REEVALUATION OF EFFECT OF ALBENDAZOLE ON ECHINOCOCCUS-MULTILOCULARIS INFECTION IN MICE AND GERBILS

Objective To study the effect for albendazole therapy for alveolar ech inococcus infection in gerbils and mice. Methods Mice and gerbils were infected of metacestode tissues by intraperitoneal (IP) transplantati on and treated with albendazole-medicated feeds. The effects were eval uated 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 tiss ues. Viability of metacestode tissues at necropsy of treated animals w as tested by intraperitoneal transplantation into uninfected animals. Results Albendazole-medicated feeds significantly inhibited larval gro wth of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) both in mice an d gerbils with markedly reduced host mortality and pulmonary and liver metastsaes. Viability test showed that albendazole therapy was parasi ticidal in early stage of experimental infection. Light microscopic an d ultrastructural examination of metacestode tissues of the treated an imals revealed severe destruction and massive necrosis with marked cal cification of protoscoleces and residual tissues. Conclusion Continuou s long term albendazole therapy in animal models is parasiticidal agai nst larval E. multilocularis especially in early stage of infection.