Tropical Disease Research Program

Chagas disease in Ecuador

 International Research Training Course in Ecuador

June 21st - August 1st, Summer 2010
(Variable stays from 2 to 6 weeks)
Directed by Mario J. Grijalva, Ph.D.

- up to 15 quarter credit hours -
(approximate dates, subject to change and cancellation)
Non-credit option available
Last updated on 11/13/2009 01:12 PM

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Detailed program information:

Summary:

The International Research Training program evolves from 9 years of experience providing multidisciplinary training in research methodology to students from the USA, Europe and Latin America. The course takes place in the context of the efforts by the Tropical Disease Institute to combat Chagas disease in Ecuador (learn more). The course will provide participants with a solid background and skills to conduct interdisciplinary research in an international setting, while improving their Spanish language skills. This will be achieved through onsite lectures on applied research methodology

The Tropical Disease Research Program field activities will provide practical training on the many aspects related to multidisciplinary field research implementation within the Chagas disease research project.

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Detailed description of the program

Students participate in the course work and as volunteer research assistants. Field work will be conducted in the various aspects of the project. Specific activities will depend on the component chosen by each participant and will support of the main research activities of the overall project. Read more about the overall Chagas project (learn more...)

The program language will be English and Ecuadorian staff will be available for translations. Spanish language knowledge is not required, but desirable. Language tutoring will be provided and will be concentrated in conversational and interviewing skills.

International Research Training Course in Ecuador – June 20^th to 26^th.

The International Research Training Course takes place one week before the field activities within the Tropical Disease Research Program begins. Participants will receive an initial orientation and half day training session at the Center for Infectious Disease Research at Catholic University of Ecuador, in Quito. Then the group will travel to a picturesque “Hosteria” half way between Quito and Loja where the training activities will take place over a three day period. Then, participants will continue travel to Loja for the initiation of the field research activities of the Tropical Disease Research Program. The course language is English and will cover in detail aspects related to research planning and implementation within an international context. The lectures and interactive exercises have been designed to provide participants with a solid background and skills to conduct interdisciplinary research in an international setting. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to improve their Spanish language skills during evening sessions. All theoretical training will use examples from the Chagas disease research project. Therefore, trainees will be able to see the application of this knowledge during the actual field implementation. (see a short video related to this activity from Summer 2009)

Tropical Disease Research Program – field activities – June 21^st to August 1^st.

The Tropical Disease Research Program will have four field components. Due to enrollment limitations in each component, applicants must choose their preferred 2 components and rank the rest of the components they want to participate in. Transfer between components will be possible once a week depending on space availability. The number of components that can be experienced will depend on the duration of stay with the program. Participation in each component will be for at least one week. Assignments will be made on a first come-first serve basis.

• See two short videos related to the field activities from Summer 2009 here and here

• See podcast series about the project here, via Utube or iTunes (search Tropical Disease Institute's Ecuador Podcasts);

• See the FAQ to learn how a typical day’s schedule and activities will take place.

1.     Component 1 - Multidisciplinary surveys – Entomological surveys, housing questionnaires, parasitological research and educational activities.

The objective of this component is directly related to our efforts to understand the dynamics of transmission and improve the control of the vectorial transmission of Chagas disease in rural communities. This activity will be conducted by 10 teams. These teams will be supervised by an experienced biologist from the Center for Infectious Disease Research. This component can host up to 15 participants at the time (see podcast). Teams will be distributed as follows:

• Five teams composed of two Ministry of Health field entomologists and one or two participants will visit every house within the selected communities to determine the presence of intradomestic and peridomestic triatomines. The teams conduct a housing survey and deliver an educational talk to the family about Chagas disease prevention.

• Two teams composed of two Ministry of Health field entomologists and one or two participants will search for triatomine insects in nearby sylvatic areas.

• Two teams will conduct mammal trapping in and around the houses, and in nearby sylvatic areas. These teams will have two trained Ecuadorians and one or two participants.

• One team will operate a biosafety level II field laboratory where they will conduct parasitological analysis of the triatomines and mammals collected. The field lab will have three Ecuadorian personnel and two participants.

Component 2 - Clinical Research and Primary Health care at the communities – Chagas disease screening, antibiotic resistance surveys, pediatric physical-clinical examination and community education.

