TAKeOFF consortium brings together international experts (from five research institutions) in filarial infections. This collaboration is aimed at tackling the obstacles to fight filariasis and podoconiosis diseases, hence the acronym TAKeOFF. Filariasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTD) caused byfilarial nematodes and more than 200 million people are parasitized world-wide.
To address the filariasis and podoconiosis diseases, this consortium was established to provide both innovative treatment and morbidity management strategies which are of utmost importance in improving the care of patients, reducing suffering; and the prevention of morbidity, stigmatization and economic losses. Towards the advancement of the GPELF goals, this consortium seeks to establish a filarial clinical trial and research platform (F-CuRE) to address patient needs.
Meeting of Coordinators and Co-coordinators of the TAKeOFF consortium
Disease conditions being researched
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is the most prevalent of the filarial diseases with an estimated 140 million people infected globally. One of the major public health problems associated with LF is morbidity which accounts for it being one of the leading causes of global disability leading to economic loss of hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Podoconiosis, on the other hand, is non-filarial lymphedema due to the accumulation of fluid in the lymph vessels, normally caused by chronic exposure to irritant soils. It is common in highland areas of tropical Africa, Central America and the North-West India. Pertinent problems with this disease condition are patient morbidity and stigmatization.