Neglected OrthonairoViruses: Elucidating the vector-animal-human interface in Cameroon

虫媒病毒引起的新发疾病是全世界关注的公共卫生问题。然而，我们对撒哈拉以南非洲地区许多虫媒病毒，特别是蜱传感染的流行病学、流行率和分布的了解有限。除了被认为是最具影响力的蜱传正呼吸道病毒克里米亚-刚果出血热病毒（CCHFV）之外，已知或至少怀疑在非洲传播的还有其他一些假定为新型的正呼吸道病毒。然而，它们对兽医和公共卫生的影响尚未得到充分研究或完全未知。在这个项目中，我们的目标是关注喀麦隆已知的和潜在的新型正呼吸道病毒的存在和分布。为了阐明它们在兽医和公共卫生方面的重要性，我们将把详细的实地研究与实验室实验结合起来。通过对媒介和附带宿主（包括反刍动物和人类）的采样，我们旨在研究这些蜱传病毒在媒介-动物-人界面的维持和潜在传播途径。除了血清学和最先进的分子分析，包括病毒测序和系统发育分析，我们打算通过体外和体内动物实验来研究已知和新型的orthonovirus分离株的致病性和人畜共患潜力。能力建设（人员、实验室、学术基础设施）将由德国和喀麦隆的两个伙伴与喀麦隆的两所大学（恩oundere和雅温得）密切合作进行。主题将涵盖新的诊断技术（血清学、qPCR、现场下一代测序以及生物安全措施）。

Emerging diseases caused by arboviruses are of worldwide public health concern. However, our knowledge on the epidemiology, prevalence and distribution of many arboviral and particularly tick-borne infections in the sub-Saharan African region is limited. Besides Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), considered the most impactful, tick-borne orthonairovirus, a number of other and putatively novel orthonairoviruses are known or at least suspected to circulate in Africa. However, their impact on veterinary and public health is understudied or entirely unknown.In this project, we aim to focus on the presence and distribution of known and potentially novel orthonairoviruses in Cameroon. To shed light on their veterinary and public health importance, we will combine elaborate field studies with laboratory-based experiments. Through sampling of vectors and incidental hosts including ruminants and humans, we aim to study the maintenance and potential transmission pathways of these tick-borne viruses at the vector-animal-human interface. Apart from serological and state-of-the-art molecular assays including virus sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, we intend to investigate the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of known and novel orthonairovirus isolates using in-vitro and in-vivo animal experiments. Capacity building (personnel, laboratories, academic infrastructures) will be carried out by the German and two Cameroonian partners in close cooperation with two Cameroonian universities (Ngaoundere and Yaounde). Topics will cover novel diagnostic technologies (serology, qPCR, on-site next generation sequencing as well as biosafety measures.