Efficacy of Azithromycin and Miltefosine in Experimental Systemic Pythiosis in Immunosuppressed Mice

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Dec 21;63(1):e01385-18. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01385-18. Print 2019 Jan.

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy of azithromycin (50 mg/kg, every 12 h [q12h] orally) and miltefosine (25 mg/kg, q24h orally) treatments in an experimental model of vascular/disseminated pythiosis in immunosuppressed mice. Azithromycin was the only treatment able to reduce mortality. The histopathological findings showed acute vascular inflammation, pathogen dissemination, necrotizing myositis, neuritis, and arteritis. The results suggest that azithromycin, but not miltefosine, may have clinical relevance in the treatment of vascular/disseminated pythiosis.

Keywords: Pythium insidiosum; azithromycin; miltefosine; treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Azithromycin / therapeutic use*
  • Immunocompromised Host / immunology
  • Mice
  • Phosphorylcholine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Phosphorylcholine / therapeutic use
  • Pythiosis / drug therapy*
  • Pythiosis / parasitology
  • Pythium / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Phosphorylcholine
  • miltefosine
  • Azithromycin