Discovery of protein that may be key to treating tropical diseases
Neglected tropical diseases form a group of infectious parasitic diseases that affect a large percentage of the world population, mostly in emerging nations. Sleeping sickness affects millions in sub-Saharan Africa and is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly. If left untreated, sleeping sickness is fatal. Animal trypanosomiases caused by other members of the genus Trypanosoma place additional financial and social pressures on the nations of this region.
Current drugs used to treat sleeping sickness are restricted in their utility because of toxicity, severe side effects, and complicated administration. Moreover, neglected tropical diseases affect mostly those countries with the least financial or infrastructural resources to develop or deliver new therapies. Therefore, the identification of novel drug targets and the development of new drugs for these targets are pressing priorities.
In a new study by researchers at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, they found a protein that could be the key in treating tropical diseases. The important protein in the cells of an infectious parasite may shed light on the disease pathology, and in time, open the door to less harmful treatments for millions of people.
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