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Studies on the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Immunoregulation by Selective Compounds in Experimental Visceral.

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Title Studies on the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Immunoregulation by Selective Compounds in Experimental Visceral.
 
Creator Haldar, Arun Kumar
 
Subject Infectious Diseases and Immunology
 
Description Leishmaniasis, a diverse group of diseases, is caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. An estimated 500,000 new cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) occur globally each year, and a tenth of these cases are fatal (WHO, 2005). Almost 90% of those affected by the disease exist in five countries: India (especially Bihar), Bangladesh, Nepal, (northeastern), Brazil, and Sudan (WHO, 2005). Unfortunately, among several problems compromising the efficacy of drugs to treat kala-azar, two of the most serious limitations are the rapidity with which target pathogens develop resistance and the slow rate at which
affordable replacements appear in the market (Ouellette and Papadopoulou, 1993). There is a hypothesis that due to natural selection, drug resistant pathogens will survive more readily in hosts with depressed immune responsiveness (Doenhoff et a , 1992). The pentavalent antimonial drugs Sodium Antimony Gluconate (pentostam) and Glucantime remain the first line of treatment, despite the requirement of long course of parenteral administration (Berman, 1997) and increasing level of resistance (Faraut-Gambarelli et al, 1997). Although alternative drugs or drug formulations (e.g., Ambisome, Miltefosine and Paromomycin) have
proved effective, they present several drawbacks, such as high cost and low availability (Berman, 1997). Use of pentavalent antimony is still largely prevalent due to its affordability although expensive chemotherapeutic agent like miltefosine, which is an effective and safe
treatment for Indian visceral leishmaniasis (Sundar et al, 2002) is being effectively used against VL patients. Due to the growing resistance of the parasite to the cheapest
antileishmanial drug (i.e., pentavalent antimony) and the potential of the parasite to become resistant against other available first line drugs (e.g., Ambisome, Miltefosine and
Paromomycin), the currently used treatment pattern needs to be revised (Croft et al, 2002; Croft et a , 2003; Jha, 2006). Considering the economic condition of people in Kala-azar ridden endemic areas, there is a need to develop cost-effective chemotherapeutic intervention strategies to tackle the further spread of Sb-resistance. Therefore, the search for novel, effective and safe drugs for the treatment of the disease has become a priority.
 
Date 2008
 
Type Thesis
NonPeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.eprints.iicb.res.in/1581/1/Arun_Kumar_Halder_PDF_84.pdf
Haldar, Arun Kumar (2008) Studies on the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Immunoregulation by Selective Compounds in Experimental Visceral. PhD thesis, Jadavpur University.
 
Relation http://www.eprints.iicb.res.in/1581/