EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF ALBENDAZOLE AGAINST THE LARVAE OF TAENIA-SOLIUM IN EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED-PIGS, AND KINETICS OF THE IMMUNE-RESPONSE

Cysticercosis, a disease of economic and public health importance, is caused by Cysticercus cellulosae, the metacestode stage of Taenia soli um. Experimental induction of cysticercosis was achieved in young pigs by feeding an optimum dose of 20,000 T. solium (Indian strain) eggs a fter immunosuppression, to assess the effect of albendazole and develo pment of the immune response to cysticercus antigens before and after treatment. Histopathological studies revealed the presence of cysticer ci in liver, lungs and muscles. Treatment with albendazole at 15 mg kg (-1) body weight daily for 30 days starting from day 0 or 15 days post -infection resulted in 100% cure rates. Increases in antibody titre to crude soluble extract and a Sephadex G-200 purified antigenic fractio n of Cysticercus cellulosae were found on days 25, 40 and 55 post-infe ction in untreated pigs and those in which treatment started on day 15 post-infection, whereas no increase in antibody response was observed in pigs in which treatment started on day 0.