Baylisascaris procyonis for testing anthelmintics against migratory ascarids

Area of Science:

• Veterinary parasitology
• Nematology
• Zoonotic disease research

Background:

• Baylisascaris procyonis is a nematode parasite with significant zoonotic potential.
• Cerebral larval migrans caused by B. procyonis can lead to severe neurological disease in intermediate hosts.
• Effective treatments against B. procyonis infections are crucial for both animal and human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of pyrantel tartrate and pyrantel pamoate against Baylisascaris procyonis infections in a mouse model.
• To determine the protective duration of these anthelmintics against larval migration.

Main Methods:

• Mice were orally inoculated with embryonated Baylisascaris procyonis eggs.
• Experimental groups received pyrantel tartrate or pyrantel pamoate in their feed at specific concentrations and timings.
• Mice were monitored for survival and signs of cerebral migration over a 55-day period.

Main Results:

• Oral inoculation with 340 embryonated B. procyonis eggs was uniformly fatal to mice within 13-48 days.
• Mice treated with 0.5% or 0.25% pyrantel tartrate were protected from cerebral migration for 55 days.
• Treatment with 0.2% pyrantel pamoate, administered before and after inoculation, also prevented migration throughout the 55-day study.
• Even B. procyonis eggs stored for 9 years in formalin remained infective and fatal to mice.

Conclusions:

• Pyrantel tartrate and pyrantel pamoate demonstrate significant efficacy in preventing cerebral migration of Baylisascaris procyonis in mice.
• These findings support the use of pyrantel formulations as potential therapeutic agents against B. procyonis infections.
• The long-term viability of B. procyonis eggs highlights the importance of effective parasite control measures.