[Comparison between albendazole and triclabendazole against Fasciola gigantica in human]

To compare the anthelmintic effect of albendazole with that of triclabendazole against Fasciola gigantica.

Two patients infected with Fasciola gigantica were investigated, and one was administered with albendazole orally (200 mg, twice per day for 5 days) and another was administered with triclabendazole [10 mg/(kg x d) for 2 days]. Their total feces were collected daily during the period of whole therapy, and the eggs of the parasite were collected by using the nylon bag method, and incubated at 28 degrees C.

The parasite eggs were detected from the first patient's dejecta on the 1st, 2nd and 5th day after the end of the treatment, and no miracidiums hatched out as well as no eggs developed during the period of 25 days of the incubation. Meanwhile, her body temperature fluctuated between 37.4 degrees C and 38.3 degrees C, and she still complained bellyache. For the other invalid, the eggs were not detected on the 2nd and 5th day after the end of the treatment. However, the eggs before and during the treatment developed the miracidiums of Fasciola gigantica on the 13th day after the incubation, but the eggs collected from the 1st day after the termination of the therapy did not develop and no miracidiums hatched out. At the same time, the signs and symptoms of the patient vanished after the 4th day of the end of the therapy.

Albendazole has no obvious insecticidal activity on adult Fasciola gigantica in the short term, but may affect the development of eggs. Triclabendazole has the anthelmintic effect on the adults as well as eggs of Fasciola gigantica. In addition, triclabendazole has the characteristics of well curative effect, short course of treatment, and no obvious side effects.