Objective The project, based on a joint effort of five African and three European partners, foresees a highly integrated investigation of sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). This is a neglected but re-emerging disease in sub-Saharan Africa. HAT develops into an early haemolymphatic and a subsequent encephalitic stage, during which the causative parasite Trypanosoma brucei and/or increased numbers of lymphocytes are found in the cerebrospinal fluid. Arsenic compounds are still the drugs of choice for treatment of the encephalitic stage, but they are associated with severe and often fatal side effects. Relapses after current treatments also pose a serious problem.There are important gaps in knowledge concerning:(i) mechanisms by which trypanosomes invade the brain,(ii) when, post-infection, such invasion occurs, and(iii) effects of drugs on trypanosomes that have invaded the brain parenchyma.To discover mechanisms of parasite neuro-invasion and thereby devising candidates of diagnostic markers for an effective staging and new therapeutic management of HAT, the project plans to:1. Unravel the mechanism/s by which African trypanosomes cross the BBB and invade the brain;2. Identify candidate biomarkers for this event for diagnostic tools for therapeutic decisions and cure assessment;3. Investigate the therapeutic potential of new low-toxicity drugs, already in use for other diseases, which can interfere with trypanosomes that are invading or have invaded the brain;4. Determine clinical, immunological and neuro-physiological parameters that correlate to trypanosome neuro-invasion, as well as therapeutic windows for drugs to clear trypanosomes from the brain;5. Strengthen the research capacity of African investigators by providing transfer of technology and training for junior investigators, especially African scientists, to develop expertise on HAT and other neuro-inflammatory diseases, which are a plague in the African continent. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepsychiatrysleep disorders Programme(s) FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) INCO-2004-A1.3 - Knowledge and technologies to improve control of neglected communicable diseases INCO - Specific measures in support of international co-operation Call for proposal FP6-2004-INCO-DEV-3 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET EU contribution No data Address Nobels väg 5 STOCKHOLM Sweden See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all MAKERERE UNIVERSITY Uganda EU contribution No data Address MAKERERE HILL ROAD KAMPALA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CENTRE FOR TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES Malawi EU contribution No data Address Bweemba Complex, Likuni Road, Area 46 LILONGWE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data PRINS LEOPOLD INSTITUUT VOOR TROPISCHE GENEESKUNDE Belgium EU contribution No data Address Nationalestraat 155 ANTWERPEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE BIOMEDICALE Democratic Republic of the Congo EU contribution No data Address Avenue de la Democratie KINSHASA I GOMBE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF VERONA Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Dell'Artigliere 8 VERONA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data TROPICAL DISEASES RESEARCH CENTRE Zambia EU contribution No data Address 7th Floor, Ndola Central Hospital, Nkana Road NDOLA See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF YAOUNDE I Cameroon EU contribution No data Address Nuda-Ekele Hill YAOUNDE See on map Total cost No data
