EVENT
Enteric Virus Emergence, New Tools (EVENT) an EU funded, Policy-oriented Research project under the "Sixth Framework Programme"

Proposal. no. 502571
Contract: FP6-2002-SSP-1
Policy oriented-research

Project Objectives

Overall objectives

• To network expertise on enteric viruses from molecular virological, clinical, medical and veterinary perspective
• To bridge the gap between research and routine application of molecular virological tools in communicable disease surveillance
• To facilitate the development of the laboratory basis for a surveillance network for detection of common-source outbreaks of noroviruses
• To facilitate the development of the laboratory basis for a surveillance network for detection of common-source outbreaks of hepatitis A virus by providing scientific and methodological guidance to the basic laboratory network for detection and typing of food-borne viruses in Europe
• To provide science-based testing algorithms for detection and typing of noroviruses and hepatitis A viruses
• To provide a resource network for advanced investigation of cases of unusual gastro-enteritis and hepatitis of suspected (enteric) viral etiology
• To provide a basic database representing the currently circulating enteric viral gene sequences present in animals and humans, that will serve as a reference database for future surveillance activities

 

Specific objectives:

WP1: Development of testing algorithms for (future) detection and surveillance of noroviruses and hepatitis A virus

• To evaluate the performance of new commercially available rapid assays against state-of-the-art reference tests.
• To develop rapid typing methods for application in routine laboratories
• To propose a testing algorithm for high-throughput testing in routine laboratories, which retains the possibility of analysing a representative selection of samples for detection of common-source events that go unnoticed by routine outbreak investigations
• To pilot these testing algorithms during one outbreak season
• To use the results to propose a testing algorithm to the surveillance networks

WP2: Understanding viral evolution to provide a rational basis for use of molecular typing data in outbreak investigations.

• To customize the FBVE database of viral genes reflecting the currently circulating lineages of norovirus and hepatitis A virus in Europe, in order to provide global access , including the possibility of rapid searches via internet
• To select a representative set of viruses spanning a wide geographic region and several years for studies of viral evolution by mutation and recombination.
• To study biological properties of selected recombinant or mutant strains against biological properties that are available from the outbreak investigation database of the surveillance network
• To study the consequences of viral evolution for diagnostics and typing
• To use this information to provide optimal tests for detection and typing

WP3: Understanding unexplained viral gastroenteritis and hepatitis caused by rare and/or newly described pathogens (Kobuviruses, group B and C rotaviruses, toroviruses, hepatitis E virus)

• To establish a European resource of rare or new emerging enteric viruses
• To develop generic detection methods for all virus families for which emergence through faecal-oral spread (e.g. through the food chain) is foreseeable
• To use the new techniques to screen samples from patients with unexplained gastro-enteritis and (acute) hepatitis of possible viral aetiology to study their role as causes of (common source) outbreaks in Europe
• To provide reference testing and scientific guidance for possible requests from the surveillance networks or the seafood research network

WP4: Zoonotic transmission of noroviruses, sapoviruses and hepeviruses

• To screen representative samples from animals (cattle, pigs, mice), for the presence of noroviruses, sapoviruses, and hepeviruses
• To establish a gene sequence database reflecting the diversity of currently circulating viruses in the participating countries in Europe
• To analyse the data for possible indications of direct interspecies (zoonotic) transmission of viruses
• To analyse the data for possible indications of mixing of viral genes from viruses infecting animals or humans
• To provide reference testing and scientific guidance for possible requests from the surveillance networks or the seafood research network

The studies proposed will provide essential data for future risk assessment, as well as methods to identify all currently known viruses associated with the food- and water-borne modes of transmission. At the end of these studies, a network will be available which provides the basic tools and reference materials for a Europe-wide rapid detection and early warning system for all viruses for which the enteric mode of transmission is currently suspected. Data will be available about the incidence of these viruses, the proportion of outbreaks in which a common source is indicated by molecular typing in Europe, and about the possibility of zoonotic transmission.

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