Efficacy of voriconazole in a murine model of acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy Vol. 68; no. 4; pp. 888 - 894
• Main Authors: Gulin, J E N, Eagleson, M A, Postan, M, Cutrullis, R A, Freilij, H, Bournissen, F Garcia, Petray, P B, Altcheh, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford Publishing Limited (England) 01.04.2013
• Subjects: Animal Structures - parasitology; Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents - therapeutic use; Chagas Disease - drug therapy; Chagas Disease - mortality; Chagas Disease - parasitology; Chagas Disease - pathology; Comparative analysis; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Histocytochemistry; Medical treatment; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mortality; Musculoskeletal system; Parasitemia - drug therapy; Parasites; Pyrimidines - therapeutic use; Rodents; Survival Analysis; Triazoles - therapeutic use; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - drug effects; Voriconazole
• ISSN: 0305-7453; 1460-2091
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/dks478

Antifungal triazole derivatives have been studied as possible alternatives for the treatment of Chagas' disease. Voriconazole has demonstrated in vitro activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, but its efficacy in vivo has not yet been tested. We aimed to determine the effect of voriconazole in a murine model of acute T. cruzi infection. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by comparing parasitaemia, mortality and organ involvement (by histological examination) of infected mice. Treatment with voriconazole significantly lowered parasitaemia and mortality compared with controls, reduced the percentage of mice with amastigote nests in heart and skeletal muscle and moderately decreased myocardial inflammation. Our findings support the potential of voriconazole for the treatment of acute Chagas' disease and motivate future animal studies using varying doses and treatment schemes. Further evaluation of voriconazole for clinical use in human Chagas' patients is warranted.