Reevaluation of effect of albendazole on echinococcus multilocularis infection in mice and gerbils.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect for albendazole therapy for alveolar echinococcus infection in gerbils and mice.

METHODS

Mice and gerbils were infected of metacestode tissues by intraperitoneal (i.p.) transplantation and treated with albendazole-medicated feeds. The effects were evaluated by comparison of the treated and control groups in terms of host mortality, larval metastases to lungs and liver, final larval weight, histopathological, and ultrastructural examination of metacestode tissues. Viability of metacestode tissues at necropsy of treated animals was tested by intraperitoneal transplantation into uninfected animals.

RESULTS

Albendazole-medicated feeds significantly inhibited larval growth of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) both in mice and gerbils with markedly reduced host mortality and pulmonary and liver metastases. Viability test showed that albendazole therapy was parasiticidal in early stage of experimental infection. Light microscopic and ultrastructural examination of metacestode tissues of the treated animals revealed severe destruction and massive necrosis with marked calcification of protoscoleces and residual tissues.

CONCLUSION

Continuous long term albendazole therapy in animal models is parasiticidal against larval E. multilocularis especially in early stage of infection.