Leptospira in homes and yards: finding sources of human infection in peridomestic environments
Official title: Leptospira prevalence, cycling, and infection in the peridomestic environment
Funded at Northern Arizona University · NIH-11569955 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to identify where Leptospira infections come from in people’s homes and neighborhoods using advanced molecular tools.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern Arizona University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flagstaff, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $146,890 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI172924-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11569955 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This study is not a patient study, but findings may benefit communities at risk of leptospirosis and inform future patient-focused prevention efforts.
✕Less likely to help
There may be no direct benefit to individual participants in this study, as it focuses on environmental sources and pathogen genetics.
What this research studies
This project looks at how Leptospira bacteria persist and move in domestic and nearby outdoor spaces in Ecuador to understand how people get infected. Scientists will collect samples from peridomestic animals, soil, and water and apply a new culture-free genotyping method to link human cases to specific sources. The goal is to uncover clear transmission pathways so prevention can target the real sources that affect people’s daily lives, including those in similar settings in the US. The work combines field observations with molecular analysis to map when and where infections are most likely to occur.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could pinpoint concrete transmission sources and inform targeted prevention strategies that reduce human infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has demonstrated that linking environmental sources to human infections is possible with advanced genotyping, suggesting this approach could work in real-world settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pearson, Talima Ross — Northern Arizona University
- Study coordinator: Pearson, Talima Ross
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.