One Health - Predicting Arboviruses Climate Tipping points - Prediction of host range and reservoir potential
This project will focus on the assessment of arbovirus-host interaction and pathogenesis (in particular referring to Usutu virus and West Nile virus) at tissue, cellular and ultrastructural level.
The main aim is to set-up an in-vivo model of the infection for the study of the pathogenesis of Usutu and West Nile infections.
Main objectives
- Assessment of avian species susceptible to Usutu and West Nile virus infection, that may play a role in the transmission cycle.
- Set up in vivo avian model for the study of the pathogenesis of Usutu- and West Nile-induced disease (evaluation of disease progression, organ and cellular tropism of the viruses, characterization of lesions and activation of cellular response pathways to viral infection). Comparison of results of experimental setting to the data coming from studies on natural infection.
- Evaluation of receptor distribution and correlation with viral tropism.
- Influence of co-infections on viral pathogenesis and progression of the disease.
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