Targeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds against the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis and the potentially blinding infection Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Acanthamoeba is free-living amoeba with a worldwide distribution that can cause a potentially blinding infection of the cornea called Acanthamoeba keratitis. The infection is usually found in contact lens wearers, and it is probably difficult eye infection to manage due to the absence of a licenced treatment. Current treatments do exist, but treatment times range from 6-30 months with many patients required corneal transplantation (25%) and surgical removal of the eye (5%).

Leishmania causes the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis which is found worldwide throughout the tropics. The disease is transmitted by sandflies and causes symptoms ranging from skin sores, facial disfigurements as well as damage to the liver and spleen. With an estimated 2 million cases per year and 70,000 deaths treatment involves intravenous amphotericin B which is highly toxic to the kidneys and oral miltefosine which is a potent teratogen which causes abortion and foetal abnormalities.

There is an urgent need to develop improved treatment strategies for both Leishmaniasis and Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Leishmania is a flagellated protozoan parasite that resides within human macrophages making it difficult to deliver sufficient quantities of antimicrobial compounds intracellular location. Acanthamoeba on the other hand is a free-living amoeba that engulfs its prey using a similar phagocytic process. The project aims to develop drug loaded lipid nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds to improve the treatment of these two infections.

Further details (or informal enquiries) can be obtained via direct email to Director of Studies, Dr Wayne Heaselgrave w.heaselgrave@wlv.ac.uk