Rabbit fascioliasis under bithionol treatment

ABSTRACT

The role of bithionol treatment in Fasciola gigantica infection was studied in 30 male rabbits divided into four groups A control group, bithionol treated group, a Fasciola gigantica infected group and a fasciola-infected-bithionol-treated group. The parameters studied were stool analysis, egg count, worm burden in the liver, complete blood picture, serum levels of bilirubin, proteins alkaline phosphatase, GOT, GPT, thymol turbidity, zinc sulfate turbidity and plasma fibrinogen, histopathological and histochemical studies for total proteins, nucleic acid mucopolysaccharides were also done in the liver tissue. It could be concluded that, bithionol has a potent fasciolicidal activity in rabbits. Bithionol, when administered to normal rabbits, caused mild impairment of hepatic performance as evidenced by significant increases in serum alkaline phosphatase; GOT and GPT anemia was also noted. Fasciola infestation produced some maleffects on the hepatic efficiency evidenced by increased serum enzymes and diminished plasma fibrinogen. When the drug was administered to this group these maleffects were corrected. It seems that the presence of the worm consumes some of the drug and thus protects the liver against the maleffects of the drug on the normal liver