African Swine Fever (ASF) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) are two highly transmissible animal infectious diseases, which have the potential to spread rapidly globally, threatening the livestock industry in the EU and other regions of the world. Both diseases have the ability to infect domestic and wild animals, but their ecology and persistence in the environment are poorly understood, and hamper the development of effective surveillance and control strategies. The ECOPEST project proposes an integrated “One Health” approach to understand the circulation and evolution at the wildlife/livestock interface of two major animal "pandemics" in different ecosystems in Eurasia and Africa in order to improve EU preparedness against the spread and/or incursions of these pathogens. To achieve that, some of the best European research laboratories will develop research in virology, immunology and genetics in order to better understand the ability of these pathogens to adapt to new species and environments and to survive in the environment. ECOPEST will monitor the evolution of viral ASF and PPR strains in hotspots of viral circulation in Eurasia, Africa and in strategic ports of entry for the EU. The capacity of PPRV to infect and evolve in EU populations of wild ungulates will be explored by building a library of host receptor sequences isolated from wildlife and small ruminant infections. The genetic and immune mechanisms of resistance of the virus in different species of wild African suids will be investigated by performing experimental infections or by combining transcriptomic cells from different suids with approaches of interferon gene stimulation. The environmental drivers affecting ASFV and PPRV maintenance in the environment will be investigated in temperate and tropical ecosystems. In addition, the project will focus on the persistence of ASFV and PPRV in animal carcasses and natural matrices (surrounding water and soil) by comparing virus survival in different climatic conditions. Different disciplines of social science and veterinary epidemiology will be combined to understand societal and cultural factors that affect farming choices and influence local disease transmission in smallholder and pastoralist systems. Methodological attention will be given both to broad inclusion of different stakeholders in value chains, making sure that the voices all stakeholders are taken into account to design local diseases strategies and policies. Samples will be collected in identified transmission hotspots to monitor disease prevalence using standard and innovative non-invasive methods for wildlife populations. These data will be combined with data obtained on host susceptibility, virus persistence, on contact rates between host species under different social and environmental contexts to develop a series of computerized transmission models. They will help to predict the risk of endemicity on persistence of the virus in domestic or wild animal populations, the impact of different control strategies and the potential impact on the survival of vulnerable wildlife populations. Based on animal distribution and environmental data, the risk of introduction and spread of new strains of ASF and PPR from different regions into the EU will be quantified and compared. Outputs from the different research activities will be translated into comprehensive guidelines and recommendations adapted to the needs of the different stakeholders and disseminated locally, nationally and regionally.

The DEFEND consortium will target two viral diseases of livestock which are emerging into Europe – African swine fever (ASF) and lumpy skin disease (LSD). African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of ASF, a highly contagious disease of domestic pigs which causes a haemorrhagic syndrome with up to 100% mortality. ASF is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and on the Italian island of Sardinia. In 2007 the disease was reported in Georgia. Since then it has spread to Russia, Ukraine, Poland and neighbouring countries. In 2017 outbreaks were reported in the Czech Republic and Romania. Wild boar are susceptible to ASFV and facilitate the continuing spread of the disease in Europe with regular spill-over into in-contact domestic pigs. The capripoxvirus Lumpy Skin Disease virus (LSDV) causes a classic systemic poxvirus disease in cattle and spreads rapidly in warm humid conditions, most likely due to insect-borne transmission. LSDV entered Europe, the Balkans and Caucasus for the first time in 2015. The ongoing epidemic has caused the deaths of thousands of cattle through mortality and eradication campaigns. ASFV and LSDV represent an immediate and serious threat to the pig and cattle industries in Europe and eastern and central Asia. The aim of the consortium is to control the growing LSD and ASF epidemics in Europe and neighbouring countries by understanding the drivers of LSDV and ASFV emergence, and generating research outputs which underpin novel diagnostic tools and vaccines and authenticate appropriate and rapid responses by decision-makers. A multi-actor approach will be incorporated as a central tenant of the project, with collaborations between experts from academia, industry, and government bodies including EU and non-EU partners from countries affected or threatened by ASF and LSD.

The One Health concept recognizes that the human health is tightly connected to the health of animals and the environment, i.e. that animal feed, human food, animal and human health, and environmental contamination are closely linked. These are the main focus of our European joint programme (EJP). One reference laboratory from the public health / medicine domain and one reference laboratory from the food / veterinary domain are associated within a network of 41 European laboratories and research centers, distributed in 19 participating member states, with the aim to reach significant advances in the fields of foodborne zoonoses (FBZ), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and emerging threats (ET) within a global One Health approach. Most of these laboratories have reference responsibilities, representing a sustainable framework for an integrated research community. Consistent with the “Prevent-Detect-Respond” concept, the One Health EJP aims at reinforcing collaboration between institutes by enhancing transdisciplinary cooperation and integration of activities by means of dedicated Joint Research Projects, Joint Integrative Project and through education and training in the fields of FBZ, AMR and ET. While alignment and harmonization with on-going EC-funded research project will also be considered, deliverables from the EJP activities should feed the approach of evidence based risk assessment and therefore the management of risks by the competent national authorities. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to efficiently and regularly updated the dissemination of knowledge between the research community and major International and European stakeholders, national authorities and further afield. The One Health EJP will also develop sustainable programs and projects beyond the lifetime of the EJP, through the production of a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (2021-2030) and a European P2P One Health Cooperative Joint Initiative.