The efficacy of triclabendazole (Fasinex) against immature and adult Fasciola hepatica in experimentally infected cattle

Eighteen Chinese cattle were experimentally infected with metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica and randomly assigned to 6 groups. Five groups of cattle were treated with a single oral dose of triclabendazole at a dose rate of 12 mg kg-1. At necropsy, the reduction in fluke burden compared with the untreated group was 85, 99.6, 99.8, 100 and 100% for cattle treated 2, 6, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after infection, respectively. Data are also presented on body weight changes during the experimental period and on serum gamma-GT activity in cattle from selected groups. Triclabendazole is considered to be safer and more efficacious than currently available fasciolicides in China.

[A preliminary study on serum alpha-L-fucosidase assay in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma]

Serum alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU) was determined in 33 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 4 with secondary metastatic liver cancer, 61 with various liver diseases, 12 with gastrointestinal tumor and 50 healthy controls. The results showed that AFU level was significantly higher in HCC (14.48 +/- 5.77) than that in the controls (3.33 +/- 0.72) and in patient with other diseases (P less than 0.01). Serum AFU level was also increased in fulminant hepatitis (8.96 +/- 3.99), acute hepatitis (8.94 +/- 4.94) and chronic hepatitis (7.27 +/- 2.58), P less than 0.01 or 0.05. There was no significant difference in AFU level between the controls and patients with secondary metastatic liver cancer (6.25 +/- 0.84), cirrhosis (6.30 +/- 3.17), gastrointestinal tumor (4.43 +/- 1.64), liver hemangioma and liver abscess (4.86 +/- 2.22). A level exceeding 10.5u was a useful marker for the diagnosis of HCC with 78.8% sensitivity and 90.0% specificity. The diagnostic positivity was 81.8% in low AFP producing HCC, whereas 93.9% in those with elevated AFP. Our data indicate that serum AFU is a useful tumor marker for HCC, particularly in detection of AFP-low or negative HCC patients.

A rat uterine horn model of genital tract wound healing

A rat uterine horn model of genital tract wound healing is described. Healing was reflected by acquisition of strength and elasticity, measured by burst strength (BS) and extensibility (EX), respectively. A tensiometer (Instron Corp., Canton, MA) was used to assess these characteristics in castrated and estrogen-supplemented or nonsupplemented animals. While the horn weights (HW), BS, and EX of contralateral horns were not significantly different, the intra-animal variation of HW was 7.2%, BS was 17.7% and EX was 38.2%. In a second experiment, one uterine horn was divided and anastomosed, and the animal given estrogen supplementation or a placebo pellet. Estrogen administration was found to increase BS and EX of anastomosed horns prior to 14 days, but had no beneficial effect at 21 or 42 days. The data suggest that estrogen may be required for optimal early healing of genital tract wounds.

Cryotherapy for the treatment of proximal urethral condyloma acuminatum

Between March and November 1985 we treated 89 female patients with condyloma acuminatum of the lower genital tract. All patients were evaluated with colposcopy, urethroscopy and anoscopy. Carbon dioxide laser vaporization was used to treat condylomata in the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and distal urethra. Urethral involvement by condylomata was found in 31 patients (35 per cent). Eight patients had biopsy proved proximal urethral condylomata (9 per cent). Cryotherapy was used to treat these lesions. Six patients required only 1 treatment, while 2 required 2 treatments to cure the proximal urethral condylomata.

Vaccination of bovines against schistosomiasis japonica with highly irradiated schistosomula in China

Vaccination of Chinese bovines (cattle and buffaloes) against schistosomiasis japonica with 36 kR gamma-irradiated schistosomula was done for laboratory challenge and for field trials in China. Altogether, 61 bovines were used. All experimental animals were vaccinated 2-3 times with 10,000 irradiated schistosomula per time. For the laboratory challenge, all experimental and control cattle were challenged with 500 normal cercariae and each buffalo, with 2,000 cercariae. The laboratory-challenged bovines were killed after 54-57 days of challenge; the bovines for the field trial in the lightly endemic area, after 5 months in the field; and the bovines for the field trial in the heavily endemic area, after 58-63 days. When the animals were killed, the number of mature worms in the vaccinated (experimental) and non-vaccinated (control) animals was recorded and the percentage of worm reduction in each group was calculated. The first group, consisting of three vaccinated and three non-vaccinated cattle, was given a laboratory challenge; the worm reduction was 71.6%. The second group, consisting of two vaccinated and three non-vaccinated buffaloes, was also given a laboratory challenge; the worm reduction was 74.4%. The third group, consisting of seven vaccinated and eight non-vaccinated buffaloes, was utilized in a field trial in a lightly endemic area; the worm reduction was 75.6%. The fourth group, consisting of eight vaccinated and nine non-vaccinated cattle, and the fifth group, consisting of nine vaccinated and nine non-vaccinated buffaloes, were pastured in a heavily endemic area. The worm reduction was 65.1% in the fourth group and 75.7% in the fifth group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)