A THERAPEUTIC DNA VACCINE IN NONHUMAN PRIMATE AGAINST CHAGAS DISEASE

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 恰加斯病，或美国锥虫病，是由原生动物寄生虫锥虫克鲁兹引起的。估计有1600万至1800万人感染，从巴西南部到墨西哥，近1亿人面临感染风险。在疾病的慢性期，感染者遭受广泛的组织损伤，主要是心脏组织，但也包括脾、肝、骨骼肌、结肠和食道，这些组织损伤逐渐导致心力衰竭和死亡。每年有20,000多人死于这种疾病。感染患者的治疗依赖于硝基呋喃，但这些药物疗效不大，副作用严重。 2007年1月17日，9只动物(试验组6只，Gorgas组3只)皮下接种UGA的Yabsley博士提供的克氏毛滴虫。自接种以来，每周都会收集耳朵/尾巴的血涂片。到目前为止，在这些涂片中还没有发现寄生虫。从三周前开始，全血已被送往洛约拉的多恩医生那里进行寄生虫DNA测试。聚合酶链式反应的结果并不干净，但有五只动物一直显示出克氏锥虫DNA阳性条带。我正在给她送血，以确定其他带子是灵长类DNA还是其他什么污染。与此同时，没有任何预定的疫苗接种发生。共有三种相隔30天的DNA疫苗定于上个月开始接种。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Chagas disease, or American Trypanosomiasis, is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruiz. An estimated 16-18 million people are infected and close to 100 million people are at risk of infection from southern Brazil to Mexico. During the chronic phases of the disease, infected individuals undergo extensive tissue damage, primarily cardiac tissue but also spleen, liver, skeletal muscle, colon and esophageal with this tissue damage progressively leading to cardiac failure and death. Over 20,000 deaths per year are attributed to this disease. Treatment of infected patients relies on nitrofurans but these drugs are of little efficacy and have serious side effects. Nine animals (n=6 on Pilot project and n=3 on Gorgas) were inoculated subcutaneously on 1/17/07 with T.cruzi parasites supplied by Dr. Yabsley at UGA. Ear/tail blood smears have been collected weekly since inoculation. To date, no parasites have been found in these smears. Beginning three weeks ago, whole blood has been sent to Dr. Dorn at Loyola to be tested for parasite DNA. PCR results were not clean but five animals have consistently shown bands positive for T.cruzi DNA. I am working on sending her na¿ve blood to determine if the other bands are primate DNA or some other contamination. Meanwhile, none of the scheduled vaccinations have occurred. A total of three DNA vaccines spaced 30 days apart were scheduled to begin last month.