Descrizione del progetto
Diffusione virale dai pipistrelli all’uomo e agli animali domestici
I pipistrelli sono ospiti di nuovi virus a RNA collegati a malattie umane e fungono da importanti serbatoi per vari virus che meritano ulteriori indagini. Il progetto OneBAT, finanziato dall’UE, studia la diffusione virale dai pipistrelli all’uomo e agli animali domestici, mettendo insieme ecologi, virologi e modellatori. Lo sforzo collaborativo mira a svelare le intricate interazioni tra ospiti, agenti patogeni e ambiente che portano alle malattie infettive. Le conoscenze acquisite sono fondamentali per lo sviluppo di strumenti terapeutici e profilattici attuali e futuri per la malattia X. Concentrandosi sui pipistrelli Miniopterus schreibersii, una specie europea in declino, e sui loro agenti patogeni ad alta pericolosità, il progetto mira a stabilire una piattaforma metodologica per strumenti ecologici e virologici applicabili ad altre specie di pipistrelli o virus.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
- 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
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinatore
35020 Legnaro
Italia