Parasitology
The application of Haemonchus contortus in sheep
to the development of hookworm vaccines in dogs and humans
Knox, D
Albert Sabin Vaccine Institute funded
Hookworm infections are one of the major health problems in humans
in developing countries. The adult parasites inhabit the intestine
and feed on blood by “biting” into the mucosal lining.
The blood meal is digested by a cascade of proteolytic enzymes, some
or all of which could form the basis of a vaccine using the same approach
which is described at this website to develop vaccines against Haemonchus,
also a blood-feeding nematode. Haemonchus contains close homologues
of these enzymes. Unfortunately, hookworm vaccine development is impaired
because it is difficult to obtain enough parasite material to purify
native proteins in sufficient quantity to conduct meaningful vaccine
trials.
This project is therefore using Haemonchus as a model system
for hookworms whereby the homologues of hookworm vaccine candidates
are purified from Haemonchus and then tested in vaccine trials
in sheep. Those showing good efficacy will be taken forward within
the Hookworm Vaccine Initiative undertaken within the Sabin Vaccine
Institute.