Interventions to Reduce Worm Infections and Their Impacts

Intestinal worms — soil-transmitted helminths — are common in rural areas with inadequate sanitation. Mass drug treatment has been used for control but does not prevent reinfection. Two recent studies conducted in Asia address worm infections in children.

To determine whether health-education programs can change behavior and reduce reinfection, Bieri and colleagues conducted a cluster-randomized intervention trial involving 38 rural schools in southern Hunan province, China, during the 2010–2011 academic year. The schools were assigned to an intervention package (an educational video complemented by classroom discussions, written materials with cartoons, and drawing and essay-writing competitions) or a control package (a standard health-educ…