Current trends in the pharmacological management of Chagas disease

Publication date: Available online 10 December 2019Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug ResistanceAuthor(s): Vanessa Ribeiro, Nayra Dias, Taís Paiva, Luciana Hagström-Bex, Nadjar Nitz, Riccardo Pratesi, Mariana HechtAbstractChagas disease (CD) is a tropical neglected illness, affecting mainly populations of low socioeconomic status in Latin America. An estimated 6 to 8 million people worldwide are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of CD. Despite being one of the main global health problems, this disease continues without effective treatment during the chronic phase of the infection. The limitation of therapeutic strategies has been one of the biggest challenges on the fight against CD. Nifurtimox and benznidazole, developed in the 1970s, are still the only commercial options with established efficacy on CD. However, the efficacy of these drugs have a proven efficacy only during early infection and the benefits in the chronic phase are questionable. Consequently, there is a growing need for new pharmacological alternatives, either by optimization of existing drugs or by the formulation of new compounds. In the present study, a literature review of the currently adopted therapy, its concomitant combination with other drugs, and potential future treatments for CD was performed, considering articles published from 2012. The revised articles were selected according to the protocol of treatment: evaluation of drug association, drug r...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research