ISSN:
1432-1955
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The efficacy of ivermectin (Iv) was evaluated against four species of filariae,Litomosoides carinii, Acanthocheilonema viteae, Brugia pahangi andBrugia malayi inMastomys natalensis. Animals with patent infections, induced with L3 larvae, by intravenous (iv) infusion of the respective microfilariae (Mf) (5×104 Mf per animal) or by intraperitoneal (ip) route (2×104 Mf per animal) were used in this study. A single dose of Iv (100 μg·kg−1) given subcutaneously (sc) toMastomys infected withL. carinii orA. viteae resulted in the disappearance of microfilaremia within 2 h of treatment. Iv treatment of sc-infected animals withBrugia spp. had no immediate effect on the circulating Mf 60 days posttreatment. In contrast, such treatment of animals infected with Mf by intravenous infusion completely eliminated the larvae of all four species from the circulation. Iv treatment had no significant effect on the Mf ofL. carinii, B. pahangi andB. malayi in animals infected by the ip route. However, the drug had dramatic effect in killing the Mf ofA. viteae in the peritoneal cavity. Sera from Iv-treated normal or fromL. carinii- orA. viteae-infectedMastomys were effective in clearing the circulating Mf of the species when administered to animals with the respective infections. Similar rapid clearance of Mf was seen when the sera were administered to animals infected iv with these larvae. Furthermore, adult females ofL. carinii andA. viteae recovered fromMastomys on different days after Iv treatment released smaller numbers of Mf in vitro. Thus, Iv effect was most pronounced on the Mf ofA. viteae and ofL. carinii and less so on the Mf ofBrugia. Iv kills the adults ofA. viteae and to a lesser extent those ofL. carinii and arrests the release of Mf from them. Iv had no effect on adults ofBrugia parasites.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00931058
Permalink