Cel Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania major is still a great public health problem in Turkmenistan and neighbouring countries. The majority of new cases of the disease are associated with agricultural and settlement projects, and with road construction in new districts where non-immune human populations come into contact with the natural enzootic cycle of L. major in its definitive host, the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) and sandfly vector(s). The natural foci of L. major infection comprise the vast areas of the Turan plain and coincide with the distribution of R. opimus, and very active foci are to be found in irrigated oases in Turkmenistan. It has, until recently, been assumed that the parasite, the vertebrate hosts and the vectors of ZCL in these areas of Central Asia were well known, as were the epizootic and endemic processes involved. The leishmanial organisms circulating in R. opimus populations were considered to be L. major displaying a great range of virulence and infectivity for humans. The introduction of newer techniques for Leishmania identification now suggests that the parasites formerly identified as L. major in these areas actually comprise three different species, namely, L. major sensu stricto, L. turanica n.sp. and L. gerbilli. Each species has its own relatively limited range of virulence with only L. major pathogenic for humans. In the light of these findings (joint work between Strelkova in Moscow and Evans in London) it is considered essential that a new assessment is made of the epidemiological situation for ZCL in these regions, so that logical and practical control measures may be introduced. The heart of the project is the unravelling of epidemiologies where there are sympatric disease agents which are at present extremely difficult to separate, so that appropriate single or combined leishmaniasis control programmes can be introduced. This will involve training in and introduction to some of the newer techniques of molecular biology for partners in the NIS. Program(-y) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Temat(-y) 43 - Physiology and Fundamental Medical Science Zaproszenie do składania wniosków Data not available System finansowania Data not available Koordynator London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Wkład UE Brak danych Adres Keppel Street WC1E 7HT London Zjednoczone Królestwo Zobacz na mapie Koszt całkowity Brak danych Uczestnicy (3) Sortuj alfabetycznie Sortuj według wkładu UE Rozwiń wszystko Zwiń wszystko Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Wkład UE Brak danych Adres 744000 Ashkhabad Zobacz na mapie Koszt całkowity Brak danych Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Rosja Wkład UE Brak danych Adres 119830 Moscow Zobacz na mapie Koszt całkowity Brak danych Université de Montpellier I Francja Wkład UE Brak danych Adres 34000 Montpellier Zobacz na mapie Koszt całkowity Brak danych
