Successful treatment of drug-resistant cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans by use of imiquimod, an immunomodulator.

Clin Infect Dis

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, and Department of Tropical Medicine, McGill University Hospital Complex, Montreal, Canada.

Published: December 2001

AI Article Synopsis

  • Treatment failures with pentavalent antimonials for leishmaniasis are rising in endemic areas, prompting the need for alternative therapies.
  • Imiquimod, an immune response-activating drug approved by the FDA for treating cervical warts, has shown effectiveness in enhancing macrophage activity against Leishmania species.
  • A study involving 12 patients with treatment-resistant cutaneous leishmaniasis indicated that the combination of imiquimod and meglumine antimonate was highly effective, achieving a 90% cure rate at 6 months.

Article Abstract

Treatment failures for leishmaniasis with pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimonate, are increasingly common in many endemic areas. Imiquimod (Aldara; 3M Pharmaceuticals) is a novel immune response-activating compound, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, that is currently used to treat cervical warts and has been shown to activate macrophage killing of Leishmania species. Therefore, an open-label, prospective study was conducted of combined imiquimod plus meglumine antimonate therapy in 12 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis who had previously not responded to meglumine antimonate therapy. All of the patients responded well to this combination therapy, and 90% were found to be cured at the 6-month follow-up period.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/324161DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

meglumine antimonate
12
cutaneous leishmaniasis
8
antimonate therapy
8
therapy patients
8
successful treatment
4
treatment drug-resistant
4
drug-resistant cutaneous
4
leishmaniasis humans
4
humans imiquimod
4
imiquimod immunomodulator
4

Similar Publications

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a tropical disease that can cause chronic lesions and leave life-long scars, leading to social stigmatization and psychological disorders. Using growth factors and immunomodulatory agents that could accelerate wound healing and reduce the scar is highly demanded. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays an essential role in wound healing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aims to identify the most sensitive colorimetric test for assessing intracellular drug susceptibility of Leishmania tropica to conventional antileishmanial drugs. To this end, the efficacy of four colorimetric methods-MTT, XTT, MTS, and WST-8-was compared using reference L. tropica promastigotes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Meglumine antimoniate is used to treat canine leishmaniosis. In humans, it has been associated with pancreatitis. Although a few case reports have described acute pancreatitis secondary to antimonial treatment in dogs, some studies have concluded that pancreatitis is not an adverse effect of this medication.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The current standard treatment for canine leishmaniosis (CanL), N-methylglucamine antimoniate (MGA) given with allopurinol, is not fully effective and may cause adverse effects and drug resistance. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that nucleotides, administered alone or with AHCC, offer benefits in the treatment of CanL. This study examines the effects of a new immunomodulatory treatment protocol in which dietary nucleotides and AHCC are added to the recommended standard treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In Europe, canine leishmaniasis is commonly caused by Leishmania infantum. Allopurinol is the main drug for long-term management of the disease, and clinical relapses of L. infantum infection treated with this drug are described.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!