EU funds Leiden(LUMC) on tropical diseases vaccine

Mar 30, 2010

LEIDEN - Researchers led by two parasitologist of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) have almost 4 million euros from the European Union for research on a vaccine against tropical infectious disease schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic worm infection, which suffers more than 200 million people, especially in Africa. The disease leads to a weakening of the patient and may affect various organs. The symptoms are usually chronic in nature.
Infection
There is a medication available, but they can not prevent people who are healed from becoming infected again. It is therefore important that the scientists found a vaccine that could create the protection. Twelve teams from Europe and some African countries are participating in the study. They want to investigate how the parasite that causes schistosomiasis, successfully for years in the bloodstream of its host's immune system to survive, distort, and evade.
They expect within four years sufficient evidence should be found and that an effective vaccine can then be developed.

Published: 3 maart 2010 12:03 March 3, 2010 12:03

http://www.nu.nl/wetenschap/2197304/eu-geld-vaccin-tropische-ziekte.html

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