Date: 18 February 2026
Time: 11:30-13:30
Location: ZOOM & SALA FRAGA DE AZEVEDO
Geohelminth infections, mainly caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Ancylostoma duodenale, and Necator americanus, remain a significant public health problem in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly among children. Although Cuba reports one of the lowest national prevalence rates in the region, recent surveys conducted between 2023 and 2024 have identified local hotspots with high prevalence, highlighting persistent inequalities in sanitation and living conditions.
The control of these infections relies largely on preventive chemotherapy using benzimidazole drugs, such as albendazole and mebendazole. However, the prolonged use of these medicines raises concerns about the potential emergence of anthelmintic resistance, a phenomenon already well documented in veterinary medicine. As both drugs share the same mechanism of action, resistance could seriously compromise the effectiveness of current control strategies.
The World Health Organization recommends monitoring therapeutic efficacy through egg reduction rates using coprological methods, including the Kato-Katz technique, complemented by molecular approaches to detect β‑tubulin gene mutations associated with resistance.
During the upcoming session, a proposed study involving Cuban children aged 5 to 14 years will be presented, focusing on evaluating the efficacy of albendazole and mebendazole through both parasitological and molecular indicators. This integrated approach aims to lay the groundwork for systematic surveillance of human anthelmintic resistance in Cuba, contributing to more effective and sustainable control measures.
This GHTM Session highlights the work carried out under the IHMT NOVA / Casa da América Latina / Millennium bcp Foundation Chair, awarded to Prof. Lazara Rojas Rivera (IPK, Cuba), further strengthening the collaboration between IHM NOVA and Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí (IPK).
About Rojas Rivera Lazara
Lázara Rojas Rivera is a medical microbiologist with a PhD and a Master’s in Infectious Diseases of Parasitic Etiology. She is a Senior Researcher and Full Professor at Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí (IPK) in Havana, Cuba, where she has worked since 1983. Since 1987, she has directed the National Malaria Reference Laboratory and served as Head of the Parasitology Department and Deputy Director for Medical Parasitology Research. She has acted as a consultant for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) in Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Dr. Rojas Rivera has participated in over 30 international scientific meetings, supervised specialists and graduate students, authored numerous publications, and developed key research lines in medical parasitology. Her work has been recognized by Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health and the Academy of Sciences.
If you are a GHTM member, you will receive the details of the session by e-mail. If you are not a GHTM member and would like to join the session, please contact us at ghtm-info@ihmt.unl.pt.