Table Of ContentAm.J.Trop.Med.Hyg.,91(2),2014,pp.435–436
doi:10.4269/ajtmh.14-0316
Copyright©2014byTheAmericanSocietyofTropicalMedicineandHygiene
Tribute
Dr. Jacinto Convit (1913–2014)
On May 12, 2014, Jacinto Convit, MD, died in Caracas, grated into national health programs of several other coun-
Venezuelaattheageof100.Dr.Convitwasamajorfigurein triesinLatinAmerica.
thehistoryofleprosyandparasitologyresearch.Althoughbest In 1960, the World Health Organization (WHO) commis-
known for his fundamental and lasting contributions to the sioned Dr. Convit to implement a drug development and
studyofMycobacteriumleprae,thecausativeagentofleprosy surveillance program for the treatment of several parasitic
(Hansen’sdisease),hisimpactonresearchintomanyparasitic diseases,andtoleadtheCooperativeCenterforDrugEvalu-
agentsandthefieldofimmunotherapywassignificant. ation in the Americas. Later in 1971, he was appointed by
Dr. Convit’s professional career covered a period of over WHOastheDirectoroftheCooperativeCommitteeforthe
70years. Itbegan in 1938when hereceived his doctorate of Study and Histologic Classification of Leprosy, and in 1973
medicinedegreefromtheUniversidadCentraldeVenezuela was appointed Director of the Pan American Center for
inCaracas.AtthattimehishomecountryofVenezuelawasa Research and Training in Leprosy and Tropical Diseases
rural, poor, and disease-ridden country in which any person (WHO/PAHO).Inaddition,hewasalsoappointedasaMem-
suspectedofsufferingfromHansen’sdiseasewasstigmatized beroftheWHOpanelofexpertswhohelpeddrafttheReport
and condemned to isolation. The conditions under which oftheExpertCommitteein1962–1967and1972.
these patients were confined at Leprosaria, together with Dr.Convitwasalsorenownedforpioneeringinthefieldof
Convit’s extraordinary human sensitivity, played a key role immunotherapybydevelopinginthemid-seventiesasuccess-
in his lifelong crusade against stigmatization of leprosy fulmodelofimmunotherapyforleprosycombiningpurifiedlep-
patients. At age 23, in the era where no cure was available rosybacilliobtainedfromthenine-bandedarmadillo(Figure2)
for this feared disease, Convit (Figure 1) decided to devote and the powerful cell-mediated immunity Bacillus Calmette-
his life to developing a cure for these patients and decided Gue´rin(BCG)vaccineasanadjuvant.Suchamodelwasalso
to move into one of the largest leprosaria of Venezuela, the appliedtothetreatmentofleishmaniasis,anapproachthathas
Leprosy Clinic of “Cabo Blanco.” His first goal was to end helped thousands of patients have access to therapy during
prejudiceandexclusioncondemningthisdisease,anobjective shortagesofantimonialsandwithafarlesscostandcompara-
thatheachievedsoonaftertakingovertheNationalDirector- bleefficacy.
ateofLeprocomiums,whenheconvincedthegovernmentto Jacinto Convit’s academic career was extraordinary. He
freethepatientsfromisolation.Hisworkhelpedchangethe beganhisteachingcareerintheDepartmentofTropicalMed-
leprosycontrolmeasuresinVenezuela,replacingcompulsory icine at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and later
isolationwithambulatorytreatment. joinedasafull-timeProfessorattheDepartmentofDerma-
Duringthesetoughyears,Dr.Convitalsovolunteeredasa tologyofthissameUniversity.In1976hefoundedthefellow-
physician in other leprosy clinics around the country and ship training program in Dermatopathology and in 2000 he
devoted a great amount of time to study the diverse clinical foundedtheMasterscourseinEpidemiologyofEndemicDis-
and epidemiological aspects of leprosy. He managed to eases. He also contributed to the creation of the National
inspire and form a small team of medical students, pharma- InstituteofDermatology,andin1984foundedtheInstituteof
cists,andnursesthatdevoteddayandnighttoseekingacure Biomedicine,astate-of-the-artresearchinstitutiondevotedto
for patients (Figure 2). At first, the only resource available basicscienceinvestigationsandpublicmedicalserviceforder-
was Chaulmoogra oil, a poorly effective option that had matologicalandothertropicaldiseases.Hepursuedadditional
severe nauseating effects when taken orally and which was training in Dermatology, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics at
verypainfulwhenadministeredintramuscularly oras subcu- Columbia, Case Western Reserve and Stanford University
taneousinjections.ThisledConvitandhisteamracingtofind andwasavisitingProfessoratStanfordandtheUniversityof
a suitable therapeutic option, a goal that would soon be Miami.Hepublishedmorethan300originalarticles.
