by Kande Betu Ku Mesu V, Mutombo Kalonji W, Bardonneau C, Valverde Mordt O, Blesson S, Simon F, Delhomme S, Bernhard S, Kuziena W, Fina Lubaki JP, Lumeya Vuvu S, Nganzobo Ngima P, Mahenzi Mbembo H, Ilunga M, Kasongo Bonama A, Amici Heradi J, Lumaliza Solomo JL, Mandula G, Kaninda Badibabi L, Regongbenga Dama F, Kavunga Lukula P, Ngolo Tete D, Lumbala C, Scherrer B, Strub-Wourgaft N, Tarral A. The Lancet 2017, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32758-7.
Summary: Few therapeutic options are available to treat the late-stage of human African trypanosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease, caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (g-HAT). The firstline treatment is a combination therapy of oral nifurtimox and intravenous eflornithine that needs to be administered in a hospital setting by trained personnel, which is not optimal given that patients often live in remote areas with few health resources. An oral regimen of fexinidazole (a 2-substituted 5-nitroimidazole with proven trypanocidal activity) was found to be effective and safe versus NECT in patients with late-stage g-HAT. Fexinidazole could be a key asset in the elimination of this fatal neglected disease.
