Fig. 1From: Helminth lifespan interacts with non-compliance in reducing the effectiveness of anthelmintic treatmentThe minimum number of annual treatment rounds required for interruption of transmission. The number of annual MDA treatments required before the transmission breakpoint is crossed, in random compliance and systematic non-compliance settings. Treatment set at 75% coverage in all age groups. The parasite death rate σ has been decreased or increased by 50%, corresponding to a lengthened or shortened parasite lifespan, respectively. In turn each of the other key terms in the transmission intensity (R 0 ) equation have been adjusted accordingly in order to assess how each influences the impact of the two different compliance patterns. ∞ elimination is impossible regardless of the number of annual treatment rounds. *after crossing the breakpoint infection remains for a long period (several decades) before eventual eliminationBack to article page