EU Funded Research Project
Partner Search Form
Date:20-7-2008
Deadline: November 2008
Contacts
Organization
Contact
person
Faculty of Medicine
Benha University

Department
Medical Parasitology
Dr Amany Farouk El Fakahany, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Head of
Parasitology Dept., Faculty of Medicine,Benha University
Dr Rabab Fawzy, M.D., Lecturer of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine,
Benha University.

Email
aelfakahany@gmail.com
rababselem70@yahoo.com
Address
Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha,
Egypt.
Postcode
13111
Country
Egypt
Telephone
002 013 3225491
Website
City
Benha
Fax
002 013 3227518
www.Bfom.edu.eg
Familiar with the European Framework Programme? x YES
 NO
PROJECT
Title: Human immune responses to co-infection of
tuberculosis as one of the poverty related diseases and
amoebiasis
Small or medium-scale focused
research collaborative project
Project type
*
Status
Call references
Acronym: HIRTB-PRDA
Coordination and
Support Action
SICA : Collaborative Project
*Planned for submission
* FP7-HEALTH-2009-A
Running project
FP7-HEALTH-2008-B
Priorities’ Main
Research Areas
(Topics from Work
programme)
HEALTH-2009-4.3.1-3: Human Immune Responses to coinfections of Poverty-Related (HIV, malaria, TB) and
Neglected Infectious Diseases. (SICA)
Idea of the project
Many protozoal, viral, bacterial and helminthic infections are prevalent
in developing countries. At present there is lack of thorough
understanding of the human immune responses to co-infections by
combinations of these agents. Moreover, the influence of such coinfections on the severity of the pathogenesis and accurate diagnosis of
the involved diseases remains to be determined. In the specific case of
bacterial infections this lack of knowledge has hampered the efficient
use of antimicrobial agents as well as the development of potent
prophylactic vaccines. Thus, the goal of the proposed project is to
identify immune surrogates of protection and elucidate the role of the
immune system in triggering an efficient immune response in
individuals affected by two infectious diseases and study the molecular
mechanisms of pathogenesis of coinfection by the two organisms .
. Tuberculosis (TB) has been a cause of significant morbidity and
mortality for humans throughout history. There are currently 20 million
cases of tuberculosis worldwide with 8 million new cases each year. Three
million deaths annually are directly attributable to tuberculosis. Egypt is
considered one of the high-burden countries in the WHO’s Eastern
Mediterranean region. Egypt has achieved success rates of treatment of TB
higher than the WHO-recommended target of 85 percent. However, the
case detection rate of about 50 percent remains below the 70 percent target
set by the WHO.
Invasive Amoebiasis caused by the enteric protozoan Entamoeba
histolytica, manifests most commonly as amoebic colitis, liver or lung
abscess. E. histolytica infection is highly endemic in the most populated
areas of the world and is the third leading parasitic cause of death
worldwide.
Both TB and Amoebiasis are quite prevalent in rural regions of Egypt,
exemplified in Benha, (Governate of Kalyoubeya), which is the area we
have selected for our study. Simple homes in the villages lack adequate air
circulation and villagers often share drinking vessels. Moreover, TB is
transferred through the use of hookah. The high rate of Amoebiasis
infection, on the other hand, is mainly related to the lack of purified tap
water. Most villagers drink river or underground water highly contaminated
with amoeba. There is also lack of sanitation. Taken together, TB and
Amoebiasis represent the most common infections in rural areas of Egypt.
Surprisingly, the mutual effects of each of the two agents on the severity
of infection by the other has not been studied. Such knowledge is of
paramount relevance for determining the severity of infection, accurate
diagnosis and proper treatment. This premise underlies the specific goals
of the proposed research project.
Keywords
Tuberculosis - Amoebiasis - immune response - human
S&T Publications






Prevalence of Parasitic infections among patients attending
Benha University Hospital. By staff members of Parasitology
Department, Benha faculty of Medicine. Entamoeba histolytica
positive cases 35.5%.
A study of intestinal parasitic infections in children with
bronchial asthma. By staff members of Parasitology
Department, Benha faculty of Medicine. Non significant
results.
A study on some parasitic infections in rural areas in
Qualyobia Governorate, Egypt. By staff members of
Parasitology Department, Benha faculty of Medicine.
Entamoeba histolytica positive cases 30.3%.
Four methods in diagnosing protozoal parasites in stool. By
staff members of Parasitology Department, Benha faculty of
Medicine.
Correlation between Clinical sages in Entamoeba histolytica
and sensitivity and specificity of some serological tests. By
staff members of Parasitology Department, Benha faculty of
Medicine
Study of some health problems among glass workers at
Shubra El-Khemia factories By staff members of Parasitology
Department, Benha faculty of Medicine. . Entamoeba
histolytica positive cases 15.93%.
Commitment/Work
to be offered
The following groups of individuals will be recruited for our studies:
a. Control healthy individuals
b. Individuals with active TB infection
c. Individuals with active Amoebiasis infection
d. Individuals with combined active TB - Amoebiasis infections
The work to be offered will cover the following Research questions :
Experimental part:
a. What are the effects of a new superimposed TB infection on
the severity of an active experimental Amoebiasis infection
and what is the immunological basis for that effect?
b. What are the effects of a new superimposed Amoebiasis
infection on the severity of an active TB infection and what is the
immunological basis for that effect ?
Human part
a. What is the basic immune status of Egyptian TB patients?
b. What is the basic immune status of Egyptian Amoebiasis
patients?
c. Is there an alteration in the immune status of Egyptian patients
confected with both TB and Amoebiasis ?
Proposed actions will be done through group of experts includes (but
not limited to), the following researchers:

Parasitologists.

Infectious diseases experts.

Chest and internal medicine experts.

Statistics and data analyzers.

Technical assistants stuff
Partners already
involved
Profile of Partner Sought
Role
* technology development * research
dissemination
If another role expected, please specify it here
Country /region
All Countries
demonstration
* training
other
Start of
partnership
Expertise
required
* start-up phase
mid-term
end-phase
Experts in the laboratory and clinical evaluation of molecular diagnostic
and therapeutic monitoring assays.
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