Developing Diagnostics for Assessing Leptospirosis Burden of Disease in Peru

钩端螺旋体病是世界上最重要的人畜共患传染病之一， 全球估计有868，000人，估计病死率为5- 10%。重要的差距仍然存在， 将钩端螺旋体和钩端螺旋体病研究中的最新基本分子进展转化为公共卫生 预防和改善这种传染病的方法。该项目的长期目标是 开发和验证诊断钩端螺旋体病的新工具，以便能够解决真正的全球性问题， 疾病负担。 在这项研究中，我们建议在对比鲜明的地方开发新的实地研究地点，以确定全国范围内 以及区域重要血清型（Aim 1）。这些研究将使我们能够获得表征良好的 分离株，以确定已知多样性的国家中钩端螺旋体的国家和地区库（目的2）。的 与Agampodi博士和斯里兰卡小组的合作将使我们能够在地理上进行更多的评估， 不同的环境。因此，这种南南合作建立在完善的科学基础之上， 关系是这个项目的一个关键方面，除了研究能力建设和跨学科 研究成果。最后，我们建议开发超灵敏、广谱、快速、廉价的检测方法 基于1）对脂多糖的高亲和力单克隆抗体; 2）通过使用靶标进行抗原检测 使用蛋白质阵列鉴定。

Leptospirosis is among the world's most important zoonotic infectious diseases, annually affecting an estimated 868,000 people globally, with an estimated case fatality rate of 5-10%. Important gaps remain in translating recent fundamental molecular advances in studies of Leptospira and leptospirosis to public health approaches to preventing and ameliorating this infectious disease. The long-term goal of this project is to develop and validate new tools for the diagnosis of leptospirosis, in order to be able to address the true global burden of disease. In this study we propose to develop new field study sites in contrasting places to determine nationally as well as regionally important serovars (Aim 1). These studies will allow us to obtain well-characterized isolates to determine national and regional repertoire of Leptospira in a country of known diversity (Aim 2). The collaboration with Dr. Agampodi and the group in Sri Lanka will allow us to evaluate even more geographically distinct environments. Therefore this South-South collaboration build upon well-established scientific relationships is a key aspect of this project, in addition to the research capacity building and cross-disciplinary research outcomes. Lastly we propose to develop ultra-sensitive, broad-spectrum, rapid, inexpensive tests based on 1) high affinity monoclonal antibodies to lipopolisaccaride ; 2) antigen detection by using targets identified using protein arrays.