REVERSAL OF BILIARY-TRACT ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH OPISTHORCHIS-VIVERRINI INFECTION FOLLOWING PRAZIQUANTEL TREATMENT

We recently demonstrated a number of biliary tract abnormalities assoc iated with moderate to heavy Opisthorchis viverrini infection among 95 selected village residents in north-east Thailand, who were treated w ith praziquantel immediately after initial examination and re-examined by abdominal ultrasonography 10 months later. Dramatic improvement in the gall-bladder status of previously infected individuals was observ ed, including reduction of gall-bladder length and width and regained contractibility of the organ following fatty meal consumption. The fre quency of severe enhanced portal vein radicle echoes and gall-bladder sludge and wall irregularities also decreased following treatment, but persisted in many individuals. Two masses were observed in the right hepatic lobe of one individual who was previously considered normal. T he findings suggest that gall-bladder abnormalities are reversible fol lowing elimination of liver fluke infection, but malignancies, once in itiated, are not likely to be affected by treatment.