Drug Resistance in Protozoan Parasites: An Incessant Wrestle for Survival

Abstract

Nowadays, drug resistance in parasites is considered to be one of the foremost concerns in health and disease management. It is interconnected worldwide and undermines the health of millions of people, threatening to grow worse. Unfortunately, it does not receive serious attention from every corner of society. Consequently, drug resistance in parasites is gradually complicating and challenging the treatment of parasitic diseases. In this context, we have dedicated ourselves to review the incidence of drug resistance in the protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Entamoeba and Toxoplasma gondii. Moreover, understanding the role of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in drug resistance is essential in the control of parasitic diseases. Therefore, we also focused on the involvement of ABC transporters in drug resistance, which will be a superior approach to find ways for better regulation of diseases caused by parasitic infections.

Keywords: ABC transporters; Drug resistance; Protozoan parasites.