Treatment with mebendazole is not associated with distal migration of adult Angiostrongylus costaricensis in the murine experimental infection

Abstract

SUMMARYAbdominal angiostrongyliasis is a zoonotic infection produced by a metastrongylid intra-arterial nematode, Angiostrongylus costaricensis. Human accidental infection may result in abdominal lesions and treatment with anti-helminthics is contra-indicated because of potential higher morbidity with excitement or death of worms inside vessels. To evaluate the effect of mebendazole on localization of the worms, male Swiss mice, 5 week-old, were infected with 10 third stage larvae per animal. Twelve infected mice were treated with oral mebendazol, at 5 mg/kg/day, for 5 consecutive days, begining 22 days after inoculation. As control groups, 12 infected but non-treated mice and other 12 non-infected and non-treated mice were studied. The findings at necropsy were, respectively for the treated (T) and control (C) groups: 92% and 80% of the worms were inside the cecal mesenteric arterial branch; 8% and 10% were located inside the aorta. Only in the group C some worms (10%) were found inside the portal vein or splenic artery. These data indicate that treatment with mebendazole does not lead to distal or ectopic migration of A. costaricensis worms.

Effects of three benzimidazoles on growth, general morphology and ultrastructure ofTritrichomonas foetus

“…They were first described as powerful antihelmintic agents (Bardon et al, 1995;Nontasut et al, 1997;Nakaya et al, 1998;Legesse et al, 2002Legesse et al, , 2004Mentz et al, 2004) and subsequently it was demonstrated that some benzimidazoles also presented a high efficacy against many parasitic protozoa (Edlind et al, 1990;Cedillo-Rivera & Munoz, 1992;Chavez et al, 1992;Oxberry et al, 1994;Liu & Weller, 1996;Skinner-Adams et al, 1997;Valdez et al, 2002), including some trichomonads (Juliano et al, 1985;Al-Waili, 1987;Sears & O'Hare, 1988). They were first described as powerful antihelmintic agents (Bardon et al, 1995;Nontasut et al, 1997;Nakaya et al, 1998;Legesse et al, 2002Legesse et al, , 2004Mentz et al, 2004) and subsequently it was demonstrated that some benzimidazoles also presented a high efficacy against many parasitic protozoa (Edlind et al, 1990;Cedillo-Rivera & Munoz, 1992;Chavez et al, 1992;Oxberry et al, 1994;Liu & Weller, 1996;Skinner-Adams et al, 1997;Valdez et al, 2002), including some trichomonads (Juliano et al, 1985;Al-Waili, 1987;Sears & O'Hare, 1988).…”

“…Members of the benzimidazole family have been widely used in both veterinary and medical clinics due to their mild side effects. They were first described as powerful antihelmintic agents (Bardon et al, 1995;Nontasut et al, 1997;Nakaya et al, 1998;Legesse et al, 2002Legesse et al, , 2004Mentz et al, 2004) and subsequently it was demonstrated that some benzimidazoles also presented a high efficacy against many parasitic protozoa (Edlind et al, 1990;Cedillo-Rivera & Munoz, 1992;Chavez et al, 1992;Oxberry et al, 1994;Liu & Weller, 1996;Skinner-Adams et al, 1997;Valdez et al, 2002), including some trichomonads (Juliano et al, 1985;Al-Waili, 1987;Sears & O'Hare, 1988). Of particular interest is the fact that still there is no effective chemotherapy against T. foetus.…”

Angiostrongylus costaricensis: complete redescription of the migratory pathways based on experimental Sigmodon hispidus infection

“…There is no specific treatment to human patients because usual anti-helminthic drugs are not effective and may worsen the clinical picture (Morera & Bontempo 1985). However, in mice models, treatment with mebendazol was not associated with distal migration of adult (Mentz et al 2004) and inhibited egg formation and/ or oviposition of A. costaricensis (Terada et al 1993). Ishii et al (1989) observed that levamisole had conspicuous in vivo effects against larval stages of A. costaricensis in mice.…”

Human infection by Angiostrongylus costaricensis in Venezuela: first report of a confirmed case

“…Human treatment attempts have been hampered by the fear of parasite migrations and worsening of lesions as reported in some experiments with DEC, or mebendazole 24 . However, others did not find adult worm ectopic migration induced by mebendazole in mice 12 . It is clear that chemotherapy should be improved, and attempts with drugs such as the last three mentioned, should be made for the treatment of a disease that can be fatal.…”