EVALUATION OF SELECTED ANTIPROTOZOAL DRUGS IN THE BABESIA MICROTI-HAMSTER MODEL

The presently used therapy for Babesia microti infections, a combinati on of quinine and clindamycin, does not always result in parasitologic cures, To identify possible alternative chemotherapeutic agents for s uch infections, we screened, in the hamster-B. microti system, 12 anti protozoal drugs that have either recently been released for human use or were in experimental stages of development at the Waiter Reed Army Institute of Research for the treatment of malaria and leishmaniasis, Several well-recognized antimalarial drugs, such as mefloquine, halofa ntrine, artesunate, and artelenic acid, exhibited little or no effect on parasitemia, Two 8-aminoquinolines, WR006026 iethylaminohexylamino) -6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline dihydrochloride] and WR238605 -dimethoxy- 4-methyl-5-(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy-7) quinoline succinate], produced clearance of patent parasitemia, Furthermore, blood from infected ham sters treated with WR238605 via an intramuscular injection failed to i nfect naive hamsters on subpassage, thus producing a parasitologic cur e, These two compounds merit further screening in other systems and ma y prove useful in treating human babesiosis.