Uganda International Center for Excellence in Research

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Emerging/re-emerging zoonotic diseases are a major global health problem. Linking comprehensive pathogen surveillance of arthropod/vector populations in Uganda with public health surveillance at the regional and international level will make an important contribution to human and animal health in East Africa and the One World One Health concept in general. There will be a focus on rodent-borne pathogens potentially causing disease in humans, wildlife and livestock. A more comprehensive understanding of the ecology of known and unknown rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens is essential for a risk assessment for local and global human and animal health. The establishment of emerging/re-emerging virus program on the campus of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, Uganda is ongoing. Rakai is still considered as a second program site. We have procured most of the necessary equipment for the UVRI site; further equipment will be purchased when needed. Over the previous and current funding period we have established molecular and serological detection assays for several pathogens including arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, coronaviruses filoviruses, and flaviviruses. Several ongoing outbreaks, such as the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the continuing MERS-coronavirus cases in the Middle East, and the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, have delayed this project multiple times. Field work will start in the upcoming fiscal year.