Tropical Disease Research Program

Chagas disease in Ecuador

And

 International Research Training Workshop in Ecuador

June 24th - July 30th, Summer 2012 (NEW DATES)
(Variable stays from 2 to 5 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 01/12/2012 03:59 PM

Applications are open

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Summary program information:

International Research Training Workshop in Ecuador (Optional)
June 24 to 29, 2012.

The International Research Training Workshop evolves from 11 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 and group exercises.

Tropical Disease Research Program
June 30 to July 30, 2012 (2 to 4 weeks, variable)

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 the main research activities of the overall project. Read more about the overall Chagas project (learn more...)

Language

The program language will be English and Ecuadorian staff will be available for translations. Spanish language knowledge is not required, but desirable.

4th International Research Training Course in Ecuador – June 24^th to 29^th.

Who should attend: Students of any discipline that want to pursue a research career that involves international sites, collaborations, human subject recruitment, etc.

The International Research Training Course takes place one week before the field activities within the Tropical Disease Research Program begin. 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” in the Ecuadorian Highlands 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)

11th Tropical Disease Research Program – field activities – June 30^th to July 30^th. (Aprox)

The Tropical Disease Research Program will have several field and hospital-based components. Due to enrollment limitations in each component, applicants must indicate their preferred components and rank them. Transfer between components will be possible 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 6 part podcast series about the project here, via YouTube or iTunes (search Tropical Disease Institute's Ecuador Podcasts);

• See 4 part podcast series about the project following these links: 7, 8, 9 and 10

• See the FAQ to learn how a typical day’s schedule is and activities will take place if you are in the field.

• See the FAQ to learn how a typical day's schedule is if you are at a Hospital.

1.     Component 1 - Multidisciplinary surveys - June 30 to July 15 – 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 5 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 a 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 in the communities - June 30 to July 15 – Chagas disease screening, physical-clinical examination, clinical follow up and community education. This activity will be led by certified medical technicians and physicians from the Ministry of Health and Catholic University of Ecuador.  Up to 15 participants can take part in this component at a time.

• The objective of this component is to assist the Ministry of Health in detecting Chagas disease cases among the population and to characterize the strains of Trypanosoma cruzi infecting people in this region.

• In addition, the clinical data baseline for the long term Healthy Living project will be completed. As part of this objective laboratory exams (blood, stool, urine) will be conducted by trained technicians that will be assisted by participants.  Furthermore, as part of our outreach activities, free physical-clinical examination will be offered to the population in collaboration with physicians from the Ministry of Health.

• Participants will assist Ecuadorian physicians on follow up of individuals indentified last year with a wide range of clinical diagnosis.

•  Participants will work side by side with Ecuadorian health care providers and researchers within the workflow structure of the makeshift clinic.

3.     Component 3 - Clinical Research at Hospitals – June 24 to June 30. This activity will be limited to MRSA testing in hospitals in Cuenca, in the Central Highlands of Ecuador. Up to 6 participants at a time can take part on this component.

A team, led by Dr. Daniel Herman, from the Biology Department, University of Wisconsin - Euclaire will be conducing Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)  surveys at the Cuenca regional hospital located in Azuay Province.

Component 4 - Health and Development: Healthy Living - Development Against Chagas - June 30 to July 15. Research and implementation interventions related to social, cultural and economic issues associated with risk factors for Chagas disease. These activities will include 5 areas:

In summer 2012, activities will include:

• Health - in addition to clinical activities, health education will be provided to different groups within the community.

• Environment - health education regarding the environment, effective use and conservation of potable water. Guides of local birds, plants and mammals will be developed that merge scientific information with local knowledge and stories.

• Economic Development - assessment to local economic entrepreneurs such as   handcraft jewelry, composting and fruit jam production.

• Housing - Detailed housing census to determine improvement needs. Research into local construction practices and materials, and cultural practices and behaviors associated with housing disposal.

• Housing model – construction and introduction of a testable model of a house resistant to chinchorros infestation.

• Water Project - Assistance in the construction of drinking and irrigation water system in one community.

• Social organization – workshops and activities aimed at improving social organization and communities’ cohesion.

• Ornithological Club: educative activities designed to encourage creative and respectful relationships between children and their environment, particularly related to bird’s identification and care.

• Communication and Development - Multimedia production - Production of videos, audio and printed materials about the project and pieces for community education.

• Culture and society - Document local legends, tales, stories, anecdotes and history to reinforce community identity. Introduction of these materials in the curriculum developed by local teachers.

The “Healthy Living Initiative” aims to implement actions related to house improvement 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.  

 

Component 5 - Malaria Research - July 14 to July 30. Research into mosquito biology and infection. Isolation and culture of Plasmodium parasites from patients. This component will be led by Drs. Sofia Ocaña and Fabián Saenz from the Center for Infectious Disease Research at Catholic U. of Ecuador. This component can host up to 10 participants.

The objective of this component is to have a better understanding of the genetic basis of Plasmodium drug resistance in Ecuador as well as the species of vector population circulating in endemic localities in the country. We will be working in two different locations in the Coast and Amazon regions of Ecuador conducting the following activities:

• Survey the population on their knowledge and clinical history of malaria.

• Take blood samples from the people to understand Plasmodium drug resistance and human genetic resistance to Plasmodium.

• Collection of Anopheline mosquitoes in different environments at the communities. Collection will be carried out at night at peak activity of mosquitoes.

• Morphological identification of mosquitoes collected in the field.

 

 

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 Preliminary schedule for the Tropical Disease Research Program (Aprox)

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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 5 weeks. Week 4 and 5 activities will be conducted in the cities of Machala, in the Southern Coastal region, and in Sucumbios in the northern Amazonic region.

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 preliminary acceptance 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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