Superinfection by Trichomonas, a Second Reason to Add Metronidazole to COVID-19 Treatment; a Letter to Editor
Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine,
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2020),
1 January 2020
,
Page e83
https://doi.org/10.22037/aaem.v8i1.971
Abstract
Dear Editor,
All countries are struggling against the COVID-19 pandemic. One million deaths have been recorded. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the major complication. No antiviral therapy has been shown to be clearly effective for reducing the rate of mortality in published randomised controlled trials.
In an article published in the last issue of Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine, metronidazole is suggested to be tested in clinical trials (1). In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that metronidazole could decrease the levels of several cytokines. It could also decrease neutrophil-generated reactive oxygen species, and thus could counteract majority of the immunopathological manifestations of the COVID-19 infection.
Metronidazole could be included in clinical trials for another reason. More than ten years ago we observed that lungs of patients diseased from ARDS, show superimposed infection by trichomonads (2).
- COVID-19, metronidazole, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, SARS-CoV-2, trichomonas infections
How to Cite
References
Gharebaghi R, Heidary F, Moradi M, Parvizi M. Metronidazole; a potential novel addition to the COVID-19 treatment regimen. Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine. 2020;8(1).
Duboucher C, Barbier C, Beltramini A, Rona M, Ricome J-L, Morel G, et al. Pulmonary superinfection by trichomonads in the course of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Lung. 2007;185(5):295-301.
Duboucher C, Caby S, Pierce RJ, Capron M, DEI‐CAS E, Viscogliosi E. Trichomonads as superinfecting agents in Pneumocystis pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 2006;53:S95-S7.
Duboucher C, Gerbod D, Noël C, Durand-Joly I, Delgado-Viscogliosi P, Leclerc C, et al. Frequency of trichomonads as coinfecting agents in Pneumocystis pneumonia. Acta cytologica. 2005;49(3):273-7.
Jacobs JA, Dieleman MM, Cornelissen E, Groen E, Wagenaar SS, Drent M. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology in patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Acta cytologica. 2001;45(3):317.
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