Nanotechnological approaches in the treatment of schistosomiasis: an overview

• Lucas Carvalho,
• Michelle Sarcinelli and
• Beatriz Patrício

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 13–25, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.2

• ; nanoformulation; nanotechnology; neglected diseases; praziquantel; schistosoma; Introduction Schistosomiasis is a disease common in tropical countries caused by trematodes from the genus Schistosoma. More than 220 million people are affected by this disease, in addition to 800 million at risk of infection [1][2

• , gut, or bladder, depending on the species, where they elicit a marked immune response. The adult Schistosoma mansoni worms mate in the liver and lay eggs in the mesenteric venules of the intestine [4]. Nowadays, the only treatment available for this disease consists of praziquantel (PZQ) [5

• makes PZQ ineffective against young forms of Schistosoma mansoni, leading to concerns about the emergence of resistant strains. Indeed, reports of resistance have been documented worldwide, prompting research for alternative treatments or new approaches to improve the characteristics of PZQ [7