Three-month skin microfilarial response and ivermectin dosing in children aged 7–10 years in the Aketi Health Zone, Bas-Uélé, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A prospective cohort study

Abstract We prospectively followed children with skin-snip-confirmed O. volvulus infection in Wela and Makoko after directly monitored ivermectin administration to measure the change in microfilarial density and the proportion with detectable infection approximately three months later. In Wela, we also assessed the number of tablets administered in relation to follow-up anthropometry and investigated whether the calculated dose was associated with parasitological response. We examined whether detectable infection persisted at follow-up, particularly among children with higher baseline densities. The dose analysis addresses an operational question about tablet allocation and observed parasitological response.