APPLICATION OF REAL-TIME PCR AND KATO-KATZ METHODS IN MONITORING THE TREATMENT EFFICACY OF TRICHURIS TRICHIURA INFECTIONS

Trichuris trichiura is a geohelminth infection that affects approximately 460 million people worldwide, making it the second most common after Ascaris lumbricoides. The Kato-Katz (KK) method, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), remains a widely used diagnostic technique. In a clinical trial, the KK method was compared with the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with albendazole and ivermectin. The study, conducted on 84 participants, revealed a diagnostic concordance rate of 88.7% between the two methods in detecting Trichuris trichiura eggs. Real-time PCR demonstrated higher sensitivity, especially in low-intensity infections, indicating that the KK method may not be optimal in such cases. PCR showed superiority in assessing treatment efficacy and could be considered among the preferred diagnostic methods in broader applications. The study also compared the effectiveness of combination therapy with albendazole and ivermectin in children aged 2–14 years, using various treatment regimens. Examinations conducted before and after treatment using both KK and PCR methods showed a reduction in the number of infected individuals. In conclusion, the application of real-time PCR provides a more accurate diagnosis of Trichuris trichiura and a better evaluation of treatment efficacy. The study further emphasizes the need for developing precise parameters for the future diagnostic application of molecular techniques.