HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ASSAY OF INDUCED HYMENOLEPIASIS IN MUS MUSCULUS AND RESTORATION OF NORMALCY WITH PRAZIQUANTEL

Abstract

Helminth parasites produce their deleterious effects in their hosts essentially by mechanical trauma, obstruction
of hollow viscera and circulatory channels, utilization of substances normally destined for body nutrition,
depletion of the blood, chemical intoxication and occupation of space and displacement of tissues. The
triumviate interaction of Hymenolepis nana infection in the laboratory mouse Mus musculus and treatment
with praziquantel are depicted in the present work, through histopathological assay of host intestine using
heamatoxylin and eosin staining and scanning electron microscopy. The extent of mechanical trauma inflicted
in the traumatized host at the morphological level is thus visualized. The research further emphasizes the
reasons for the development of many more such broad-spectrum anthelmintics to combat the ever-evolving
parasites.