Chemotherapy and Drug Resistance in Schistosomiasis,Fascioliasis and Tapeworm Infections

Abstract

It is estimated that nearly 400 million humans are infected with trematode or cestode parasites (Table 1, (1)). Nearly half of the infections are caused by two species of schistosome (blood fl ukes), Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium and most of this chapter will therefore be concerned with these parasites, and praziquantel (PZQ), the principal drug being used against them. Brief mention will however also be made of other schistosomicidal drugs, treatment of infections caused by another trematode, the liver fl uke Fasciola hepatica, and treatment of cestode (tapeworm) infections.