PubMed · 1220932
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F E Pittman. 1975. Intestinal amebiasis.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1220932/
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Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite of humans, and the causitive agent of intestinal amebiasis. The disease-causing stage of the parasite is an osmotically sensitive ameboid form, which differentiates into a thick-walled cyst for transmission from person to person. The conditions within the human intestine that induce encystment of the amoeba are unknown, but studies using an amoebic parasite of reptiles are now yielding information about the molecules and host:parasite interactions involved in the process. An understanding of the amoeba's obligatory encystment pathway should provide an approach for interrupting the transmission of this parasite, for which there is currently no vaccine.
Paromomycin is used for the treatment of leishmaniasis in humans, but little is known about its mechanism of action. Investigating the effect of this antibiotic on promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, we showed that inhibition of the multiplication of these parasites could be related to its effect on RNA synthesis and to modifications of membranous polar lipids and membrane fluidity, leading to altered membrane permeability.
Twelve dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum were treated subcutaneously with aminosidine at a dose of 10 mg kg-1 per day for four weeks. Antimonial compounds were used as reference drugs in twelve Leishmania-infected dogs. Eleven of the twelve dogs submitted to aminosidine therapy responded within 30 days. The treatment with the aminoglycoside antibiotic presented a marked decrease of anti-Leishmania antibody titres than the controls. Aminosidine also reduced urinary protein, serum IgG, and circulating immune complex concentrations. Side effects were observed only in a dog with pre-existent renal lesions. This study proved that aminosidine is an effective, tolerable and safe drug for the treatment of canine leishmaniasis and that it could be used as a suitable substitute for antimonial therapy.