In vitro effects of flubendazole on Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces

The aim of the present work was to determine the in vitro protoscolicidal effect of flubendazole (FLBZ) against Echinococcus granulosus. Protoscoleces of E. granulosus were incubated with FLBZ at concentrations of 10, 5 and 1 mu g/ml. The first signs of FLBZ-induced damage were observed 3 days post-incubation. A clear protoscolicidal effect, reducing the vitality of protoscoleces to 35.6 +/- 0.7%, was observed after 18 days of incubation. After 25 days of FLBZ incubation (5 mu g/ml), the percentage of vital protoscoleces was 13.9 +/- 5.9%. Protoscolex mortality was 100% (10 and 1 mu g/ml) and 0.7 +/- 0.7% (5 mu g/ml) after FLBZ incubation for 30 days. Results of vitality tests were consistent with the tissue damage observed at the ultrastructural level. The primary site of damage was the tegument of the parasite. The morphological changes included contraction of the soma region, formation of blebs on the tegument, rostellar disorganization, loss of hooks and destruction of microtriches. The data reported in this article demonstrate a clear in vitro effect of FLBZ against E. granulosus protoscoleces.