Tracking gut infections in children using blood antibody tests
Enteric Pathogen Force of Infection among Children using Serology
This project uses blood antibody tests in children to find how often gut infections happen in low-resource communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11115781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, my child will have small blood samples taken at scheduled visits while the team follows babies from birth to see how antibody levels change over time. The lab will use multiplex bead assays to measure IgG antibodies for many gut pathogens from those blood samples. Researchers will compare these antibody patterns with other measures and with population surveys to map where and how often infections occur. The work is done in community settings to make surveillance easier without frequent stool collection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are newborns and young children living in the Ecuador study communities whose families agree to periodic blood collection and health follow-up.
Not a fit: People outside the study areas, adults, or children whose families do not want blood draws are unlikely to get direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make it easier to track and map gut infections in children and help target public health actions where they are most needed.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier pilot work and antibody-based surveillance for diseases like dengue and malaria have shown promise, but applying multiplex antibody tests broadly to many enteric pathogens is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arnold, Benjamin F — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Arnold, Benjamin F
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.