The objective of this component is to assist the Ministry of Health on detecting Chagas disease cases among the population and to characterize the strains of Trypanosoma cruzi infecting people in this region. In addition, as a side project, testing will be conducted to determine the presence of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus bacteria among the population.  Furthermore, as part of our outreach activities, free physical-clinical examination will be offered to the pediatric population in collaboration with physicians from the Ministry of Health. Finally, educational activities will be carried out at the local schools that will include presentation of videos, interactive activities with the children using coloring workbooks and games. Participants will work side by side with Ecuadorian health care providers and researchers within the workflow structure of the makeshift clinic. This activity will be lead by certified medical technicians and physicians from the Ministry of health, The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Catholic University of Ecuador.  Up to 15 participants can take part on this component at a time.

3.     Component 3 - Clinical Research at Hospitals – Chagas disease screening and clinical rotations in tertiary care hospitals at the provincial Capital.

The objective of this component is to determine the contribution that Chagas disease has in the morbidity amongst the population that has access to specialized care. Teams will conduct Chagas disease screening at the cardiology units of the major hospitals of Loja City. Participants will work along with Ecuadorian health care providers obtaining blood samples, conducting rapid tests and attempting to isolate T. cruzi from the infected patients. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to conduct short rotations within the different hospitals service. As a side project, a team will be conducing antibiotic resistance surveys. Up to 10 participants at a time can take part on this component.

Component 4 - Health and Development: Healthy Housing Against Chagas - Research into social, cultural and economic issues related to current house construction practices and implementation of a pilot house improvement program.

The “Pilot Healthy Housing Project” aims to implement actions related to house improvement and house construction that will eliminate the risk of transmission of Chagas Disease in Loja Province, Ecuador.  To this end the project will use existing biological and epidemiological data as the bases to guide social, economic and development research. All data gathered will be combined into a comprehensive and stepwise implementation plan that will be deployed during the next 10 years.

Most of the activities within this component will be carried out in one selected community in Loja province. A limited number of visits to existing housing projects within the region will be conducted. Up to 15 participants at a time can join this component. Activities will be carried out in several teams distributed as follows:

• House survey teams will visit every house within the community and conduct a detailed survey of the houses and the peridomicile. Special emphasis will be placed on issues related to water supply and sanitation, house construction materials, animals and livestock, domestic and peridomestic environment characteristics, etc.  

• Social/cultural interview teams will carry out focus groups with different members of the communities and will interview individuals in an effort to better understand the housing needs and the socio-economical and cultural environment.

• Fact-finding teams will visit local, regional and/or national housing projects to gather information about objectives, current practices and implementation issues.

• Data Management team will collect and systematize the information into analyzable sets.

• House improvement team – will work in our outreach program assisting on house improvement and house construction activities. 

       Component 5 - Laboratory activities at the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Quito.

The field work generates a considerable amount of samples and data that have to be processed upon return to the laboratory in Quito. Activities within this component will include parasitological analysis of triatomines, management of tissue and parasite cultures obtained in the field, serological confirmation of Chagas seropositivity (ELISA), DNA isolation, PCR, live triatomine colony maintenance, triatomine dissection and sample archival, data management, etc. Up to 3 participants will be eligible to remain during up to 2 additional weeks at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Quito at the end of the program to participate in laboratory and insectary based activities.

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 Preliminary schedule for the Tropical Disease Research Program

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Arrival and departure schedule.

Participants can choose to participate in the program at different schedules as listed in the tables below. The minimum duration of stay will be ~2 weeks, the maximum will be 6 weeks. Week 5 and 6 activities will be conducted in Quito.

Costs of participation will be calculated based on a prorated daily cost. For specific information please contact Dr. Grijalva

Proposed travel dates and arrangements should be made by the participants after accepting his/her nomination into the program and MUST be approved by the program director prior to purchase of the air tickets.

Travel from Quito to the study site will be arranged according to these dates. Travel or arrival at different times will be considered in exceptional cases and the costs associated with travel to/from Quito to the study site will not be covered by the program fee.

International Arrival and Departure Options

Upon nomination into the program, accepted participants need to indicate their preferred schedule. Assignments will be made on a first come  first serve basis.

* Includes 2 weeks conducting laboratory work at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Quito.

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Course information

The number of credits available will vary with length of participation and will match the Student's academic program needs. A non-credit option is available for non-OU students.

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