Epidemiology and ecology of Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis: A project to build capacities for the detection and investigation of novel pathogens

特别是在生物多样性高、生态变化大但卫生基础设施不足的区域，可能会发现新的、不寻常的和危险的病原体，撒哈拉以南非洲的许多国家就是这种情况。为了控制这些新出现的病原体并保护人类和动物健康，至关重要的是要了解病原体的流行病学，确定风险因素并建设国家快速和可靠的病原体检测能力。因此，我们的目标是在撒哈拉以南非洲设备最好的兽医实验室之一、位于Côte科特迪瓦的LANADA/LCPA中建设检测和研究新型病原体的能力。与LANADA的合作伙伴一起，我们之前发现了一种新的致命细菌病原体，名为蜡样芽孢杆菌生物变种炭疽杆菌，在西非的类人猿和其他动物中引起炭疽。人们对这种病原体的流行病学、生态学以及对人类和动物的可能影响几乎一无所知。我们将共同开发分子和血清学测试来研究这些病原体的流行病学，并调查非典型芽孢杆菌菌株。分析将包括研究人类和动物的血清流行率以及临床和环境样本中病原体的存在。为了了解这种病原体的生物学和这种病原体出现的原理，我们将进一步通过对蜡样芽孢杆菌和相关杆菌的比较测序来研究其生态学（例如在不同基质中的生长）和进化。该项目还将包括处理高致病性病原体的生物安全和生物安全方面的培训。

The discovery of new, unusual and dangerous pathogens can be expected especially in regions with high biodiversity and massive ecological changes but also insufficient health infrastructure, circumstances given in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa. In order to control such emerging pathogens and protect human and animal health, it is of central importance to understand the pathogens’ epidemiology, identify risk factors and build in country capacities for rapid and reliable pathogen detection. Therefore we aim at building capacities for the detection and study of novel pathogens in one of the best equipped veterinary laboratories in sub-Saharan Africa, the LANADA/LCPA, situated in Côte d’Ivoire. Together with partners from LANADA we have previously discovered a new deadly bacterial pathogen named Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis causing anthrax in great apes and other animals in West-Africa. Almost nothing is known about the epidemiology, ecology and possible impact on humans and animals of this pathogen. Together, we will develop molecular and serological tests to study the epidemiology of these pathogens and investigate atypical Bacillus strains. Analyses will include studies of the seroprevalence in humans and animals as well as the presence of the pathogen in clinical and environmental samples. To understand the biology of this pathogen and the principle of emergence of such pathogens, we will furthermore examine the ecology (e.g. growth in different substrates) and evolution by comparative sequencing of B. cereus bv anthracis and related bacilli. The project will also include training in biosaftey and biosecurity for handling highly pathogenic agents.