In vivo efficacy of combination therapy with albendazole and atovaquone against primary hydatid cysts in mice.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
; 40(9): 1815-1820, 2021 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33770336
ABSTRACT
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. Chemotherapy for AE involves albendazole (ABZ), which has shown insufficient efficacy. More effective chemotherapy for AE is needed. Previously, we have demonstrated that atovaquone (ATV), an antimalarial, inhibits mitochondrial complex III of E. multilocularis and restricts the development of larval cysts in in vivo experiments. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the efficacy of ABZ and ATV combination therapy on E. multilocularis in culture and in vivo experiments. Protoscoleces were treated with 50 µM ABZ and/or ATV in the medium; the duration of parasite elimination was determined under aerobic and anaerobic culture. In the in vivo experiment, the effects of ABZ and ATV combination treatment in BALB/c mice infected orally with eggs from the feces of an adult-stage E. multilocularis-infected dog were compared with those of standard oral ABZ therapy. In the culture assay, the duration of elimination associated with ABZ and ATV combination treatment was shorter than that associated with ATV alone under aerobic conditions. Protoscolex viability progressively reduced owing to the combination treatment under anaerobic conditions; however, either drug used singly did not exhibit antiparasitic effects under hypoxia. Furthermore, compared with ABZ alone, the combination treatment significantly reduced the growth of the primary cyst in the liver of mice infected orally with parasite eggs (P = .011). ATV enhances the effect of ABZ in the treatment of AE in mice.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Albendazole
/
Echinococcus multilocularis
/
Echinococcosis
/
Atovaquone
/
Antiparasitic Agents
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
Journal subject:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
/
MICROBIOLOGIA
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Japan