This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cudmore, S. L. Articles by Garber, G. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cudmore, S. L. Articles by Garber, G. E.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical Microbiology Reviews, October 2004, p. 783-793, Vol. 17, No. 4
0893-8512/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CMR.17.4.783-793.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Treatment of Infections Caused by Metronidazole-Resistant Trichomonas vaginalis

Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology and Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Infections with the sexually transmitted protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis are usually treated with metronidazole, a 5-nitroimidazole drug derived from the antibiotic azomycin. Metronidazole treatment is generally efficient in eliminating T. vaginalis infection and has a low risk of serious side effects. However, studies have shown that at least 5% of clinical cases of trichomoniasis are caused by parasites resistant to the drug. The lack of approved alternative therapies for T. vaginalis treatment means that higher and sometimes toxic doses of metronidazole are the only option for patients with resistant disease. Clearly, studies of the treatment and prevention of refractory trichomoniasis are essential. This review describes the mechanisms of metronidazole resistance in T. vaginalis and provides a summary of trichomonicidal and vaccine candidate drugs.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ali, V., Nozaki, T. (2007). Current Therapeutics, Their Problems, and Sulfur-Containing-Amino-Acid Metabolism as a Novel Target against Infections by "Amitochondriate" Protozoan Parasites. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 20: 164-187 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ong, S.-J., Hsu, H.-M., Liu, H.-W., Chu, C.-H., Tai, J.-H. (2006). Multifarious Transcriptional Regulation of Adhesion Protein Gene ap65-1 by a Novel Myb1 Protein in the Protozoan Parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. Eukaryot Cell 5: 391-399 [Abstract] [Full Text]