Investigation of putative causal factors for low rate of parasitological cure of standard dose praziquantel for intestinal schistosomiasis in Ugandan infants and pre-school children (360G-Wellcome-085440_B_08_A)

The project will build upon excellent established collaborations between Natural History Museum and Vector Control Division researchers. We will investigate the occurrence of intestinal schistosomiasis in infants and preschool children to develop best treatment options for this ageclass and assess their role in local disease transmission. These two complementary objectives will combine field-based and laboratory-based epidemiological investigations namely, 1. field-based: monitoring biannually a n enrolled study cohort of mother and child pairs over a 3-year period collecting epidemiologically and clinically relevant information pertaining to treatment with praziquantel and reinfection dynamics, as well as, recording monthly environmentally relevant data describing local S. mansoni infection dynamics in intermediate snail hosts. 2. laboratory-based: molecular DNA typing of genetic diversity within S. mansoni larval forms shed from snails (cercariae) and selected mother and child pairs ( eggs); conducting multivariate statistical modelling comparing parasite burdens and putative risk factors to identify best praziquantel treatment regime. The project will better elucidate parasite transmission biology in young children. The main goal will be to further develop the Ugandan national policy for control of intestinal schistosomiasis in infants and preschool children and, through realignment of ongoing integrated preventive chemotherapy campaigns, more broadly improve maternal and ch ild health in sub-Saharan Africa.