REVERSAL OF BILIARY-TRACT ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH OPISTHORCHIS-VIVERRINI INFECTION FOLLOWING PRAZIQUANTEL TREATMENT

We recently demonstrated a number of biliary tract abnormalities associated with moderate to heavy Opisthorchis viverrini infection among 95 selected village residents in north-east Thailand, who were treated with praziquantel immediately after initial examination and re-examined by abdominal ultrasonography 10 months later. Dramatic improvement in the gall-bladder status of previously infected individuals was observed, including reduction of gall-bladder length and width and regained contractibility of the organ following fatty meal consumption. The frequency of severe enhanced portal vein radicle echoes and gall-bladder sludge and wall irregularities also decreased following treatment, but persisted in many individuals. Two masses were observed in the right hepatic lobe of one individual who was previously considered normal. The findings suggest that gall-bladder abnormalities are reversible following elimination of liver fluke infection, but malignancies, once initiated, are not likely to be affected by treatment.