Wits University researchers have partnered in the continent’s first interconnected mosquito observatory network, VectorGrid-Africa, the institution says.
The network has launched in Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Madagascar.
The €6.1m (R125.8m) initiative is funded by the EU’s Horizon/EDCTP programme and led by the University of Glasgow. It will establish advanced monitoring sites to collect good quality, open-access data on mosquito species and environmental factors influencing vector dynamics.
This will help identify mosquito species that are susceptible to transmitting diseases, a function that will aid in fast-tracking disease forecasting.
Wits scientists Prof Lizette Koekemoer, research professor at the Wits Research Institute for Malaria, and distinguished professor and research chair Marietjie Venter (division of emerging viral threats, one health surveillance and vaccines), will lead the South African node of the project.
The operations will take place in strategically selected sentinel sites in malaria disease-endemic provinces that are mostly concentrated in the warmer regions, namely Limpopo, Mpumalanga, parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where arbovirus outbreaks are frequently detected.
The research project aims to address the key gaps in mosquito control within the Southern African Development Community region.
“Understanding how human behaviour, environment and other factors contribute to vector-risk exposure is crucial for understanding complex transmission cycles,” said Koekemoer.
With the prevalence of environmental elements such as heavy rainfall and flooding in the region triggering the spread of arboviruses carried by birds, livestock and wildlife, there is a growing need to ensure the detection of endemic and emerging diseases.
The Wits research team will use the newly constructed biosafety level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory at the Wits biohub in “enhancing capacity to work on vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in the face of climate change in Africa”, she said.
The initiative will address a critical rift in Africa’s public health infrastructure: the lack of sustainable surveillance data will ensure long-term preparedness for epidemics and pandemics.
With underestimations of mosquito vectors on the continent, is it hoped the research output of the VectorGrid-Africa can inform efforts to streamline interventions and optimise resource allocation to reduce disease transmission.
VectorGrid-Africa is designed to be locally managed, ensuring long-term sustainability and ownership by African institutions. The initiative will also inform the innovation of new technologies to improve more sensitive and faster approaches. These will enable the evaluation of the platforms in a country-specific context and will be shared with stakeholders after assessments, allowing the identification of the challenges and opportunities for each.
“Wits is honoured to be part of the transformative initiative. VectorGrid-Africa will not only enhance our understanding of mosquito-borne diseases but also empower African scientists to lead the charge in developing sustainable, locally driven solutions,” said Venter.
Africa carries the highest burden of mosquito-borne diseases in the world, with climate change accelerating the spread of disease carrying vectors, the Wits statement said.
South Africa had a malaria outbreak from 1999 to 2000 that quickly spread from neighbouring countries, leading to a significant regional surge. Environmental conditions were one of the key contributing factors to the epidemic, highlighting the need to predict future outbreaks and high-risk areas through surveillance and ecological modelling.
South Africa is also endemic to several mosquito borne viruses such as West Nile virus and Rift Valley Fever that can cause annual epidemics and large outbreaks in humans and animals after climatic events, but cases are often missed and remain under reported.
TimesLIVE
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