PATHOGEN CO-INFECTION
HIV-1, Tubercolosis, Malaria
and Hepatitis C virus
agenda
participants
PathCo Newsletter
PathCo Brochure
Pathogen Co-infection: HIV-1, Tuberculosis, Malaria and hepatitis C virus
- Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are the primary infectious diseases causing death world wide. TB is responsible for a third to a half of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated deaths, particularly in sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Malaria is widely spread in tropical Africa and accounts for approximately 800,000 deaths every year. In addition to these pathogens, 170 million people are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which may lead to chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of shared routes of transmission, HCV co-infection is recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-1 infected persons.
- Effective drugs to control these infectious agents are limited and treatment is made even more challenging by the development of drug-resistant pathogens. Importantly, co-infection with one or more of these pathogens limits the efficacy of available drugs. The epidemiological and clinical features of co-infected subjects is well documented, however, there is a paucity of basic scientific studies addressing the molecular interaction(s) between these pathogens. Variant pathogen strains are known to influence infection and disease outcome, however, the underlying mechanism(s) are unknown.
- PathCo consortium propose that pathogen evasion and dysregulation of host immune responses play a key role in co-infection associated morbidity. We will test this hypothesis by developing in vitro and ex vivo co-infection model systems to study pathogen interactions. The specific objectives of this project are to improve our understanding of pathogen co-infection effect(s) on host innate and adaptive immune responses and to develop new approaches to dissect pathogen interactions: ranging from the genesis of fluorescent labelled viruses to state-of-the-art tissue explant culture systems and novel humanised mouse models. Translational studies of infected subjects will define pathogen-specific effects on host immune responses and consequences for disease progression. It is imperative that such interactions are elucidated before evaluating new prophylactic or therapeutic strategies in co-infected individuals.
PathCo Project Focus
- The PathCo project brings together powerful multidisciplinary technologies that will improve our understanding of the complex interactions between infectious agents and the host immune response that will significantly improve the management of co-infection associated disease.
- Recent developments in each of the disease disciplines enable the design of model systems that support pathogen co-infection, highlighting the timeliness of PathCo’s mission to study the biological and immunological consequences of co-infection(s).
- Ultimately such knowledge will be instrumental in the rational design of new therapies and vaccines to control HIV-1, TB, malaria and HCV. In parallel to generating and utilizing new tools to understand the basic biology of pathogen co-interactions the PathCo consortium members will develop novel anti-microbials for translational research.
The PathCo project will identify new targets for therapy and vaccine design, whilst validating known agents for their ability to block pathogen transmission and to target antigen or anti-pathogen components to dendritic cells (DCs).
- The PathCo consortium consists of ten beneficiaries from five EU countries (Netherlands, UK, France, Germany and Italy) and one beneficiary from non-EU countries (South Africa).
- PathCo team is a well-balanced team of immunologists, virologists, clinicians, statisticians, epidemiologists with expertise in HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and hepatitis C infection research and has the most appropriate scientific and technical background as well as the animal models and instrumentation required to fulfill the goals of this project and to succeed in its mission. PathCo beneficiaries will have access to well-characterised established cohorts of co-infected patients from different geographical locations. Given the widespread global nature of the pathogens under study it is imperative that we are not biased in our selection of patients.
Project info
Acronym: PathCo
EC Contribution: € 5.909.690
Duration: 60 months
Starting date: 01/11/2012
Instrument: Collaborative project
Coordinator:
Bill Paxton
The University of Liverpool Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology Institute of Infection and Global Health
The Ronald Ross Building West Derby Street 8 Liverpool L69 7BE United Kingdom
This project is supported through Coordination Theme 1 (Health) of the European Community's FP7. Grant agreement number
HEALTH-F3-2012-305578
Last update: 07/12/2017
© 2012 PathCo - All rights reserved | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Powered by ALTA
Intuitive
We create easy-to-use products.
Adaptable
We build modular solutions.
Durable
We craft long-lasting goods.
PathCo is split into 5 basic research areas encompassing
the following objectives
-> To define the genetic and molecular basis underlying
TB regulation of HIV-1 replication
-> To define the role of HIV-1 infection and associated
inflammation on HCV replication
-> To identify common pathways defining Malaria
and HCV liver tropism
-> To generate humanized mouse model systems
that support pathogen co-infections
-> To identify the effect(s) of HIV-1 infection on HCV
specific host immune responses
The PathCo project brings together powerful multidisciplinary technologies that will improve our
understanding of the complex interactions between infectious agents and the host immune response that will significantly improve the management of co-infection associated disease.
