Premium
Newer drugs in amebiasis
Author(s) -
Anderson Hamilton H.
Publication year - 1960
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt19601178
Subject(s) - amoebiasis , disease , medicine , paromomycin , drug , antibiotics , dysentery , entamoeba histolytica , intensive care medicine , phage therapy , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , pharmacology , pathology , aminoglycoside , biochemistry , escherichia coli , bacteriophage , gene
Amebiasis, a systemic disease due to Endamoeba histolytica, is not confined to the tropics. Its incidence reflects the sanitary level of the environment. In the colon, associated bacteria are believed to play a role in its pathogenesis, but not in the liver and other extraintestinal tissues. Realistically, the therapeutic regime depends upon the site of amebic invasion, and whether or not associated organisms are believed to be contributory to the disease complex. “Specific” amebicides are available, capable of clearing the majority of cases, i.e., of chronic amebiasis as seen in the United States. In a minority, however, recurrence of infection, due to amebae with or without associated bacteria, is persistent. To combat recurrence, especially in environments of high endemicity, personal and community hygiene is mandatory. Newer drug types currently under trial are: glycobiarsol, N.F.; representative dichloracetamides, of which Mebinol is an example; certain phenanthrolines, such as Entobex; diamino derivatives, such as MA‐307; and paromomycin (Humatin), an antibiotic. Suppressive therapy and adequate hygienic precautions provide a more enlightened approach to the control of amebiasis. No one therapeutic agent, or combination, is indicated universally in combating this disease.