achievedafterprovingtheefficacyofsulfonesandseveralof Asaskillfulclinicianwithasuperbclinicalinsight,hecon-
itsderivativesonleprosyintheearly1940s. tributedgreatlytothestudyandclassificationofaplethoraof
One of Convit’s major achievements was the creation of dermatological illnesses. He was the first person to describe
regional public health dermatology services (PHDSs) themalignantpoleofAmericancutaneousleishmaniasisnam-
throughoutthecountry,whichallowedhimnotonlytoimple- ing it“anergic”or“diffuse cutaneousleishmaniasis” and also
ment ambulatory treatment of leprosy patients, but also to was included among the authors who first described the rare
provide health education and the control of contacts. These and peculiar pigmentary disorder “Erythema Dyschromicum
regionalservicesprogressivelyexpandedtheirrangeofactiv- Perstans (ashy dermatosis).” However, his contribution to
ities to include other endemic diseases such as leishmaniasis medicineandinfectiousdiseaseswasfarwiderthanhispartic-
and onchocerciasis and were replicated as models and inte- ularinterestinleprosyandleishmaniasis.Hestudied,wrote,
and lectured extensively on many endemic diseases such
as systemic and subcutaneous mycoses, lymphatic filariasis,
onchocercosis, and intestinal parasitosis. Even in his final
years, Dr. Convit asked all of his collaborators and friends
Address correspondence to Alberto E. Paniz Mondolfi, 55 Park
Street, PS656, New Haven, CT 06511. E-mail: alberto.paniz- to carry one last and ambitious project, to extrapolate his
[email protected] lifelong experience in microbial immunotherapy models to
435
436 PANIZMONDOLFIANDBLOOM
SocietyforInvestigativeDermatology,andafoundingmember
oftheInternationalSocietyforTropicalDermatology.
Dr.Convit’sscientificlegacyincludesnotonlyhisoutstand-
ing achievements in Tropical Medicine, chemotherapy, and
immunotherapy of infectious diseases, but also his contribu-
tion to the careers of many others. He trained an important
numberofdoctoralstudents,postdoctoralfellows,andunder-
graduate researchers who are now spread at academic
research institutions around the world. In addition, he also
trainedgenerationsofpublichealthinspectorsandphysicians
who now play an important role as health policy decision
makers and spokespersons around the globe. His door was
alwaysopen,anditwasnotasurprisetocomeintohishouse
andseehimhavinglunchwithhispatients.
One of Dr. Convit’s great influences was on a group of
youngscientistswhowerekeentoapplytheirskillsinimmu-
Figure1. Dr.JacintoConvitinhisLaboratoryattheInstituteof nology and epidemiology to an important problem of devel-
Biomedicine in Caracas, Venezuela handling a nine-banded arma- opingcountries.Hereveledinlearningaboutthenewscience
dillo,theanimalmodelusedtoobtainlargequantitiesoftheunculti- andgenerouslysharedhisvastclinicalknowledgewithevery-
vable leprosy bacillus for vaccine development (Image: Jacinto
one. This group became IMMLEP, the immunology of lep-
ConvitFoundation).
rosy group at WHO, which was so successful at exchanging
ideas, data, and reagents that it inspired the creation by
the cancer world. “There is a lot we have to learn about
WHO,UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgram(UNDP),and
immunity and cancer, and bugs may be holding a clue for
the World Bank of the Special Program for Research and
progressinthisfield,”heoncestatedinhisfinalyears.
TraininginTropicalDiseases.
Dr.Convit’sprominencewithinthefieldofTropicalMed-
He had a great insight and understanding for people and
icine was acknowledged by a series of highly prestigious
treated everybody as equals, always with a mix of fondness
awards,includingthePrinceofAsturiasPrizeinscienceand
and great respect. For his patients, he had a special gift for
technology, France’s Legion of Honor, The Medal “Health
touchingtheirheartsaswellastheirskinandconveyinghow
forAll”awardedbytheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),
muchhecaredabouteachofthem.Hewasahumanitarianin
theAbrahamHorwitzPrizeforleadershipinInter-American
everysenseoftheword.
Health, the Armand Frappier Medal, and the Alfred Soper
Training under Dr.Convit’smentorshipwas withnodoubt
Award and “Hero of Health” medal awarded by the Pan
notonlyaneducational,butaninspirationalandexcitingexpe-
AmericanHealthOrganization.Hewasalsoincludedamong
rienceforthoseofusfortunatetoworkwithhim.Hepracticed
the 65 Caring Physicians of the World by the World Med-
what he taught as he worked until his last day of life. His
icalAssociation.
researchandmentorshipactivitiesareonlyapartiallegacyof
Overtheyears,heheldanumberofacademicpostsatdif-
hisextraordinaryaccomplishments.Histruelegacyliesinthe
ferentinstitutionsandchairedatnumerousinternationalmeet-
role model he set as a husband, father, teacher, friend, and
ings. He was elected president of the International Leprosy
aboveallasaphysicianwhoseliferevolvedaroundthecareof
Association, which he led for a decade (1968–1978); and was
hispatients.Withhisquiet,modest,andperseverantcharacter,
honorarymemberoftheAmericanSocietyofTropicalMedi-
hewillneverbeforgotten.Weallfeelagreatsenseoflossnow
cine and Hygiene, the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine
that he is no longer with us. We have lost not only a great
and Hygiene, the American Dermatological Association, the
scientist,butamentorandverydearfriend.
ALBERTOE.PANIZMONDOLFI
DepartmentofLaboratoryMedicine
YaleUniversitySchoolofMedicine
NewHaven,Connecticut;and
InstitutodeBiomedicina
LaboratoriodeBioqu´ımica/Fundacio´n
JacintoConvitCaracas,Venezuela
BARRYR.BLOOM
HarvardSchoolofPublicHealth
DepartmentofImmunologyandInfectious
DiseasesandtheDepartmentofGlobal
HealthandPopulation
Boston,Massachusetts
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the
CreativeCommons AttributionLicense,which permitsunrestricted
Figure 2. Dr. Jacinto Convit and collaborators at the Leprosy use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the
Clinicof“CaboBlanco”(Image:JacintoConvitFoundation). originalauthorandsourcearecredited.
