Notocotylidae Lühe, 1909--incidence and treatment in Macaca mulatta.

Eggs with filaments were detected in the faeces of Macaca mulatta. On the basis of morphological indications and reports from the literature, this infection was most probably caused by the genus Ogmocotyle. Egg output and the onset of diarrhoea were arrested by treatment with 20 mg fenbendazole/kg body weight for 5 days in the form of medicated feed. Follow-up studies over 9 months showed neither new egg output nor the occurrence of clinical symptoms.

[Fasciola hepatica: coprological diagnosis in comparison to the worm burden in sheep and cattle]. / Fasciola hepatica: Koproskopische Diagnostik im Vergleich zur Wurmbürde bei Schaf und Rind.

Bulls artificially infected with a varying number of metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica were kept under uniform, standardized laboratory conditions. 6 months after the infection the daily range of variation and the distribution of the Fasciola eggs in the faeces were determined 3 times a day (morning, noon and afternoon) over two test periods, each of 5 days. This test, carried out in over 800 individual faeces samples, showed that the excretion of Fasciola eggs over a period of several days fluctuates considerably within one animal and within one infection group; the excretion of Fasciola eggs over one day varies widely at different times in each animal and also in each infection group; the distribution of Fasciola eggs in the faeces is always irregular within one day and also over several days in all animals. The variations demonstrated here must be taken into consideration when assessing the results of coproscopical diagnosis because studies of the faeces carried out on a single occasion can lead to completely incorrect conclusions being drawn.

[Potential filaricides. Suramin analogs]. / Potentielle Filarizide. Suramin-Analoge.

A series of suramin analogues has been synthesized in which the methyl groups of suramin have been replaced by hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl, and fluoro substituents, or which contain more than two methyl groups. The substances have been screened against Dipetalonema viteae in Meriones unguiculatus, Litomosoides carinii in Sigmodon hispidus and L. carinii in Mastomys natalensis, respectively. Small structural modifications have a marked influence on the antifilarial activity. There are marked differences between antifilarial and trypanocidal activities. A symmetrical molecule structure seems not to be essential for the antifilarial activity.

World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (W.A.A.V.P.) guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of anthelmintics in swine.

As a follow-up to a previous guideline publication on efficacy evaluation of anthelmintics in ruminants, an expert group of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology presents similar guidelines for the testing of anthelmintics in swine. The goal of the guidelines is to develop uniform testing standards and registration requirements. Data obtained from investigations according to the guidelines should be internationally accepted in the registering of drugs. Further, the use of the guidelines may contribute towards reducing costs, labor and the number of experimental animals used for drug testing.

The prevalence of Toxocara eggs in the sand in children's playgrounds in Frankfurt/M.

During an investigation of 31 sandpits in children's playgrounds in and around Frankfurt/M Toxocara eggs were detected in 27. The prevalence in areas with few or no parks (averaged 14.8 eggs 100 g-1 sand) was much higher than in districts where there was more room for the dogs to run about (5.3 eggs 100 g-1 sand). Larval development was complete in 40% of isolated Toxocara eggs after four weeks. The importance of these findings in connection with the risk, to children playing, of a possible infection (larva migrans visceralis) and preventive measures are discussed.

Control of oxyuriasis in rabbits by fenbendazole.

Death, poor condition and unsatisfactory breeding performance in a rabbit colony was attributed to infection with Passalurus ambiguus. The trouble disappeared after treatment with 50 ppm fenbendazole in the food for 5 days. In laboratory trials 12.5 ppm for 5 days eliminated more than 99% of adult and most immature pinworms, 25 and 50 ppm eliminated all immature and adult pinworms. These doses were also effective against Obeliscoides cuniculi.

[Helminthic infections of the tropics: parasitology and therapy (author's transl)]. / Parasitologie und Therapie tropischer Wurminfektionen.

The significance of tropical heminthiases for the populations of tropical countries is discussed and a survey on the incidence of these parasitic infections is given. The difference between infection and disease is explained, and the properties of an ideal drug for combatting the different diseases are described. After a short comment on the goals of the primary and secondary screening procedures the authors refer to WHO's Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. As to the different forms of filariasis, the most important problem is onchocerciasis due to the high rate of blindness. The existing drugs (suramin DEC) are evaluated, however, there is a need for a safe, macrofilaricidal drug. The chemotherapy of filariasis caused by W. bancrofti and B. malayi and the drugs used is also discussed. Thereafter, a survey on the chemotherapy of schistosomiasis and the drugs at hand and in development is given with special reference to praziquantel. Chemotherapy of opistorchiasis and clonorchiasis is still unsatisfactory. The problems arising from this situation are mentioned. Up to now, we have a similar situation in hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus species. The therapy of choice is operation, however, in animal experiments it could be demonstrated that benzimidazole derivatives inhibit the growth of cysts what indicates the possibility of chemotherapy in man also. Finally, a survey is given on anthelminthic drugs for the therapy of different forms of intestinal helminthiasis with special regard to ancylostomiasis.

[The rabbit as a reservoir host of Fasciola hepatica? (author's transl)]. / Das Kaninchen als Reservoirwirt für Fasciola hepatica?

Following field observations, the ability of Fasciola hepatica to develop in domestic rabbits as compared with sheep was investigated under experimental conditions. The results indicate the development of F. hepatica is impaired in various phases after rabbit passage. Only 4.2 percent of the metacercariae gained after one rabbit passage developed to adult F. hepatica in sheep, whereas the respective percentage after sheep passage was 51.2 percent. It can be calculated that after rabbit passage 4.5 liver flukes develop from 100 F. hepatica eggs as compared with 2,141.3 parasites after sheep passage. The result justify the assumption that rabbits may play only a minor role in the epidemiology of fascioliasis.

Laboratory investigations on pigs with the new anthelmintic fenbendazole.

The efficacy of fenbendazole was investigated in piglets infected artificially with Hyostrongylus rubidus and Oesophagostomum spp. After administration of 3.5 mg/kg, five-day-old stages of H rubidus were reduced by 72.5 per cent; an effect of 78.4 per cent, 96.0 per cent and 100 per cent was achieved against five-day-old, 16-day-old and 42-day-old stages, respectively, of H rubidus using a dose of 5 mg/kg. A 55 per cent effect was obtained against five-day-old stages after the administration of 3.5 mg/kg. A dose of 5 mg/kg reduced five-day-old, 16-day-old and 42-day-old stages of Oesophagotomum spp by 72.6 per cent, 44 per cent and 100 per cent respectively.