MSU is part of an alliance that is getting a $20 million, five-year grant to fight the disease lymphatic filariasis from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The tropical disease, also known as elephantiasis, is carried by infected mosquitos and afflicts millions of people worldwide.

Veterinary pathology Professor Charles Mackenzie is directing MSU’s involvement in the grant.

“My role is very much to help countries get their programs running,” Mackenzie said. “I help them put together their organization and education.”

The money will go directly to the Global Alliance for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, which MSU is a part of.

Mackenzie said he will be in charge of allocating about $3 million of the grant.

Mackenzie’s goals are to hopes to go into rural villages and find a way for more people to be treated with a drug that cures the infection. The most common symptoms include hardening and swelling of the skin on the arms, legs and genitals.

He said the more medication is distributed, the closer the alliance will be to its second goal.

“The treatment should begin to break the infection transmission,” Mackenzie said.

The treatment will make it so mosquitos will no longer be passing the disease.

Annemarie Hou, spokeswoman for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the organization donates money to education, global health and reproductive child health.

“This particular project falls under global health,” Hou said. “Elephantiasis is not something you hear about every day, but it certainly deserves the attention and resources.”

Hou said there is much enthusiasm within the foundation for this particular grant.

“We seek out opportunities where we feel we can actually make a difference,” Hou said. “We are excited to be funding this because it tends to be one of the forgotten diseases.”

The grant is something important for the advancement of work with the disease, said Michael Kron, associate professor for infectious human diseases.

Kron has also worked in countries where people are in need of treatment for the disease, although he will not be working with this grant.

“There needs to be research and development in practical ways like this,” he said. “It is important to deliver the medicine to rural areas in a safe fashion.”

Mackenzie said while the grant is a good start, more money needs to be donated to continue the work he is doing.

“There is certainly enough money in the world,” he said. “But the real challenge is getting people interested in being involved.”