Therapy of vector-borne protozoan infections in nonendemic settings

Abstract

Vector-borne protozoan infections are responsible for a wide variety of illnesses (mainly malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis) affecting tropical and subtropical areas, but increasingly diagnosed in nonendemic settings. This article summarizes the therapeutic developments for these conditions during the past decade and focuses specifically on treatment recommendations for returning travelers and migrants. The treatment of malaria has known the most spectacular improvements. Progress in the management of leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis has also been substantial and includes introduction of new drugs into clinical practice, combinations of existing drugs, or new laboratory tools for treatment monitoring as well as extension of treatment indications to new groups of patients. Serious gaps still exist in terms of effectiveness and tolerance. Since the research pipeline is very limited for the coming 5–10 years, optimized combinations of existing drugs need to be urgently explored.

Keywords::

• Chagas disease
• leishmaniasis
• malaria
• migrant
• nonendemic
• protozoa
• sleeping sickness
• therapy
• traveler
• trypanosomiasis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.