Can Ferriprox® cause Yersinia enterocolitica infection?
Unlike deferoxamine, which is a microbial siderophore that can be used by Yersinia enterocolitica for the acquisition of iron, deferiprone is a synthetic iron chelator with a structure markedly different from that of microbial siderophores. It has been demonstrated that deferiprone is unable to promote growth of Yersinia enterocolitica in vitro, even after prolonged contact (48 h), or when concentrations of the drug as high as 150 M are used (Lesic, 2002). Furthermore, in contrast to deferoxamine, deferiprone does not have the potential to promote Yersinia enterocolitica septicemia, as shown in the mouse experimental model of infection (Lesic, 2002). Consistent with the in vitro and animal studies, rare reports of Yersinia infections have been identified in patients undergoing chelation therapy with Ferriprox®.
