NEW AND EMERGING GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOGENS

This project examines the role of emerging gastrointestinal pathogens in
Peru, a developing country. Newer viral agents appear to be important
causes of childhood diarrhea. Cyclospora cayetanensis, a coccidial
parasite recently identified by our group, is an important cause of
disease in children, travelers and AIDS patients. Cysticercosis is an
important cause of late onset epilepsy and other neurological conditions. The epidemiology or viral diarrhea in our shanty town population will be
defined using recently developed diagnostic tools for detection of new
viral agents including astro, enteric adeno, calci, norwalk and toro
viruses. The importance of secondary rotavirus infection will be
determined. Cyclospora cayetanensis, is a protozoa recently identified by our group
and named after the Peruvian university, Cayetano Heredia. Its
epidemiological role in children's diarrhea, and its seroprevalence will
be described in a Peruvian shanty town. The antigenic and molecular
structure of Cyclospora cayetanensis will be further defined. Children
infected with this parasite will be randomized for treatment in a double
blind trial to determine if trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is an effective
therapy. New immunological tools for diagnosing cysticercosis will be developed and
then tested in Peru, a highly endemic zone. Pigs, an intermediate host of
cysticercosis, will be used as sentinels to predict changes in
environmental infection with Taenia solium eggs.