By David Arome
Nigeria remains a global hotspot for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Although parasitic infections are significant contributors, some NTDs receive less attention, most likely due to shifts in global health priorities towards high-burden diseases. One of such NTDs is schistosomiasis, affecting nearly 29 million Nigerians.
Dr Ajakaye Oluwaremilekun Grace, an African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) fellow and lecturer at Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria, in a virtual interview gave insights into Africa’s neglected parasites. APTI is a postdoctoral training fellowship programme implemented by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Grace is investigating the genetic diversity of these parasites (Schistosoma), as variations within parasite populations can influence virulence, transmission, and drug resistance. “Though technical know-how is lacking in this research line due to resource-constrained environments, this trend is gradually changing as more researchers are picking interest,” Dr. Grace stated.
Nigeria is endemic to many parasites; some of these parasites are zoonotic in nature, easily transmitted from animals to humans. Sometimes, the parasites can crossbreed between different species, and this can lead to the emergence of new strains. All of these are happening in the environment, like in the case of Schistosoma, but people are blind to them because microscopy does not give details about these happenings in the parasitic world. It takes genotyping—the process of examining DNA to identify genetic differences—to see such changes in the genetic pattern of the parasites.
Dr. Grace is exploring the use of field-deployable, next generation nanopore technology, utilizing multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) approach in her research. The technology offers a real-time platform to explore the sequencing of multiple samples at the same time, both in the field and in the laboratory to obtain genetic snapshot of parasite’s genome. It a is cost-effective techniques that can be employed in a research setting in Nigeria. MLST is an important technique in molecular biology that involves amplifying and sequencing multiple parts of the parasite’s genetic material at the same time. With this method, Dr. Grace has successfully characterized parasite samples from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nanopore technology is a powerful tool for genotyping, offering on-the-spot, long-read sequencing capabilities that allow for comprehensive genetic analysis. “Genotyping plays an important role in helping us know if the parasites are going through biological changes either due to drug pressures or other factors such as climate changes,” Dr. Grace reiterated.
The ongoing research has a lot of implications for schistosomiasis control. Presently, there is just one drug for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Imagine if the drug is not effective due to changes in the biology of the parasite. This could be devastating for Nigeria, endemic to schistosomiasis. “The research does not just focus only on the human population alone, but also on victors and animal reservoirs,” Dr. Grace noted.
The challenges in parasitological research are multifaceted. The misconceptions that resonate across communities about the research include: Why the frequent collection of samples? Why the endless surveys without corresponding intervention to address the diseases/health issues? Also, there is sometimes an expectation for incentives on the assumption of research being funded by the government. These challenges are best mitigated by working closely with local health personnel and community health workers, which the community trusts. Dr. Grace explains.
Laboratory work is not exempted from issues ranging from delay in the supply chain of equipment and reagents to administrative bottlenecks for the approval of research materials. Erratic power supply, cost of fueling generator but solar power has been the best alternative for us though expensive, Dr Grace reveals.
Her work transcends beyond Nigeria in collaboration with other researchers across Africa, Unuited States of America and Europe to raise young scientists with similar lines of research interest trained in molecular biology and genomic techniques.
Genomics is unlocking the future of disease control by revealing parasite biology, decoding transmission mechanisms, identifying pathways to disrupt infection cycles, and driving the discovery of next-generation treatments.
On translational research, “It is a bit difficult in Nigeria due to myriads of challenges emanating from the working environment, research isolation, and funding,” Dr. Grace stressed. Although it is achievable, it is not something that can happen in just a day. Making research translational requires collaborative efforts across the research spectra.
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What Dr. Grace is doing is very commendable.