Fig. 7

Photographs of muscular tissue sections showing the results of immunohistochemical staining specific for VEGF. Magnification: ×100. Red arrows indicate positive VEGF expression around the cystic lesion and within the lesions (arrowheads), and black arrows point to degenerated larvae. a Positive expression for VEGF, within and around cysts in the control group of non-sensitized, infected, not treated mice (group IBa). b Positive expression for VEGF in sensitized, infected, not treated mice (group IIBa). c Expression of VEGF in groups treated with albendazole with only minimal expression around the cyst and almost complete absence of the protein within the cyst. d–f Negative expression in all groups treated with MCS; non-sensitized mice treated with MCS (Group IBc) (d), sensitized mice treated with MCS (group IIBc) (e) and mice treated with combined therapy (f). g Mean expression levels of VEGF in skeletal muscle tissue (y-axis) of infected, control, sensitized and non-sensitized mice (x-axis). Significant difference at P < 0.05 (one-way ANOVA). Abbreviations: VEGF, Vascular endothelial growth factor