The following work was carried out during this project:
- Carrying out activities in accordance with the ethical approvals initially proposed and those added during the course of the project.
- Elaboration of the protocol for the collection, storing and shipment of the breath and hair volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by dogs.
- Collection of the breath and hair VOCs samples from dogs diagnosed with canine leishmaniasis and negative dogs for this disease in Romania, Colombia, Tunisia and Algeria, as well as of environmental air samples. Patient-friendly protocol for breath samples collection from dogs was tested.
- Design and development of the thermal desorption unit for the release of the VOCs stored in Tenax sorbent tubes.
- Optimisation of GC-MS operation parameters for the analysis of the VOCs samples acquired in this project.
- GC-MS measurement of the samples from all dogs included in this study and of the environmental air samples.
- Statistical analysis of the GC-MS data and identification of the volatile biomarkers of canine leishmaniasis released by the breath and hair of dogs.
Artificial intelligence-based algorithm for CanL diagnosis was developed.
- Fabrication of an array of chemical gas sensors having different sensing nanomaterials for the electronic nose system.
- Sensors characterisation upon exposure to different volatiles.
- Design and fabrication of the first version of the electronic nose (e-nose) prototype
- Preliminary sensing measurements with the e-nose prototype, and redesign of the sensors chamber.
- On-site validation tests of the electronic nose.
For the final testing of the prototype, Romania was chosen, a country where very few cases of leishmaniasis in dogs are reported, and the cases encountered are asymptomatic, which was an objective pursued since the beginning of this project: how to identify these infected animals early, through rapid and non-invasive methods.
- Realisation of the following network-wide training events: seven (out of seven) training courses, three (out of three) workshops, and two (out of two) conference.
- Publication of peer-reviewed research articles in international journals
- Participation at conferences
- Launch of the project website
- Results presentation at specialised fairs
- Project communication in mass media; press releases; radio interview; video interview at USH (Romania) with team members from Romania, Colombia and Estonia; TV show DIGI Animal Club (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ1mWofO0R0(si apre in una nuova finestra)) social media (Facebook posts).
- Communication to target groups: Universities community; Meeting with health representatives; Visits at schools; Meeting with public authorities.
As part of the communication and dissemination activities of the project results, two meetings were organized with health authorities in Colombia. During these events, the scientific advances of the CANLEISH project, i.e. the use of e-nose technology for the rapid and non-invasive diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis, were presented and the potential usefulness of this method for public health campaigns was emphasized. The ethical issues raised by the CANLEISH project, which focused on minimizing animal suffering and avoiding unnecessary euthanasia, were highlighted. The meeting also addressed the issues of governance and good practices in the management of canine leishmaniasis. The importance of collaboration between health authorities, academic institutions and animal welfare organizations was emphasized to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of OneHealth interventions that combine animal welfare, human health and ecosystem dynamics.
