LEISHMANISIS

LEISHMANIASIS-TREATMENTS

Leishmaniasis is caused by the protozoan microbial parasites from the genus Leishmania. It is spread by the bite of the insect sandfly.

There are three types such as cutaneous mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis are affecting human beings.

Symptoms

Cutaneous forms are affecting any part of the skin in our body by forming an ulceration.

Mucocutaneous forms are affecting the skin, mouth, and nose with ulcers.

Visceral forms are affecting by starting through skin ulcers followed by fever, anemia, and enlarged liver and spleen.

The following picture shows the disease affecting nose and mouth

Life Cycles of the Organisms

1. A sandfly transfers the flagellated promastigote from an infected animal or human.

2. The promastigote is phagocytized by macrophages.

3. In the macrophages the promastigote is changed to unflagellated amastigote, which then multiplies and kills the cell.

4. The amastigote again gets flagellated to become promastigote and the cycle repeats.

Therapeutics

The drug of choice to these types of infections is sodium stibogluconate (Prenostam) an antimoney compound with sodium.

This drug is acting by inhibition of glycolysis at the phosphofructokinase reactions.

This drug can be administered by slow intravenous infusion. The infusion should be stopped when the patient has cough and chest pain.

The drug is partially metabolized and most of the drug is excreted as it is in the urine.

Side effects

1.Pain in the injection sites

2.G.I.distress

3.Cardiac arrhythmias.

Precautions

Before administering the drug thorough tests for normal functions of the liver and kidney.

Alternatives 

1.Pentamidine-For visceral type

2.Metronidazole-For cutaneous type

3.Amphotericin-B-For mucocutaneous types.