Mobile Bio-Lab to support first response in Arbovirus outbreaks

Project Information

MOBVEC

Grant agreement ID: 101099283

DOI

10.3030/101099283

EC signature date 15 December 2022

Start date 1 July 2023

End date 30 June 2027

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 2 998 500,00

EU contribution

€ 2 998 500,00

Coordinated by

IRIDEON SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MOBVEC (Mobile Bio-Lab to support first response in Arbovirus outbreaks)

Reporting period: 2023-07-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In the last decades several species of disease carrying mosquitoes have invaded Europe. In 2018 a West Nile outbreak transmitted by mosquitoes occurred in the EU. For this disease there are no vaccines or medications. There were 1503 cases reported in 11 countries, and 181 deaths, and more serious outbreaks are expected in the future. Vector-Borne Disease (VBD) Mobile Labs could have assisted health authorities in containing the outbreak, reducing cases and preventing deaths. Unfortunately such a system does not exist. There are at least 3,528 species of mosquitoes. The majority are harmless, but a few dozen species (e.g. Aedes albopictus) transmit life threatening diseases as malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika fever. MOBVEC addresses the major problem of disease-carrying mosquitoes, both native and invasive that colonize new regions due to climate change. Early detection, prevention and control of VBD outbreaks is a key pillar according to the WHO and their recently launched Global Arbovirus Initiative.
MOBVEC will be the first VBD Mobile Bio-Lab in the world, providing a global service, using smart-traps powered by machine-learning, vector risk maps of insects, disease transmission models in mosquito population, citizen-science platform to reinforce the surveillance, and molecular analysis of arboviruses, to be rapidly operational in the heart of VBD outbreaks to assist first-responders.
This technology will the first line of defence against disease vectors, help prevent and fight devastating disease outbreaks, and will save lives while saving millions of euros in healthcare and lost working-hours. This has never been done before, and our consortium has the interdisciplinary research capacities to make it a reality.

The overall objectives of the Project are:
1) Development of laboratory protocols with biological samples
2) Development of VBD EO models using EGNSS, COPERNICUS and GEOSS
3) Advanced design of IoT ground sensors
4) Development of a standards based interoperable machine-learning cloud application
5) Integration and field trials and pilots of the MOBVEC prototype system
6) Pathway for future delivery MOBVEC onto the market and into society

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

1) Development of laboratory protocols with biological samples
A plan was implemented and carried out for the collection mosquito species in the wild, for testing with the smart-trap prototypes.
A comprehensive review and optimisation of pre-analytical steps for on-site detection and whole-genome sequencing of arboviruses were undertaken.

2) Development of VBD EO models using EGNSS, COPERNICUS and GEOSS
The set-up of a processing chain for processing all the necessary earth observation (EO) data that is required, was initiated. The development of initial models of Vector Risk Maps has kicked-off with the incorporation of data from the smart traps into the modelling pipelines.
The implementation of the EO Citizen-Science platform for mosquito surveillance using smart trap data calibration, was achieved.
The first steps were taken in the implementation of satellite/terrestrial telecommunications and a Laboratory Information and Management System.

3) Advanced design of IoT ground sensors
The ground IoT sensor was redesigned and prototyped to operate as an autonomous wireless network of mosquito surveillance. Machine learning classification models were also optimized, for different species and different variables as approximate age classification.

4) Development of a standards based interoperable machine-learning cloud application
The integration of data between the Senscape Hub API (IRIDEON- VECTRACK mosquito data) and the Mosquito Alert (MA) application API, facilitated by the MA Data Portal, was achieved.

5) Integration and field trials and pilots of the MOBVEC prototype system
Demonstrations were performed in Portugal, Spain and Brazil, following the plan designed by the partners focused initially on the individual assets of MOBVEC.

6) Pathway for future delivery MOBVEC onto the market and into society
In terms of IP and Knowledge Management, all partners were actively engaged, and worked on the identification of possible relevant and potentially new IP and the eventual potential offered by these.
A Plan of Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication was created. A web page of the project was created and several dissemination and communication actions were planned and executed by all consortium partners.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

MOBVEC will be the first VBD Mobile Bio-Lab in the world, providing a global service:
1- Automatic information about vector populations and environment, obtained in real-time by smart-traps, powered by machine-learning and edge computing: insect species, sex, age, and viral infection.
2- GEOSS compliant vector risk maps of adult insects and eggs/larvae, built on field + Copernicus data;
3- GEOSS compliant disease transmission models in mosquito population, fusing data provided by a) Copernicus, b) clinical and diagnostic data of reference labs, and c) vector risk maps;
4- GEOSS compliant citizen-science platform to reinforce the surveillance of mosquitoes using citizens as observation nodes, whose data is automatically calibrated using the data from smart traps.
5- VBD mobile bio-lab with the capacities of points 1, 2 and 3 + VBD Epidemiological maps, forecast models, and molecular analysis of arboviruses, to be rapidly operational in the heart of VBD outbreaks to assist first-responders

The main impact is to save lives and reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases as almost 1 million people die from VBDs every year, and hundreds of millions experience pain and suffering.

Economic Impacts:
-Reduce costs of vector surveillance;
-Reduction of costs of medical assistance to populations infected by vector-borne diseases;
-Reduction of costs associated with lost working hours due to cases of infection

Social Impacts:
-Protect populations in urban and rural areas, reducing the burden of the diseases carried by mosquitoes;
-Business opportunities for SMEs and support employment with the manufacture and distribution of MOBVEC assets.
-Creation of new IPM services and jobs in all regions at risk

Advancement of science and technology Impacts:
-Improve on-site detection, diagnostic and metagenomics knowledge of vector species;
-Better understand mosquito dynamics, infestations, eradication and surveillance practices;
-Consolidate transnational knowledge on regions affected by mosquitoes;
-Screen specific problems related to technology use, best practices and development of IPM procedures.

Environmental/Health Impacts:
-Sustainable use of insecticides ensuring a high level of environmental and human health protection;
-Prevent the increasing endemicity of diseases like Dengue, West Nile, Zika, Chikungunya, etc.;
-Support the WHO and Health Protection Agencies with less resources and public costs;
-Contribute to climate change counter actions and citizen resilience using citizen-science.

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