Veroni Amarashinghe (Tübingen / DE), Sandra Gyarteng (Tübingen / DE), Xiaoxiao Yin (Tübingen / DE), Dorothee Harbecke (Tübingen / DE), Prof. Adrian Streit (Tübingen / DE)
Abstract text
The estimated number of people infected with Strongyloides stercoralis, the species which causes the vast majority of human strongyloidiasis cases, has been corrected upwards over the last few years and has now surpassed the 600 millions.
Recent studies by us and others revealed considerable genetic and genomic diversity and variability in the biology, in particular life cycle and host preferences, of Strongyloides stercoralis (s.l). Therefore, it is questionable that what is currently considered to be Strongyloides stercoralis is really only one species.
In order to complement the previous studies, we are currently collecting S. stercoralis from human and animal (i.e. canine and non-human primate) hosts is Ghana and in Bangladesh. Results from these collection efforts and an update on the establishment of a collection of live Strongyloides stercoralis isolates will be presented.