Increased Parasite Burden Linked to Antimonial Resistance in Leishmania donovani
Author Information
Author(s): Vanaerschot Manu, De Doncker Simonne, Rijal Suman, Maes Louis, Dujardin Jean-Claude, Decuypere Saskia
Primary Institution: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
Hypothesis
SSG-resistant L. donovani might have increased in vivo survival skills which could affect the efficacy of other treatments such as MIL.
Conclusion
There is a positive association between SSG-resistance and in vivo survival skills in L. donovani strains, but this does not seem to affect their susceptibility to MIL.
Supporting Evidence
- SSG-resistant parasites caused a significantly higher in vivo parasite load compared to SSG-sensitive parasites.
- Both SSG-R and SSG-S strains responded equally well to MIL treatment.
- The study highlights the need to monitor drug efficacy in the context of the Kala-azar elimination programme.
Takeaway
Some germs that cause a disease can become stronger and survive better when treated with certain medicines, but they might still be affected by other medicines.
Methodology
The study involved infecting BALB/c mice with 14 strains of L. donovani and assessing their survival capacity and response to MIL treatment.
Limitations
The study is based on a mouse model, which may not fully represent human infections.
Participant Demographics
Strains derived from Nepalese clinical isolates.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p>0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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