Anti- Parasitic Drugs Flashcards
Macroscopic parasites
taenia species (tapeworms), enterobius (pinworm), pediculus (head louse)
Microscopic parasites
Entamoeba (amebiasis), giardia (beaver fever), trichomonas, plasmodium (malaria)
Beef tapeworm
Taenia saginata
Pork tapeworm
Taenia solium
Life cycle of Taenia species
Humans ingest undercooked meat → attaches to intestine → becomes adult → eggs get into feces → cattle or pigs ingest contaminated vegetation → oncospheres get into musculature and stay there
Structures at anterior end of tapeworm
Hooks and suckers
Cestocidal drugs
Praziquantel, niclosamide
Praziquantel mechanism
Binds outer layer of parasite and produces vacuoles, which causes an influx of calcium and muscle contraction → paralysis, dislodgement, death
Pk of praziquantel
High bioavailability orally
Clinical uses of praziquantel
Drug of choice against cestode infections, given in a single oral dose but cannot chew due to bitter taste
Adverse reactions to praziquantel
Mild nausea, headache, abdominal discomfort
Niclosamide mechanism
Inhibits ATP production and rapidly kills scolex and segments of adult tapeworms
Pk of niclosamide
Minimally absorbed from gi tract (good thing)
Clinical uses of niclosamide
Second choice for taenia species, given as a single oral done but is cheaper and accessible
Adverse reactions of niclosamide
Rare; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Prevention of tapeworm reinfection
Fully cook meat
Life cycle of enterobius vermicularis
Humans ingest eggs → larvae in si → adults in caecum → migrate to perianal region at night to lay eggs → eggs mature in 4-6 hours → ingested again
Clinical presentation of enterobius vermicularis
School-aged, asymptomatic, itching causes irritability, incontinence, weight loss
Minimizing enterobius infection
Personal hygiene, clean bedrooms, bed linen and night clothes changed frequently
Drugs for enterobius vermicularis
Mebendazole, pyrantel
Mebendazole pk
Given orally and minimally absorbed
Mebendazole mechanism
Binds beta tubulin so microtubules can’t polymerize → inhibits motility, glucose uptake, and division so parasite is slowly killed and expelled in feces
When you should not give mebendazole
When pt has diarrhea because quicker transit time means lower efficacy
Clinical uses of mebendazole
Pinworms - treat twice @2week intervals
Adverse reactions of mebendazole
Short-term is basically free of adverse effects, but is teratogenic
Pyrantel pk
Poorly absorbed from gi tract
Pyrantel mechanism
Acts at neuromuscular junction on nicotinic receptors to cause release of ACh and inhibition of AChE → paralysis → expulsion
Pyrantel clinical uses
Pinworms but narrower spectrum, treat twice @ 2 week interval
Adverse reactions of pyrantel
Mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Life cycle of pediculus capitis
Stay on head and feed on human blood; go from egg to 1st nymph in 8-9 days and egg to adult in 18-21 days
Clinical presentation of pediculus capitis
Itchy head, most easily seen behind ears or back of neck
Transmission of pediculus capitis
Mainly direct head-to-head contact
Drugs for pediculus capitis
Permethrin and malathion