Food-borne trematodiasis: current chemotherapy and advances with artemisinins and synthetic trioxolanes.
Over 40 million people are infected with food-borne trematodes and 750 million are at risk of food-borne trematodiasis, and yet this tropical disease is neglected. The current arsenal for the treatment and control of food-borne trematodiasis comprises praziquantel and triclabendazole, which were developed 20-30 years ago. The safety, therapeutic profiles and concern about resistance of these two drugs are summarized here. Recent advances with the artemisinins, which are best known for their antimalarial and antischistosomal properties, and the synthetic trioxolanes in different trematode-rodent models are reviewed. Lastly, prospects for the development of a safe, efficacious, inexpensive and broad-spectrum trematocidal drug are considered.
Keiser
Jennifer
J
Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland. jennifer.keiser@unibas.ch
Utzinger
Jürg
J
D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016266:Food Parasitology; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D014200:Trematoda / Q000254:growth & development*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology
C503429:1,2,4-trioxane; D000871:Anthelmintics; D037621:Artemisinins; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds