Targeting Wolbachia, doxycycline reduces pathology of Lymphatic Filariasis

According to a new study published in the open access journal PLoS Pathogens, these pathologies can be treated with doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic. The treatment works by targeting Wolbachia bancrofti, a bacterial symbiote of the microscopic parasitical worms responsible for the disease.

Existing treatments for lymphatic filariasis kill the larvae of these worms, an effective measure against transmission, but offer only partial relief for people with adult worms in their blood. The studies suggest that doxycycline, which is already approved for human use, could provide an ameliorating treatment for persons suffering from the ailment, though mass treatment may still be a long way off.

Dr. Achim Hoerauf (University of Bonn, Germany) and colleagues used a double-blind trial in Ghana as the foundation of their report. In the course of the research, which was supported by grants from the European Commission and the VW-Foundation, 200 mg/day of doxycycline was administered to a sample group for a six week period. Follow ups at 4, 12, and 24 months showed a reduction in the pathology of the disease and an improvement in the condition of infected individuals.

Media Contact

Andrew Hyde alfa

More Information:

http://www.plos.org

All latest news from the category: Health and Medicine

This subject area encompasses research and studies in the field of human medicine.

Among the wide-ranging list of topics covered here are anesthesiology, anatomy, surgery, human genetics, hygiene and environmental medicine, internal medicine, neurology, pharmacology, physiology, urology and dental medicine.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Acetylation: a Time-Keeper of glucocorticoid Sensitivity

Understanding the regulatory mechanism paves the way to enhance the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory therapies and to develop strategies to counteract the negative effects of stress- and age-related cortisol excess. The…

Mini satellite wants to take quantum communication to space

Researchers from Jena, Würzburg and Potsdam have successfully developed a design for the smallest system of its kind so far to take highly secure quantum communication to space: Led by…

Results for control of pollutants in water

Brazilian scientists tested a simple and sustainable method for monitoring and degrading a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, compounds present in fossil fuels and industrial waste. An article published in the journal Catalysis…

Partners & Sponsors