Cuba

Establishment of a collaborative program between Canada and Cuba on the prevention of the infection caused by the emerging zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis

Infections caused by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) have been considered a major problem worldwide in the swine industry, particularly during the past 20 years, causing different types of infections and important economical loses. One important aspect is that this infection is a zoonosis, a disease transmitted to humans, to whom it may cause serious diseases and even death. In addition, there are no effective vaccines available. It is apparent that a high number of cases of human infection can be ascribed to a high degree of exposure to unprocessed pork meat or to close contact with pigs, as it happens in Asia. In some other countries, such as Central and South America and the Caribbean, the swine industry is very important and pork is one of the most important sources of animal protein for the population. In most of these countries, contact between human and pigs is similar to that in Asian countries. However, the disease is usually misidentified.

We propose to set up a scientific collaboration between researches from Cuba and Canada in order to: a) To develop a strategy to obtain additional data on the distribution of virulent S. suis isolates in Cuba in both, pigs and humans. An increased surveillance system in veterinary laboratories will also be established to accurately identify isolates from swine. Data obtained will help to evaluate the risk of this important zoonotic disease in Cuba; and b) to set up a collaboration to develop a conjugate vaccine (native and/or synthetic) based on S. suis capsular polysaccharide. Our final goal is to obtain preliminary data to present a multi-center project (Canada-Cuba) of 5 years to develop a sub-unit vaccine prototype against S. suis. After this step in the collaboration, a significant improved knowledge of the situation of this infection (in swine and in humans) in Cuba will be available. The expertise of Cuban researchers on synthetic polysaccharide vaccines will be invaluable for Canadian researchers. Bases for a long term international collaboration on vaccine development will also be obtained.