Albendazole Dosage for Preventive Purposes
For preventive treatment of parasitic infections in asymptomatic individuals, a single dose of albendazole 400 mg is recommended, typically combined with ivermectin 200 μg/kg for empirical treatment of eosinophilia in travelers and migrants. 1
Standard Preventive Dosing
- The standard preventive dose is albendazole 400 mg as a single oral dose for mass drug administration programs targeting soil-transmitted helminths in endemic areas 1
- This single 400 mg dose effectively treats common parasitic infections including Ascariasis (roundworm), Hookworm, and Enterobiasis (pinworm) 1
- For empirical treatment of asymptomatic eosinophilia in travelers or migrants from endemic regions, the recommended regimen is albendazole 400 mg plus ivermectin 200 μg/kg as a single combined dose 1
Age-Specific Considerations
- For children over 24 months of age, the same single 400 mg dose is appropriate for preventive treatment 1, 2
- For children aged 12-24 months, specialist consultation is advised before administering preventive albendazole treatment 1, 2
- Children under 12 months should not receive routine preventive albendazole without expert guidance 2
Critical Safety Precautions
- Always exclude Loa loa infection in people who have traveled to endemic regions BEFORE treating with ivermectin, as co-administration can cause severe adverse reactions 1
- Screen for Strongyloides stercoralis before administering corticosteroids, as steroids can precipitate hyperinfection syndrome 3
- For treatment courses longer than 14 days (not typical for preventive use), monitoring for hepatotoxicity and leukopenia is recommended 2
When Single-Dose Prevention Is Insufficient
While the question asks about preventive dosing, it's important to note that certain high-risk situations may require extended regimens rather than single-dose prevention:
- For Loiasis with high microfilarial loads (>1000 mf/ml), albendazole 200 mg twice daily for 21 days is required, with prednisolone cover 4
- For Strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients, more intensive regimens (400 mg twice daily for 7 days) are necessary rather than single-dose prevention 1
- For Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), single-dose albendazole shows limited efficacy (30-60% cure rates), and mebendazole is preferred 5, 6, 7
Evidence Quality Note
The guideline recommendations are based on extensive field experience with mass drug administration programs, where single-dose 400 mg albendazole has demonstrated excellent efficacy for Ascaris (96-100% cure rate) and hookworm (97-100% cure rate), though substantially lower efficacy for Trichuris (27-60% cure rate) 5, 6, 7. The combination with ivermectin for empirical treatment addresses the broader spectrum of parasites that may be present in asymptomatic individuals from endemic areas 1.