Abstract

MENTZ, Márcia Bohrer; GRAEFF-TEIXEIRA, Carlos  and  GARRIDO, Cinara Tentardini. Treatment with mebendazole is not associated with distal migration of adult Angiostrongylus costaricensis in the murine experimental infection. Rev. Inst. Med. trop. S. Paulo [online]. 2004, vol.46, n.2, pp. 73-75. ISSN 0036-4665.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652004000200003.

Abdominal angiostrongyliasis is a zoonotic infection produced by a metastrongylid intra-arterial nematode, Angiostrongylus costaricensis. Human accidental infection may result in abdominal lesions and treatment with anti-helminthics is contra-indicated because of potential higher morbidity with excitement or death of worms inside vessels. To evaluate the effect of mebendazole on localization of the worms, male Swiss mice, 5 week-old, were infected with 10 third stage larvae per animal. Twelve infected mice were treated with oral mebendazol, at 5 mg/kg/day, for 5 consecutive days, begining 22 days after inoculation. As control groups, 12 infected but non-treated mice and other 12 non-infected and non-treated mice were studied. The findings at necropsy were, respectively for the treated (T) and control (C) groups: 92% and 80% of the worms were inside the cecal mesenteric arterial branch; 8% and 10% were located inside the aorta. Only in the group C some worms (10%) were found inside the portal vein or splenic artery. These data indicate that treatment with mebendazole does not lead to distal or ectopic migration of A. costaricensis worms.

Keywords : Angiostrongylus costaricencis; Adult stage; Migration; Mebendazole.