Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Anemia, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, diet, treatment, causes.

Micronutrient supplements for children after deworming.

Hall A

Centre for Public Health Nutrition, School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, London, UK. a.hall04@westminster.ac.uk

The availability of a few inexpensive, single-dose drugs to treat soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis offers the potential to reduce a considerable burden of acute disease, especially among children in sub-Saharan Africa. These treatments are being promoted as "rapid impact interventions". However, if helminth infections cause underweight, stunting, anaemia, and impaired mental development in children, how will removing worms alone lead to recovery without treating the underlying deficits that have been caused or made worse by helminth disease? Energy, protein, and micronutrients are required by children who are underweight or who have stunted growth; children who are anaemic will require iron and other micronutrients for haemopoiesis; and children who have lost education will need remedial teaching. Treating neglected worm diseases is an essential first step to good health, but anthelmintic drugs need to be integrated with simple and inexpensive nutritional interventions such as micronutrient supplements to promote recovery and have a rapid effect.

Published 22 March 2007 in Lancet Infect Dis, 7(4): 297-302.
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