Echinococcus granulosus: praziquantel treatment against the metacestode stage

The efficacy of praziquantel against the metacestode of Echinococcus granulosus was studied by means of in vitro incubations or in vivo experiments. The results of in vitro incubations indicated that the effectiveness of praziquantel was higher when the parasite material comprised cysts from cyst masses than in the case of intact cysts that retained their adventitial layer. Ultrastructural alterations in the germinal layer of collapsed cysts incubated in vitro were detected. The results obtained in mice after 4 months of treatment demonstrated no significant difference between the control and treated groups with regard to the number and wet weight of developed cysts. However, ultrastructural alterations were detected in the cyst tissue that were similar to those described in the in vitro experiment. In contrast, the effect of chemoprophylaxis on the number and the wet weight of developed cysts was extremely significant as compared with the control value, the efficacy being 99.41% and 98.32%, respectively. Moreover, ultrastructural observations of the cyst tissue revealed loss of its integrity, and no intact cyton was observed in the germinal layer of the developed cyst.