Drug resistance in Trypanosoma brucei spp., the causative agents of sleeping sickness in man and nagana in cattle

2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 763-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enock Matovu ◽  
Thomas Seebeck ◽  
John C.K. Enyaru ◽  
Ronald Kaminsky
Physiology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 198-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella B. Lundkvist ◽  
Krister Kristensson ◽  
Marina Bentivoglio

African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness is hallmarked by sleep and wakefulness disturbances. In contrast to other infections, there is no hypersomnia, but the sleep pattern is fragmented. This overview discusses that the causative agents, the parasites Trypanosoma brucei, target circumventricular organs in the brain, causing inflammatory responses in hypothalamic structures that may lead to dysfunctions in the circadian-timing and sleep-regulatory systems.


Author(s):  
Е.Н. Ильина ◽  
Е.И. Олехнович ◽  
А.В. Павленко

С течением времени подходы к изучению резистентности к антибиотикам трансформировались от сосредоточения на выделенных в виде чистой культуры патогенных микроорганизмах к исследованию резистентности на уровне микробных сообществ, составляющих биотопы человека и окружающей среды. По мере того, как продвигается изучение устойчивости к антибиотикам, возникает необходимость использования комплексного подхода для улучшения информирования мирового сообщества о наблюдаемых тенденциях в этой области. Все более очевидным становится то, что, хотя не все гены резистентности могут географически и филогенетически распространяться, угроза, которую они представляют, действительно серьезная и требует комплексных междисциплинарных исследований. В настоящее время резистентность к антибиотикам среди патогенов человека стала основной угрозой в современной медицине, и существует значительный интерес к определению ниши, в которых бактерии могут получить гены антибиотикорезистентности, и механизмов их передачи. В данном обзоре мы рассматриваем проблемы, возникшие на фоне широкого использования человечеством антибактериальных препаратов, в свете формирования микрофлорой кишечника резервуара генов резистентности. Over the time, studies of antibiotic resistance have transformed from focusing on pathogenic microorganisms isolated as a pure culture to analysis of resistance at the level of microbial communities that constitute human and environmental biotopes. Advancing studies of antibiotic resistance require an integrated approach to enhance availability of information about observed tendencies in this field to the global community. It becomes increasingly obvious that, even though not all resistance genes can geographically and phylogenetically spread, the threat they pose is indeed serious and requires complex interdisciplinary research. Currently, the antibiotic resistance of human pathogens has become a challenge to modern medicine, which is now focusing on determining a potential source for bacterial genes of drug resistance and mechanisms for the gene transmission. In this review, we discussed problems generated by the widespread use of antibacterial drugs in the light of forming a reservoir of resistance genes by gut microflora.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubem Figueiredo Sadok Menna-Barreto ◽  
Solange Lisboa de Castro

The pathogenic trypanosomatidsTrypanosoma brucei,Trypanosoma cruzi, andLeishmaniaspp. are the causative agents of African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis, respectively. These diseases are considered to be neglected tropical illnesses that persist under conditions of poverty and are concentrated in impoverished populations in the developing world. Novel efficient and nontoxic drugs are urgently needed as substitutes for the currently limited chemotherapy. Trypanosomatids display a single mitochondrion with several peculiar features, such as the presence of different energetic and antioxidant enzymes and a specific arrangement of mitochondrial DNA (kinetoplast DNA). Due to mitochondrial differences between mammals and trypanosomatids, this organelle is an excellent candidate for drug intervention. Additionally, during trypanosomatids’ life cycle, the shape and functional plasticity of their single mitochondrion undergo profound alterations, reflecting adaptation to different environments. In an uncoupling situation, the organelle produces high amounts of reactive oxygen species. However, these species role in parasite biology is still controversial, involving parasite death, cell signalling, or even proliferation. Novel perspectives on trypanosomatid-targeting chemotherapy could be developed based on better comprehension of mitochondrial oxidative regulation processes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron J. Friedman ◽  
Jacob D. Durrant ◽  
Levi C. T. Pierce ◽  
Thomas J. McCorvie ◽  
David J. Timson ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
August Stich

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness) is caused by two subspecies of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei: T. b. rhodesiense is prevalent in East Africa among many wild and domestic mammals; T. b. gambiense causes an anthroponosis in Central and West Africa. The disease is restricted to tropical Africa where it is transmitted by the bite of infected tsetse flies (...


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 2373-2378
Author(s):  
Yan-Bing Ding ◽  
Jun Chen ◽  
Li-Xia Huang ◽  
Ye-Li Gong ◽  
Fa-Hu Yuan ◽  
...  

Purpose: To evaluate the antitrypanosomal activity of Malva sylvestris (MS) extract in a Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected  mouse model of sleeping sickness.Methods: Sleeping sickness was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected blood in mice.  Confirmation of parasitaemia was performed by estimating the parasite count in the plasma on the 12th day after inoculation. All the mice were divided into five groups: control group that received neither infection nor treatment; negative control that was  infected with the parasite but did not receive treatment; MS-treated group that receive MS extract (250 and 500 mg/kg, ip) and standard (STD) group that received levamisole (7.5 mg/kg, ip) for 7 days after the development of parasitaemia. A further parasite count was performed in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after the treatment period. Humoral antibody response,  delayed hypersensitivity reaction, and mobilization of leucocytes were determined after the treatment period in SRBC-sensitized mice.Results: The results indicate that treatment with MS significantly decreased body weight and parasite count in the blood and CSF of mice with Trypanosoma brucei brucei-induced sleeping sickness compared with that in the negative control group. There was a significant increase in paw swelling and decrease in secondary antibody in the MS-treated group compared with that in the  negative control group. However, treatment with MS extract also enhanced the mobilization of the total leucocyte count compared with that in the negative control group.Conclusion: The results demonstrate the anti-trypanosomal activity of Malva sylvestris extract via immunomodulation in a  Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected mouse model of sleeping sickness.Keywords: Malva sylvestris, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Sleeping sickness, Immunomodulatory activity, Delayed hypersensitivity reaction


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