***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Relationships of S. haematobium , hookworm and malarial infections to growth 6 months after metrifonate treatment were studied in Kenyan primary school children in an area where poor growth , S. haematobium and hookworm were common and malaria was endemic . All children with light-moderate S. haematobium infections ( 1 - 500 eggs/10 ml adj ) in 4 schools were examined ( Exam 1 ) , allocated at r and om to either placebo ( MIP , n = 198 ) or metrifonate treatment ( MIT , n = 201 ) groups , treated , and examined again 6 months later ( Exam 2 ) . An additional 19 heavily infected children ( HIT group greater than 500 eggs/10 ml adj ) were treated immediately after Exam 1 and also followed . The MIT and HIT groups exhibited more rapid growth between Exam 1 and 2 than did the placebo group . The MIT group gained significantly ( P less than 0.001 ) more than the MIP group in weight ( 0.8 kg ) , percent weight for age ( 2.3 percentage points ) , weight for height squared ( 0.04 units ) , arm circumference ( 0.4 cm ) , percent arm circumference for age ( 1.7 percentage points ) and in triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses . In addition , the placebo group showed statistically significant decreases between exams in percentage weight for age , percent arm circumference for age , both skinfold thicknesses for age and no significant increase in percent height for age while the MIT group exhibited highly significant increases in all anthropometric parameters . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS Alternative regimes for the treatment of Schistosoma haematobium infection were compared in two trials . Praziquantel at a dose of 40 mg kg-1 appeared to cure 63 % of a r and om sample of heavily infected subjects ; significantly more than the 18 % cured by three fortnightly doses of metrifonate at 10 mg kg-1 . However , praziquantel led to a greater incidence of mild , transient side-effects . A single dose of metrifonate was found to be an inadequate treatment in the same group of subjects as it left 53 % with an egg count of at least 100 ova/10 ml . A combination of 10 mg kg-1 of metrifonate and 25 mg kg-1 of niridazole had a similar effect to that of a single dose of metrifonate alone and it had more side-effects . Reduced doses of praziquantel had less effect on egg counts than the st and ard regime , but the difference was not significant in the case of 20 mg kg-1 . Although a combination of metrifonate and praziquantel , each at 10 mg kg-1 , had a greater effect than either constituent alone , the difference was not significant . Factors affecting the choice of drug for use in mass treatment of urinary schistosomiasis in The Gambia are discussed . The present findings suggest that the st and ard regime of praziquantel should be used or , if this is not possible , a three-dose metrifonate regime The relationships between S. haematobium , hookworm , malaria , hemoglobin level , splenomegaly , and hepatomegaly before and 8 months after treatment with a single dose of metrifonate or praziquantel were studied in Kenyan primary schoolchildren in an area where anemia , S. haematobium , and hookworm are common and malaria is holoendemic . Children with light to moderate S. haematobium infection were examined ( Exam 1 ) , assigned at r and om to groups receiving placebo ( PL , n = 104 ) , metrifonate ( MT , n = 103 , dose 10 mg/kg body weight ) or praziquantel ( PR , n = 105 , dose 40 mg/kg body weight ) , treated , and examined 8 months later ( Exam 2 ) . At Exam 2 , 62 % of the MT group still passed S. haematobium eggs vs. 13 % in the PR group . Egg reduction rates were substantial in both groups , but greater in the PR group ; geometric mean egg counts in both groups were very low . Prevalence and intensity in the PL group had not changed between exams . Hookworm egg counts were significantly reduced in the MT group ( 59 % egg reduction rate ) ; malarial infection had increased in all 3 groups , presumably due to the long rainy season between exams . Hookworm egg count was the most significant predictor of initial hemoglobin level , followed by S. haematobium egg count and presence of malarial infection . Treatment with a single dose of MT or PR can produce substantial decreases in S. haematobium infection 8 months later We studied physical fitness , as determined by the Harvard Step Test ( HST ) , and appetite , as measured by the consumption of a morning snack ( maize meal porridge ) , in primary school boys infected with Schistosoma haematobium ( 100 % baseline prevalence ) and hookworm ( 94 - 100 % prevalence ) who received a single dose of metrifonate ( MT , 10 mg/kg body weight ) or praziquantel ( PR , 40 mg/kg body weight ) , or a placebo ( PL ) . Five weeks after treatment , HST scores and porridge intake increased significantly in the MT and PR groups , but the PL group did not change . At the second examination , the MT group showed a significant decrease in S. haematobium egg counts ( mean = 180 vs. 14 eggs/10 ml adj , P less than 0.0002 , 82 % egg reduction in arithmetic means ) as did the PR group ( mean = 198 vs. 0.1 eggs/10 ml adj , P less than 0.0002 , 99.9 % reduction ) ; the egg counts in the PL group did not change . The MT group also exhibited a significant decrease in hookworm egg counts ( mean = 1,550 vs. 75 eggs per gram feces [ epg ] , P less than 0.0005 , 80 % reduction ) . Treatment with either drug may allow improved physical fitness and appetite in areas where S. haematobium and protein-energy malnutrition are highly prevalent A double-blind controlled trial of 2-cyclohexylcarbonyl-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-4H-pyrazino[2,1-a ] isoquinolin-4-one ( praziquantel , EMBAY 8440 , Biltricide ) in the treatment of vesical schistosomiasis has been carried out in 90 Nigerian schoolchildren of both sexes aged 9 - -16 years . Oral doses of 1 x 30 , 1 x 40 , and 2 x 20 mg/kg b.w . were assessed against placebo at 1 x 40 mg/kg , and the subjects followed up for up to twelve months after treatment . The results showed that the drug is very effective against S. haematobium infections and well tolerated . There were not significant differences between the three dosage groups , and the drug had no adverse haematological or biochemical effects . It is concluded that praziquantel widely meets the requirements necessary for use in large scale control of vesical schistosomiasis A double blind trial of three oral preparations given in single doses for the treatment of Schistosoma haematobium infection was carried out in schoolchildren ; selection was biased towards those who excreted large quantities of eggs .  