Hookworm infection caused by Ancylostoma duodenale or Necator americanus is a significant global health threat, causing chronic anemia, malnutrition, developmental delay, enteritis, and increased susceptibility to non-parasitic diseases. One of the most prevalent of the neglected tropical diseases, hookworm infection affects almost 1 billion people worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Current methods for diagnosis and treatment of hookworm infection are largely the same as they have been for the past century. However, several recent advances in the molecular characterization of hookworm virulence factors now provide researchers with an improved understanding of disease pathogenesis, potential targets for treatment and novel antigens for vaccine development. In order to better understand hookworm pathophysiology and immunology in human populations, a comprehensive, cross-sectional immunoepidemiologic survey of approximately 200 villagers in a remote area of the Peruvian Amazon was conducted. Hookworm prevalence rates were found to approach 40% by microscopic diagnosis. Additionally, molecular speciation techniques showed that both A. duodenale and N. americanus are endemic to this region. Reagents from a laboratory model of hookworm disease were then utilized to characterize human immune responses to hookworm specific antigens. By studying the immunoepidemiology of an endemic community we have found that a laboratory strain of hookworm, Anyclostoma ceylanicum, is a useful tool for describing species specific immune responses to disease. This work lays the foundation for future development of improved hookworm diagnostic techniques by molecular and immunologic methods.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:YALE_med/oai:ymtdl.med.yale.edu:etd-08272007-115521 |
| Date | 09 April 2008 |
| Creators | Shete, Priya B |
| Contributors | Michael Cappello |
| Publisher | Yale University |
| Source Sets | Yale Medical student MD Thesis |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://ymtdl.med.yale.edu/theses/available/etd-08272007-115521/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Yale School of Medicine or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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