Isospora belli infection: treatment with pyrimethamine

Ann Intern Med. 1988 Sep 15;109(6):474-5. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-109-6-474.

Abstract

Isosporiasis is an uncommon but important diarrheal disease of humans that, like cryptosporidiosis, is life-threatening in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Isospora belli infection responds rapidly to therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, but patients with AIDS have a high rate of adverse reactions to this therapy. The cases of two patients with AIDS, sulfonamide allergy, and I. belli infection are reported. They were treated successfully with pyrimethamine alone, 75 mg/d, and recurrence was prevented with daily pyrimethamine therapy, 25 mg/d. In patients with AIDS with sulfonamide allergy or intolerance, pyrimethamine alone seems to be a reasonable alternative therapy for I. belli infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Coccidiosis / drug therapy*
  • Diarrhea / drug therapy
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Drug Combinations / therapeutic use
  • HIV Seropositivity / complications
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrimethamine / therapeutic use*
  • Recurrence
  • Sulfamethoxazole / therapeutic use
  • Trimethoprim / therapeutic use
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
  • Trimethoprim
  • Sulfamethoxazole
  • Pyrimethamine