Therapy of vector-borne protozoan infections in nonendemic settings

Vector-borne protozoan infections are responsible for a wide variety of illnesses (mainly malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis) affecting tropical and subtropical areas, but increasingly diagnosed in nonendemic settings. This article summarizes the therapeutic developments for these conditions during the past decade and focuses specifically on treatment recommendations for returning travelers and migrants. The treatment of malaria has known the most spectacular improvements. Progress in the management of leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis has also been substantial and includes introduction of new drugs into clinical practice, combinations of existing drugs, or new laboratory tools for treatment monitoring as well as extension of treatment indications to new groups of patients. Serious gaps still exist in terms of effectiveness and tolerance. Since the research pipeline is very limited for the coming 5-10 years, optimized combinations of existing drugs need to be urgently explored.

Publication year:2011

Keywords:Protozoal diseases, Vector-borne diseases, Malaria, Plasmodium, Trypanosomiasis-African, Sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Trypanosomiasis-American, Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous, Visceral, Leishmania donovani, Vectors, Mosquitoes, Anopheles, Tsetse flies, Epidemiology, Disease burden, Clinical manifestations, Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Management, Drug combinations, Combination therapy, Drug development, Research, Recommendations, Treatment, Travelers, Global