TREATMENT
There are few published accounts of treatment of Australian mammals with toxoplasmosis. Therapy is therefore often based on extrapolation from therapeutic regimens in domestic mammals.
Pyrimethamine/sulfonamide, tri- methoprim/sulfadiazine and clindamycin have been used with variable efficacy (Blyde 1999) (see Appendix 4). These drugs are typically effective in the acute stage of the disease, will not eliminate infection and may be associated with significant adverse effects. More recently, atovaquone has been reported for the successful treatment of toxoplasmosis in macropods (Dubey and Crutch- ley 2008). Efficiency of atovaquone was enhanced when combined with clindamycin, clarithromycin, pyrimethamine, or sulfadiazine in murine models of toxoplasmosis (Djurkovic-Djakovic et al. 1999). Absorption is enhanced with fatty meals and administration of atovaquone with equal volumes of peanut or canola oil has been recommended in macropods. A dose of 100 mg/kg PO sid has been recommended, although the duration of treatment required to eliminate infection in marsupials is unknown. Clindamycin at 5 mg/kg for between 6 and 9 mo PO bid has been used to treat toxoplasmosis in managed common (T. trauncatus) and Indo-Pacific bottle nosed dolphins (D Blyde pers. comm.). Supportive therapy in managed dolphins included short-term steroid therapy and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was monitored to assess response to therapy.7.
More on the topic TREATMENT:
- Fluid Therapy for Renal Failure in Horses (Box 44.4)
- Pathophysiology and Clinical Signs of Coccidioidomycosis
- Physitis (Epiphysitis)
- Control
- Acquired Torticollis
- Triaryl Phosphate Poisoning (Chronic Organophosphate Poisoning; Dying-Back Axonopathy)
- TUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIOSIS IN TERRESTRIAL AUSTRALIAN MAMMALS
- References
- Eosinophilic enteritis (EE)
- Compartment, Downer, and Muscle Crush Syndromes of Cattle
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