Chagas disease is a deadly parasitic heart disease affecting dogs, humans, and other mammals in regions where “kissing bug” insect vectors are found (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States). Dogs across the US may be at risk if they travel from or to affected regions. Currently, there is no vaccine and no widely validated antiparasitic treatments.
After eight years of characterizing natural infections and disease progression, the team will develop a canine Chagas disease scoring system to categorize disease severity. They will then treat 100 dogs with a modified dosing regimen of benznidazole that has shown promise in preliminary studies. Dogs at different disease stages will be enrolled to determine which patients benefit most from treatment.
Relevance to PWDs: Regional relevance for PWDs living in or traveling to areas with kissing bugs, primarily the southern United States.
Co-sponsored with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Grant Number: 03334
RESEARCHERS
Sarah Hamer, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVPM; Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Amount: $5,000