Babesia infections

Quinuronium is a complex urea compound (Fig. 5.7) widely used in Babesia infections in horses, cattle, sheep, and swine. The drug is administered only subcutaneously at dosages of 0.3-0.5 mg/kg bw in horses and 0.5 mg/kg bw in cattle, sheep and swine. 

Quinine is first-line therapy, in combination with clindamycin, in the treatment of infection with Babesia microti or other human babesial infections. 

Spirogermanium has antimalarial activity9, but had no effect on Babesia microti infection in the hamster model166. 

The economic importance of other protozoal diseases in domestic animals has received much attention as well. It has been estimated that nearly 1.2 billion cattle in the world are potentially exposed to the risk of babesiasis caused by different species of Babesia. The highest economic loss due to Babesia spp. in cattle occurs in the U.S.A., Australia, South Africa and South America [44,45]. Trypanosomiasis is another important disease of cattle. The impact of this infection is spread over 10 million square kilometers area of Africa extending from the Sahara to Limpopo and threatens the health of over 25 million cattle and 35 million people. This may be responsible for severe economic losses, which is evident from the fact that livestock in Africa are treated with more than 25 million doses of various trypanosomicidal drugs every year [46]. Trypanosomiasis in cattle may, therefore, be one of the reasons why Africa produces about 70 times less animal protein per unit area than Europe [47]. 

Richier, E., Biagini, G. A., Wein, S., Boudou, F., Bray, P. G., Ward, S. A., Precigout, E., Calas, M., Dubremetz, J. F., and Vial, H. J. (2006). Potent antihematozoan activity of novel bisthiazolium drug T16 Evidence for inhibition of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in erythrocytes infected with Babesia and Plasmodium spp. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 50,3381-3388. 

For P. falciparum, and the related parasite Babesia divergens, high density lipoproteins (HDL) are a major source of preformed lipid, in particular PC, significant amounts of which were converted into PE (24,25). A unidirectional flux of PC to the erythrocyte membrane from HDL and subsequently to the intracellular parasite was proposed for both parasites. Malaria-infected erythrocytes can acquire phospholipids (PC, PE, PS) directly from lipid vesicles this phenomenon, which is enhanced by PhL transfer proteins, may involve exchange with the erythrocyte membrane (26). 

Valentin, A., Rigomier, D., Precigout, E., Carey, B., Gorenflot, A. and Schrevel, J. (1991) Lipid trafficking between high density lipoproteins and Babesia divergens-infected human erythrocytes. Biol. Cell 73 63-70. 

Prospects. Other indications for malaria for the artemisinin drugs are currently under investigations. Without a final proof, other erythrocyte persisting parasites like Babesia are maybe another interesting target parasite. But also Toxoplasma gondii, Pneumocystis carinii infections in mice have been treated successfully with artemisinin drugs [157-159],... 

Anaplasma. Babesia. Cowdria and Theileria. has been reviewed.ii Halo-fuginone at 1.2mg/kg p.o. in two doses, given on the first and fourth days of fever, was curative in corridor disease (T. parva lawrencei infections), though recovered animals became carriers.Ill C6 10213-GO ( ) was superior... 

A series of -aIkoxy amidinobenzene derivatives, such as phenamidine (70) and pentamidine (71), were used in veterinary medicine as an antiprotozoal towards Babesia. Pentamidine (71) has been used for the treatment of human protozoan infections [102], and... 

Protozoan parasites are capable of the polyclonal stimulation of B-cells, and, hence, in some infections (e.g., trypanosomiasis) large quantities of non-trypanosomal IgM and IgG antibodies are produced, fti such instances, the immunoassayist should have the capability of distinguishing parasite-specific from nonspecific antibody responses. Protozoan parasites are also capable of depressing the immune response (immunodepression) (e.g., Babesia), and in such instances circulating antibody levels are reduced. The above phenomena must be borne in mind when devising ELISAs for protozoan parasites. 

Phosgene and 3-aminobenzonitrile reacted to give the urea (353), which was treated with ethanolic hydrogen chloride followed by ammonia to give amicarbalide (354) Scheme 5.79.). The di-isethionate salt of this diamidine is used to treat Babesia divergens infections of cattle [391, 475],... 

Protozoa Babesia has become a major transfusion concern, in large part due to asymptomatic adults who may still transmit the infection and the lack of approved testing [164. ... 

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