Surveillance for Zoonotic Diseases

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One Health

Surveillance for Zoonotic Diseases

Objective:

Environmental surveillance plays a crucial role in tracking pathogen evolution and identifying new variants of concern. This project aims to generate data on pathogen prevalence through various detection methods, which are then validated against actual disease incidence to forecast outbreaks. Specifically, the project focuses on
building protocols and frameworks for the environmental surveillance of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) viruses, and the Avian Influenza virus (H5N1) across four regions in India Maharashtra (Pune), Telangana (Hyderabad), Karnataka (Bengaluru), Gujarat (Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar). The Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC) serves as the nodal organization for the BMGF project in the Pune region. The partner institutions engaged in Pune and managed by PKC are CSIR-NCL and BAIF. Through this study, we aim to refine disease surveillance protocols and offer epidemic intelligence tools to predict outbreaks.

PKC’s role:

  • Nodal organisation for the Pune region
  • Project management
  • Local government partnerships 
  • Stakeholder/Partners Fund management/disbursement

Outcomes:

The initial phase of the project concentrated on obtaining necessary permissions from various government authorities and Signing of MOU’s with Partners, NCBS, CSIR-NCL, BAIF.

The first year’s objectives included identifying and mapping sample collection sites, collecting samples, conducting genetic sequencing and characterization, and depositing metadata and sequences to the consortium. 

LSDV Environmental Samples status from April 2024 to September 2025

  • Number of Samples collected = 1311(Pooled Milk, Wastewater, Drinking Water, soil, feed)
  • Number of Samples processed = 1138

FMDV Environmental Samples status from April 2024 to September 2025

  • Number of Samples collected = 80 (Pooled Milk, Wastewater, Drinking Water, soil, feed)
  • Number of Samples processed = 0

Avian Influenza Environmental Samples status from April 2024 to September 2025

  • Number of Samples collected = 118 (Poultry bird fecal sample, Wastewater from city STP’s near poultry farms/market, Poultry Drinking Water)
  • Number of Samples processed = 118

Program Partners:

  • CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory
  • BAIF

Funding Partner:

  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
  • National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)