As coordinators of the three EU-funded Zika consortia, we are keen to share our latest activities, publications and meetings since our previous joint newsletter.
We recently gathered at the International Symposium on Zika Virus Research held in Marseille, France, between 4 and 6 June 2018. For the first time, ZIKAlliance, ZikaPLAN and ZIKAction discussed a common strategy for a Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine development thanks to inputs from ZIKAVAX. The aim of ZIKAVAX is to produce a safe, effective, and affordable preventive vaccine by using a delivery platform technology based on a measles vector (MV). Other than ZIKV vaccine, the conference covered surveillance, burden estimates, modelling, clinical biology, vectors and vector control, cohort studies, lessons from imported cases, social and ethical implications of Zika, basic research and antivirals. In total, 240 researchers took part in the three-day international symposium, with around 30 young researchers presenting their findings. In addition to an overview of the latest developments in Zika research, the conference was also an opportunity for the three Zika consortia to update each other on current and future collaborative efforts, such as the Joint Data Sharing Agreement. The meeting highlights are presented in the newsletter.
In a new cross-consortia study published in Emerging Microbes and Infections, Pettersson et al. have traced the phylogenetic history and spatio-temporal dispersal pattern of ZIKV in Asia prior to its explosive emergence in the Pacific region and the Americas (see figure below). According to the authors, these analyses demonstrate that the introduction and dispersal of ZIKV on the Pacific islands were preceded by an extended period of relatively silent transmission in South East Asia, which has enabled the virus to expand geographically and evolve adaptively before its introduction in the Pacific islands and the Americas. These important findings may benefit future disease control strategies.
Finally, REDe – the cross-consortia work package - has conducted a comprehensive review of all online resources and materials related to prevention, detection and treatment of ZIKV and other arboviruses, finding 34 courses. The next step will see a Consensus Building Exercise to establish the key knowledge and skills gaps around clinical and laboratory ZIKV research. The survey will be available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The survey and other components of the Knowledge Gap Analysis will help us to identify and develop a set or core curricula to run high quality research studies.
Prof. Xavier de Lamballerie, ZIKAlliance Scientific Coordinator
Prof. Annelies Wilder-Smith, ZikaPLAN Scientific Coordinator
Prof. Carlo Giaquinto, ZIKAction Scientific Coordinator
Projects ZIKAlliance, ZikaPLAN, ZIKAction have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreements No 734548, 734584, 734857 respectively.
Cross Consortia Collaboration
4 EU-funded Zika consortia met in Marseille during the International Symposium to discuss a common strategy for vaccine development Read More
Pictures from the International Symposium on Zika Virus Research Please, insert password “zika” to login See More
Other News from the Consortium: Individual Awards for Marion Koopmans, Patricia Brasil and Jocelyn Raude; a ZIKAlliance-funded study by Carneiro et al. has been selected as one of the 5 most significant articles in the current issue of the Journal of Virology
Global Vector Hub provides all-encompassing resource for vector-borne disease control READ MORE
NEURO-ZIKA pathogenesis work in ZikaPLAN is differentiating autoimmune versus direct neuropathic phenomena of ZIKV to impact both clinical care and basic understanding of disease READ MORE
Patient and public engagement: sharing new research developments with affected families and health professionals in Brazil READ MORE
