Iron deficiency anaemia is a common denominator for both schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths. Iron deficiency appears to affect the immune response against schistosomes and intestinal helminths. It therefore follows that correcting the iron deficiency anaemia will improve the efficacy of anthelminthics such as praziquantel (against schistosomiasis) and albendazol (against soil transmitted helminths) and ability of the host immune system to resist reinfection with schistosomes and soil transmitted helminths.