ABSTRACT
The present work is concerned with study of the effects of praziquantel, thiabendazole, mebendazole, cyclophosphamide and cortisone on histopathology of the small intestine (during intestinal phase) and skeletal muscles (during muscular phase), in addition to T. lymphocytes count and serum IgG estimation in experimental trichinosis in albino rats. Praziquantel has no effect on the histopathology of small intestine or skeletal muscles. Thiabendazole and mebendazole treatment resulted in complete eradication of Trichinella spiralis worms of small intestine and marked reduction of larval infection (mild infection) of skeletal muscle. Praziquantel, thiabendazole and mebendazole did not affect significantly the T. lymphocytes count of the host during the intestinal phase. Cyclophosphamide and cortisone suppressed the cellular immunity (T. lymphocytes) and accordingly enhanced the parasitic infection in histopathology of both phases. All the drugs tested induced significant reduction of T. lymphocytes in muscular phase (which may be due to parasitic infection itself) and insignificant effect on IgG level in both phases.
