Short communication: Efficacy of albendazole in Echinococcus multilocularis-infected mice depends on the functional immunity of the host

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a deadly parasitic disease that requires lifelong treatment with albendazole. Development of host immunity is pivotal with regard to the clinical outcome of AE, but its influence on conventional albendazole treatment is unknown. Using T-cell deficient athymic nude mice, we demonstrated that functional immunity is required for albendazole to be efficacious against murine AE. These results call for attention given the increasing number of immunocompromised patients with AE. •AE is a deadly parasitic disease that requires lifelong treatment with albendazole.•The influence of the host immunity on albendazole treatment of AE is unknown.•We demonstrate that host immunity is required for albendazole to be efficacious against murine AE.