Mebendazole and the development of Hymenolepis nana in mice

Normally in mice the intra-villus phase of Hymenolepis nana life cycle is completed by the fifth day of infection. However, when the mice were fed continuously on a mixture of 1.5 g Telmin (166.7 mg of mebendazole/g) per kg of food (Purina Lab Chow) from day 1 (24 h) post infection (p.i.), this intramucosal phase was prolonged for varying periods up to day 12 p.i. Mebendazole expelled successfully all lumen dwelling stages of the parasite, but, when treatment was terminated, cysticercoids still in the villi mucosa were able to recover from the drug's effect on their development, excyst, leave the villi and grow to fully gravid adults in the intestinal lumen.