Descripción del proyecto
Modelos matemáticos nuevos contra la esquistosomiasis
La esquistosomiasis es una enfermedad tropical desatendida (NTD) y endémica provocada por parásitos liberados por unos caracoles de agua dulce. Ocupa el segundo lugar, precedida únicamente por la malaria, entre las enfermedades parasitarias más comunes y es la más mortal de las NTD. Se calcula que la tasa de mortalidad atribuible directamente a la esquistosomiasis en el África subsahariana es de 280 000 muertes al año, mientras que millones presentan síntomas clínicos. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) se ha fijado el objetivo de controlar la morbilidad antes de 2020. Sin embargo, las infecciones reaparecen rápidamente incluso tras una administración masiva de fármacos. Para comprender el motivo, el proyecto SchiSTOP desarrollará un modelo de base individual estocástico con el que simular la transmisión de la esquistosomiasis. A tal fin, se integrarán nuevos modelos matemáticos y métodos estadísticos con los recientes progresos en genética parasitaria, epidemiología, diagnóstico e inmunología.
Objetivo
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of infections which are especially prevalent in low-income populations in tropical and subtropical areas in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Schistosomiasis is the deadliest NTD killing an estimated 280,000 people each year in the African region alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) 2020 target for schistosomiasis is to reduce the prevalence of heavy-intensity infections to ≤5% among school-aged children through Mass Drug Administration (MDA). However, in areas of moderate and high prevalence the goal seems unlikely to be met as even with intensive biannual MDA, prevalence of infections are still seen to rebound rapidly after each round. The reasons are still poorly understood. Mathematical models and statistical methods have proven to be essential to gain insights into the complex processes underlying the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. In this research project, I will develop a stochastic individual-based model (IBM) to simulate schistosomiasis transmission integrating cutting-edge mathematical models and statistical methods with recent advances in parasite genetics, epidemiology, diagnostics and immunology. This project aims to advance our current understanding of schistosomiasis transmission dynamics investigating the mechanisms that cause the rapid rebound of prevalence after MDA and proposing optimal implementation of current and novel strategies to achieve schistosomiasis control and move towards elimination. In addition, this project will build a reference methodological framework to comprehensively study other MDA targeted infectious diseases. The proposed project addresses one of the priorities of the EU, through global poverty reduction (SDG goal 1) by promoting ways of improving future health (SDG goal 3).This project will be carried out at Erasmus MC with Prof. Sake J. de Vlas and at University of Glasgow (secondment) with Dr. Poppy Lamberton.
Ámbito científico
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencestropical medicine
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic healthepidemiology
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseases
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- natural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
6525 GA Nijmegen
Países Bajos