Leishmaniasis News and Research

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Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies. It is found in nearly 88 countries, from rain forests in Central and South America to deserts in the Middle East and west Asia. Some cases of the disease have also appeared in Mexico and Texas.

Leishmaniasis takes several different forms, including the most common cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and the more severe visceral leishmaniasis, which affects internal organs such as the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 1.5 million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and 500,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis in the world each year.

VALIDATE Network’s TB vaccine work receives $1.5 million funding boost

The Oxford-run VALIDATE Network has received $1.5 million in funding for its tuberculosis vaccine work from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

23 Aug 2021

Study: Neglecting development of therapeutics may repeat history and replicate vaccine inequality

A new policy report released today by the global non-profit research and development organization Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) highlights how the development of therapeutics has been relatively neglected in the global response to COVID-19 and warns that with the few treatment innovations available principally in high-income countries, we risk repeating history and replicating the vaccine inequality that has become a defining characteristic of this global pandemic.

6 Aug 2021

Zoonotic and vector-borne emerging tropical diseases pose a constant threat

A recent article published in the journal Frontiers in Tropical Diseases assessed the threat of emerging zoonotic and vector-borne tropical diseases.

26 May 2021

ANTICOV clinical trial to test new treatment for people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in Africa

The ANTICOV clinical trial, conducted in 13 African countries, has started the recruitment of participants to test a new drug combination, nitazoxanide + ciclesonide, to treat people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 before their cases become severe.

27 Apr 2021

Trial results show leishmaniasis vaccine is safe and induces immune responses in patients

The results of the first clinical trial of a new vaccine for a neglected tropical disease have demonstrated that it is safe and induces immune responses in patients with the infection.

15 Apr 2021

Study reveals arsenal used by protozoans to make leishmaniasis more severe

Researchers have succeeded in revealing the arsenal used by protozoans of the genus Leishmania in human cells to make leishmaniasis more severe, especially in cases of the mucocutaneous variety of the disease, which can cause deformations in patients.

24 Mar 2021

WHO issues new road map to tackle neglected tropical diseases

A new World Health Organization road map for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) proposes ambitious targets and innovative approaches to tackle 20 diseases which affect more than a billion mainly poor people and which thrive in areas where access to quality health services, clean water and sanitation is scarce.

1 Feb 2021

Researchers reach important milestone in leishmaniasis vaccine development

Researchers have taken an important step forward in developing a controlled human infection model to test leishmaniasis vaccines.

11 Jan 2021

Scientists decipher the structure of protein found in parasites that cause neglected tropical diseases

Brazilian researchers have managed to decipher the structure of a protein found in parasites that cause neglected tropical diseases, paving the way to the development of novel medications.

8 Jan 2021

World Health Organization, Sanofi sign new agreement to eliminate neglected tropical diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Sanofi – one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies – have signed a new agreement for donations of medicines to sustain specific efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

15 Dec 2020

Study identifies protein as potential therapeutic target for leishmaniasis vaccines

According to the results of research led by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), one the various strategies deployed by the Leishmania parasite to avoid triggering the human immune system is to activate the SHP-1 protein.

11 Dec 2020

New, effective CRISPR-based gene drive approach to control transmission of malaria parasites

Employing a strategy known as "population modification," which involves using a CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive system to introduce genes preventing parasite transmission into mosquito chromosomes, University of California researchers have made a major advance in the use of genetic technologies to control the transmission of malaria parasites.

3 Nov 2020

Combination of peptides and antibiotics could be key to eliminating Leishmania parasites

A combination of peptides and antibiotics could be key to eliminating the parasite causing leishmaniasis and avoiding the toxicity to people and animals caused by current drugs.

16 Oct 2020

Combination of antibiotics and peptides could eliminate parasite-causing leishmaniasis

A combination of peptides and antibiotics could be key to eliminating the parasite causing leishmaniasis and avoiding the toxicity to people and animals caused by current drugs.

16 Oct 2020

New position statement clarifies WHO's stance on the use of genetically modified mosquitoes

Each year, more than 700 000 people die from vector-borne diseases (VBDs) such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis, among others.

14 Oct 2020

Scientists to use CRISPR gene-editing technology for Phase 1 vaccine trials in humans

Scientists are planning for Phase 1 human trials of a vaccine they developed by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to mutate the parasite that causes leishmaniasis, a skin disease common in tropical regions of the world and gaining ground in the United States

25 Sep 2020

Azelastine antihistamine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in nasal tissue in vitro

In a study published on the bioRxiv preprint server, researchers from the University of Pécs, University of Vienna, and CEBINA GmbH, Vienna, show the ability of the antihistamine azelastine to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in human nasal tissue in vitro.

16 Sep 2020

Researchers unlock new insights that may help inform vaccine design for infectious diseases

Vaccination is the most effective public health measure to prevent infectious diseases. Vaccines can greatly reduce the risk of infection by working with the body's natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease.

28 Jul 2020

New chemical could potentially lead to a cure for neglected tropical diseases

Scientists say they are a step closer to developing a drug to kill the trypanosome parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis, otherwise known as sleeping sickness, paving the way for a potential cure.

13 Jul 2020

Study explores genetic mechanisms underlying resistance to leishmaniasis

In an article published in Scientific Reports, researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo in Brazil describe experiments performed with mice that show how genetic factors can determine whether an individual is susceptible or resistant to leishmaniasis.

24 Mar 2020