Praziquantel 40 mg/kg was the most effective drug giving a greater than 97 % reduction in egg output six months after treatment ; combined treatment with niridazole 25 mg/kg and metrifonate 10 mg/kg gave a reduction of greater than 92 % and metrifonate 10 mg/kg alone a reduction of greater than 86 % . Fewer children continued to have moderate to heavy infections ( excretion greater than 124 ova/10 ml urine ) six months after treatment with praziquantel ( 5 % ) and the combined regimen ( 7 % ) than with metrifonate ( 16 % ) . Though our findings show that praziquantel appears to be the most effective and convenient drug available for individuals with S haematobium infection , the combined regimen is a cheaper alternative for treatment where cost is important and parasitological cure not an essential objective This study of S. haematobium infection in communities associated with irrigated schemes shows that prevalence rates are unusually high in adults , especially in men ; and distribution disease is probably associated with at least the following three factors : ( i ) distance of the place of residence from the main transmission sites ( ii ) the dynamics of transmission in the waterbody and ( iii ) the human/water contact and contamination patterns . During this chemotherapy trial , at the first survey , only a little more than half ( 57.47 % ) of the people recorded in the census was present . Five visits of the survey team were necessary to obtain a compliance rate of 80.51 % of the entire population . The indifference of the local people to seek diagnosis and treatment increased with succeeding surveys . It is only , during a subsequent treatment survey , carried out during the season of low agricultural activity and following an official written convocation , that a compliance rate similar to that of the first survey was recorded . If treatment is not given immediately after diagnosis as many as a fifth of positive cases do not appear for treatment . Oltipraz and praziquantel were administered . Their effectiveness could not be truly compared as there was a time lag of six months separating the administration of the treatments . However , based on the results of this trial both drugs gave good results especially in egg output intensity . But , a decrease of this parameter was also observed in non treated people . Seasonal variations of egg output or decrease of transmission could be involved A two-year follow-up was conducted in children who had been the subjects of a six-month double-blind trial in the single-dose treatment of Schistosoma haematobium infection . The trial had assessed therapeutic efficacy of three oral preparations-praziquantel 40 mg/kg , metrifonate 10 mg/kg , and the ' combination ' ( concurrent niridazole 25 mg/kg and metrifonate 10 mg/kg administration ) . Reduction in urinary egg excretion remained high up to follow-up at two years , based on a comparison of pre- and post-treatment geometric mean counts-praziquantel 96.9 % ( n = 96 at six months , 51 at two years ) ; the ' combination ' 93.9 % ( n = 97 at six months , 48 at two years ) ; and metrifonate 90.3 % ( n = 92 at six months , 49 at two years ) . The differences in percentage reduction were not significant ( p greater than 0.1 ) . However , a significantly greater reduction in egg output was produced by praziquantel ( 81.7 % ) and the ' combination ' ( 82.5 % ) than by metrifonate ( 54.2 % ) , on comparing pre- and post-treatment arithmetic mean counts ( p less than 0.01 ) . A significantly smaller percentage of subjects were excreting greater than or equal to 125 ova/10 ml urine two years after treatment with praziquantel ( 10.3 % ) , compared to treatment with the ' combination ' ( 25.7 % ) and metrifonate ( 35.8 % ) ( p less than 0.01 ) . The cure rate was significantly higher in the praziquantel group ( 47.4 % ) compared to the ' combination ' ( 24.7 % ) and metrifonate ( 17.4 % ) groups , for the six to 24-month follow-up period ( p less than 0.001 ) . The pattern and level of transmission had contributed to the long-term efficacy recorded in this study A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the concurrent administration of albendazole and praziquantel was conducted in>1500 children with high prevalences of geohelminths and schistosomiasis . The study sites were in China and the Philippines , including 2 strains of Schistosoma japonicum , and 2 different regions of Kenya , 1 each with endemic Schistosoma mansoni or Schistosoma haematobium . Neither medication affected the cure rate of the other . There was no difference between the side effect rate from albendazole or the double placebo . Praziquantel-treated children had more nausea , abdominal pain , and headache but these side effects were statistically more common in children with schistosomiasis , suggesting a strong influence of dying parasites . The subjects were followed for 6 months for changes in infection status , growth parameters , hemoglobin , and schistosomiasis morbidity . In all 4 sites , a significant 6-month increase in serum hemoglobin was observed in children who received praziquantel  , strongly supporting population -based mass treatment 
    Output:
    
Praziquantel and metrifonate are effective treatments for urinary schistosomiasis and have few adverse events .
Metrifonate requires multiple administrations and is therefore operationally less convenient in community-based control programmes .