Cotrimoxazole for prenatal treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis?
Congenital toxoplasmosis is still one of the most frequent causes of fetal death. Despite a significant improvement in diagnosis, particularly in utero diagnosis, maternal treatment is only partially effective in preventing transmission to the fetus and treating fetal infection. Maternal treatment is based on drugs developed 50 years ago, which may have limited efficacy (spiramycin) or serious side-effects (pyrimethamine). Data on the use of cotrimoxazole in mouse models of toxoplasmosis and for preventing toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients suffering from AIDS have led Francis Derouin and colleagues to consider the potential of cotrimoxazole for prenatal prevention and treatment of toxoplasmic fetal death.
Derouin
F
F
Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75475 Paris Cedex 10, France.
Jacqz-Aigrain
E
E
Thulliez
P
P
Couvreur
J
J
Leport
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination