Tag: Neglected tropical diseases

Globally, a public health campaign has brought Guinea worm disease to the brink of eradication, yet a surprising fact remains: there is no effective curative drug for this infection. In the context of dracunculiasis, the concept of a "drug of choice" is fundamentally inapplicable, with treatment focusing on manual removal and supportive care.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease often impacting impoverished communities, and a significant barrier to treatment is drug accessibility and cost. The cost of Glucantime, a key medication, varies drastically depending on region, distribution channel, and procurement method, highlighting vast inequities in access to life-saving treatment.

Originally developed as an anti-cancer agent, miltefosine was later repurposed to treat leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease. The answer to **What is the generic for miltefosine?** is that miltefosine itself is the generic name for this medication, which is sold under the brand name Impavido.

According to a January 2025 opinion by the European Medicines Agency, a fixed-dose combination of ivermectin/albendazole was given a positive recommendation for the treatment of parasitic worm infections, validating the approach of combining these two drugs. This medically supervised combination is commonly used to treat a variety of helminthic infections, particularly in regions where they are endemic.

Over 883 million people worldwide remain at risk for lymphatic filariasis (LF), a disabling parasitic disease targeted for elimination. As part of the global effort to combat this disease, the question of **is albendazole used for filariasis** is critical, as it plays an essential role in mass drug administration (MDA) strategies.

Benznidazole and nifurtimox are two of the only available drugs for treating Chagas disease, caused by the parasite *Trypanosoma cruzi*. In fact, treatment is necessary for all acute or reactivated Chagas cases to combat this serious parasitic infection that affects millions across the Americas.

First synthesized in 1916, suramin was a landmark antiparasitic drug, yet its use has significantly declined due to severe adverse effects, complex administration, and the development of more effective therapies. The question of what is the alternative to suramin is now answered by a range of modern medications tailored to specific diseases.

Leishmaniasis is classified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization and is the second-leading parasitic killer globally, after malaria. The strategy of drug repurposing—the process of finding new uses for existing drugs—is providing a critical, cost-effective pathway to identify novel treatments for this parasitic infection.