Episode 5: Konzo Research in Democratic Republic of Congo

In this episode of Talking Global Health with Fogarty, Dr. Desire Tshala-Katumbay of Oregon Health & Science University talks about his Fogarty-funded project, which seeks to understand the underlying mechanisms of konzo. This little-known disease causes paralysis primarily in malnourished children who rely on a diet of cassava. Because konzo happens in isolated, rural areas, the exact number of cases remains unknown, though scientists estimate hundreds of thousands of affected people, most of them living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Regions in Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, Cameroon, and Nigeria are also affected. Tshala’s research in DRC has explored konzo through the lens of epidemiology, neurodevelopment, genetics and the gut microbiome. Tshala and his team hope to find solutions to prevent the disease and its devasting effects. -- Featuring: Dr. Desire Tshala-Katumbay, MD, MPH, PhD Physician Scientist and Professor of Neurology, School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University -- Learn more about Dr. Desire Tshala-Katumbay and his research on konzo in Fogarty's Global Health Matters newsletter. https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/GlobalHe...