Today’s research for more efficient help tomorrow
The advertisements of many pharmaceutical firms emphasise their huge investments in research – which is good and correct. But, whereas almost half of the funds for research are financed from public money research projects are chosen overwhelmingly for the opportunities for profit they may yield in the future.
Leprosy as well as tuberculosis and Buruli ulcer are diseases of poverty which hardly affect well-nourished Europeans or North Americans. As a consequence: since there is no “market” for the drugs, hardly any research is done into these diseases.
And for leprosy especially, scientists are confronted with many mysteries which absolutely have to be unravelled if the fight against this disease is to be successful. For this reason, DAHW resumed support for some research projects in 2008. This could lead to making relief activities in the projects more effective and to enabling us to help more people with the available donated funds. At present DAHW is supporting five research projects.
Bangladesh |
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Financial Volume: 40,000 Euro |
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The starting position: Despite the great success of chemotherapy (MDT – multi-drug-therapy) in the treatment of leprosy patients it still is unclear why the transmission of the pathogens cannot be stopped. Probably there are so-called “Silent Transmitters” – that is people who are not falling ill due to a genetic immunity, but who can spread the bacteria. The question to be studied: What risk factors are there for transmitting the leprosy bacterium, which cannot be stopped by MDT and is chemoprophylaxis a useful method of preventing these modes of transmission? Possible positive answers: The drug Rifampicin, which is part of MDT, is suitable for hampering or even completely stopping the transmission of leprosy within a population, which is relatively highly affected. This would resemble a vaccination almost. |
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Brazil |
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Financial Volume: 24,000 Euros |
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The starting position: Many patients suffering from the severe form of leprosy (“multibacillary leprosy”) have had a relapse or have been re-infected by the disease. In some cases leprosy bacteria also develop resistance against treatment with standard drugs. The question to be studied: What conditions in patients and in their treatment are playing a role in the efficiency of the treatment and what effects do they have on relapses, re-infections or the development of resistance? Possible positive answers: With the help of the data gathered in future one can distinguish more rapidly between a relapse of a previous case that has already been treated and a new re-infection. Thus, the possibility of resistance, as well as its causes, can be found more rapidly. |
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Tanzania |
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Financial Volume: 40,000 Euro |
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The starting position: HIV infected patients need antiretroviral medicines in order to delay the outbreak of the immunodeficiency syndrome Aids – especially if patients have contracted tuberculosis in addition. These drugs are not always available in developing countries. Moreover, there is hope that the number of TB infections among this patient group will no longer exceed the average to such a large extent. |
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Ethiopia |
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Financial Volume: 45,378 Euro |
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The starting position: Unlike the well known co-infection of TB/HIV hardly anything is known about the interaction of an HIV infection with leprosy. The effects of a leprosy/HIV co-infection are as unexplored as the possible consequences for treatment. |
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Brazil |
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Financial Volume: 5,386 Euro Research Partner: Ministry of Health of Mato Grosso In charge: Dr. Maria Lourdes Results expected: foreseen by end of 2009 |
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The starting position: Gold findings attract numerous poor migrant workers to the Brazilian federal state of Mato Grosso from the whole of the country. This could be one of the reasons for the relatively high number of leprosy patients in this federal state. |
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back to the Annual Report 2008
