JAC Advance Access originally published online on December 12, 2005
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2006 57(2):273-278; doi:10.1093/jac/dki417
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In vitro activity of hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) against metronidazole-resistant and -susceptible strains of Trichomonas vaginalis
1 Department of Medical Parasitology, Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1095 Vienna, Austria; 2 Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1095 Vienna, Austria
Received 16 November 2004; returned 15 May 2005; revised 27 May 2005; accepted 19 October 2005
* Corresponding author. Tel: +43-1-40490-79446; Fax: +43-1-40490-79435; E-mail: julia.walochnik{at}meduniwien.ac.at
Objectives: Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease with worldwide significance. Trichomoniasis can be treated with metronidazole; however, resistant strains of T. vaginalis have been isolated and there is a lack of useful alternative drugs. The aim of the present study was to examine the activity of hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC; miltefosine), a membrane-active alkylphospholipid, that is licensed as an antileishmanial agent against T. vaginalis.
Methods: The efficacy of HePC after 30 min, 1 h, 16 h and 24 h against four different T. vaginalis strains (with varying resistance to metronidazole) was evaluated.
Results: It was shown that all isolates, including the metronidazole-resistant strains, were susceptible to HePC, with EC50s of between 8 and 40 µM and EC90s of between 8 and 80 µM depending on time and on the medium used for the experiments. Treatment of trichomonads with HePC resulted in rounding up and, at concentrations of
40 µM, in subsequent total lysis of the organisms.
Conclusions: HePC may be a promising new candidate for the treatment of trichomoniasis.
Keywords: protozoa , treatment , drug resistance , STD
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