Shrestha, Akina
Schindler, Christian
Odermatt, Peter
Gerold, Jana
Erismann, Séverine
Sharma, Subodh
Koju, Rajendra
Utzinger, Jürg
Cissé, Guéladio
Funding for this research was provided by:
Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (F- 08511,01)
Article History
Received: 10 August 2018
Accepted: 10 September 2018
First Online: 29 September 2018
Ethics approval and consent to participate
: Ethical approval was obtained from the “Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz” (EKNZ) in Switzerland (reference no. UBE-15/02; approval date 12 January 2015), the institutional review board of Kathmandu University, School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal (reference no. 86/14; approval date 24 August 2014) and the institutional review board, Nepal Health Research Council (reference no. 565; approval date 11 November 2014). The study is registered at International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (identifier: ISRCTN30840; date assigned: 17 July 2015). Written informed consent was obtained from the school principals of each of the selected schools and the District Education Office. The teachers, schoolchildren and their caregivers were informed about the purpose and procedures of the study. Verbal consent was received from teachers and written informed consent (fingerprints of illiterates) was obtained from children’s caregivers. Children were informed that participation was voluntary, and hence they could withdraw at any time without further obligation. At the end of the study, each infected child was provided with appropriate medicines free of charge. Deworming of the children with a single oral dose of albendazole (400 mg) was provided against soil-transmitted helminth infections. Children infected with <i>G. intestinalis</i> were treated with metronidazole (250 mg/kg) for five consecutive days. Children identified with anaemia were referred to the health centre for further diagnosis and treatment.
: Not applicable.
: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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