The efficacy of umf 078 on Acanthocheilonema viteae and Litomosoides sigmodontis in Meriones unguiculatus

UMF 078, a new benzimidazole analogue of Flubendazole, was tested on jirds infected with the filarial parasites Acanlhocheilonema viteae and Lilomosoides sigmodontis respectively. A total of 19 jirds, eight subcutaneously inoculated with infective larvae of A. viteae and eleven with L. sigmodontis infective larvae, were used in this study. UMF 078 had both microfilaricidal and macrofilaricidal activities against both :«irasites. Blood microfilariae were completely eliminated in the two treated groups by day 56 post-treatment. Very few adult worms were recovered, and in both groups all the worms recovered were abnormal. In L. sigmodontis however, microfilariae were detected in various organs/fluids (peritoneal fluid, pleural cavity fluid, lungs) on autopsy of the jirds.