1 May 2026Oral drugs
Mebendazole oral
Mebendazole guidance for common helminth infections and trichinellosis, with age cutoffs and pregnancy caution.
Prescription under medical supervision
This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.
Therapeutic action
Anthelminthic.
Indications
- Ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm infections, enterobiasis, and trichinellosis.
Forms and strengths
- 100 mg tablet.
Dose and duration
Ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm infections
- Child over 6 months and adult: 100 mg 2 times daily for 3 days.
- Child over 6 months but under 10 kg: 50 mg 2 times daily for 3 days.
Enterobiasis
- Child over 6 months and adult: 100 mg single dose.
- Child over 6 months but under 10 kg: 50 mg single dose.
- A second dose may be given after 2 to 4 weeks.
Trichinellosis
- Child over 2 years: 2.5 mg/kg 2 times daily for 10 to 15 days.
- Adult: 200 mg 2 times daily for 10 to 15 days.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to children under 6 months.
- May cause gastrointestinal disturbances, headache, and dizziness.
- Pregnancy: avoid during the first trimester.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.
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