Post-genomic challenges for collaborative research in infectious diseases

Abstract

Although high-burden pathogens have been prioritized for sequencing, genomic research has yet to yield effective vaccines, diagnostics or therapeutics for the infectious diseases that burden developing countries. International research partnerships are needed more today than ever before, and we propose that increased participation by scientists in endemic areas would overcome current roadblocks and is an essential path towards translational research outcomes

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in sub-Saharan Africa: Status, Uncertainties and Necessities

“…As with epidemiology, the molecular pathogenesis of many pathogens that are more prevalent in Africa than elsewhere is poorly understood and African laboratories rarely undertake in-depth characterization of locally isolated pathogens. Isolate archival is a challenge for many labs; transfer to other locations is difficult; and African scientists need to play a more direct role in molecular studies of principal local pathogens [251,252].…”

Broadening Participation in the Sciences within and from Africa: Purpose, Challenges, and Prospects

“…The problem does not rest with opinion and evaluation. Even reports and other articles purporting to provide the “global” situation in geographically sensitive fields like epidemiology or environmental sciences often underrepresent or even entirely omit Africa (Okeke and Wain, 2008). When justification is offered, the reasoning is that African scientists are few and data are often hard to come by.…”

Using next generation sequencing to tackle non-typhoidal Salmonella infections

“…These studies raise the possibility of birds as a source of S. Typhimurium ST313 and the relationship between the S. Typhimurium DT56 isolates from birds and humans remains to be described but is of great interest. The importance of the detailed description of S. Typhimurium ST313 [20] should not be underestimated, but if the opportunities in our post genomic era are to be fully realised then this research must be translated into useful tools to reduce the burden of this dreadful disease [28]. The detailed description of the spread of S. Typhimurium ST313 is a major breakthrough and shows how new nucleic acid sequencing technology can be used for epidemiology of NTS infection but the expansion of S. Typhimurium ST313 only partially explains the emergence of drug resistant, invasive, NTS infection.…”

“…The advantage of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology is the ability to provide information about any bacterial species -it is truly a molecular blood agar plate for modern day microbiologists. The association between S. Typhimurium ST313 and invasive NTS infection is clear, and the final proof of virulence may come from laboratory experiments in animal model systems [28], but the work remains incomplete until vaccines and new diagnostics are implemented for general use in regions of the world where invasive NTS infection is endemic [28] (Table).…”