The Public Health Laboratory Ivo de Carneri, located in Chake-Chake, Pemba Island, Tanzania, had the honour the be the first site starting the Starworms study.
The field team first went to the different schools to explain the goal of the study to the teachers and school children. The children then received an information sheet for their parents and a stool container to take home. The next day, after bringing their sample to school, a study clinician examines the children to see if they can be included in the study. Enrolled subjects receive a subject identification number followed by treatment with 400 mg Albendazole.
Lots of curious faces when the PHL field team arrives in one of the schools.
Habari? Mzuri! Mambo? Poa! Fresh? Freshi!
Students are patiently waiting to deliver their stool sample and receive treatment in a primary school in Wete, Pemba.
Student receives some drinking water after swallowing the Albendazole tablet.
The collected stool samples are brought to the laboratory and are examined for the presence of Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm eggs. After two weeks, the children who were infected have to provide a follow-up stool sample that is also examined to evaluate drug efficacy.
Lab technician Bakari examining the samples in the laboratory
