Abstract

CIMERMAN, Sérgio; LADEIRA, Maria Cecília Teixeira  and  IULIANO, Wilma Assunção. Blastocystosis: nitazoxanide as a new therapeutic option. Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop. [online]. 2003, vol.36, n.3, pp. 415-417. ISSN 0037-8682.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822003000300016.

We report a case of a patient with AIDS and severe immunosuppression who developed diarrhea due to a vacuolar stage of Blastocystis hominis. The patient was treated with nitazoxanide, a 5-nitrothiazole broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent. We obtained complete remission of symptoms and eradication of the parasite. Nitazoxanide is a new treatment option for blastocystosis in AIDS patients. Further studies to test its efficacy are needed.

Keywords : Blastocystosis; Aids; Nitazoxanide.