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- and tick-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. 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 refined molecular and serological detection assays for several pathogens including arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, coronaviruses filoviruses, and flaviviruses. In this fiscal year, efforts for the Uganda ICER site have been directed towards renovation and establishment of the laboratory at UVRI to support field studies. Renovations will include electrical, plumbing, HVAC and construction of a sample receiving room for processing of potentially infectious samples. In addition to renovation of the physical space, we have purchased laboratory equipment such as two class II biosafety cabinets, a -80 and -20C freezer, RO/DI water system, benchtop centrifuges and ELISA plate washer. We have also secured funding for a class III glove-box type biosafety cabinet that will permit us to safely process samples potentially containing pathogens such as arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, coronaviruses filoviruses, and flaviviruses. The renovation plans are currently submitted for bids. We have established a collaboration with Dr. Charles Ndawula, Uganda National Agricultural Research Organization and Dr. Maria Onyango, Texas Tech University, to begin a study surveilling for ticks, prevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) within sampled ticks and prevalence of CCHFV infection in livestock in the rural parts of Uganda and the transboundary region between Uganda and Kenya. The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, have delayed this project multiple times. Nevertheless, we continue to advance our molecular and serological assays that will be deployed to Uganda as soon as the lab space at UVRI is available and functional.