Sterile Schistosomes for Anthelmintic Therapy

Schistosomiasis brings about extensive morbidity through a range of clinical manifestations, resulting exclusively from the deposition of eggs within host tissues by adult worms. Infection with schistosomes lacking the ability to produce eggs is not expected to result in any disease-associated pathology. We propose to develop sterile schistosomes as a nonpathogenic biological delivery platform for therapeutic agents into the host (human) bloodstream. We will test the hypothesis that this naturally co-evolved biological system can be engineered to deliver microRNAs and peptides that confer host protection against parasites, including filarial nematodes (LF infections) and juveline schistosomes.