Drug Database: Nifurtimox

What is nifurtimox?What is nifurtimox?

What is nifurtimox?

Nifurtimox is an antiprotozoal prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Chagas disease caused by infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Nifurtimox is FDA-approved for use in children who are less than 18 years of age and weigh at least 5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg).

Chagas disease can be an opportunistic infection (OI) of HIV. An OI is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as people with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems. To learn more about OIs, read the HIVinfo What is an Opportunistic Infection? fact sheet.

How is nifurtimox used in people with HIV?How is nifurtimox used in people with HIV?

How is nifurtimox used in people with HIV?

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents With HIV include recommendations on the use of nifurtimox in people with HIV to treat Chagas disease and prevent Chagas disease from reactivating.

The recommended uses may not always be consistent with FDA-approved uses of nifurtimox. See the Guidelines for complete information on recommended uses of nifurtimox in adults and adolescents with HIV. Nifurtimox may have other recommended uses not listed above.

What should I tell my health care provider before using nifurtimox?What should I tell my health care provider before using nifurtimox?

What should I tell my health care provider before using nifurtimox?

Before using nifurtimox, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to nifurtimox or any other medicines.
• About any medical conditions you have or have had, including:
  • Brain injury or seizures
  • Mental health problems or behavioral changes
  • Liver or kidney problems
  • Porphyria (a group of genetic disorders that mainly affect the skin or nervous system)
• If you drink alcohol or take medicines that contain alcohol.
• About anything that could affect your ability to take medicines, such as difficulty swallowing or remembering to take tablets.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking nifurtimox during pregnancy. The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV may include other recommendations on the use of nifurtimox during pregnancy. Please refer to these guidelines for additional information.
• If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. For mothers with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. Mothers with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk. Although most medicines are safe to use while breastfeeding, some medicines should be avoided. Always let your health care provider know about all the medicines and supplements you are using before you start breastfeeding.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Nifurtimox may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how nifurtimox works. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between nifurtimox and the other medicines you take.

How should I take nifurtimox?How should I take nifurtimox?

How should I take nifurtimox?

Take nifurtimox according to your health care provider’s instructions. Your health care provider will tell you how much nifurtimox to take and when to take it. Before you start nifurtimox and each time you get a refill, read any printed information that comes with your medicine.

What side effects can nifurtimox cause?What side effects can nifurtimox cause?

What side effects can nifurtimox cause?

Nifurtimox may cause side effects that can be mild or serious. To learn about possible side effects of nifurtimox, see the FDA drug label or talk to your health care provider or pharmacist. Tell your health care professional if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some side effects.

You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or online.

How should nifurtimox be stored?How should nifurtimox be stored?

How should nifurtimox be stored?

• Store nifurtimox tablets at room temperature, 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
• Keep nifurtimox in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed. If the container has a small packet of drying agent (called a desiccant), do not remove it. The desiccant protects the medicine from moisture.
• Do not use nifurtimox if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away nifurtimox that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep nifurtimox and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about nifurtimox?Where can I find more information about nifurtimox?

Where can I find more information about nifurtimox?

• Recommendations on the HIV-related uses of nifurtimox, from the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Tablet (film- coated). The Patient Package Insert and Instructions For Use include information for people using nifurtimox.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for nifurtimox available from MedlinePlus.
• Nifurtimox-related research studies, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests.)