Work packages
The Starworms project consists of three work packages (WPs), each representing one specific objective. Below, we summarize the expected outcome and highlight how this contributes to the main project objective.
WP 1: the validation of diagnostic tools to monitor drug efficacy and the spread of anthelmintic resistance
This work package will mitigate the most important obstacles of a surveillance system by providing
- a complete remote-location worm assessment tool that enables
- conducting stool analysis of stool without the use of a microscope
- automating the egg counting process
- submitting study results to an online tool for analysis and reporting
- ensuring auditable parasitological results
- a molecular based tool that allows
- point-of-care diagnosis
- detecting anthelmintic resistance at an early stage
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WP2: the establishment of a surveillance system to monitor the global patterns of drug efficacy and spread of anthelmintic resistance in soil-transmitted helminth programs
This work will provide global patterns of drug efficacy and anthelmintic resistance that is currently unavailable in the literature. It will also provide additional insights into the technical and financial resources needed to set up a surveillance system.
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WP3: the development of supporting tools for planning, analysis and follow-up of the drug efficacy and the spread of anthelmintic resistance
This work package will guide the program managers in planning, analyzing and reporting drug efficacy surveys through
- online tools that provide
- the most cost-effective study design customized to the local epidemiology and the resources available
- customized reports presenting drug efficacy results in a standardized manner without the need for prior knowledge of statistical software.
- an open access database that allows to
- explore the changes in drug efficacy and the spread of anthelmintic resistance over time in geographical areas of interest
- identify areas in which drug efficacy and emergence of anthelmintic resistance need to be evaluated
- identify both soil-transmitted helminth (DNA, eggs & worms) and host (stool & sera) samples that are availble for other related research
