Echinococcus granulosus:isoprinosine treatment of the metacestode stage.

The efficacy of short- and long-term treatments with Isoprinosine, an immunomodulatory compound, was studied in Echinococcus granulosus cysts developed in NMRI mice intraperitoneally infected with sheep pulmonary cysts. After treatment, a reduction in the size and number of cysts with macroscopic modifications was observed. The structural alterations included damage or destruction of the protoscoleces and partial destruction of the cyst wall, which predominated at the inner germinal layer level. The efficacy of this drug was evaluated after long-term and short-term treatment. Short-term treatment with a dose of 1 g/kg/day gave better results, with a loss of infectivity of the larval tissue. The well-tolerated long-term treatment with a dose of 2 g/kg/day showed the absence of toxicity of this compound. The survival time of treated animals was greater than that of untreated controls.