Anthelmintics

Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. They may also be called vermifuges (those that stun) or vermicides (those that kill). Anthelmintics are used to treat people who are infected by helminths, a condition called helminthiasis. These drugs are also used to treat infected animals.

Pills containing anthelmintics are used in mass deworming campaigns of school-aged children in many developing countries. For example, the treatment of choice for soil-transmitted helminths is mebendazole and albendazole and praziquantel for schistosomiasis.

Antiparasitics that specifically target Ascaris worms are called ascaricides.

The ability of parasites to survive treatments that are generally effective at the recommended doses is a major threat to the future control of worm parasites in small ruminants and horses. This is especially true of nematodes, and has helped spur development of aminoacetonitrile derivatives for treatment against drug-resistant nematodes, as well as exploration of antibiotics use against their endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria.

The resistance is measured by the "fecal egg count reduction" value which varies for different types of helminths.

Treatment with an antihelminthic drug kills worms whose phenotype renders them susceptible to the drug, but resistant parasites survive and pass on their "resistance" genes. Resistant varieties accumulate and finally treatment failure occurs.

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