Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context
Abstract Despite increased international efforts to control schistosomiasis using preventive chemotherapy, several challenges still exist in reaching the target populations. Until recently, preschool-aged children had been excluded from the recommended target population for mass drug administration,...
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doaj-89c7d150fbca49efa076964906e2b7e12020-11-24T21:08:43ZengBMCInfectious Diseases of Poverty2049-99572017-04-01611610.1186/s40249-017-0300-8Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into contextTakafira Mduluza0Francisca Mutapi1Biochemistry Department, University of ZimbabweInstitute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth LaboratoriesAbstract Despite increased international efforts to control schistosomiasis using preventive chemotherapy, several challenges still exist in reaching the target populations. Until recently, preschool-aged children had been excluded from the recommended target population for mass drug administration, i.e. primary school children aged 6–15 years. Our studies and those of others provided the evidence base for the need to treat preschool-aged children that led to recommendations by the World Health Organization to include preschool-aged children in treatment programmes in 2010. The major challenge now lies in the unavailability of a child-size formulation of the appropriate anthelmintic drug, praziquantel. The currently available formulation of praziquantel presents several problems. First, it is a large tablet, making it difficult for young children and infants to swallow it and thus requires its breaking/crushing to allow for safe uptake. Second, it is bitter so it is often mixed with a sweetener to make it palatable for young children. Third, the current formulation of 600 mg does not allow for flexible dose adjustments for this age group. Thus, there is a need to formulate a child-appropriate praziquantel tablet. This paper discusses the target product profile for paediatric praziquantel, as well as knowledge gaps pertinent to the successful control of schistosome infection and disease in preschool-aged children.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40249-017-0300-8Paediatric schistosomiasisPraziquantelChild-size medicineTarget product profileDrug pipeline |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Takafira Mduluza Francisca Mutapi |
spellingShingle |
Takafira Mduluza Francisca Mutapi Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context Infectious Diseases of Poverty Paediatric schistosomiasis Praziquantel Child-size medicine Target product profile Drug pipeline |
author_facet |
Takafira Mduluza Francisca Mutapi |
author_sort |
Takafira Mduluza |
title |
Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
title_short |
Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
title_full |
Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
title_fullStr |
Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
title_full_unstemmed |
Putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
title_sort |
putting the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis into context |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
issn |
2049-9957 |
publishDate |
2017-04-01 |
description |
Abstract Despite increased international efforts to control schistosomiasis using preventive chemotherapy, several challenges still exist in reaching the target populations. Until recently, preschool-aged children had been excluded from the recommended target population for mass drug administration, i.e. primary school children aged 6–15 years. Our studies and those of others provided the evidence base for the need to treat preschool-aged children that led to recommendations by the World Health Organization to include preschool-aged children in treatment programmes in 2010. The major challenge now lies in the unavailability of a child-size formulation of the appropriate anthelmintic drug, praziquantel. The currently available formulation of praziquantel presents several problems. First, it is a large tablet, making it difficult for young children and infants to swallow it and thus requires its breaking/crushing to allow for safe uptake. Second, it is bitter so it is often mixed with a sweetener to make it palatable for young children. Third, the current formulation of 600 mg does not allow for flexible dose adjustments for this age group. Thus, there is a need to formulate a child-appropriate praziquantel tablet. This paper discusses the target product profile for paediatric praziquantel, as well as knowledge gaps pertinent to the successful control of schistosome infection and disease in preschool-aged children. |
topic |
Paediatric schistosomiasis Praziquantel Child-size medicine Target product profile Drug pipeline |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40249-017-0300-8 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT takafiramduluza puttingthetreatmentofpaediatricschistosomiasisintocontext AT franciscamutapi puttingthetreatmentofpaediatricschistosomiasisintocontext |
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1716759705988104192 |