As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Leishmania encompasses more than twenty different species that are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female sandfly. Furthermore, more than ninety different species of Leishmania-transmitting sandflies are known.
Along its own line of research by the Venezuelan Science Incubator, on varied tropical parasite species infecting mammals, the Leishmaniasis Network seeks to provide answers to those expressing clinical manifestations of the disease, ranging from cutaneous lesions, to visceral symptoms. Furthermore, our network furnishes the international community of academics researching Leishmaniasis with new evidence thereby filling in the gaps of a global understanding of pathogenesis.
In this vein, the Leishmaniasis Network emphasizes the collection of data and the proposal of projects addressing the epidemiology of cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral forms of the disease by the complex distributions of both parasite and sandfly. We endeavour to map relationships of transmission cycles to the diversity of reservoir animals, sandfly vectors and human clinical manifestations, and immunological responses which circulate in the same geographical regions. Our community healthcare and research objectives parallel those promulgated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Objectives of Leishmania Research Network
- To seek the holistic involvement of communities, in noticing manifestations of symptoms suggestive of this disease in its varied forms with the objective of effectuating accurate diagnosis, therapy, and quelling community spread.
- To organize and execute projects with our “citizen science” network in effort to resolve community spread of the parasite, which prevent the interference of our immediate medical team given geographical restraints of distance.
- To organize sustainable surveillance systems and response algorithms to outbreaks of parasites in communities, thereby strengthening the involvement and collaboration of our partners and stakeholder.
- To monitor the trends of infection by Leishmania parasites around the world and to compare them to the natural development of our local Leishmaniasis disease schematic.
- To develop training programs of health professionals’ response to Leishmania infections in different jurisdictions of the country.
- To advocate health education activities.