Chemotherapy of porcine cysticercosis with albendazole sulphoxide.

Cysticercosis is a zoonotic disease of humans produced by the larval stage of swine parasite, Taenia solium. Chemotherapy of infected pigs is a possible strategy for avoiding disease transmission and improving health programs in endemic areas of cysticercosis. In this preliminary study, seven naturally infected pigs from 6 to 12 months of age were allotted to treated (n = 4) and control groups (n = 3). The treated animals received a subcutaneous injection in their forelegs and thighs of 15 mg/kg per body weight of albendazole sulphoxide (ABZSO; Pisa, Mexico) once per day for 8 days. At the same time, the control group received a subcutaneous injection of saline solution (9% NaCl). After 12 weeks, all the animals were slaughtered and at least 200 metacestodes were isolated from the muscles and brain of each animal. Using histology and the metacestode viability criteria described in this study, treated animals had no viable cysts in their muscle (0/200), while 7 of 17 (41.1%) viable cysts were observed in those isolated from their brains. In the control group, 183/200 (91.5%) muscle metacestodes were viable and from brain, 22/29 (75.8%) metacestodes were viable. The 15 mg/kg per body weight dosage of ABZSO was 100% effective against muscular cysticercosis as shown by the lack of viable cysts and the micro-calcifications in meat from the treated pigs. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.