Chemotherapy of Malaria and Other Protozoal Diseases

Protozoa being unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms cause several diseases, which are varied in their pathogenesis, presentation, transmission, and responseto treatment. Malaria, one of the oldest diseases known to humankind, is still persistent in several countries despite effective drugs and adequate control measures. Being a vector borne Plasmodium protozoal disease, malaria poses adiverse spectrum of challenges to public health. Currently, infections among pregnant women and children residing in endemic areas are the major challenge for malaria control programs. It is further complicated by the emergence of drug resistant parasites in several countries. The antimalarial drugs for treatment and prophylaxis from quinine to artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) arediscussed in this chapter. The chemotherapeutic drugs against other protozoal infections of importance such as Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Babesia, G. lamblia, E. histolytica, Trichomonas, Toxoplasma, C. parvum, Isospora belli, Cyclosporacayetanensis, D. fragilis, Balantidium coli, Blastocystis hominis, Naegleria fowleri, and Acanthamoeba are also discussed.