Anti- Therapy for Onchocerciasis & Lymphatic Filariasis: Current Perspectives

Overview

Journal Indian J Med Res

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2019 Sep 10

PMID 31496523

Citations 11

Authors

Wan Aliaa Wan Sulaiman

Joseph Kamtchum-Tatuene

Mohd Hazmi Mohamed

Vasudevan Ramachandran

Siew Mooi Ching

Sazlyna Mohd Sazlly Lim

Hasnur Zaman Hashim

Liyana Najwa Inche Mat

Fan Kee Hoo

Hamidon Basri

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are human filarial diseases belonging to the group of neglected tropical diseases, leading to permanent and long-term disability in infected individuals in the endemic countries such as Africa and India. Microfilaricidal drugs such as ivermectin and albendazole have been used as the standard therapy in filariasis, although their efficacy in eliminating the diseases is not fully established. Anti-Wolbachia therapy employs antibiotics and is a promising approach showing potent macrofilaricidal activity and also prevents embryogenesis. This has translated to clinical benefits resulting in successful eradication of microfilarial burden, thus averting the risk of adverse events from target species as well as those due to co-infection with loiasis. Doxycycline shows potential as an anti-Wolbachia treatment, leading to the death of adult parasitic worms. It is readily available, cheap and safe to use in adult non-pregnant patients. Besides doxycycline, several other potential antibiotics are also being investigated for the treatment of LF and onchocerciasis. This review aims to discuss and summarise recent developments in the use of anti-Wolbachia drugs to treat onchocerciasis and LF.

Citing Articles

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Efficacy and Safety of Adding 6 Weeks of Doxycycline to the Essential Package of Care to Treat Filarial Lymphedema: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial in Southern India.

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and Lymphatic Filarial Nematodes and Their Implications in the Pathogenesis of the Disease.

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