Nigeria, Aug. 15 -- A Nigerian researcher's work on a little-known but deadly parasitic disease has earned her an international award and amplified global calls for urgent action against neglected tropical diseases.

Ozioma Onuselogu, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University, was honoured with the Booth Library Award for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Works for her research on Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease, and her advocacy for a global preparedness framework.

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a parasitic illness caused by a parasite found in the faeces of the triatomine bug. It is common in places where the triatomine bug transmits the parasite Trypanosoma c...