Preparing for vector-borne virus outbreaks in a changing world: a One Health Approach

Unexpected infectious diseases outbreaks are increasingly common due to multiple global changes. The Netherlands, with its dense population of humans, livestock and poultry, international transport and travel hubs (Schiphol, Rotterdam), and unique water-dominated landscape is particularly vulnerable. A specific group of unexpected infectious disease outbreaks is transmitted through arthropods (e.g. mosquitoes), collectively termed vector-borne diseases (VBD). They have been expanding massively in (sub)tropical regions of the world through trade and habitat changes, but The Netherlands and Europe are vulnerable as well, as shown by recent outbreaks in livestock and birds. This proposal aims to develop a forward looking research agenda measuring and modelling how projected demographic, climatological, ecological, and planological changes will impact the risk of VBD-emergence for the Netherlands. Specific objectives are to:

•Gain a fundamental understanding of interactions between the diversity of vectors, hosts, and viruses of priority-VBD;

•Establish novel models on how these interactions are impacted by current and predicted changes in climate, water management, farming practices and importation risk;

•Develop tools for rapid assessment of vector competence and disease severity

•Develop tools and approaches to support outbreak research and surveillance

•Develop novel interventions for VBD, based on integrated systems knowledge

Our findings will be used to guide development of early warning systems and will provide tools for rapid assessment of risk of emerging-VBD to humans and animals. To allow deployment for use in regions with limited research infrastructure, fieldable versions of key assays will be developed. In case of a VBD-outbreak during the project, the consortium would be realigned to target the specific disease. This project is embedded within the Netherlands Centre for One Health, a collaboration between 9 research institutes to study health of humans, livestock, wildlife and environment in a holistic manner to address disease threats arising from these interactions.