Management of ocular toxoplasmosis

New antibacterials for the treatment of toxoplasmosis; a patent review

INTRODUCTION

Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis. T. gondii is able to infect a wide range of hosts, particularly humans and warm-blooded animals. Toxoplasmosis can be considered as one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases affecting close to one billion people worldwide, but its current chemotherapy is still deficient and is only effective in the acute phase of the disease.

AREAS COVERED

This review covers different approaches to toxoplasmosis chemotherapy focused on the metabolic differences between the host and the parasite. Selective action on different targets such as the isoprenoid pathway, dihydrofolate reductase, T. gondii adenosine kinase, different antibacterials, T. gondii histone deacetylase and calcium-dependent protein kinases is discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

A new and safe chemotherapy is needed, as T. gondii causes serious morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and immunodeficient patients undergoing chemotherapy. A particular drawback of the available treatments is the lack of efficacy against the tissue cyst of the parasite. During this review a broad scope of several attractive targets for drug design have been presented. In this context, the isoprenoid pathway, dihydrofolate reductase, T. gondii histone deacetylase are promising molecular targets.

Current approach in the diagnosis and management of posterior uveitis

Posterior uveitic entities are varied entities that are infective or non-infective in etiology. They can affect the adjacent structures such as the retina, vitreous, optic nerve head and retinal blood vessels. Thorough clinical evaluation gives a clue to the diagnosis while ancillary investigations and laboratory tests assist in confirming the diagnosis. Newer evolving techniques in the investigations and management have increased the diagnostic yield. In case of diagnostic dilemma, intraocular fluid evaluation for polymerase chain testing for the genome and antibody testing against the causative agent provide greater diagnostic ability.