Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute cryobank for human and animal trypanosome isolates to support research: opportunities and challenges

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 8; no. 5; p. e2747
• Main Authors: Murilla, Grace A, Ndung'u, Kariuki, Thuita, John K, Gitonga, Purity K, Kahiga, Daniel T, Auma, Joanna E, Ouma, Johnson O, Rutto, Jane J, Ndung'u, Joseph M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01-05-2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Academies and Institutes - organization & administration; Animals; Biological Specimen Banks - organization & administration; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomedical Research - organization & administration; Cattle - parasitology; Cloning; Demographic aspects; Derivatives; Diagnosis; Disease; Drug Resistance; From Innovation to Application; Goats - parasitology; Health aspects; Humans; Infections; Kenya; Medicine and Health Sciences; Sheep - parasitology; Trypanosoma; Trypanosomiasis; Trypanosomiasis, African - parasitology; Trypanosomiasis, African - veterinary; Tsetse Flies - parasitology; Kenya
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002747

 
The WHO steering committee on human African trypanosomiasis treatment and the East African Network for Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis (EANETT) have therefore recommended that collection of stabilates be a continuous activity in order to monitor the occurrence and spatial distribution of treatment failure [6]. Since its inception, KETRI has established an institutional policy of encouraging collection of stabilates by scientists and clinicians for cryopreservation. Advantages and Improvements of the Cryobank Advantages * A large well-preserved stock of over 2,000 trypanosome stabilates of economic importance * A unique collection of viable species of trypanosomes collected from different hosts and countries over a period of more than 50 years * A collection of clones developed from different species of trypanosomes and availability of trypanosome isolates of mixed infections Improvements * Establishment of new networks and/or strengthen the current collaborations for sustained collection and cryopreservation of human and animal infective trypanosome isolates * Replacement of the current equipment in order to reduce the liquid nitrogen usage and associated costs * Review guidelines for access to isolates Acknowledgments We wish to thank the Director KARI for permission to publish this work.