Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar-263 145, India.
A total of 24 albino rats naturally infected with Hymenolepis nana and H. diminuta were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Rats of Group I, treated with single intramuscular injection of praziquantel (50 mg ml−1 w/v) @ 6 mg kg−1 b.w., passed disintegrated segments and scolices of Hymenolepis sp. 6 h post-treatment with 2.5-fold increase in eggs per gram of faeces (5810±1085 pre-treatment to 13,150±4120 at 6 h post-treatment). No segments or eggs could be detected 24 h post-treatment. Rats of Group II and Group III, treated orally with Praziplus (praziquantel 25 mg USP+albendazole 300 mg USP) @ 1 bolus 10 kg−1 b.w. (single dose) and mebendazole @ 150 mg kg−1 b.w. for 3 consecutive days, respectively, were found negative on 2 and 7 days post-treatment (DPT), respectively. However, in Group II, one rat died on 4 DPT and 3 adult H. nana were recovered at necropsy. Intramuscular praziquantel injection was found to be the most effective and safe drug for treatment of H. nana and H. diminuta followed by mebendazole and Praziplus.
Albino rat, Hymenolepis nana, H. diminuta, Praziquantel, Praziplus, Mebendazole
