Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is spread mostly by insects in the subfamily Triatominae, known as "kissing bugs". The symptoms change over the course of the infection. In the early stage, symptoms are typically either not present or mild, and may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, or swelling at the site of the bite. After four to eight weeks, untreated individuals enter the chronic phase of disease, which in most cases does not result in further symptoms. Up to 45% of people with chronic infections develop heart disease 10–30 years after the initial illness, which can lead to heart failure. Digestive complications, including an enlarged esophagus or an enlarged colon, may also occur in up to 21% of people, and up to 10% of people may experience nerve damage.
Metronidazole, sold under the brand name Flagyl among others, is an antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication. It is used either alone or with other antibiotics to treat pelvic inflammatory disease, endocarditis, and bacterial vaginosis. It is effective for dracunculiasis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and amebiasis. It is an option for a first episode of mild-to-moderate Clostridioides difficile colitis if vancomycin or fidaxomicin is unavailable. Metronidazole is available orally, as a cream or gel, and by slow intravenous infusion.
Giardiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Giardia duodenalis. Infected individuals who experience symptoms may have diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Less common symptoms include vomiting and blood in the stool. Symptoms usually begin one to three weeks after exposure and, without treatment, may last two to six weeks or longer.
Nitroimidazoles are the group of organic compounds consisting of an imidazole ring with at least one nitro group substituent. The term also refers to the class of antibiotics that have nitroimidazole in their structures. These antibiotics commonly include the 5-nitroimidazole positional isomer.
Tinidazole, sold under the brand name Tindamax among others, is a medication used against protozoan infections. It is widely known throughout Europe and the developing world as a treatment for a variety of anaerobic amoebic and bacterial infections. It was developed in 1972 and is a prominent member of the nitroimidazole antibiotic class.
Ornidazole is an antibiotic used to treat protozoan infections. A synthetic nitroimidazole, it is commercially obtained from an acid-catalyzed reaction between 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole and epichlorohydrin.
Antiprotozoal agents is a class of pharmaceuticals used in treatment of protozoan infection.
Antiparasitics are a class of medications which are indicated for the treatment of parasitic diseases, such as those caused by helminths, amoeba, ectoparasites, parasitic fungi, and protozoa, among others. Antiparasitics target the parasitic agents of the infections by destroying them or inhibiting their growth; they are usually effective against a limited number of parasites within a particular class. Antiparasitics are one of the antimicrobial drugs which include antibiotics that target bacteria, and antifungals that target fungi. They may be administered orally, intravenously or topically. Overuse or misuse of antiparasitics can lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Benznidazole is an antiparasitic medication used in the treatment of Chagas disease. While it is highly effective in early disease, the effectiveness decreases in those who have long-term infection. It is the first-line treatment given its moderate side effects compared to nifurtimox. It is taken by mouth.
Nifurtimox, sold under the brand name Lampit, is a medication used to treat Chagas disease and sleeping sickness. For sleeping sickness it is used together with eflornithine in nifurtimox-eflornithine combination treatment. In Chagas disease it is a second-line option to benznidazole. It is given by mouth.
Pretomanid is an antibiotic medication used for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis affecting the lungs. It is generally used together with bedaquiline and linezolid. It is taken by mouth.
Protozoan infections are parasitic diseases caused by organisms formerly classified in the kingdom Protozoa. These organisms are now classified in the supergroups Excavata, Amoebozoa, Harosa, and Archaeplastida. They are usually contracted by either an insect vector or by contact with an infected substance or surface.
The Chagas: Time to Treat Campaign is an international campaign started by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative to advocate for increased research and development of treatments for Chagas disease. Chagas is a potentially fatal neglected disease that affects between 8 and 13 million people worldwide. DNDi's Time to Treat campaign is pushing for increased political interest in new treatments for Chagas disease, increased public awareness of the disease and treatment limitations and increased public and private investment in R&D.
Etanidazole is a nitroimidazole drug that was investigated in clinical trials for its radiosensitizing properties in cancer treatment. Administration of etanidazole results in a decrease of glutathione concentration and inhibits glutathione S-transferase. The result is that tissues become more sensitive to the ionizing radiation.
Fexinidazole is a medication used to treat African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. It is effective against both first and second stage disease. Also a potential new treatment for Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that affects millions of people worldwide. It is taken by mouth.
Delamanid, sold under the brand name Deltyba, is a medication used to treat tuberculosis. Specifically it is used, along with other antituberculosis medications, for active multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. It is taken by mouth.
Mundo Sano, or Fundación Mundo Sano, is a scientific, nongovernmental foundation in Argentina working for the prevention and control of communicable diseases such as dengue fever, Chagas disease, malaria, leishmaniasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Its main objective is to facilitate equal access to health and welfare among people who are vulnerable to these otherwise avoidable diseases, mainly by promoting strategic policies for the improvement of the quality of life of affected communities.
GNF6702 is the name for a broad-spectrum antiprotozoal drug invented by researchers working at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in 2013, with activity against leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and sleeping sickness. These three diseases are caused by related kinetoplastid parasites, which share similar biology. GNF6702 acts as allosteric proteasome inhibitor which was effective against infection with any of the three protozoal diseases in mice, while having little evident toxicity to mammalian cells.
A disulfiram-like drug is a drug that causes an adverse reaction to alcohol leading to nausea, vomiting, flushing, dizziness, throbbing headache, chest and abdominal discomfort, and general hangover-like symptoms among others. These effects are caused by accumulation of acetaldehyde, a major but toxic metabolite of alcohol formed by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. The reaction has been variously termed a disulfiram-like reaction, alcohol intolerance, and acetaldehyde syndrome.
Boghuma Kabisen Titanji is a Cameroonian medical doctor and clinical researcher. She is an expert on HIV drug resistant viruses.
