Understanding the causes of sudden fevers in the Andes and Amazon
Official title: RFA-GH-20-005, Project of Febrile Illness Surveillance in the Andean and Amazon Countries (PISAAC)
Funded at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia · NIH-11400843 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for the causes of sudden fevers in people living in coastal, Andean, and Amazon regions of Peru and Ecuador to improve diagnosis and response.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lima, Peru) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $749,874 |
| NIH project number | 6U01GH002266-04M004 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400843 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with acute, unexplained fevers who present to participating clinics in the selected coastal, Andean, or Amazon study sites in Peru and Ecuador are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without fever, with chronic non-febrile conditions, or those living outside the selected regions are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
If you get a sudden fever and seek care at participating clinics, the team will collect information and clinical samples to try to identify what is making you sick. The project links hospitals and public health labs across Peru and Ecuador to run better tests and share results quickly. Researchers will track patterns of fever over time and across locations to find outbreaks and common causes. The effort also trains and strengthens local laboratories so results reach patients and health authorities faster.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to faster, more accurate diagnoses for people with fever and quicker public health responses to outbreaks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous fever surveillance programs have identified important pathogens and improved outbreak detection, but many fevers remain unexplained, so this coordinated regional effort builds on past successes while addressing unresolved gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Lima, Peru Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gotuzzo, Eduardo — Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
- Study coordinator: Gotuzzo, Eduardo
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.