acetylspiramycin and Toxoplasmosis

Topics: Animals; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Pregnancy; Prognosis; Pyrimethamine; Serologic Tests; Spiramycin; Sulfadiazine; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis, Congenital

Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Antiprotozoal Agents; Humans; Lymphadenitis; Pyrimethamine; Spiramycin; Sulfadiazine; Sulfamonomethoxine; Toxoplasmosis

To explore an effective therapy for pregnant Toxoplasma gondii infection by using acetyl spiramycin combined with azithromycin.. ELISA and PCR were used to diagnose and evaluate the therapy efficiency to toxoplasmosis in pregnant women.. The serological test showed that the positive rates of specific antibodies IgM and IgG to Toxoplasma gondii in 285 pregnant women were 1.05% (3/285) and 5.97% (17/285), respectively. All the 3 cases of serum IgM positive pregnant women received the amniotic fluid PCR tests for Toxoplasma gondii DNA and 2 were positive, and they received spiramycin combined with azithromycin. After the therapy, their serum IgM antibody specific to Toxoplasma gondii and positive amniotic fluid PCR test for Toxoplasma gondii DNA turned to be negative.. Acetyl spiramycin in combination with azithromycin is effective in the treatment of pregnant toxoplasmosis.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Azithromycin; DNA, Protozoan; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Leucomycins; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Spiramycin; Toxoplasmosis

We report a case of dermatomyositis (DM) in a 15-year-old female with toxoplasmosis after ingestion of raw bovine liver. Facial erythema and cervical lymphadenopathy preceded myalgia and muscle weakness of the extremities. The diagnostic criteria of DM was fulfilled because of symmetrical and proximal dominant muscle weakness, elevation of myogenic enzyme (CPK, GOT, LDH, myoglobin, aldorase), myogenic pattern of electromyogram, skeletal muscle biopsy showing interstitial myositis with mild destruction of muscle fiber, and facial erythema. Immunological findings showed IgG anti-toxoplasma antibody to be 1340 IU/ml and IgM to be 7.0 (Cut off index 0.7), suggesting acute toxoplasmosis. Treatment with prednisolone for DM and acetylspiramycin for toxoplasmosis was successful. Toxoplasmosis should be considered as a possibility in patients with myositis.

Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antibodies, Protozoan; Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Prednisolone; Spiramycin; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis

Topics: Adult; Humans; Leucomycins; Lymph Nodes; Lymphadenitis; Male; Meningitis; Meningitis, Aseptic; Necrosis; Spiramycin; Toxoplasmosis

In acutely infected mice, acetylspiramycin (ASPM) administered in combination with Obioactin , or sulfamethoxypyrazine ( SMPZ ), prevented Toxoplasma organisms from encysting in the brain and heart tissues. When administered alone, ASPM prevented these organisms from encysting in the heart but not in the brain. All the regimens used failed to reduce the bulk of parasites in the brain and heart tissues of chronically infected mice. Treatment with an ASPM- Obioactin combination, however, brought about the most remarkable reduction, or 52.4%, of the cyst count in the brain of all the methods of treatment applied. Light and electron microscopy of the mice with chronic Toxoplasma infection revealed no changes in the brain or heart tissue of the ASPM- Obioactin treated mice and degenerative changes in the cyst wall and bradyzoites and a remarkable increase of microglias with cysts in the brain in some of these mice.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Antiprotozoal Agents; Brain; Cell Division; Drug Therapy, Combination; Heart; Immunoglobulins; Leucomycins; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Spiramycin; Sulfamethoxypyridazine; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis

A total of 329 human serum samples were collected from the clinics of internal medicine of Obihiro city and its suburbs and were screened for Toxoplasma antibody level using the latex agglutination microtiter method (LA). Ninety-one (27.7%) were positive, 4 (1.2%) were equivocal and 234 (71.1%) were negative. Positive reactants were highest in the age group of 55-74 years old. A relatively high percentage on positive reactants was observed in patients with accompanying cardiac and cerebral disorders, i.e., 33.3% and 35.6%, respectively. ICR-JCL mice were infected with 10(2) tachyzoites of the S-273 strain of T. gondii intraperitoneally. Chronic cases were obtained from those mice which survived the first infection without any further challenge 1 month later. Therapy was carried out by administering acetylspiramycin or spiramycin per os at a dose of 8 mg/0.5 ml per mouse per day for 30 days. After the end of therapy, brain and heart emulsions were made, and passaged to clean mice and observed for 30 days. Antibody titers were also monitored during the course of treatment using the LA microtiter method. In the acute cases, antibody titers were observed to gradually increase from the end of treatment up to 10 weeks. Antibody titers of the chronic cases were maintained at high levels before the start of treatment and up to its termination. Most of the mice subinoculated with brain emulsions obtained from the acute cases, both in the control and treatment groups, died. However, all of the mice subinoculated with heart emulsions from both treatment groups, survived. In the chronic cases, all mice subinoculated with brain emulsions from all groups died. A few survived the heart passages from both treatment groups, however, they showed very high reactions to the LA microtiter method.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies; Brain; Female; Heart; Humans; Leucomycins; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Middle Aged; Spiramycin; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis, Animal