Impact of co-infections on the balance of antibody and T-helper cell responses to natural and vaccine-induced target antigens against prominent human pathogens

Duration

01/01/2021 - 31/12/2023

Coordinator

Carlota Dobaño

Funded by

Carlos III Health Institute – European Union This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). “A way to build Europe”

The aim is to characterise the immune profile in individuals living in areas of Africa where HIV and malaria are endemic, and who are exposed to neglected parasitic diseases (intestinal helminths and protozoa, and schistosomiasis), in order to understand the impact that the co-existence of these infections may have on immune diversion and on the immune response to vaccines.

Retrospective immunological analyses will be carried out on blood and stool samples previously collected as part of the EcoHeMa and MARS studies, the aim of which was:

1. To assess the frequency of co-infections with intestinal parasites and malaria in outpatients and their impact on the immune response and the gut microbiome (EcoHeMa).
2. To establish the prevalence of infection with intestinal parasites and schistosoma at community level in the Manhiça district (MARS).

Our aim now is to characterise the pattern of co-infections caused by different species of blood and intestinal parasites (helminths and protozoa), with or without HIV co-infection, and to evaluate the pattern of innate, humoral and cellular immune responses (Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cytokines) in co-infections involving helminths and malaria. The immunological characterisation will measure IgG and IgE antibody responses to helminth antigens, which are currently being evaluated as potential vaccine candidates at Baylor College of Medicine (USA). This information will be useful in guiding the selection of antigens for candidate helminth vaccines.

Total funding:

142.000€