Smith College
To refine the use of multi-parallel quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for STH parasites. Those parasites included in this proposal are Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura. Collect parasites of all five species in Argentina.
Smith College will serve as a repository for skin snip, serum, and urine samples collected as part of randomized, double-blind, parallel trials conducted in both Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In addition to providing a valuable resource for the onchocerciasis community, a secondary objective of the establishment of this biobank will be to facilitate biomarker discovery for other pathogens. Accordingly, these samples will be made available to researchers working in academia, industry, or government, who are interested in advancing biomarker research, regardless of their particular disease discipline. Additionally, this biobank will serve as a foundational resource, establishing a repository to which additional samples, generated during future studies and spanning multiple diseases, can be added.
Multi-lab comparison for STH PCR methods
To compare the sensitivity of double-slide Kato-Katz and multi-parallel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the detection of Ascaris, hookworm, and Trichuris infection among children in rural Bangladesh
Mapping LF-Loa Coendemicity in Chad
Mapping LF-Loa Coendemicity
Mapping LF-Loa Coendemicity in Angola
Mapping LF-Loa Coendemity
Comparison of antigenemia by ICT and FTS RDT, antibody responses to Wb123 and Ov 16 by ELISA , and Wb123/Ov16 Biplex RDT on LF sentinel sites
To compare antigenemia results by ICT and FTS RDT, antibody responses to Wb123 and Ov 16 by ELISA , and Wb123/Ov16 Biplex RDT on LF sentinel sites.
Defining the Profile of LF Antibody Reactivity following MDA
Determine age-specific prevalence of LF Antibody following MDA to inform surveillance strategies.
STH Diagnostic Comparison: PCR vs. Kato-Katz, Uganda
To determine if a standardized multi-parallel-PCR assay is a more sensitive diagnostic tool for detecting Hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus), Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Schistosoma mansoni prevalence compared to the Kato-Katz stool test.
Multi-lab comparison for STH PCR methods
Laboratory analysis of Ov16 ELISA and Skin snip PCR to support surveillance activities in National programs. Multi-country comparison of diagnostic tools to detect Onchocerca volvulus
To compare the performance of the diagnostic tools currently available for O. volvulus in terms of their relative sensitivity, species-specificity and practical use by countries. Comparison of the utility of these tools for mapping and surveillance in settings with different levels of endemicity for onchocerciasis (Oncho), lymphatic filariasis (LF) and/or loiasis.
Comparison of muti-parallel qPCR and Kato-Katz for detection of STH in Kenyan children
Is the multiparallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique superior to Kato-Katz microscopy in assessing the intensity and prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in stool?
Preliminary Findings and Lessons Learned
- qPCR was more sensitive than Kato-Katz at detecting Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm infections in child fecal samples.
- Very few samples were helminth positive by Kato-Katz microscopy that were not also positive by qPCR, suggesting minimal human classification error during microscopy.
- Duplicate qPCR analysis on ~10% of samples by two separate labs (Smith and KEMRI) showed excellent concordance (97-100% agreement for each helminth species).
- A reanalysis of the effect of a combined water, sanitation, and hand washing (WASH) intervention on child helminth infections with qPCR data compared to Kato-Katz data gave very similar results.
Impact of Malaria Vector Control & Status of Lymphatic Filariasis Transmission in the Lake Zone of Tanzania
Sample Size: 6,024 DBS and 2,854 anopheline mosquitoes