Chemotherapy of human African trypanosomiasis: current and future prospects

Three of the four currently approved drugs for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) were developed over 50 years ago. All of the current therapies are unsatisfactory for various reasons, including unacceptable toxicity, poor efficacy, undesirable route of administration, and drug resistance. The possible modes of action of these drugs are briefly reviewed, as are the possible mechanisms of resistance. The intermediate and long-term prospects for the development of safer, effective drugs are discussed.