Alveolar echinococcosis of the liver: A parasitic disease in search of a treatment

The efficacy of albendazole (50 mg/kg/d), mebendazole (50 mg/kg/d) and praziquantel (500 mg/kg/d) against established intraperitoneal infections of Echinococcus multilocularis in gerbils was compared by monitoring parasite weight and making ultrastructural observations on treated and untreated material. Praziquantel was the most active protoscolicidal agent, reducing protoscolex viability to <2%, although it did not inhibit cyst growth. Albendazole was the most effective agent in reducing cyst growth and was, when compared with other regimes, significantly more effective than mebendazole (p < 0.05), praziquantel (p < 0.01) or untreated controls (p < 0.01).