Project Title: Infrared & AI to diagnose and quantify Onchocerca Volvulus in Blackflies

Project Description: This investment is to demonstrate proof of concept of technology under development to assess malaria parasite infection and other traits (age/species) in mosquitoes, as repurposed for the detection of Onchocerca larvae in blackflies. If successful, we believe this technology could be scaled-up and used by countries to accelerate Mass Drug Administration (MDA) dtopping decisions, as currrently programs rely on PcR which has been difficult to implement due to a lack of lab capacity. Possible risk... This investment is to demonstrate proof of concept of technology under development to assess malaria parasite infection and other traits (age/species) in mosquitoes, as repurposed for the detection of Onchocerca larvae in blackflies. If successful, we believe this technology could be scaled-up and used by countries to accelerate Mass Drug Administration (MDA) dtopping decisions, as currrently programs rely on PcR which has been difficult to implement due to a lack of lab capacity. Possible risk to complecting this within the project duration is obtaining sufficient infected blackflies and distinguishing Onchocerca from other parasites that can infect simulium. Proposed outcomes 1. Identify an alternative to lab-based PCR for testing Onchocerca in blackflies removing the current lab-capacity barrier to stopping MDA and potentially streaming fly capture from nonhuman trapping flies (i.e., EWT and Host Decoy Traps). 2. Demonstrate feasibility of infrared spectroscopy/AI for diagnosis of Onchocerca in vector, using well-characterized specimens of Onchocerca-infected and non-infected blackflies in the simulium -O. ochengi cattle model. 3. Field test using wild specimens collected from onchocerciasis-endemic areas and validated using PCR Read more

Principal Investigator : Emmanuel Mwanga

Department Name :

Time frame: (2021-11-01) - (2025-06-30)

Funding Partners
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) (Normal)
External Collaborating Partners
None added yet.