Can albendazole reduce the risk of implantation of spilled protoscoleces? An animal study.
Post-operative recurrence of hydatid disease occurs in approximately 10% of patients. The role of pre- or post-spillage chemotherapy with albendazole (10 mg/kg) was investigated in a gerbil model. All animals received approximately 5000 protoscoleces of ovine Echinococcus granulosus by intraperitoneal injection. Pre-spillage albendazole therapy did not protect against the development of cysts whilst a significant reduction in numbers of peritoneal cysts was seen in gerbils treated with albendazole 10 mg/kg for one week after inoculation. Two weeks therapy was no more effective. A very short course of albendazole treatment immediately following intraperitoneal 'spillage' of protoscoleces in a gerbil significantly reduced the number of cysts which developed. This finding may well be of clinical value.
D015766:Albendazole; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male
D000871:Anthelmintics; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015766:Albendazole