Follow-up reports OHTGs

The first One Health Training Grant was awarded to Pride Duve from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine. The OHTG made a research stay at the University of Konstanz in the research group of Prof. Dr. Reinhard Racke possible. The purpose of the research stay in June 2024 was to collaborate and exchange knowledge on the mathematical modelling of mosquito-borne diseases in Germany. Particularly, it focused on formulating and studying mosquito-host interaction models by incorporating the diffusion process of infected hosts, and vectors, to understand how mosquito borne diseases spread across Germany.

By combining the mathematical expertise of Prof. Racke and his group members with the expertise on mosquito ecology of Mr. Duve it was possible to further develop existing mosquito-host models to simulate the spatial spread of mosquito-borne diseases in Germany. As a result, a biologically and mathematically reasonable model for Usutu-virus spread in Germany was successfully developed. The model was validated with real data from Germany and could realistically model the distribution of Usutu virus in Germany. In future such models might contribute to the optimization of integrated surveillance systems for mosquito-borne diseases and help to develop effective vector control strategies and public health interventions. Since the model encompasses data from human, animal, and environmental factors it might help to promote a One Health approach.

Due to the OHTG Mr. Duve was able to improve his modelling skills, increase his professional network and identify new research questions. The One Health community gained a new model for vector-borne diseases in Germany that might help monitoring mosquito-borne diseases at the human-animal-environment interface along with a highly motivated young researchers experienced in working interdisciplinary in the One health context. A win-win-situation!

Lea John from the Institute and Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) realized with the OHTGs funding a research stay at the IS Global Barcelona in the autumn of 2024. The purpose of her research stay at ISGlobal was to enhance her understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their application in public health research.

During her research stay at ISGlobal, she learned and applied GIS techniques, particularly using R for data analysis. Furthermore, she participated in training sessions to deepen her understanding of GIS concepts, such as vector and raster analysis, and practiced these methods using QGIS software. Additionally, the research stay offered her the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary discussions that brought together perspectives from public health, epidemiology, and environmental sciences.

As an outcome Lea could enhance her ability to process and analyse complex datasets and developed a better understanding of how to integrate socio-economic, environmental, and health data using GIS tools. It broadened her perspective on the connections between human health, the environment, and socio-economic factors.

The newly gained skills and insights are valuable for her own scientific career as well as for the One Health research community. To the later she can contribute interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing and methodologies and techniques for integrated analysis across different sectors. Again, the One Health Training Grant paid out for both sides.

Maxi Reuter from the Free University of Berlin received an OHTG scholarship in 2025 for a research stay at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. The original goal was to isolate and characterize bacteriophages from water samples. These were to be used to develop a phage cocktail for the targeted decontamination of bacteria in mussels.

During her stay in Hannover, she succeeded in optimizing methods for growing bacterial strains, facilitating the interaction between phages and bacteria, and detecting phages. The interdisciplinary exchange provided Ms. Reuter with in-depth knowledge of applied phage research and enabled her to further develop her scientific methods and technical skills, which could open up new career prospects for her.

In the long term, the project results are significant for food and veterinary hygiene, aquaculture, and public health. The interdisciplinary collaboration integrates concepts from microbiology, molecular biology, and aquatic science, enabling innovative approaches to future food safety.

Aigai Virus (AIGV) and Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) are both tick-borne othonairovirus. To enable serological differentiation between AIGV and CCHFV an indirect in-house ELISA based on CCHFV- and AIGV- viral glycoprotein GP38 was developed at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI). The aim of the research stay of Franziska Neffgen (FLI) at the Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece, was to explore the ability of GP38 to differentiate between AIGV and CCHFV in the field.

During her research stay in Greece she was able to adjust the ELISA to the conditions in the laboratory. Subsequently the ELISA could be used to test serum samples of small ruminants from Greece as well as human serum samples. The work in a foreign laboratory strengthened Franziska’s laboratory skills and expanded her network. Furthermore, it provided her valuable data for further scientific publications. In conclusion her work can contribute to a broader understanding of the abundance, the pathogenicity and the immunogenicity of orthonairoviruses.