Is Asthma In The Elderly A Disease Of The Peripheral Airways?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$502,437.00
Summary
Elderly asthmatics have poorer clinical outcomes compared with younger asthmatics. The reasons for this are unclear but may involve age-related changes in the disease itself. In this project we aim to show that asthma in the elderly is dominated by abnormalities of very small peripheral airways, in contrast to younger patients where the abnormalities occur in larger airways. The results will provide the basis for new and better targeted treatment strategies for asthma in the elderly.
How Do Thick Airway Walls Affect Airway Hyperresponsiveness In Asthma?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$382,538.00
Summary
Asthmatic airways narrow too easily, a characteristic called airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). To understand the cause of asthma we need to understand the cause of AHR. Thickened airway walls could amplify airway narrowing and increase AHR. However, thick airway walls are also stiff, and stiff walls could reduce narrowing and AHR. This project will examine the relationships between AHR and airway wall thickness and stiffness during and after treatment that reduces airway wall thickness.
Genetic Variation And Host-parasite Interactions Of Sarcoptes Scabiei
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$294,536.00
Summary
Scabies is a disease of skin caused by the burrowing of the 'itch' mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although up to 45 different host species can be infested by this mite, this organism is currently classified as a single species existing as multiple strains or varieties. Previous studies have failed to identify any structural differences between host-associated populations, suggesting a single gene pool. Our recent molecular study of scabies in people and dogs, from Aboriginal communities in the Northern ....Scabies is a disease of skin caused by the burrowing of the 'itch' mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although up to 45 different host species can be infested by this mite, this organism is currently classified as a single species existing as multiple strains or varieties. Previous studies have failed to identify any structural differences between host-associated populations, suggesting a single gene pool. Our recent molecular study of scabies in people and dogs, from Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and the North and South Americas, using DNA fingerprinting techniques, suggested mites cluster by host species with no evidence of cross-transmission. However although this data seems to suggest that these sub-species deserve species status, another molecular study suggests Sarcoptes is a single species, presumably a result of interbreeding. Understanding interbreeding between populations is important in the control of the disease and in controlling resistance to acaricides. We wish to further characterise the genetic separation of different 'strains' or populations of mites by studying the evolutionary gene flow between host-associated populations. We will use a mitochondrial DNA marker that will clarify fine scale transmission processes and more clearly delineate the biological species status of S. scabiei. Recent in vitro data and clinical evidence in a patient with severe crusted scabies indicated resistance to ivermectin, the treatment of choice for these patients. We will investigate the role and genetic mechanisms of ivermectin resistance. This is important for future control programs, as acaricide resistance can spread rapidly in parasite populations.Read moreRead less