| Concomitant infections by malaria and bacteria occur at high frequencies in sub]Saharan Africa. Mounting evidence suggest that bacteremic co-infection together with malaria aggravates disease and significantly raises both mortality and morbidity in these patients. Our group has become interested in the pato-physiological mechanisms behind this phenomenon. We have chosen two important examples of pathogenic bacteria for the purpose of exploring it; Streptococcus pneumonieae and Relapsing fever Borrelia, which employ different infection routes and carry singular pathogenic properties. Thus we have initiated a collaborative study in Rwanda where we are presently in the process of gathering patient samples from children suffering from malaria with different disease states. The patients are between six months and five years of age in acute stages of the disease. By sampling both blood constituents and nasopharynx as well as stool an urine samples, we will investigate the host responses as well as geno and phenotypic differences in the pathogens themselves. Studies on concomitant tropical diseases are rare indeed, and no study to our knowledge has been aimed at investigating the patophysiological impacts of malaria and bacteria in a clinical setting. Collateral gains through this project are already evident, in infrastructure as well as human resource-wise. A molecular biology lab has been equiped in Kanombe |
