Obiettivo Anthrax is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide and is endemic in Asia, Africa, Europe, America and Australia. Geography, environment, social and economic factors are all consider to impact on its distribution. The frequency of outbreaks of infection in Georgia has increased and is no longer limited to the sporadic outbreaks observed previously. Increasingly outbreaks have the characteristics of small epidemics and during the past decade, about 300 people have been infected by anthrax through contaminated meat and soil. These have resulted in three fatalities and the deaths of many hundreds of animals.The project is focused on an epidemiological study of B anthracis across Georgia and will assess its distribution in both areas where anthrax is endemic and non-endemic. Identification and characterisation of the strains will be correlated with data detailing the history of previous outbreaks, climate, geological and geographical features including soil type, land use and human activity.Identification of isolates from clinical veterinary and environmental samples will be carried out primarily using procedures detailed by the WHO but these will be developed to carry out a more detailed characterisation.PCR will be used to confirm the identification of a representative number of isolates using molecular markers specific for B. anthracis. Identification will be confirmed using molecular sequencing of the 16S rDNA and the intergenic 16S-23S-rDNA spacer. Immunoelectrophoresis will be used to examine proteins and lipo proteins of isolates. PCR will also be used to determine the presence of pag (PA) and cap (capsule) genes which are indicative of the presence of the plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 and the virulence of the isolates.To provide recognisable markers for epidemiological studies the isolates will be evaluated to determine both a genetic and phenotypic fingerprint. Phage typing and antibiotic resistance patterns will be correlated with genetic finger printing of a representative number of isolates to provide reference markers for epidemiological studies. Genotypic fingerprinting will be based on the recently identified polymorphic regions of DNA in the B anthracis genome, which can be used to describe the intra-specific biodiversity between isolated strains. This phenotypic and genotypic characterisation will enable an accurate description of epidemiologically distinct isolates together with differentiation between autochthonous and imported strains.Together with the geographic data this enable the monitoring of strains spreading between different epidemic foci. A collection of well characterised strains will be constructed together with a comprehensive data base relating to their history and origin.Computer analysis of the epidemiological data will be combined with the environmental social, industrial and geographical factors to assess their influence on the distribution and spread of anthrax infection. This analysis will be integrated with Russian and Western European data in order to assess common aspects of the hazards associated with potential anthrax exposure. Risk assessment of the hazards relating to B. anthracis infection in man and farm animals in the regions of Georgia will be evaluated and recommendations formulated for policies on vaccination of animals and workers in areas of high risk. Programma(i) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Argomento(i) 4 - Life Sciences POLL - POLL : Polluted Environment Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento Data not available Coordinatore Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR) Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Porton Down SP4 0JG Salisbury Regno Unito Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Partecipanti (4) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto Central Research Institute of Epidemiology Russia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Novogireevskaya str 3-A 111123 Moscow Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato G.Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology Georgia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Gotua str. 3 380060 Tbilisi Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato LTd Immunogen Georgia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Gotua str. 3 380060 Tbilisi Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato University of Milan Italia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo via Celoria 2 20133 Milano Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
