MUTATION AT THE HPRT LOCUS IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROCYSTICERCOSIS TREATED WITH PRAZIQUANTEL

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice in the treatment of neurocyst icercosis (NC), a parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium larvae. Va riant frequencies at the hprt locus were analyzed in a group of NC pat ients before and after treatment with PZQ as well as in two control gr oups: healthy donors and non-parasitic neurological patients. Data sho w that PZQ does no induce hprt mutations, but that cysticerci by thems elves or together with palliative treatment administered to NC patient s could induce mutations in some patients.