Description and Brand Names
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
US Brand Name
- Biltricide
Descriptions
Praziquantel is used to treat schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever or bilharzia, an infection of the urinary tract or bowels, caused by schistosoma (blood fluke), a flatworm parasite. It is also used to treat clonorchiasis infection caused by the Chinese or Oriental liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis) or opisthorchiasis infection caused by the Southeast Asian liver fluke (Opisthorchis viverrini).
Blood flukes live in freshwater snails and are spread into the surrounding waters (eg, pond). You may get infected when you swim or get in these waters. They enter the body through the skin and travel until they reach your bowels where they grow and lay eggs. Sometimes, the eggs get in the liver, which causes chronic inflammation. Infections with a liver fluke usually occur after eating contaminated raw or undercooked freshwater fish, crabs, or crayfish. They travel from your bowels to the bile ducts in the liver where they live and grow. Most patients infected with liver flukes do not show any symptoms, which may cause the infection to last a long time.
Praziquantel belongs to the family of medicines called anthelmintics. Anthelmintics are used in the treatment of worm infections. Praziquantel works by causing severe spasms and paralysis of the worms' muscles. Some kinds of worms are then passed in the stool. However, you may not notice them since they are sometimes completely destroyed in the bowels.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024
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