Korean J Parasitol.  2011 Jun;49(2):145-151. 10.3347/kjp.2011.49.2.145.

Comparative Efficacy of Ivermectin and Levamisole for Reduction of Migrating and Encapsulated Larvae of Baylisascaris transfuga in Mice

• Fu Y
• Nie HM
• Niu LL
• Xie Y
• Deng JB
• Wang Q
• Yang GY
• Gu XB
• Wang SX

• KMID: 1090614
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.2.145

Abstract

The comparative efficacy of 2 anthelmintics (ivermectin and levamisole) against Baylisascaris transfuga migrating and encapsulated larvae was studied in mice. A total of 60 BALB/c mice inoculated each with about 1,000 embryonated B. transfuga eggs were equally divided into 6 groups (A-F) randomly. Mice of groups A and B were treated with ivermectin and levamisole, respectively, on day 3 post-infection (PI). Mice of groups A-C were killed on day 13 PI. Similarly, groups D and E were treated with ivermectin and levamisole, respectively, on day 14 PI, and all mice of groups D-F were treated on day 24 PI. The groups C and F were controls. Microexamination was conducted to count the larvae recovering from each mouse. The percentages of reduction in the number of migrating larvae recovered from group A (ivermectin) and B (levamisole) were 88.3% and 81.1%, respectively. In addition, the reduction in encapsulated larvae counts achieved by ivermectin (group D) and levamisole (group E) was 75.0% and 49.2%, respectively. The results suggested that, to a certain extent, both anthelmintics appeared to be more effective against migrating larvae than encapsulated larvae. However, in the incipient stage of infection, ivermectin may be more competent than levamisole as a larvicidal drug for B. transfuga.

Keyword

Baylisascaris transfuga; ivermectin; levamisole; migrating larvae; encapsulated larvae; granuloma

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anthelmintics/*administration & dosage
Ascaridida Infections/*drug therapy/parasitology
Ascaridoidea/*drug effects
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Ivermectin/*administration & dosage
Larva/drug effects
Levamisole/*administration & dosage
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Rodent Diseases/drug therapy/parasitology
Treatment Outcome