Silvana Belo

Silvana Belo is Associate Professor, Medical Parasitology Unit Medical Helminthology and Malacology Group Global Health and Tropical Medicine at the Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Portugal and member of the Global Health & Tropical Medicine Centre. She has a Pharmacy degree from the University of Coimbra (1978), MSc in Medical Parasitology (IHMT/UNL, 1990) and PhD in Biomedical Sciences (IHMT/UNL, 2000). She has post-graduation in Clinical Pathology (Hospital de Egas Moniz, Lisbon) and in Tropical Medicine & Public Health (IHMT/UNL). Her teaching activities are extended to post-graduation courses (MSc and PhD) in Africa and Brazil.   Her main research areas are addressed to immunoepidemiology, diagnosis, therapeutic compounds and control approaches mainly focused on schistosomiasis, filariasis and zoonotic helminthiasis, both in the field and laboratory as well as in experimental studies.

Research ID: J-8555-2012

CIÊNCIAVITAE: ID E416-E707-346B

She develops her activities in the Medical Helminthology group, which is centred on three research areas: knowledge of disease and transmission, drug resistance and improved diagnostics. To improve understanding of the biology of helminths, their vectors and intermediate hosts, we conduct molecular diversity and molecular epidemiology studies for snail-borne (schistosomiasis, fascioliasis) and vector-borne diseases (lymphatic filariasis and dirofilariasis, including their Wolbachia symbionts) as well in concurrent infections. Our goal is to determine the genetic diversity within helminth populations and their relationship with host pathology, bio-ecology and prevalence both in mainland Portugal and African countries (e.g. Angola, Cape Verde). Our research on drug resistance has been focused on schistosomiasis due to its significance for control programmes. The objective is to identify the mechanisms, genes involved and genetic markers of praziquantel (PZQ) resistance in laboratory sensitive and resistance strains and detect their presence in natural populations, such as in Angola and Mozambique.  We also conduct evaluation of plant extracts for use in the control of schistosomiasis at the intermediate host stage. Finally, we are also involved in development of new molecular tools for sensitive and specific diagnosis of helminth infections and species characterization.

1. Pinto-Almeida A, Mendes T, Ferreira P, Abecasis A, Belo S, Anibal F, Allegretti S, Galinaro C, Carrilho E, Afonso A (2021). A Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Praziquantel-Susceptible and Praziquantel-Resistant Schistosoma mansoniReveals Distinct Response Between Male and Female Animals. Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, 21  https://doi.org/10.3389/fitd.2021.664642
2. Alho AM, Ferreira P, Clemente I, Grácio MAA, Belo S (2021). Human Toxocariasis in Portugal—An Overview of a Neglected Zoonosis over the Last Decade (2010–2020). Infectious Disease Reports2021, 13: 938-948. https://doi.org/10.3390/idr13040086
3. Gómez-Morales MA, Pezzotti P, Ludovisi A et al (2021). Collaborative studies for the detection of Taenia infections in humans within Cystinet, the European network on taeniosis/cysticercosis. Microorganisms29 ;9(6):1173. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061173
4. Hanscheid T, Vieira S, Ferreira P, Carvalho T, Belo S, Grobusch MP (2020). The fluorescent acid-fast stain, auramine-O, stains schistosome eggs and may be an aid for detection. An old technique with a useful future? Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 35:101569. DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020101569
5. Ferreira C, Afonso A, Calado M, Maurício I, Alho AM, Meireles J, Madeira de Carvalho L, Belo S. (2017). Molecular characterization of Dirofilaria spp. circulating in Portugal. Parasites & Vectors, 10:250. doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2180-y