Ecology of Wild-life, Livestock, huMan and Infectious Diseases in changing environments

ongoing

WiLiMan-ID addresses the complexity and the dynamics of the host-pathogen interactions for five animal infectious diseases (IDs) that are ranked as high priority by the EU (Avian influenza, African swine fever, West Nile fever, African horse sickness, and Chronic wasting disease). These IDs circulate in livestock and wildlife and, at the human-animal interfaces: two are causing severe economic losses to farming systems and three represent a threat to human health. The main objective of WiLiMan-ID is to identify key factors driving their emergence and dissemination in ever-changing environments by integrating data at different scales (pathogens>host>community of hosts>territory) and, to provide farmers, health services and policy makers with innovative strategies and methods for prevention, surveillance and control for the IDs considered in WiLiMan-ID and beyond. To meet this objective, WiLiMan-ID will in particular: - Improve methods for sensitive and accurate detection and identification of pathogens and their variants in complex environments. - Identify drivers promoting the increase in pathogen virulence, transmissibility and/or host-shift. - Assess the impact of host factors as a key parameter of pathogen evolution and dynamics, such as vaccination or pre-existing immunity to viral infection. - Identify transmission routes, the role of vectors, the impact of the environment (pathogen reservoirs in wildlife, global change impact on migration routes) and of the management practices (farming, trade, transport) on pathogen dissemination and transmission. - Develop next-generation analytical approaches for optimized surveillance and management strategies of IDs, within a context of global changes. - Disseminate and communicate the results to stakeholders and engage in further co-innovation. Convert the results into user guides, training materials and communication tool kits to optimise their exploitation.