title: Voriconazole as a first-line treatment against potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains from Peru.
abstract: Pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba genus are the causative agents of fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and a serious sight-threatening infection of the eye known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. In a previous study, Acanthamoeba strains were isolated from nasal swabs collected from healthy individuals in Peru. In the present study, the pathogenic potential of the isolated strains was established based on temperature and osmotolerance assays as well as the secretion rate of extracellular proteases. Based on these experiments, four strains that showed the highest pathogenic potential were selected for sensitivity assays against two molecules (voriconazole and chlorhexidine) which are currently used for the treatment of Acanthamoeba infections. After performing sensitivity and activity assays, it was found that both drugs were active against the tested strains. However, voriconazole showed higher activity against the studied strains compared to chlorhexidine. Therefore, voriconazole should be established as a first-line treatment against Acanthamoeba infections at least in the studied region of Peru.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Alfonso Martín
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cabello-Vílchez
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martín-Navarro
authors.forename: Atteneri
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Arencibia
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes-Batlle
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sifaoui
authors.forename: Basilio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piñero
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D000563:Amebicides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010568:Peru; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065819:Voriconazole
chemical_list: D000563:Amebicides; D011743:Pyrimidines; D014230:Triazoles; D065819:Voriconazole; D002710:Chlorhexidine