The manifestations of gnathostomiasis are multi-faceted including migratory skin lesions and even life threatening neurological complications making it imperative to develop appropriate vaccines and therapeutics. Protheragen is at the forefront of the fight against gnathostomiasis, leveraging its extensive expertise in infectious disease research and drug development to pioneer innovative solutions.
Introduction to Gnathostomiasis
Gnathostomiasis is a notable disease, which falls under neglected tropical diseases, caused by the third-stage larvae of a parasitic nematode belonging to the genus of gnathostoma. This disease is food borne and is zoonotic in nature. It is more prominent in certain parts of Latin America and Asia and is known to pose a global threat as food trade and tourism are on the rise.
The lifecycle of gnathostoma is a bit complex; it first requires two intermediate hosts which include freshwater copepods and several reptiles, fish, or even amphibians. Upon maturing, they infect relatively larger carnivorous mammals such as dogs and cats. As for humans, they serve as an accidental definitive host when they consume meat that has been infected with the L3 stage larva. This stage is highly invasive and damages the tissues of the host while instigating extreme inflammatory responses.
Fig.1 Life cycle of Gnathostoma. (Liu G.H., et al., 2020)
Vaccine Development for Gnathostomiasis
Developing a vaccine for gnathostomiasis is an important field of study. The role of the vaccine is to prime the immune system of the recipient to identify and attack the parasite. Vaccine development entails the discovery and development of antigenic components capable of provoking an entire immune response.
- Subunit Vaccines
A subunit vaccine consists of pieces of the parasite, such as proteins or glycoproteins, that stimulate an immune response. Potential subunit vaccines against gnathostomiasis could be directed against the excretory-secretory products (ES) of the larvae of Gnathostoma which have been shown to elicit immune responses in the host.
- DNA Vaccines
The work on DNA vaccines for gnathostomiasis has just commenced; however, it may prove useful in future prevention strategies. A recent work indicated that a 24 kDa antigen from G. spinigerum is a possible candidate for a subunit vaccine. It has been shown that this antigen elicits strong IgG responses from infected individuals.
Therapeutics Development for Gnathostomiasis
The focus of therapy development for gnathostomiasis is on effective medications capable of eliminating the parasite or suppressing the symptoms. The current therapeutics are based on the use of anthelmintic drugs, but there is concern that the parasites may become resistant to these drugs.
Albendazole and Ivermectin: These are the most commonly used therapies to treat gnathostomiasis. While Albendazole, a benzimidazole anthelmintic agent, disrupts helminth microtubules, its counterpart Ivermectin, a macrocyclic lactone, targets glutamate-gated chloride channels.
Our Services
Gnathostomiasis is a novel area of Protheragen as a scourge of gnathostomiasis requires innovative thinking. We provide an extensive portfolio of services spanning from the development of vaccine and therapeutics to preclinical studies.
- Gnathostoma spinigerum Infection Mouse Models
- Gnathostoma hispidum Infection Mouse Models
- Gnathostoma spinigerum Infection Rat Models
- Gnathostoma hispidum Infection Rat Models
Protheragen's preclinical research services are designed to support the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical applications. We offer a range of services, including:
- In Vitro Assays: To assess the direct effects of potential vaccines and therapeutics on Gnathostoma larvae.
- In Vivo Assays: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of our vaccine and therapeutic candidates in relevant animal models before they proceed to clinical trials.
- Molecular Biology Services: To investigate the genetic basis of drug resistance and to identify new targets for intervention.
If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Liu, Guo-Hua, et al. "Human gnathostomiasis: a neglected food-borne zoonosis." Parasites & vectors 13 (2020): 1-11.
- Nogrado Kathyleen, Poom Adisakwattana, and Onrapak Reamtong. "Human gnathostomiasis: A review on the biology of the parasite with special reference on the current therapeutic management." Food and Waterborne Parasitology (2023): e00207.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
