Development of practical application of combination therapy against piroplasmosis in animals

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02337
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42020:Veterinary medical science-related
• Research Institution: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Igarashi Ikuo 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 名誉教授 (80159582)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 横山 直明 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 教授 (80301802)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ピロプラズマ病 / 併用薬剤治療 / 動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Piroplasmosis is an intra-erythrocytic protozoan disease that causes enormous economic loss to animal industry globally. Current drugs have strong side effect and high relapse possibility. In the current study, drug combination effect was evaluated to develop a new chemotherapy with high efficacy and less low side effect.
New several drug combinations were found to kill parasites by in vitro culture system. These combination drugs showed high chemotherapeutic effect in mouse experimental model. Similar chemotherapeutic effects were observed in dog piroplasmosis and Scid mice that were substituted bovine erythrocytes. There results suggest a high possibility for the combination drug therapy for piroplasmosis.

Free Research Field

原虫病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ピロプラズマ病は世界的に甚大な被害を与えており、安全性と治療効果が高い新規の治療法の開発が喫緊の課題となっている。本研究では、原虫殺滅効果が高い数種類の薬剤が発見され、これらのの組み合わせにより、従来の治療薬より効果が高く、副作用の少ない安全な治療の開発が可能となる結果が示唆された。現在世界的人口増加に伴う動物性タンパク質の需要の拡大に対して、これらの安定供給が危惧されている現在、本研究の成果は、将来地球規模の食肉、乳製品の生産増加に貢献することが期待される。