Biomaterial Database

Atovaquone in the treatment of Babesia microti infections in hamsters. 1996

M Wittner, and J Lederman, and H B Tanowitz, and G S Rosenbaum, and L M Weiss

Department of Pathology (Division of Parasitology), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, Southampton Hospital, Southampton, New York, USA.

The traditional therapy for the treatment of human Babesia microti infections has been the combination of clindamycin and quinine. However, in recent years, it has become apparent that some patients have not responded to this regimen. We became involved in the treatment of several cases of babesiosis in which atovaquone was used to treat this infection. Therefore, using the hamster model, we determined the efficacy of atovaquone alone as well as atovaquone plus azithromycin for the treatment of experimental babesiosis. Atovaquone (100 mg/kg/day) and atovaquone (100 mg/kg/day) with azithromycin (150 mg/kg/day) were effective agents for the treatment of experimental babesiosis in hamsters. When atovaquone was used as monotherapy recrudescences occurred. Organisms obtained from recrudescent animals, when inoculated into uninfected animals, proved to be unresponsive to atovaquone therapy, suggesting the emergence of drug resistance. Resistant organisms did not emerge in hamsters treated with the combination of atovaquone and azithromycin. Atovaquone should be considered in the therapeutic regimen of patients with babesiosis who have either failed standard therapy or have become intolerant to such therapy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009285	Naphthoquinones	Naphthalene rings which contain two ketone moieties in any position. They can be substituted in any position except at the ketone groups.	Naphthalenediones,Naphthazarins,Naphthoquinone
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004359	Drug Therapy, Combination	Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect.	Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000900	Anti-Bacterial Agents	Substances that inhibit the growth or reproduction of BACTERIA.	Anti-Bacterial Agent,Anti-Bacterial Compound,Anti-Mycobacterial Agent,Antibacterial Agent,Antibiotics,Antimycobacterial Agent,Bacteriocidal Agent,Bacteriocide,Anti-Bacterial Compounds,Anti-Mycobacterial Agents,Antibacterial Agents,Antibiotic,Antimycobacterial Agents,Bacteriocidal Agents,Bacteriocides,Agent, Anti-Bacterial,Agent, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agent, Antibacterial,Agent, Antimycobacterial,Agent, Bacteriocidal,Agents, Anti-Bacterial,Agents, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agents, Antibacterial,Agents, Antimycobacterial,Agents, Bacteriocidal,Anti Bacterial Agent,Anti Bacterial Agents,Anti Bacterial Compound,Anti Bacterial Compounds,Anti Mycobacterial Agent,Anti Mycobacterial Agents,Compound, Anti-Bacterial,Compounds, Anti-Bacterial
D000962	Antimalarials	Agents used in the treatment of malaria. They are usually classified on the basis of their action against plasmodia at different stages in their life cycle in the human. (From AMA, Drug Evaluations Annual, 1992, p1585)	Anti-Malarial,Antimalarial,Antimalarial Agent,Antimalarial Drug,Anti-Malarials,Antimalarial Agents,Antimalarial Drugs,Agent, Antimalarial,Agents, Antimalarial,Anti Malarial,Anti Malarials,Drug, Antimalarial,Drugs, Antimalarial
D000981	Antiprotozoal Agents	Substances that are destructive to protozoans.	Schizonticides,Agents, Antiprotozoal
D001404	Babesiosis	A group of tick-borne diseases of mammals including ZOONOSES in humans. They are caused by protozoa of the genus BABESIA, which parasitize erythrocytes, producing hemolysis. In the U.S., the organism's natural host is mice and transmission is by the deer tick IXODES SCAPULARIS.	Babesiasis,Piroplasmosis,Babesia Infection,Babesia Parasite Infection,Human Babesiosis,Babesia Infections,Babesia Parasite Infections,Babesiases,Babesioses,Babesioses, Human,Babesiosis, Human,Human Babesioses,Infection, Babesia,Infection, Babesia Parasite,Infections, Babesia,Infections, Babesia Parasite,Piroplasmoses