Molecular research of respiratory disease-causing microorganisms of public health importance in samples from wild mammals.

• Grant number: 24/05730-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Virgínia Bodelão Richini Pereira
• Grantee: Virgínia Bodelão Richini Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL). Coordenadoria de Controle de Doenças (CCD). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Daniel Jiménez-García ; Felipe Fornazari ; Keila Zaniboni Siqueira ; Patricia Sayuri Silvestre Matsumoto ; ROBERTA MARQUES ; Sérgio Luiz Althoff
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/04968-7 - Educommunication Activities On The Issue Of Road-killed Wildlife and Zoonoses, BP.TT; 25/03018-5 - Investigation of the Genetic Diversity of Zoonotic Pathogens in Wildlife in the Context of Public Health., BP.MS

Abstract

The concept of One Health establishes a connection between animal and human health, integrating the environment in which these species coexist. Thus, it is suggested that research aimed at investigating the conditions that facilitate the adaptation and spread of pathogens be carried out by interdisciplinary and comprehensive teams. This approach seeks not only to deal with existing diseases, but also aims to prevent and control the emergence of new illnesses. Factors such as climate change, environmental degradation, deforestation, urbanization, and globalization, which directly impact disease dynamics and health as a whole, are considered. Furthermore, studies have highlighted the effectiveness of tools derived from ecology, bioinformatics, social sciences and molecular biology in generating information to prevent, monitor, control, and predict zoonotic outbreaks and epidemics. The proposal aims to expand the research of our group by utilizing samples from wild animals to assess, through molecular and geoprocessing tools, the occurrence of microorganisms that cause respiratory diseases of public health interest, such as influenza and Covid-19. Furthermore, to conduct Educommunication activities to raise awareness in the community about the risks associated with these diseases, methods of transmission and necessary preventive measures. Additionally, collaborative actions to mitigate the issue of wildlife roadkill are proposed. The data obtained from molecular analyses, combined with data on the presence of disease-related pathogens, as well as other secondary data sources will enable the geographical identification of areas where these microorganisms of public health relevance are present. This approach will facilitate the formulation of preventive strategies against new infection cases, the identification of priority regions, and the possibility of decision-making by public health authorities. (AU)