Antiprotozoal

Antiprotozoal agents (ATC code: ATC P01) is a class of pharmaceuticals used in treatment of protozoan infection.

A paraphyletic group, protozoans have little in common with each other. For example, Entamoeba histolytica, a unikont eukaryotic organism, is more closely related to Homo sapiens (humans), which also belongs to the unikont phylogenetic group, than it is to Naegleria fowleri, a "protozoan" bikont. As a result, agents effective against one pathogen may not be effective against another.[citation needed]

Antiprotozoal agents can be grouped by mechanism[1] or by organism.[2] Recent papers have also proposed the use of viruses to treat infections caused by protozoa.[3][4]

Overuse or misuse of antiprotozoals can lead to the development of antiprotozoal resistance.[5]

  1. ^ Cynthia R. L. Webster (15 June 2001). Clinical pharmacology. Teton NewMedia. pp. 86–. ISBN 978-1-893441-37-8. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  2. ^ Anthony J. Trevor; Bertram G. Katzung; Susan B. Masters (11 December 2007). Katzung & Trevor's pharmacology: examination & board review. McGraw-Hill Professional. pp. 435–. ISBN 978-0-07-148869-3. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  3. ^ Keen, E. C. (2013). "Beyond phage therapy: Virotherapy of protozoal diseases". Future Microbiology. 8 (7): 821–823. doi:10.2217/FMB.13.48. PMID 23841627.
  4. ^ Hyman, P.; Atterbury, R.; Barrow, P. (2013). "Fleas and smaller fleas: Virotherapy for parasite infections". Trends in Microbiology. 21 (5): 215–220. doi:10.1016/j.tim.2013.02.006. PMID 23540830.
  5. ^ Ouellette, Marc (November 2001). "Biochemical and molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in parasites". Tropical Medicine and International Health. 6 (11): 874–882. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.2001.00777.x. ISSN 1360-2276.