendazole remains highly effective against hookworms in this region, proving that routine deworming significantly reverses work-limiting iron-deficiency anaemia among plantation laborers.

Keywords: Hookworms, Albendazole, Therapeutic efficacy, Iron-deficiency anaemia, Ferritin, Kenya

Manuscript Timeline: Received: 15 June 2026; Revised: 10 July 2026; Accepted: 01 August 2026; Published: 28 August 2026

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