Yucatecan scientists and researchers work to fight Chagas disease

Mérida, Yuc.- A research project that links UADY and UNAM and that qualified for funding from CONACYT will allow innovative techniques based on medical images and signals to be used, in order to find better methods in the diagnosis of the Chagas Disease.

The area has sophisticated and avant-garde equipment, like a clinical ultrasound, which allows evaluating the cardiac morphology; an anesthesia monitor; a plate to record the animal’s electrical activity; and ultrasound measuring devices to capture the flow of blood vessels and intracardiac valves, among others. The project had a financing of almost 6 million pesos granted by the CONACYT.

Chagas disease is endemic in 21 countries of the Americas, affecting between 5 and 12 million people, ranging from the southern United States to Argentina. There are between 70 and 100 million people exposed to this disease.

The parasitology laboratory of the Regional Research Center “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi” features this new area where sophisticated equipment can monitor living animals such as mice, rabbits, guinea pigs and even cats.

“The newly inaugurated facility is the only one of its kind in the region boasting this type of technology”, said Dr. Ana Paulina Haro Álvarez, one of the leaders and commissioner of CONACYT for UADY, who also highlighted the importance of venturing with innovative techniques which eventually will be used on humans in the long run.

The researcher underlined that there are several characteristics that make this project unprecedented and that the results obtained will allow the scientific commuity of Yucatan to advance in the knowledge of this desease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors.

Source: SIPSE