Recent Progress in the Development of Indole-Based Compounds Active against Malaria, Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis

Human protozoan diseases represent a serious health problem worldwide, affecting mainly people in social and economic vulnerability. These diseases have attracted little investment in drug discovery, which is reflected in the limited available therapeutic arsenal. Authorized drugs present problems such as low efficacy in some stages of the disease or toxicity, which result in undesirable side effects and treatment abandonment. Moreover, the emergence of drug-resistant parasite strains makes necessary an even greater effort to develop safe and effective antiparasitic agents. Among the chemotypes investigated for parasitic diseases, the indole nucleus has emerged as a privileged molecular scaffold for the generation of new drug candidates. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the indole-based compounds developed against important parasitic diseases, namely malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, by focusing on the design, optimization and synthesis of the most relevant synthetic indole scaffolds recently reported.

Disulfiram: A repurposed drug in preclinical and clinical development for the treatment of infectious diseases

This article reviews preclinical and clinical studies on the repurposed use of disulfiram (Antabuse) as an antimicrobial agent. Preclinical research covered on the alcohol sobriety aid include uses as an anti-MRSA agent, a carbapenamase inhibitor, antifungal drug for candidiasis, and a treatment for parasitic diseases due to protozoa (e.g., giardiasis, leishmaniasis, malaria) and helminthes (e.g., schistosomiasis, trichuriasis). Past, current, and pending clinical studies on disulfiram as a post-Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) therapy, an HIV latency reversal agent, and an intervention for COVID-19 infections are also reviewed.

Pinworm infection in school children of four districts of Malakand region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Illnesses caused by human pinworm remains a pediatric health problem in developing nations including Pakistan. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis in school children of four districts in Malakand region, Pakistan. Four hundred faecal specimens were screened from May 2014 to July 2017 using normal saline and Lugol Iodine solution. Twenty three (5.75%) individuals were found infected with E. vermicularis. Five children (1.25%) were infected with only E. vermicularis and eighteen (4.5%) were mixed with other helminths. E. vermicularis 23 (5.75%), hookworm 11 (2.75%), Ascaris lumbricoides 5 (1.25%), Taenia saginata 2 (0.5%) and Trichuris trichuira 4 (1%) were detected. Age wise 5-8 years were more parasitized followed by 13-15 and 9-12 years of age (0.0296, P<0.05). Male children were highly (0.06700, P<0.05) infected than female. Children in Malakand district were found more infected followed by Dir Upper, similar infection rate was noted in children of districts Lower Dir and Swat (0.0192, P<0.05). Children in primary level were highly (0.0013, P<0.05) infected than those of middle and high levels. Enterobiosis is still the most common parasitic diseases in children. Studies on enterobiosis should be conducted time by time to recognize the hazardous of such parasitic infection in remote areas of the country.

Feline pulmonary nematodes; new challenges for veterinary practitioners

Pulmonary parasitic diseases have become a frequent feline condition. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior and Capillaria aerophila appear to be the main pathogenic factors. Felines that are affected may display respiratory as well as non-specific symptoms. Diagnostic methods include copromicroscopic, serological and molecular detection, whereas the treatment should be both symptomatic and elective.

Pseudoeosinophilia with Abnormal WBC Scattergram: an Important Diagnostic Clue on Hematology Analyzer

Malaria is one of the most common parasitic diseases causing a significant burden on health care, especially in India. Light microscopy, the gold standard for malaria diagnosis is time-consuming especially in a setup where the caseload is high and parasite index is low. Knowledge of abnormal scattergrams by the malarial parasite is very essential to suspect malaria and screen those cases thoroughly on a peripheral smear for accurate diagnosis. A timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial to the prognosis of this disease. Herein, we report a case of a 40-year-old male from Punjab who presented to the emergency with fever and an altered sensorium. Analyzer showed characteristic pseudo eosinophilia with greying of neutrophil eosinophil zone with double eosinophil cluster. According to flagging rules because of eosinophilia, peripheral blood film (PBF) was made and examined, which revealed Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.

A Study on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Malaria in Urban Slum Area of Kolkata

Background: Malaria is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide and India has fourth highest number of malaria cases and deaths in the world. Prevention of the disease through better knowledge and awareness is the appropriate way to keep the disease away and remain healthy. Thus, the present study was aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding malaria among residents of urban slum area of Kolkata.

AVALIAÇÃO DA PREVALÊNCIA DE ENTEROPARASITOSES EM CRIANÇAS E ADOLESCENTES ATENDIDOS POR UMA AÇÃO SOCIAL NA CIDADE DE SOROCABA – SP

Enteric parasitic diseases pose a major health issue in Brazil. Children living in poorer areas are particularly more likely to become infected with parasites, as inadequate living conditions favor dissemination of such parasites. This work aimed to determine prevalence of parasites in stool samples obtained from children and teenagers supported by social services in the city of Sorocaba – São Paulo. Three stool samples were collected from each child enrolled in the study; samples were subjected to spontaneous sedimentation and then analyzed under a microscope. Children (or any close relatives for them responsible) answered a form regarding education level, eating habits, having had previous enteric parasitic diseases and presence of symptoms associated with such diseases. Prevalence of enteric parasitic diseases was 30%, these being caused by Entamoeba coli (20%), Giardia lamblia (2.5%), Iodamoeba butschlii (2.5%) and Urbanorum spp. (5%); no helminths were identified. While there is a likely contamination of children and teenagers via drinking water and food, prevalence of enteric parasitic diseases was lower when compared to other studies found in scientific literature, most likely due to local families being supported by social services.

The State of Art of Extracellular Traps in Protozoan Infections (Review)

Protozoan parasite infection causes severe diseases in humans and animals, leading to tremendous economic and medical pressure. Natural immunity is the first line of defence against parasitic infection. Currently, the role of natural host immunity in combatting parasitic infection is unclear, so further research on natural host immunity against parasites will provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of related parasitic diseases. Extracellular traps (ETs) are an important natural mechanism of immunity involving resistance to pathogens. When immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages are stimulated by external pathogens, they release a fibrous network structure, consisting mainly of DNA and protein, that can capture and kill a variety of extracellular pathogenic microorganisms. In this review, we discuss the relevant recently reported data on ET formation induced by protozoan parasite infection, including the molecular mechanisms involved, and discuss the role of ETs in the occurrence and development of parasitic diseases.

Clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in young children

Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common dermatological diseases in infants and young children. The disease is characterized by a chronic recurrent course with itching, erythema, lichenification and desquamation. Typical cases are diagnosed on the clinically available diagnostic criteria. However, similar clinical manifestations are found in a number of other diseases that can simulate, accompany or complicate the course of atopic dermatitis. They include inflammatory skin conditions, infections, parasitic diseases, genodermatoses, immunodeficiencies and malignancies, as well as nutritional disorders, graft-versus-host disease, and drug disease. Knowledge of the spectrum of these diseases and their distinctive features is crucial for the correct and timely diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, the selection of the optimal treatment.