- Project name: Biology and control of vector-borne infections in Europe – EDENext
- Implementation period: 2011-2015
- Total budget: 12,000,000 Euro, DDNI budget, 148,000 Euro
- Financing program: 7TH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME (FP7)- FP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage – EU RESEARCH FUNDING 2007-2013
- Parteners/Leader: project leader, CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement) – Montpellier – France and other 45 parteners from 22 countries and. Sub-project Leader (where Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development was involved): Pasteur Institute – Paris and sub-project partners from Romania, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy and Albania.
Project description: EDENext (Biology and control of vector-borne infections in Europe) project developed after the call of proposal launched by the European Commision in the 7th Framework Programme – HEALTH-2010-single-stage programme. The project proposed to investigate the biological, ecological and epidemiological components of vector borne diseases introduction, emergence and spread, and, using the knowledge acquired, propose new tools for controlling them. As vectors were not only included arthropods but also rodents and insectivores which harbour a wide range of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, and parasites), some of them being infective to humans without the intervention of arthropod vectors (e.g., Hantaviruses, Bunyaviridae). Therefore were selected for study rodents and insectivores as well as the main arthropod vector groups of human and animal diseases in Europe: hard ticks (Acari, Ixodidae), mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicicae), sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae), and biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae). Each constituted “vertical” group structuring EDENext research activities. With such a vertical structure, the EDENext consortium provided expertise and useful information regarding prevention of human or animal infection, control measures for vector populations, and implementation of vector surveillance networks, for any new emerging, VBD transmitted by vector / rodent / insectivore species belonging to these groups. Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development was involved in the subproject Emergence and Spread MBD (Mosquito borne diseases). Main objectives of the Emergence and Spread MBD subproject: Assess whether winter survival of WNV-infected adult mosquitoes is significant in the epizootic cycle; seek evidence of vertical transmission during the mosquito breeding season; assess whether oral and faecal-oral infection in birds, mammals, amphibians and other fauna is a significant component of the epizootic cycle; intercept migrant passerines on their last stop before arriving on the European continent to establish seroprevalence and to screen for virus; monitor seasonal profile and host preference of reed-bed mosquitoes; assess degree of synchrony between the advancement of spring broods of mosquitoes and the arrival of migrant passerines; determine whether ectoparasites are infected in experimentally infected chickens; monitor viraemia and viral shedding in experimentally infected frogs and assess whether infections are chronic; sequence selected WNV isolates; study bionomics of Aedes albopictus and japonicus in Italy, Albania and Switzerland; develop temperature/humidity profiles of “typical” resting sites of Ae. albopictus, simulate a selection of these in an environmental cabinet and monitor rate of viral replication of Chikungunya and Dengue in Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus; determine light regime that triggers winter diapause and test insects hatching from diapausing eggs for vertical transmission. Throughout the EDENext period (2011-2014), the DDNI team collected 4,952 samples from 1,573 birds belonging to 31 species. Our efforts were focused on target groups, so most samples were collected from them: 4,544 samples (crows – 992 samples, sparrows – 2,452 samples, Acrocephalus warblers – 1,110 samples). Biological material was tested in Vienna (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Institute of Virology) and another part was sent for further testing at Brno (Institute of Vertebrate Zoology – Brno). During the project (2011-2015) we have recorded several bird species the first time in Romania found with antibodies against West Nile virus. For the first time in Romania we have investigated the direct route (non-vector) of transmission of West Nile virus. Although the results were negative, this suggests the possibility that these direct routes described above to exist in nature, but have no regular character similar to West Nile virus irregular recrudescence. We found by PCR for the first time in Europe a West Nile virus positive ectoparasite from a seropositive Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos). Ectoparasites can infect hosts but not retransmit virus to their host (host already has antibodies). Instead the ectoparasites can infect the next host in the next stage (experimental shown) which means that infected ticks on migrating birds may carry (new) pathogens to other areas much more.