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In a female dog with unspecific clinical symptoms, sonography detected a hyperechoic mass in the middle abdomen and blood analysis a middle grade systemic inflammatory reaction. Laparotomy revealed a peritoneal larval cestodosis (PLC). The diagnosis of an infection with tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. was confirmed by parasitological examination and molecularbiological analysis. Reduction of the intra-abdominal parasitic load as well as a high dose administration of fenbendazole over 3 months led to a successful treatment which could be documented sonographically and by decreased concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Seven months after discontinuation of fenbendazole administration, PLC recurred, pre-empted by an elevation of serum CRP values. According to the literature a life-long fenbendazole treatment was initiated. In cases of unclear chronic granulomatous inflammations in the abdominal cavity in dogs, PLC should be considered. CRP concentration and sonographic examinations are suitable to control for treatment success and a possibly occurring relapse.

Thirteen sheep from a milk producing farm in the Canton of Grisons that presented chronic coenurosis were examined and subjected to treatment trials at the veterinary hospital in Zurich. Symptoms were first observed around two months after the import of two dogs from Italy (Abruzza) of which one was infected with Taenia multiceps and Echinococcus granulosus. The most frequently observed clinical symptoms of the sheep were reduced general condition, circling, reduced menace reflex, apathy, unsteady gait and head tilt. Analyses of cerebrospinal fluid revealed an increased leucocyte count in 3 sheep and eosinophilia in 4 sheep. In 4 animals that underwent computertomography, one or more hypodense, definable lesions were found in the brain. In 2 sheep surgical treatment and in 10 animals medical treatment with either Praziquantel (n=8) or Oxfendazol (n=2) was attempted. Only one animal treated with Praziquantel needed not to be euthanized. At necropsy, one or two coenurus cysts could be found either in a side ventricle (n=2), in the cerebellum (n=3) or in the cerebrum (n=7). The locations corresponded with the clinical findings. Despite Praziquantel or Oxfendazol treatment, living protoscoleces could be found in the parasite cysts.

Eight weeks after his return from Mauritius, a 2.5-year-old boy started to show signs of gastrointestinal illness including diarrhoea with frequent ill-smelling stools as well as restlessness, insomnia and apathy. Proglottids excreted with the faeces were diagnosed as Raillietina madagascariensis (Davain, 1870), the tropical rat tapeworm. Treatment with praziquantel (10 mg/kg BW) proved to be efficient.

Mebendazole (5-benzoyl-2-methoxycarbonylaminobenzimidazole) was highly effective against tetrathydridia of Mesocestoides corti in the peritoneal cavity, liver and in the subcutis of mice when administered orally in the food (450 or 465 ppm) from days 7 or 40/50 post infectionem (p.i.) for 10 or 20 days in total doses of approximately 660-1660 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). All tetrathyridia were killed when treatment began at day 7 p.i., and only some survived when medication was started on days 40/50 p.i. A treatment of 5 days was only partially effective. In experiments with Echinococcus multilocularis laboratory animals were intraperitoneally infected with metacestode tissue transplants. Beginning on days 4-7 p.i. or on day 40 p.i. the animals were treated for 5, 10 or 20/21 days with mebendazole medicated food. In mice a treatment for 10 or 20/21 days with total mebendazole doses of approximately 660-2180 mg/kg b.w. caused an average reduction on metacestode weight of 61-89%. An average reduction between 58 and 84% was achieved in Meriones after a treatment for 20/21 days with total doses of approximately 650/530 mg/kg b.w. However, histological examinations and transplantation experiments revealed that in most of the treated animals metacestode tissue survived and retained its capability for budding. On the other hand, indications for a partial destruction of the parasite tissue were found in some of the treated animals. The oral mebendazole treatment was well tolerated. After intraperitoneal injection of 3 X 150 mg/kg b.w. mebendazole - as applied by Campbell et al. (1975) - all of 36 mice or Meriones died.