Description du projet
Propagation de virus des chauves-souris à l’homme et aux animaux domestiques
Les chauves-souris sont les hôtes de nouveaux virus à ARN liés à des maladies humaines et constituent d’importants réservoirs de divers virus qui méritent d’être étudiés plus en détail. Le projet OneBAT, financé par l’UE, a réunit des écologistes, des virologues et des modélisateurs pour étudier la propagation des virus des chauves-souris à l’homme et aux animaux domestiques. Cette collaboration entend élucider les interactions complexes entre les hôtes, les agents pathogènes et l’environnement qui sont à l’origine des maladies infectieuses. Les connaissances acquises sont cruciales pour le développement d’outils thérapeutiques et prophylactiques actuels et futurs pour la maladie X. En se concentrant sur les chauves-souris Miniopterus schreibersii, une espèce européenne en déclin, et leurs pathogènes particulièrement virulents, le projet se propose d’établir une plateforme méthodologique d’outils écologiques et virologiques applicables à d’autres espèces de chauves-souris ou à d’autres virus.
Objectif
In recent years, several novel RNA viruses found in bats have been associated to the emergence of human diseases. Surveillance in this extremely diverse group of mammals has revealed that bats are significant reservoir hosts for many viruses whose zoonotic potential deserves further insights. OneBAT aims at investigating the trigger for viral spillover from European bats to humans or domestic animals, using a multidisciplinary consortium of ecologists, virologists and modellers. In response to the outcomes foreseen by the call, OneBAT will unravel the complex interplay between natural and spillover host, pathogen and environment that determines the emergence of infectious diseases. Information on viral replication pathways, antigenic markers, and in vitro and in vivo screening of antivirals will advance the availability of current and future therapeutic and prophylactic tools for Disease X.
Due to technical and logistical reasons, OneBAT will not investigate all the bat species and pathogens circulating in Europe; it will rather provide well-based evidence on relevant model species that could be used to study other bat species or viruses that already are or may become of interest over the lifetime of the project or in the future. We will focus on the Miniopterus schreibersii bats, a species in significant decline across Europe, and on filoviruses, coronaviruses and lyssaviruses, as high-consequence pathogens known to circulate in the target bat. In addition to the specific information stemming from the project, OneBAT will establish a methodological platform that will make available the developed ecological and virological tools. Among them, innovative protocols for serological and virological investigations of these small-seize animals; harmonised longitudinal surveys across Europe, including tracking systems. Ultimately, OneBAT will equip southern and eastern EU countries with 20 VHF receivers that could be used for further studies on all flying animals.
Champ scientifique
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animals
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusescoronaviruses
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantivirals
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Programme(s)
Régime de financement
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinateur
35020 Legnaro
Italie