Advances in the Study of Schistosomiasis: The Postgenomic Era
1Centro de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
2Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
3Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
Advances in the Study of Schistosomiasis: The Postgenomic Era
Description
Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease that affects approximately 207 million people worldwide, causing annual losses of 4.5 million in DALY. The complex parasite life cycle and its mechanisms of evasion from the host immune system make prevention of the infection and also the early diagnosis and treatment difficult, impacting directly on disease control. On the other hand, the immune modulation induced by infection or parasite molecules has an important role in modulating inflammatory diseases, such as allergies. The sequencing of the parasite genome has provided important data for research progress in this area and many challenges in schistosomiasis field, including the development of more sensitive diagnostic methods, development of new effective drugs against the parasite, development of a vaccine against infection, and also the understanding of the complex host-parasite interaction.
We invite investigators to contribute with original research articles as well as reviews that improve the knowledge in schistosomiasis research field. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- New schistosomiasis diagnosis approach
- Innate and adaptative immunity to schistosomes
- Vaccine development
- Protective immune mechanisms against the parasite
- New therapeutic targets
- Host-parasite interaction
- Immune modulation induced by parasite
- Parasite genome and genetics
- Molecular and cellular biology of the parasite
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