Animal Chlamydioses and the Zoonotic Implications

Transcription

1 Food and Agriculture (FA) Domain Committee MONITORING PROGRESS REPORT 2006 COST - Chair: Konrad Sachse 3rd DC meeting, Antalya (TR), 31 Jan 2 Feb 2007 COST Action Domain Food and Agriculture (FA) Animal Chlamydioses and the Zoonotic Implications CSO approval date 07/03/2002 Entry into force 13/09/2003 End date 04/11/2007 This is 2002's catch (before COST ) This is today s catch - Only sporadic epidemiological surveys in animal populations, - different diagnostic methods in each lab, - little exchange among the chlamydia research community in Europe, - zoonotic transmission generally underdiagnosed (and underestimated) There is a feeling that chlamydioses are important, but the data and tools are insufficient. What will we have tomorrow? (The vision) What will we have tomorrow? - Widespread use of high-performance molecular diagnostic tests, standardised methodologies, - Improved epidemiological coverage of animal chlamydioses and zoonotic human cases, - Increased awareness of zoonotic chlamydioses, better cooperation between veterinary and human medicine 1

2 FA0: Animal chlamydioses and the zoonotic implications Participating Countries : 18 Chair : DE BE, BG, CH, CRO, ES, FYRM, FR, GB, GR, HU, IRL, ISR, IT, NL, PL, SLO, SE Non-COST: Australia, Argentina, Intention to sign Bosnia&Hercegovina, China, Japan, USA Economic Dimension: 4.9 Million Duration: 4 years Management Report Data, Part 2 Chair: Konrad Sachse Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health) Jena, Germany Professional expertise: Molecular biology Rapporteur: Jean-Pierre Masson Agrocampus Rennes, 5, rue Saint-Brieuc Rennes, France Science Officer: John Williams Administrative Officer: Jeanette Nchung Management Report Data, Part 3 OBJECTIVES The main objective of the Action is to better understand the spread and importance of animal chlamydioses in Europe. This includes improvement of diagnostic standards, assessment of hazards to human health, recommendations on improved management, control and prophylaxis of chlamydial infections 2

3 Management Committee WG 1 WG 2 WG 3 WG 4 WG 5 New diagnostic tests Field survey and validation Zoonotic Aspects of Chlamydioses Research on pathogenesis Development of vaccines Harmonisation of diagnostic methods Case reports, exchange with human medicine In vitro systems, animal models Epidemiological data on outbreaks and prevalence of chlamydiae Strategies to control animal chlamydioses Basis for new commercial diagnostic kits Basis for new commercial vaccines Assessment of zoonotic potential and risk to human health Working Groups and Leaders WG 1: New diagnostic tests Prof. Andreas Pospischil (Inst. Vet. Pathology, Univ. Zürich, CH), Dr. Simone Magnino (Ist. Zooprofil. Sperimentale, Pavia, IT) WG 2: Field survey and validation Prof. Erhard F. Kaleta (Inst. Poultry Dis., Univ. Giessen, DE), Dr. Evangelia Vretou (Hellenic Pasteur Inst., Athens, GR) WG 3: Zoonotic aspects of chlamydioses Dr. Vittorio Sambri (Section Microbiol., Univ. Bologna, IT) Dr. Yvonne Pannekoek (Academic Medical Centre, Univ. Amsterdam, NL) WG 4: Research on pathogenesis Dr. David Longbottom (Moredun Res. Inst., Midlothian, UK) Prof. Bryan Markey (Fac. Vet. Med., Univ. College Dublin, IRL) WG 5: Development of vaccines Prof. Daisy Vanrompay (Dept. Molec. Biotechnol., Univ. Ghent, BE) Dr. Annie Rodolakis (Dept. Pathology, INRA Tours-Nouzilly, FR) Results (1) New diagnostic methods New real-time PCR assays developed for Chlamydiaceae, Chlamydophila psittaci, and 4 other species. Methodologies are being tested in other labs. New DNA microarray test for chlamydiae, validation study completed. Efforts underway to get these methods accepted as national standards. New PCR-enzyme immunoassay to monitor chlamydial infections in birds. Two new serological tests based on recombinant antigens. Research on pathogenesis, immune response and virulence factors Molecular studies on the persistent state of chlamydiae and its significance. Characterisation of the type III secretion system and its contribution to virulence. Completion of C. abortus genome sequencing and analysis. Mouse model of C. abortus infection (abortion model). Development of new vaccines for improved control of chlamydial infections Studies on DNA vaccination and recombinant MOMP vaccination to induce protection against Cp. psittaci infection in turkeys. DNA vaccination study in sheep against C. abortus infection. 3

