Parasitology

The Parasitology Laboratory is primarily working on amoebiasis and has recently started to work on malaria and leishmaniasis. The work on epidemiology and immunity of amoebic infection is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Virginia, USA. The work on malaria and leishmaniasis is being conducted in collaboration with other divisions at ICDDR,B, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, and Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Thailand. The Laboratory provides diagnostic support to different projects and is involved in training activities of the Centre.

The Laboratory is currently conducting studies to understand human immunity to amoebiasis among children in Bangladesh. The major aims of these studies are to understand innate and acquired immunity to Entamoeba histolytica-associated infection. A prospective cohort study is being conducted to achieve the goals of these studies. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of acute diarrhoea with emphasis on infections due to E. histolytica among preschool children in an urban slum of Dhaka, have been studied. Recently, it was also found that, along with mucosal anti-CRD IgA antibodies, human genes underly susceptibility to intestinal infection with E. histolytica.

To understand the malaria drug resistance in Bangladesh, a study was begun in collaboration with the Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Division (HSID) and the Public Health Sciences Division of ICDDR,B and AFRIMS. The Laboratory is providing support for diagnosis of leishmaniasis to the protocol titled Community based epidemiologic study of visceral leishmaniasis in Bangladesh. The study is being undertaken by HSID of ICDDR,B in collaboration with CDC to understand the transmission patterns, identify risk factors for leishmaniasis, arrange community-based health education and diagnosis of preclinical infection in Bangladesh.

Staff