Stopping livestock parasites from damaging blood vessels and food security

Sara Silva Pereira

Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal

Parasitic diseases affecting cattle threaten animal health, food production and rural economies across many tropical regions. One of these diseases, nagana, weakens animals, reduces agricultural productivity and causes major economic losses. Current treatments for nagana can be toxic and are becoming less effective. This project addresses the problem by investigating how parasites attach to blood-vessel walls and developing compounds that could block this process.

The research team combines expertise in parasite biology, animal health and therapeutic development. Using laboratory models, the project will identify the most important stages in the interaction between parasites and blood vessels. The researchers will then focus on compounds capable of interrupting parasite attachment, which may reduce the amount of parasite in the body, limit disease severity and lower transmission.

In the longer term, the project could support safer and more effective treatments for affected livestock. By helping protect animal health and productivity, its findings may strengthen food security and reduce the economic burden of nagana in communities that depend on cattle and agricultural activity.

• Álvaro Acosta, University of Notre Dame, United States of America

• Maria Rebelo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

• Gavin Wright, University of York, United Kingdom

Cytoadhesion as therapeutic avenue for animal African trypanosomiasis

€999,999.50