International Research in Cambodia: Tropical Medicine and Vector Research

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

(1)Triple artemisinin combination therapy (TACT), comprising dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine+mefloquine (DHA-PPQ+MQ) is safe, tolerable and efficacious in treating DHA-PPQ-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Cambodia. Artesunate-mefloquine is also equally safe, tolerable and efficacious, but historical data suggests that the parasites will quickly become resistant to artesunate-mefloquine and therefore TACT will be more suitable as a longer-term solution to treat DHA-PPQ- and AS-MQ-resistant malaria. (2)Preliminary evidence suggests that artemisinin resistance has entered a second phase in Cambodia, where a specific lineage of multidrug resistant parasites have swept through the P. falciparum population and is starting to spread to other areas. (3)We have started the first genome analysis of individual malaria vectors outside of Africa. (4)We have enrolled a pediatric cohort of 775 children to describe the burden of dengue disease and Aedes aegypti saliva antibody response. (5)We have begun entomology and geospatial studies to describe the epidemiology of Aedes-transmitted infections, and to establish and characterize spatial relationships between population abundance of Ae. aegypti, magnitude of human antibody response to Ae. aegypti saliva, and disease development.