A Cluster Randomised Trial of the Safety of Co-Administration of IDA (Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole) & Azithromycin for Integrated Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Recent studies have shown that single-dose combination therapy with three antifilarial drugs (Ivermectin [IVE] + DEC + ALB) called IDA is superior to current regimens used in LF elimination and may help accelerate LF elimination. WHO guidelines have changed to recommend IDA in countries endemic for LF outside sub-Saharan Africa like Papua New Guinea.

Additional benefits of IVE are its activity against scabies and Strongyloides. Treatment with IVE has shown to reduce the high prevalence of scabies in a village and in randomized control trials elsewhere in the Pacific. Of particular importance was the finding that IVE was highly effective against Strongyloides with a >95% reduction in prevalence sustained for nine months.

Increasingly, the desirability of linking LF programs with other public health initiatives also based on MDA is being appreciated. The existing programmatic infrastructure developed for LF campaign presents an attractive vehicle for a demonstration project of integration of MDAs against multiple Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (AZI) has been demonstrated to be highly effective as MDA for yaws control and AZI is a highly effective and well-tolerated antibiotic treatment for trachoma that is able to clear ocular infection with a single oral dose and is well tolerated.

Currently LF/STH/Scabies/strongyloides and yaws/trachoma are treated separately. Integration of these existing MDA programs has the potential to be highly cost-effective as a population health intervention. Integration includes both the safe co-administration of medicines and operational planning, and it is currently advocated by WHO.