Recent developments in each of the disease disciplines enable the design of model systems that support pathogen co-infection, highlighting the timeliness of PathCo’s mission to study
the biological and immunological consequences of co-infection(s). Ultimately such knowledge will be instrumental in the rational design of new therapies and vaccines to control HIV-1, TB, malaria and HCV.
In parallel to generating and utilizing new tools to understand the basic biology of pathogen co-interactions the PathCo consortium members will develop novel anti-microbials for translational research.
The PathCo project will identify new targets for therapy and vaccine design, whilst validating known agents for their ability to block pathogen transmission and to target antigen or anti-pathogen components to dendritic cells (DCs).
PATHOGEN CO-INFECTION - THE PROBLEM
Acquired immune deficiency (AIDS), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are the primary infectious diseases causing death worldwide. TB is responsible for a third to a half of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated deaths, particularly in sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Malaria is widely spread in tropical Africa and accounts for approximately 800,000 deaths every year. In addition to these pathogens, 170 million people are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which leads to chronic liver disease. Because of shared routes of transmission, HCV co-infection is recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality among
HIV-1 infected persons.
The epidemiology and clinical features of co-infected subjects is well documented, however, there is a paucity of basic scientific studies addressing the interactions between these pathogens. There is undoubtedly a complex interplay between pathogens and the host
immune response.
PATHCO FOCUS AND OUTCOME
PathCo consortium proposes that pathogen evasion and dysregulation of host immune responses play a key role in co-infection associated morbidity. Within this Project will test this hypothesis by developing in vitro and ex vivo co-infection model systems to study co-pathogen interactions. The specific objectives of PathCo are to improve our understanding of pathogen
co-infection effect(s) on host innate and adaptive immune responses and to develop new approaches to dissect pathogen interactions: ranging from the genesis of fluorescent labelled viruses to state-of-the-art tissue explant culture systems and novel humanised mouse
models. Translational studies of infected subjects will define pathogen-specific effects on host immune responses and consequences for disease progression.
It is imperative that such interactions are elucidated before evaluating new prophylactic or therapeutic strategies in co-infected individuals.
PATHCO ALLIANCE
The PathCo consortium consists of nine beneficiaries from four EU different countries (UK, France, Germany and Italy) and one beneficiary from non-EU countries (South Africa).
PathCo is a well-balanced team of immunologists, virologists, clinicians, statisticians, epidemiologists with expertise in HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and hepatitis C infection research and has the most appropriate scientific and technical background as well as the animal models and instrumentation required to fulfill the goals of this project and to succeed in its mission.
PathCo beneficiaries will have access to well-characterised established cohorts of co-infected patients from different geographical locations.
Technology
In vitro
systems
Advanced
Animal
Models
Human
Immunology
HIV
TB
HIV
HCV
HIV
Malaria
TB
regulation of
HIV replication
TB
regulation of
HIV replication
HIV infectioninflammation
in HCV
replication
Generation
humanized
mouse models
for mono- and
co-infection
HIV infection
on HCV
specific host
immune
responses
Common
pathways
of Malaria and
HCV entry into
hepatocytes
infection
Generation
humanized
mouse models
for mono- and
co-infection
PROJECT ORGANIZATION
pathogen Co-infection:
HIV-1, Tuberculosis, Malaria and hepatitis C virus
University of Birmingham
Jane McKeating - Gurdyal Besra
United Kingdom
institUt nationaL de La santé
et de La reCherChe médiCaLe
Olivier Silvie - France
UniversitaetskLinikUm freiBUrg
Robert Thimme - Germany
University of oxford
Tao Dong - United Kingdom
imperiaL CoLLege of sCienCe,
teChnoLogy and mediCine
Carolina Herrera - Xiao-Ning Xu
United Kingdom- www3.imperial.ac.uk
University of Cape toWn
Robert Wilkinson - South Africa
institut pasteur
James Di Santo - France
aLta riCerCa e sviLUppo
in BioteCnoLogie s.r.L.U.
Riccardo Bertini - Italy
PATHCO PARTNERS
pathogen Co-infeCtion:
HIV-1, Tuberculosis, Malaria
and hepatitis C virus
Coordinator:
Prof William a paxton phd diC
Department of Clinical Infection,
Microbiology and Immunology
Institute of Infection and Global Health
University of Liverpool
216e, Ronald Ross Building
8 West Derby Street
Liverpool L69 7BE
EC Contribution: € 5.909.690
Duration: 60 months
Starting date: 01/11/2012
University of LiverpooL
Bill Paxton - United Kingdom