title: Anthelminthic treatment: an adjuvant therapeutic strategy against Echinococcus granulosus.
abstract: The main goal of the paper is to clarify anthelminthic treatment as an alternative hydatic cyst therapy, its indications and contraindications. Chemotherapy constitutes a non-invasive treatment and is less limited by the patient's status than surgery or PAIR. Many investigators have employed benzoimidazole carbonates for the management of human hydatid disease. Both, albendazole and mebendazole have, a favourable effect in patients suffering from multiorgan and multicystic disease, in inoperable primary liver or lung echinococcosis, and they can also prevent secondary echinococcosis. Chemotherapy is contraindicated for large cysts that are at risk to rupture and for inactive or calcified cysts. The main adverse events are related to changes in liver enzyme levels. The best efficacy is observed with liver, lung, and peritoneal cysts. Certain various factors influence the therapeutic results of medical treatment. The vast majority of the recurring cysts show good susceptibility to re-treatment.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, Medical School, University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece. stamatakosmih@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stamatakos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sargedi
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Stefanaki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Safioleas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matthaiopoulou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safioleas
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D008463:Mebendazole; D015766:Albendazole