Tropical Medicine

Current Advances in Computational Strategies for Drug Discovery in Leishmaniasis (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 2

Selection of drug targets by metabolic flux balance analysis and in silico deletions Proteins involved in metabolism constitute another important source of drug targets. The energetic balance in the cell is controlled by enzymes that regulate the transformation of substrates in a coordinated and efficient manner. These enzymes are needed specifically for producing energy or […]

Advances in Serological Diagnosis of Chagas’ Disease by Using Recombinant Proteins (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 1

Introduction Chagas’ disease is an infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly occurring in American countries where the parasite vector bug, Triatoma infestans, is widespread. One hundred million individuals are currently under threaten of infection, as well as 16 million people are considered affected by the illness in Latin America alone. (Editorial, 2009) Considering […]

Advances in Serological Diagnosis of Chagas’ Disease by Using Recombinant Proteins (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 2

Recombinant proteins use: Mixtures vs. fusion proteins The first works dealing with a single recombinant protein for diagnostic purposes reported lack of sensitivity when using only one of those antigens. (Levin et al., 1991;Moncayo & Luquetti, 1990;Peralta et al., 1994) Consequently, most of these proteins have been evaluated not only alone and independently from others, […]

Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 1

Introduction Echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection caused by adult or larval (metacestode) stages of cestodes belonging to the genus Echinococcus and the family Taeniidae. Life cycles imply two mammal hosts. Definitive hosts are carnivores containing adult forms in the gut. The infection is acquired by the intermediate hosts and humans after the ingestion of eggs […]

Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 2

Surgery Surgery is indicated for large liver cysts with multiple daughter cysts; single liver cysts, situated superficially that may rupture spontaneously or as a result of trauma; cysts that are infected; cysts communicating with biliary tree and/or exerting pressure on adjacent vital organs; cysts in the lung, brain and kidney, bones and other organs. Surgery […]

Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 3

Laboratory findings of AE The routine laboratory tests do not yield specific findings. The blood sedimentation rate is elevated in most of the cases. The numbers of leucocytes and platelets may be depressed in patients with splenomegaly. Lymphopaenia is frequent in advanced cases, and eosinophilia is usually absent. Cholestasis with or without jaundice is observed […]

A Programme to Control Taeniosis-Cysticercolsis (Taenia solium) in Mexico (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths)

Introduction Taenia solium cysticercosis is a zoonosis which affects animals, mainly pigs, and human beings. In pigs the cysticerci are found both in muscles and in the brain, in human beings predominantly in the form of neurocysticercosis (Escobar,1983; Fleury et al., 2003, 2006, 2010) but muscular, subcutaneous and ocular forms have also been reported. (Larralde […]

Antischistosomal Natural Compounds: Present Challenges for New Drug Screens (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 1

Introduction Schistosomiasis, or bilharzias, is a neglected disease that remains a considerable public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions. This parasitic disease is the most important human helminth infection in terms of morbidity and mortality and is a growing concern worldwide. It is estimated that more than 200 million people have been infected and […]

Antischistosomal Natural Compounds: Present Challenges for New Drug Screens (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 2

Parasite culture system In vitro studies with schistosomula, juvenile and adult worms of S. mansoni are frequently used in screening strategies for the discovery of new antischistosomal drugs (Abdulla et al., 2009; Keiser, 2010; Molgaard et al., 2001; Peak et al., 2010; Ramirez et al., 2007; Smout et al., 2010; Yousif et al., 2007). Parasites […]

Antischistosomal Natural Compounds: Present Challenges for New Drug Screens (Tropical Diseases Due to Protozoa and Helminths) Part 3

Assessment of changes in the tegument of parasites The tegument is the major interface between the schistosome and its external environment. In addition to providing protection, the tegument is an important site of the uptake of nutrients and other molecules. Moreover, the tegument is extremely important for infection success and survival in the host, and […]

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