Cystic echinococcosis of the tongue leading to diagnosis of multiple localizations. (57/555)

The tongue is a rare site of localization of cystic echinococcosis. We report a 3-year-old patient with cystic echinococcosis of the tongue demonstrated by histopathology. The cyst of the tongue was surgically removed. The tongue lesion led us to find additional liver and lung cystic lesions that were successfully treated with albendazole therapy.  (+info)

Guar gum as a carrier for colon specific delivery; influence of metronidazole and tinidazole on in vitro release of albendazole from guar gum matrix tablets. (58/555)

PURPOSE: The present investigation is to study the influence of metronidazole and tinidazole on the usefulness of guar gum, a colon-specific drug carrier based on the metabolic activity of colonic bacteria, using matrix tablets of albendazole (containing 20% of guar gum) as a model formulation. METHODS: The matrix tablets of albendazole were subjected to in vitro drug release studies in simulated colonic fluids (4%w/v of rat caecal contents) obtained after oral treatment of rats for 7 days either with varying doses of metronidazole/ tinidazole and 1 mL of 2%w/v of guar gum or with 1 mL of 2%w/v of guar gum alone (control study) after completing the dissolution study in 0.1 M HCl (2 h) and pH 7.4 Sorensen's phosphate buffer (3 h). RESULTS: The guar gum matrix tablets of albendazole were found degraded by colonic bacteria of rat caecal contents and released about 44% of albendazole in simulated colonic fluids (control study) at the end of 24 h indicating the susceptibility of the guar gum formulations to the rat caecal contents. However, the release of albendazole decreased when the drug release studies were carried out in caecal contents of rats treated for 7 days with either metronidazole (10-50 mg/ kg once daily) or tinidazole (10-30 mg/ kg once daily), and the release of albendazole from the matrix tablets was found to be dose dependent. The release of the drug from guar gum formulations was found to increase with a decrease in the dose of metronidazole/tinidazole administered. The antimicrobial activity of metronidazole/ tinidazole against the anaerobic bacteria of the rat"s GI flora might have been inhibited to a varying degree depending on the dose of metronidazole/tinidazole administered. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study showed that concomitant administration of either metronidazole or tinidazole with guar gum based colon-specific drug delivery systems may interfere with the targeting of drugs to colon.  (+info)

Enterobius vermicularis egg positive rates in primary school children in Gangwon-do (province), Korea. (59/555)

A survey of the infection rate of Enterobius vermicularis among students in 4 primary schools located in Gangwon-do (Province) was done from May to June 2001. Among the 398 examinees, 39 (9.8%) were infected with E. vermicularis demonstrated by the adhesive cellotape anal swab method. The infection rates ranged from 8.3% to 11.8% among the four schools. The infection rate of males and females was 10.7% and 7.7% respectively. The first grade students showed the highest infection rate, 28.7%. The confirmed cases were treated with albendazole three times at an interval of 15 days. We were able to confirm that E. vermicularis infection is still prevalent among students in Gangwon-do, Korea.  (+info)

Continuous long-term albendazole therapy in intraabdominal cystic echinococcosis. (60/555)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic effects of long-term albendazole therapy in intraabdominal cystic echinococcosis. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a total of 45 cysts were treated with albendazole with dosage regimen of 20 mg.kg-1.d-1 for an average of 2.5 years. Repeated CT and ultrasound scannings (US) were performed after the end of therapy. The duration of follow-up was 3.6 years on average. The number, size and morphology of cysts were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: The hydatid cysts were classified according to location and CT patterns into hepatic simple cysts, hepatic cysts with daughter cysts, hepatic/abdominal cysts and splenic cysts. The hepatic simple cysts responded most favorably to albendazole therapy, with an overall cure rate of 88.7%. The disappearance of cysts was observed in 43.0% of cases (15/35). Sixteen cysts (45.7%) became solidified or calcified, among which 8 cysts were completely calcified, 6 showed egg shell-like calcification of the cystic walls, and 2 showed solidification and calcification of cyst contents. Four patients had large hepatic cysts containing daughter cysts; the daughter cysts all disappeared after treatment, but one patient relapsed with the reappearance of daughter cysts at 4-year follow-up. Two splenic cysts also calcified. Two patients had peritoneal cysts; one calcified and the other one reduced in size. Among 15 patients treated, 9 were cured and 6 were improved. There was no serious toxic reactions with continuous long-term therapy in a small series of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous long-term albendazole treatment of intraabdominal cystic echinococcosis is safe and effective in the treatment of hepatic simple cysts, and some daughter cysts, peritoneal secondary cysts and splenic cysts. No serious toxic reactions were found.  (+info)

