Muscle changes in experimental trichinosis before and after albendazole therapy
Abou Samra, L.M.; Boulos, L.M.; Abdou, L.; Michel, M.Y.
Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 17(2): 511-518
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 1110-0583 PMID: 3320216 Document Number: 289813
The histopathological findings in mice infected with 500 larvae of Trichinella spiralis and orally treated with albendazole at 1 mg daily for 3 days at 2, 4 or 6 weeks pi or left untreated are described. In infected controls, the IFAT revealed green fluorescence in encysted larvae, in the cysts and between the muscle fibres. In mice treated 2 weeks pi, the fluorescence patterns were similar to those in untreated controls, except for areas of broken cuticle with more intense fluorescence in some larvae; fluorescence in the sarcolemma was less intense. In animals treated 4 weeks pi, larvae and cysts showed weaker fluorescence, occasional patchy fluorescence between the muscle fibres and none in the sarcolemma sheath. In mice treated 6 weeks pi, very weak fluorescence was seen only in the degenerated larvae and cysts. These results suggest that albendazole is most effective when given late in the infection.