Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a group of both acute and chronic parasitic trematode
infections of the genus Schistosoma. Research into schistosomiasis has been
minimal, leading to its classification as a neglected tropical disease, yet more than
140 million people are infected with schistosomes globally. There are no
treatments available for early-stage infections, schistosomal dermatitis, or
Katayama syndrome, other than symptomatic control with steroids and
antihistamines, as the maturing organisms seem to be mostly resistant to
typical antiparasitics. However, praziquantel (PZQ) has been the drug of choice
for schistosomiasis for decades in the latter stages of the disease. Though it is
effective against all three clinically relevant species, heavy reliance on PZQ has
led to concerns of schistosome resistance, especially in areas that have
implemented this drug in mass drug administration (MDA) programs. This
article summarizes the available literature concerning the available evidence
for and against a warranted concern for PZQ resistance, genomic studies in
schistosomes, proposed mechanisms of resistance, and future research in
alternative methods of schistosomiasis treatment.
infections of the genus Schistosoma. Research into schistosomiasis has been
minimal, leading to its classification as a neglected tropical disease, yet more than
140 million people are infected with schistosomes globally. There are no
treatments available for early-stage infections, schistosomal dermatitis, or
Katayama syndrome, other than symptomatic control with steroids and
antihistamines, as the maturing organisms seem to be mostly resistant to
typical antiparasitics. However, praziquantel (PZQ) has been the drug of choice
for schistosomiasis for decades in the latter stages of the disease. Though it is
effective against all three clinically relevant species, heavy reliance on PZQ has
led to concerns of schistosome resistance, especially in areas that have
implemented this drug in mass drug administration (MDA) programs. This
article summarizes the available literature concerning the available evidence
for and against a warranted concern for PZQ resistance, genomic studies in
schistosomes, proposed mechanisms of resistance, and future research in
alternative methods of schistosomiasis treatment.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 01-06 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Parasitology |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2 2024 |
Keywords
- schistosomiasis, praziquantel, resistance, efficacy, mass drug administration