International Coordination of Research on Infectious Animal Diseases (ICRAD) Second Call- 2025

Authors: Ella Waples and Jens Nielsen

GMPC TOP 2025. vol. 5, Iss. 1 pp:1-15
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/gtop.2025.1.0038

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Abstract:

In 2021, in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the ever-increasing attention on research at the animal-human interface, the ICRAD ERA-Net launched its second competitive call, "One Health Approach to Zoonoses Research and Innovation". The main objective of the call was to increase preparedness for (re)-emerging zoonotic disease, the ability to respond to zoonotic threats, and contribute to improved animal and public health. The call aimed to support the development of a converted approach towards creating novel and/or improved instruments to understand and control zoonoses, including detection, management, intervention, and prevention strategies. A transnational programme was developed to study infectious diseases with zoonotic potential, including swine influenza virus (swIAV), porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV), classical scrapie, avian influenza virus (AIV), bovine tuberculosis (bTB), Leptospira interrogans, Newcastle disease (ND), and Q fever.

The following text presents the abstracts of the ten projects funded under this second ICRAD research call, highlighting the aims and early achievements of the projects. Full reports will be available after project completion in 2026. Three projects are centred on AIV, one is examining whether specific mutations associated with the transition of H5 and H7 low-pathogenic AIV to high-pathogenic AIV facilitate cross-species transmission, thereby enhancing our understanding of the zoonotic risk of these mutations. Another project aims to develop novel vaccines for AIV and ND to improve rapid outbreak response. The third project focuses on advancing rapid diagnostic capabilities for AIV in poultry, with potential applications for swine, mink, and humans under a One Health framework. The zoonotic potential of classical scrapie remains uncertain, and two projects are investigating this through the study of the disease strain evolution mechanisms and the biochemical properties of prion strains across cases. Addressing the ongoing challenge of bovine TB eradication, two additional projects aim to different understand disease progression and transmission risks and to develop novel diagnostic platforms for the disease. The final three projects are focused on swIAV and PRCV, Q fever, and Leptospira interrogans. One project is investigating the transmission dynamics and differences between mild and severe disease presentations of swIAV and PRCV. Another project aims to expand knowledge of Q fever's genetics and develop a surveillance framework. The last project seeks to understand the immune response to Leptospira interrogans in various hosts, with the goal of reducing the impact of this disease, particularly in the dairy and beef industries.

Overall, these projects help to enhance our understanding of several zoonotic diseases that threaten European livestock, wildlife, and humans. They align with ICRAD's overarching goals, including connecting research partners with complementary scientific and technological expertise to build international relationships and increasing preparedness and response capabilities for emerging and endemic threats.

Keywords:

ICRAD, ERA-NET, zoonosis, One Health, swine influenza, porcine respiratory coronavirus, classical scrapie, avian influenza virus, bovine tuberculosis, Leptospira interrogans, Newcastle disease, Q fever

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