Award details

Revolutionising livestock tick-borne pathogen control

Reference	BB/W016621/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Hannah Vineer
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Liverpool
Department	Infection Biology & Microbiomes
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	603,251
Status	Current
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/07/2022
End date	30/06/2025
Duration	36 months

Abstract

This project will revolutionise how we approach livestock tick and tick-borne pathogen control by providing knowledge and tools for proactive management. We will achieve this by combining empirical data collection with published data and mechanistic modelling of transmission at multiple scales to gain a deeper understanding of tick-pathogen interactions in the context of the environment, their hosts, and their symbiome (protozoal and bacterial community within the tick). We will develop evidence-based recommendations for TBP control for veterinarians and policy makers in our study region of Botswana, delivered through existing relationships with the Botswana Government's Department of Veterinary Services, acting as a showcase for adoption in other African countries. Around 20% of tick species are found in Africa, where they heavily parasitise livestock and are responsible for transmitting a range of pathogens to these animals. Tick-borne diseases are ranked among the most important livestock parasites and pathogens in Africa, and have recently been implicated in the deaths of tens of thousands of livestock in Botswana. Climate change, spread of invasive ticks, and drug resistance threaten the sustainable control of ticks and tick-borne disease. Our proposed research directly addresses key knowledge gaps preventing effective control of TBPs in Botswana. Our research is novel as we take a whole-system approach, considering not only host-tick-pathogen interactions, but also the tick symbiome and interactions with the environment. We will bring together genomics, ecological modelling, and disease modelling, to identify sustainable control strategies for tick-borne pathogens.

Summary

This project will revolutionise how we approach livestock tick and tick-borne pathogen (TBP) control by providing knowledge and tools for proactive management. Ticks are blood-feeding parasitic invertebrates that infest vertebrates worldwide. Of the >850 species of ticks worldwide, >150 are found in Africa, where they heavily parasitise livestock and are responsible for transmitting a range of pathogens to these animals. Tick-borne diseases are ranked among the most important livestock parasites and pathogens in Africa, and some are responsible for losses in excess of $170M/year. Heartwater (Ehrlichia ruminantium infection) has been implicated in the deaths of tens of thousands of livestock in Botswana since 2018 alone. This directly affects human food security and hence resilience of communities to global change. Climate change, spread of invasive ticks, and drug resistance threaten the sustainable control of ticks and tick-borne disease. To support effective control of tick-borne disease, we need to better understand the processes driving TBP transmission. Models of TBP transmission are powerful tools which allow us to better understand the system and evaluate the impact of environment and interventions which would not be possible to evaluate in detail in the field or with in vivo trials. Prior research has largely had a one-tick, one-pathogen approach, and models focussed on one aspect of transmission dynamics. However, TBPs exist within the wider tick symbiome, and in changing environments, which may affect transmission. Recent pilot data collection that I conducted demonstrated the feasibility of collecting ticks in the field under present SARS-CoV-2 prevention measures. This allows us to conduct an unbiased cross-sectional survey of ticks in our study region, Botswana, identify all bacteria and protozoa carried by the ticks (symbiome), and relate symbiome traits and structure to environment, veterinary intervention measures, and disease (Work Package 1; WP1). We will then develop and validate a mathematical model of E. ruminantium transmission in Botswana by adapting and extending an existing model developed for Lyme borreliosis in North America, incorporating symbiome interactions (WP2). Finally, we will use this model to evaluate the epidemiological impact of potential veterinary and policy measures, to develop guidelines for TBP control in Botswana (WP3). This will be the first truly unbiased, country-wide survey of TBPs, and the first comprehensive model of African TBP transmission. The project is novel as it considers not only host-tick-pathogen interactions, but also tick symbiome and interactions with the environment. Recent devastating outbreaks of tick-borne disease in the Okavango Delta make this project timely, and Botswana the ideal case study region. We will share outputs with policy makers in Botswana through our existing relationship with the Department of Veterinary Services. We will develop CPD modules for veterinarians to learn about and implement project output, accessible via a dedicated project website. This will extend our potential impact beyond our immediate study region. All data and code produced will be openly available in formats accessible to researchers, veterinarians and policy makers.

Committee	Research Committee A (Animal disease, health and welfare)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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