Infect Chemother.  2013 Mar;45(1):32-43.

Praziquantel Treatment in Trematode and Cestode Infections: An Update

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. cjy@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

Status and emerging issues in the use of praziquantel for treatment of human trematode and cestode infections are briefly reviewed. Since praziquantel was first introduced as a broadspectrum anthelmintic in 1975, innumerable articles describing its successful use in the treatment of the majority of human-infecting trematodes and cestodes have been published. The target trematode and cestode diseases include schistosomiasis, clonorchiasis and opisthorchiasis, paragonimiasis, heterophyidiasis, echinostomiasis, fasciolopsiasis, neodiplostomiasis, gymnophalloidiasis, taeniases, diphyllobothriasis, hymenolepiasis, and cysticercosis. However, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica infections are refractory to praziquantel, for which triclabendazole, an alternative drug, is necessary. In addition, larval cestode infections, particularly hydatid disease and sparganosis, are not successfully treated by praziquantel. The precise mechanism of action of praziquantel is still poorly understood. There are also emerging problems with praziquantel treatment, which include the appearance of drug resistance in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni and possibly Schistosoma japonicum, along with allergic or hypersensitivity reactions against praziquantel treatment. To cope with and overcome these problems, combined use of drugs, i.e., praziquantel and other newly introduced compounds such as triclabendazole, artemisinins, and tribendimidine, is being tried.

Keyword

Praziquantel; Trematode; Cestode; Chemotherapy; Adverse reaction; Combined therapy

MeSH Terms

Artemisinins
Benzimidazoles
Cestoda
Cestode Infections
Clonorchiasis
Cysticercosis
Diphyllobothriasis
Drug Resistance
Echinostomiasis
Fasciola
Fasciola hepatica
Humans
Hymenolepiasis
Hypersensitivity
Opisthorchiasis
Paragonimiasis
Phenylenediamines
Phosphatidylethanolamines
Praziquantel
Schistosoma japonicum
Schistosoma mansoni
Schistosomiasis
Sparganosis
Taenia
Taeniasis
Trematode Infections
Artemisinins
Benzimidazoles
Phenylenediamines
Phosphatidylethanolamines
Praziquantel

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