Hookworm infection in Ghana: understanding infection, treatment response, and reinfection
Translational studies of hookworm infection in Ghana
This project looks at how hookworm spreads, how well deworming medicines work, and how infections come back in people living in Ghana.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307001 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will follow communities in the Bono East Region over time to measure who gets infected, who responds to deworming, and who becomes reinfected. Field teams will collect stool samples before and after treatment and track clinical signs like anemia and growth delays. Scientists will sequence hookworm genes from those samples to look for drug-resistance mutations and study how deworming affects worm genetic diversity. Laboratory work will also use an animal model to better understand how hookworm causes disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people living in hookworm-endemic communities in Ghana, especially in the Bono East region, who currently have or are at risk for hookworm infection and can participate in follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People who do not live in or cannot travel to the study area, those without hookworm exposure, or those with unrelated health conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help make deworming programs more effective, slow the spread of drug-resistant worms, and reduce hookworm-related anemia and growth problems.
How similar studies have performed: Mass drug administration has reduced worm burdens in many places but may not provide long-term control, and genetic studies of hookworm resistance are a newer approach with limited prior large-scale success.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cappello, Michael — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Cappello, Michael
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.