ALBENDAZOLE THERAPY FOR HEPATIC HYDATID DISEASE

Abstract

Echinococcosis is one of the most common parasitic diseases in humans. The disease is more frequently encountered in rural areas of Southern Europe, North Africa, South America, Australia, and Central Asia, where it represents a social problem. The liver is most commonly affected in humans, followed by the lungs in frequency of involvement, with other organs being significantly less affected [7]. Today, treatment of echinococcal cysts is predominantly surgical in nature. To avoid recurrence, viable scolices in the echinococcal cyst must be removed before surgical evacuation. The liver is the most common site of echinococcus occurrence [14]. The effectiveness of various preventive and treatment methods with anti-recurrence focus in echinococcosis is traditionally evaluated by the recurrence rate of the disease in operated patients. Meanwhile, clinical practice and analysis of literature sources [2,13]. The basis of hepatic echinococcosis treatment is surgical intervention [14,16]. Mebendazole was the first drug used in hepatic echinococcosis [4]. Albendazole was later introduced due to its better absorption properties. Albendazole administered before surgery at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 1 month kills most protoscolices in hepatic hydatid cysts [9]. However, better results were reported after 1.5 months of continuous albendazole treatment [5,6]. The standard albendazole dosing regimen proposed by Horton (1989) and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) consists of three 28-day courses of 10 mg/kg/day in divided doses, separated by 2-week intervals [11]. These benzimidazole carbamate drug groups act by blocking glucose uptake by the parasite and depleting its glycogen stores.