Evaluation of scolicidal agents in an experimental hydatid disease model

The treatment of hydatid disease is largely surgical, with medical treatment being reserved as coadjuvant treatment. The scolicidal agents have been, and are being used mainly during surgical manipulation of the cysts, with the object of avoiding relapses and peritoneal dissemination.

Evaluation of the scolicidal agents used in surgery in a hydatid disease model in the mouse.

We have used 85 Swiss OF1 mice, weighing more than 30 g, of 90 +/- 10 days of age, in which a picture of hydatid sowing was reproduced by means of intra-peritoneal inoculation with 0.2 ml of a suspension which contained approximately 1,200 viable protoscolex of Echinococcus granulosus which came from the livers of parasite-infested sheep. 24 h after the inoculation, the mice were subjected to a median laparotomy for the introduction of 1 ml of the scolicidal solution to be evaluated: physiologic saline (n = 10); 10% povidone iodine (n = 15); praziquantel (n = 15); 10% hydrogen peroxide (n = 15); 10% hypertonic saline (n = 15); simulated operation (n = 15). After 7 months of follow-up, the mice were sacrificed and the following was evaluated: number of isolated cysts, cyst masses, and total cysts.

The number of isolated cysts which developed was significantly lower in the hydrogen peroxide group (tF 2.14 < RC 3.29). The number of cyst masses was significantly reduced in the hydrogen peroxide group (tF 2.14 < RC 2.18), in the povidone iodine group (tF 2.17 < RC 3), and in the hypertonic saline group (tF 2.11 < RC 2.77). The total number of cysts which developed decreased significantly in the hydrogen peroxide (tF 2.14 < RC 2.84) and the povidone iodine (tF 2.17 < RC 3.79) groups.

Hydrogen peroxide and povidone iodine show a greater protoscolicidal effect than simple cleansing with physiological saline, hypertonic saline, or praziquantel.