Department of
Veterinary Medicine: Current Research Projects
1. Sentinel
animal study for flavivirus surveillance in the vicinity of Sangkhlaburi.
2001-2002
Description: Biological samples collected were assayed for the
presence of flaviviruses
Collaborators: Department of Virology, AFRIMS.
2. Anti-malarial
treatment efficacy of artelinate and artesunate in the Rhesus
monkey/Plasmodium coatneyi model.
2001-2002
Description: Large scale study to compare artelinate and artesunate.
3. Veterinary
Medical Support of GEIS field studies in Kanchanaburi Province,
Thailand
Staff: Montip Gettayacamin,
DVM, LTC Terrell Blanchard, DVM, Anchalee Tungtaeng, MS, Phongsak
Maneerat
Background: For the past several years, the AFRIMS Department
of Immunology and Medicine has attempted to identify:
new or emerging zoonotic
vector-borne diseases
as causes of febrile illnesses among the people living in Sangkhlaburi
District, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.
Preliminary serologic
analyses suggested that the people in this locale may be commonly
exposed to several tick-borne agents, including spotted fever
group (SFG) Rickettsia and granulocytic ehrlichia. As a part of
the efforts to identify the putative pathogens, isolation of organisms
present in clinical samples was carried out in laboratory rodents.
This work was performed in an AAALAC-accredited laboratory animal
facility co-located with the AFRIMS-KRCH Clinical Research Center,
since it was impractical to transport the clinical samples back
to Bangkok for such studies, due to the distance of over 300 kms
and often poor road conditions. The AFRIMS Department of Veterinary
Medicine provided complete laboratory animal medical and veterinary
support for this important field study.
Methods:
Febrile patients presenting to KRCH were potential study subjects,
and they included Thais and ethnic minorities such as Burmese,
Karen, and Mon. These patients were enrolled in the "Fever
Study" (WRAIR #745).
Subjects with clinical
signs, symptoms, laboratory findings and history suggestive of
tick-borne rickettsioses, or whose sera were reactive to SFG rickettsiae
or ehrlichiae by dot-ELISA assays, were selected for diagnostic
confirmation by rodent inoculation. Blood and/or cutaneous biopsy
specimens were inoculated intraperitoneally into rodents. When
ehrlichiosis was suspected, mice were used; guinea pigs were used
when rickettsiosis was suspected. Animals were monitored for development
of sepsis, fever, orchitis, circulating ehrlichia-infected leukocytes,
and other parameters for up to 21 days. All inoculated animals
that became infected were euthanized and necropsied for collection
of blood and other biosamples (e.g. peritoneal scrapes, tunica
vaginalis mesothelium, spleen or lung tissue).
Progress and accomplishments:
All laboratory animals, support equipment for housing, husbandry,
and laboratory procedures were provided and transported to the
field site, and replenished as necessary throughout the year.
Veterinary technical personnel from AFRIMS traveled to and remained
on-site on a TDY basis for several extensive periods to ensure
proper care and handling of the laboratory animals, assist in
the laboratory procedures, and supervise all aspects of the animal
research operations.
Dissemination
of information:
AFRIMS Website
Department of Defense GEIS report
Training and
workshops: Training in basic aspects of humane animal
care and use procedures was provided to Dr. Phil Parola, an associate
investigator from the Harvard School of Public Health prior to
initiation of the study. Additional training in laboratory animal
husbandry and facility operations was provided to locally-hired
Thai lay staff on an ad-hoc basis.
Impact: Emerging rickettsioses as causes of human
febrile illness have been identified. For example, Rickettsia
felis has been found responsible for SFG rickettsiosis for the
first time in Asia.
Conclusions:
Veterinary medical and laboratory animal support remains valuable
in studies to elucidate causes of new and emerging infectious
diseases in Thailand.
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