4 Results (2) Assessment of zoonotic risks associated with animal chlamydioses Diagnostic surveys in flocks of poultry and sheep, herds of cattle, pet animals and others to evaluate the prevalence of chlamydial agents. Cases of chlamydioses in persons connected with the respective farm or household have been included (still ongoing). Study on the public health risk associated with urban pigeons. Guinea pigs, free-ranging amphibians and wild boar as reservoirs of chlamydiae. Comparison with state of the art: These results represent novel findings worldwide. Objectives reached? Diagnostic tests - reached (on time), Vaccine development - reached (on time), Zoonotic transmission - reached (slightly behind), Epidemiological data - not reached, but considerable amount of new data, Final assessments and recommendations, publications - on schedule STSM 2004: : : 6 Involvement of younger scientists: 11/19 missions were undertaken by PhD students Action-related publications 2004: Veterinary Research Communications, volume 29 (2005), suppl. 1 Special Issue on Animal Chlamydioses (14 papers) Editors: Konrad Sachse, David Longbottom, Bryan Markey; Publishing company: Springer 2005: Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Diagnosis and Pathogenesis of Animal Chlamydioses (9 articles, 35 abstracts) Editors: Roberto Cevenini, Vittorio Sambri Publisher: Bononia Univ. Press, Bologna, Sept 22, : Proceedings of the 4th Workshop on Diagnosis, Pathogenesis and Control of Animal Chlamydioses (9 articles, 70 abstracts) Editors: David Longbottom, Mara Rocchi, Publ.: Moredun Research Inst., Edinburgh, Sept 3-5, 2006 Publications in : 242 The major scientific achievements of COST will be published in a special issue of Veterinary Microbiology COST : Attendance of Annual Workshops Annual Workshops Participants Countries st workshop on Research in the Field of Animal Chlamydioses Dublin, September 13, nd workshop on Zoonotic Aspects of Animal Chlamydioses Budapest, September 1, rd workshop on Diagnosis and Pathogenesis of Animal Chlamydioses Siena, September 22-23, th workshop on Animal Chlamydioses and Zoonotic Implications Edinburgh, Sept 3-5,

5 Working Group Meetings WG 4 Immunopathogenesis WG 1 New diagn. tests WG 1+3 Test validation WG 5 Vaccines WG 2+5 Serological testing WG 2 Street pigeons Website The COST homepage at is hosted by the University of Zurich. It has basic information on objectives, working organisation, the management committee, selected publications and the next meeting. Separate website for each year s workshop. Scientific and technical cooperation Members of COST have attended meetings of COST 854 "Protozoal reproduction losses in farm ruminants", COST 845 on Brucellosis, and vice versa. There were contacts to the EU Concerted Action on Wildlife Zoonoses COST members were the major contributors to Taxogenomics, a worldwide genome sequencing project for chlamydiae coordinated by TIGR Main Successes The Network is in place and functioning. Continuous exchange and interaction between research groups has generated a measurable increase in quantity and quality of chlamydia research in Europe. Awareness of chlamydial infections, their economic and zoonotic dimensions has increased in many European countries. Problems - Multilateral international interlaboratory trials (ring tests) for harmonisation of diagnostic methods, as well as pan-european epidemiological studies proved to be unrealistic in the absence of funding. - Imbalance between demand and supply in STSMs (too few receiving labs) 5

6 Future Plans Keep the community together FP7 proposal Deliver on the objectives of COST, Dissemination of results among scientific community, veterinary and public health authorities Participation in future COST action(s) 6