Navy Medical Research Team Joins Partnership to Combat Malaria

By Doris Ryan, Naval Medical Research Center Public Affairs

LIMA, Peru (NNS) -- The U.S. Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD) Peru has joined a consortium of institutions from Peru, Brazil and the United States to help eliminate malaria from the Amazon region.

The contributions of NMRCD to determine the incidence of vivax malaria in the study sites in Peru and Brazil will be a key complement to Navy medicine research and development efforts to develop and test vaccines in the future, said Capt. Richard L. Haberberger Jr., the commanding officer of the Naval Medical Research Center.

"This will be an important step forward for malaria research and will eventually contribute to the overall health of deployed sailors and Marines," said Haberberger. "This is why it is vital we maintain forward-deployed labs like NMRCD where there is a focus on force health protection, research and development, and public health diplomacy."

This center is supported by a seven-year, $9.2 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The principal investigator is Dr. Joseph Vinetz from the University of California at San Diego. The award for the Amazon Region Center of Excellence in Malaria Research was one of 10 grants announced July 8 by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH.

A key component of this initiative will be to increase the research and public health capacity in the participating countries, providing training for students and researchers and engaging eminent scientists and physicians from Peru, Brazil and the United States.

NMRCD's parasitology and entomology programs will have integral roles in field and laboratory activities leading to the determination of malaria incidence rates, parasite genotyping, monitoring drug resistance and the determination of which mosquitoes are transmitting malaria in this area. The detachment will manage the Madre de Dios, Peru site, and will collaborate on activities in Iquitos, Peru, two of the three study locations of the center.

"NMRCD will also be responsible for the data management component of the program and capacity building efforts, standardizing and enhancing data processing and analysis, as well as assisting host-country partners to improve their ability to conduct malaria research as part of the center and utilize research findings for policy and program development," said Lt. Paul Graf, head of the parasitology department.

Dr. Andres G. Lescano, the deputy head of the parasitology department and director of public health training at NMRCD, will lead the data management core and training program. Along with Graf; Lt. Kirk Mundal, head of the entomology department, will be in charge of human and vector interaction studies in Madre de Dios and will also support activities in the other sites.

"This award and the partnership with world-class research centers in South America and the United States confirm the caliber of the work conducted in U.S. overseas research centers such as NMRCD. This center will develop a new generation of malaria researchers and will create important opportunities for the advancement of Navy Medicine research," said Cmdr. John W. Sanders, the officer-in-charge of NMRCD.

Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by a single-celled protozoan, transmitted to humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito, which serves as the vector for the parasite, incubating it and carrying it from human to human. Malaria represents a major threat to international travelers and historically has been a serious health risk for deployed U.S. military forces.

In fact, more work days were lost among U.S. military personnel due to malaria than to bullets during every military campaign fought in malaria-endemic regions during the 20th century. Currently, malaria is present in operationally important countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea, said Sanders.