Hydatidosis of the pelvis and hip. (61/555)

We report eight cases of osseous hydatidosis involving the pelvis and hip. All patients were treated by curettage and albendazole therapy. In three cases, in which only the ilium was involved, the outcome was satisfactory. The remaining patients required several debridement procedures in combination with chemotherapy and two developed chronic lesions. We conclude that treatment for this condition is difficult and when the osseous involvement is extensive the prognosis is poor.  (+info)

Albendazole metabolism in patients with neurocysticercosis: antipyrine as a multifunctional marker drug of cytochrome P450. (62/555)

The present study investigates the isoform(s) of cytochrome P450 (CYP) involved in the metabolism of albendazole sulfoxide (ASOX) to albendazole sulfone (ASON) in patients with neurocysticercosis using antipyrine as a multifunctional marker drug. The study was conducted on 11 patients with neurocysticercosis treated with a multiple dose regimen of albendazole for 8 days (5 mg/kg every 8 h). On the 5th day of albendazole treatment, 500 mg antipyrine was administered po. Blood and urine samples were collected up to 72 h after antipyrine administration. Plasma concentrations of (+)-ASOX, (-)-ASOX and ASON were determined by HPLC using a chiral phase column and detection by fluorescence. The apparent clearance (CL/f) of ASON and of the (+) and (-)-ASOX enantiomers were calculated and compared to total antipyrine clearance (CL(T)) and the clearance for the production of the three major antipyrine metabolites (CLm). A correlation (P+info)

Albendazole chemotherapy for AIDS-related diarrhoea in Zambia--clinical, parasitological and mucosal responses. (63/555)

BACKGROUND: Albendazole reduces diarrhoea in African AIDS patients, but it is unclear if the clinical response to treatment reflects pathogen eradication and/or mucosal recovery. METHODS: Adults with HIV-related persistent diarrhoea were treated with albendazole 800 mg twice daily for 14 days. Clearance of parasites was evaluated at 3 and 6 weeks by stool microscopy. At baseline and at 6 weeks duodenal biopsies were taken for electron microscopy (EM) and morphometry. RESULTS: Ten (7%) of 153 patients had cryptosporidiosis, 54 (37%) had isosporiasis and 23 (16%) had microsporidiosis. By 3 weeks, these protozoa were cleared in 27 (46%) of 59 patients initially positive. By 6 weeks, 34 (39%) of 87 patients experienced complete clinical response, 18 (21%) partial response and 35 (40%) no response. Crypt depth increased by 15% over 6 weeks (P < 0.001), but villous height increased only in patients with complete response (median + 50 microm, interquartile range (IQR) 2-90, compared to patients with partial (+ 4 microm, IQR -15,41) or no response (-13 microm, IQR -2,12; P=0.008)). Fifteen patients died: body mass index < 17.5 kg/m(2) and crypt depth < 180 microm independently predicted death. CONCLUSIONS: Albendazole therapy reduced the burden of protozoal infection and promoted mucosal recovery in patients with a complete clinical response.  (+info)

Reduced efficacy of treatment of strongyloidiasis in HTLV-I carriers related to enhanced expression of IFN-gamma and TGF-beta1. (64/555)

Strongyloidiasis, a human intestinal infection caused by Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis), is difficult to cure with drugs. In particular, a decrease of the efficacy of treatment has been reported in patients dually infected with S. stercoralis and human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I), both of which are endemic in Okinawa, Japan. However, the factors influencing this resistance remain unclear. In the present study, patients infected with S. stercoralis, with or without HTLV-I infection, were treated with albendazole, followed up for one year and separated into two groups, cured and non-cured. The cure rate of S. stercoralis was lower in HTLV-I carriers (P < 0.05). Serum levels of S. stercoralis-specific IgA, IgE, IgG, IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies were estimated, and a decrease of IgE (P < 0.05) and an increase of IgG4 (P < 0.05) were observed in the non-cured group, especially in HTLV-I carriers. RT-PCR of cytokines using peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed that S. stercoralis patients with HTLV-I showed a high frequency of expression of IFN-gamma and TGF-beta1, whereas those without HTLV-I showed no expression of these cytokines. IFN-gamma- and TGF-beta1-positive HTLV-I carriers showed a decrease of IgE (P < 0.05), an increase of IgG4 (P < 0.01) and a lower cure rate (P < 0.01) compared with those who were negative for both cytokines. These results suggest that persistent infection with HTLV-I affected S. stercoralis-specific immunity and reduced therapeutic efficacy.  (+info)