AUTHOR=Suschinel Raluca , Jaimes-Mogollón Aylen Lisset , Gutiérrez-Marín Reinaldo , Peña-Cortés Luís Carlos , Mendoza-Ibarra Jesús Alberto , Flórez-Gélvez José , Dumbravă Cătălin , Uzunof Marius , Simion Violeta Elena , Ionescu Radu TITLE=Challenges during the realization of an international research project on leishmaniasis in Colombia JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1143939 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1143939 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease that belongs to the top 10 neglected tropical diseases. It mainly affects the poor population from tropical and subtropical areas of the World, which lacks sufficient resources and means to fight against this disease. With this in mind, the European Commission has funded an international collaborative research project in which are participating various institutions from South America, North Africa and Europe. The main objective of this project is the development of a fast, less expensive, non-invasive and easy to use alternative method for leishmaniasis diagnosis in dogs, one of the main reservoirs of leishmaniasis spread to humans. In this perspective article, we present our personal insight and opinion regarding the challenges of realizing a joint international research project on leishmaniasis in Colombia, a country where leishmaniasis is endemic, as well as regarding the involvement of the Public Health institutions and the local population from this country.