Lake Victoria Island Intervention Study on Worms and Allergy-related diseases (LaVIISWA)

LaVIISWA is a cluster RCT to evaluate whether effective anthelminthic treatment will result in a substantially increased prevalence and incidence of allergy in Lake Victoria island communities in which helminth prevalence is still high. The study will assess the risks and benefits of intensive anthelminthic intervention in terms of anticipated increases in asthma, eczema and allergy, versus anticipated improvements in anaemia, growth, development and helminth-induced pathology, and vaccine-induced immune responses.

In August 2012, 26 fishing communities were randomised to receive either standard or intensive anthelminthic treatment over a three year period. A baseline survey to investigate associations between helminths and allergy-related outcomes was conducted before the intervention was rolled-out. The impact of the intervention on allergy-related outcomes and on anaemia, growth and development will be evaluated at the end of the intervention period, in 2016.