Last Updated: 18/06/2024
Molecular pathogenesis of malaria and bacterial concomitant infections
Objectives
This project aims to investigate the host responses as well as geno and phenotypic differences in the pathogens themselves by sampling both blood constituents and nasopharynx as well as stool and urine samples from children between six months and five years of age in acute stages of the disease.
Concomitant infections by malaria and bacteria occur at high frequencies in sub-Saharan Africa. Mounting evidence suggest that bacteremic co-infection together with malaria aggravates disease and significantly raises both mortality and morbidity in these patients. This research group has become interested in the pato-physiological mechanisms behind this phenomenon. The researchers have chosen two important examples of pathogenic bacteria for the purpose of exploring it; Streptococcus pneumonieae and Relapsing fever Borrelia, which employ different infection routes and carry singular pathogenic properties. Thus the researchers have initiated a collaborative study in Rwanda where they are presently in the process of gathering patient samples from children suffering from malaria with different disease states. Studies on concomitant tropical diseases are rare indeed, and no study to the knowledge of the researchers has been aimed at investigating the patophysiological impacts of malaria and bacteria in a clinical setting. Collateral gains through this project are already evident, in infrastructure as well as human resource-wise. A molecular biology lab has been equiped in Kanombe for analyzing the samples.
Jan 2012 — Dec 2014
$108,249
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