Wolbachia endobacteria in filarial infections - exploring their usefulness as targets for novel chemotherapies that are anti-filarial and improve hydrocele

ISRCTN ISRCTN19748404
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN19748404
Secondary identifying numbers 1/81 306
Submission date
19/01/2009
Registration date
13/02/2009
Last edited
13/02/2009
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Infections and Infestations
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Prof Achim Hoerauf
Scientific

Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine
Sigmund Freud Str. 25
Bonn
53105
Germany

Phone +49 (0)228 287 15675
Email hoerauf@microbiology-bonn.de

Study information

Study designRandomised double blind placebo-controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleWolbachia endobacteria in filarial infections - exploring their usefulness as targets for novel chemotherapies that are anti-filarial and improve hydrocele: a randomised double blind placebo-controlled trial
Study objectivesFilarial infections belong to the major diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and are strongly associated with poverty. At present, World Health Organization (WHO) led control activities in Africa mainly rely on mass administration of microfilaricidal drugs, with a measure of success. However, it has become clear that new, complementary therapies, ideally being macrofilaricidal, must be developed for sustainable control.

In lymphatic filariasis (LF), there is the additional need to deliver new therapies for lymphatic pathology, i.e. lymphoedema and urogenital pathology such as hydrocele and lymphocele, which are not targeted by current mass drug administrations. Depletion of Wolbachia essential endosymbionts of filariae with doxycycline, an approach established by our group, resulted in macrofilaricidal activity in LF. The present study hypothesises that Wolbachia also play a major role in inducing and maintaining lymphatic pathology, and that doxycycline may therefore improve hydrocele.

The aim of this project is:
1. To analyse to what extent hydrocele is caused by Wolbachia. To this, the Wolbachia-depleting antibiotic doxycycline will be administered and alterations of hydrocele size will be determined.
2. To analyse the role of Wolbachia in the systemic immune responses in hydrocele patients, by comparing immune responses before and after Wolbachia depletion
Ethics approval(s)The Committee on Human Research Publication and Ethics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana approved on 25th November 2005
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedLymphatic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti)
InterventionStudy drugs and treatment regimens:
1. 200 mg/day doxycycline for 6 weeks
2. Placebo for 6 weeks

Contact details for Joint Principal Investigators:
Professor Ohene Adjei
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and Kumasi Centre of Collaborative Research (KCCR)
University Post Office
Kumasi, Ghana
Tel: + 233 51 60351
Fax: + 233 51 62017
E-mail: oadjei@africaonline.com

Dr Alexander Yaw Debrah
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and Kumasi Centre of Collaborative Research (KCCR)
University Post Office
Kumasi, Ghana
Tel: + 233 51 60351
Fax: + 233 51 62017
E-mail: yadebrah@yahoo.com
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhasePhase II
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Doxycycline
Primary outcome measureReduction in size of clinical and sub-clinical hydrocele, measured pre-treatment as well as 12 months and 24 months after the start of drug administration.
Secondary outcome measures1. Reduction in the stage of supratesticular dilation of scrotal lymphatic vessels, measured pre-treatment as well as 12 months and 24 months after the start of drug administration
2. Reduction in circulating filarial antigen levels as a measure of macrofilaricidal effect of doxycycline, measured pre-treatment as well as 3 months, 12 months and 24 months after the start of drug administration
3. Change in systemic immune responses, measured pre-treatment as well as 3 months, 12 months and 24 months after the start of drug administration
Overall study start date01/12/2005
Completion date30/03/2009

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexMale
Target number of participants76
Key inclusion criteria1. Men between 18 - 60 years
2. Resident in the village for five years or more
3. Evidence of hydrocele assessed by physical examination and ultrasonography
4. Good general health without any clinical condition requiring long-term medication
5. Minimum body weight 40 kg
Key exclusion criteria1. Evidence of clinically significant neurological, cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, rheumatological, or renal disease by history, physical examination, and/or laboratory tests
2. Behavioural, cognitive or psychiatric disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, affects the ability of the volunteer to understand and cooperate with the study protocol
3. Laboratory evidence of liver disease (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and/or gamma-glutamyl transferase (gGT) greater than 1.25 times the upper limit of normal of the testing laboratory)
4. Laboratory evidence of renal disease (serum creatinine greater than 1.25 times of the upper limit of normal of the testing laboratory)
5. Other conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator, would jeopardise the safety or rights of a volunteer participating in the trial or would render the subject unable to comply with the protocol
6. Volunteer has abused alcohol or illicit drugs during the past 6 months by history
7. History of severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis
8. Intolerance to doxycycline
Date of first enrolment01/12/2005
Date of final enrolment30/03/2009

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Germany
  • Ghana

Study participating centre

Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
Bonn
53105
Germany

Sponsor information

Volkswagen Foundation (VolkswagenStiftung) (Germany)
Research organisation

c/o Dr Detlev Hanne
Division Natural and Engineering Sciences, Medicine
Kastanienallee 35
Hannover
30519
Germany

Phone +49 (0)511 8381 0
Email info@volkswagenstiftung.de
Website http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03bsmfz84

Funders

Funder type

Research organisation

Volkswagen Foundation (VolkswagenStiftung) (Germany) (ref: 1/81 306)
Private sector organisation / Trusts, charities, foundations (both public and private)
Alternative name(s)
VolkswagenStiftung
Location
Germany

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan