Environmental pathogen transmission
In this project we are examining whether water can act as viral vector for mammals under conditions of seasonal water shortage. We are also examining water as a non-invasive resource for host and virus identification and characterization.
| Duration: | since 01/2015 |
| Third-party funded: | yes |
| Involved Department(s): | Dept Wildlife Diseases |
| Leibniz-IZW Project Leader(s): | Alex Greenwood (Dept Wildlife Diseases) |
| Leibniz-IZW Project Team: | John Galindo, Juan Li (all: Dept Wildlife Diseases) |
| Consortium Partner(s): | Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna) |
| Current Funding Organisation: |
WWF (Germany, Cambodia) |
| Research Foci: | |
| Understanding traits and evolutionary adaptations | |
| Understanding wildlife health and disturbed homeostasis | |
| Understanding the environmental context | |
| Developing theories, methods, and tools |
Water is required for life. We are examining whether water can act as viral vector for mammals under conditions of seasonal water shortage. We are also examining water as a non-invasive resource for host and virus identification and characterization. We employ genomics-based approaches, cell culture and mathematical modelling of the resulting data to support or refute predictions based on the hypothesis that water acts as a viral vector. The projects have been supported by funds from a Competitive Leibniz Society grant (AquaVir) and a collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund.
Selected Publications
Soilemetzidou S, de Bruin E, Franz M, Aschenborn OHK, Rimmelzwaan GF, van Beek R, Koopmans M, Greenwood AD*, Czirják G* (2020): Diet may drive influenza A virus exposure in African mammals. J INFECT DIS 221, 175-182.
Seeber PA, McEwen GK, Löber U, Förster DW, East ML, Melzheimer J, Greenwood AD (2019): Terrestrial mammal surveillance using hybridization capture of environmental DNA from African waterholes. MOL ECOL RESOUR 19, 1486-1496.
Seeber PA, Dayaram A, Sicks F, Osterrieder N, Franz M,* Greenwood AD* (2019): Non-invasive detection of equid herpesviruses using fecal samples. APPL ENVIRON MICRO 85, pii:e02234-18.
Franz M, Kramer-Schadt S, Greenwood AD, Courtiol A (2018): Sickness-induced lethargy can increase host contact rates and pathogen spread in water-limited landscapes. FUNCTIONAL ECOL 32, 2194-2204.
Dayaram A, Franz M, Schattschneider A, Damiani AM , Bischofberger S, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD (2017): Long term stability and infectivity of herpesviruses in water. SCI REP 7, 46559.