17th International Dengue Course and other Arbovirus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Havana September 27 to October 1, 2021
September 13, 2021
Since the end of 2019, the world has faced an exceptional epidemiological situation characterized by the widespread transmission of SARS CoV-2 and the high number of cases and deaths from COVID-19. Despite this serious emergency, it is essential to continue the study, surveillance, diagnosis and control of other emerging diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
ZikaPLAN collaborators reunite online as project draws to a close: 3 thematic webinars to disseminate highlights of the project
April 30, 2021
Where there’s a will there’s a way: in a healthier global climate, we would have marked the culmination of almost five years of extraordinary work with a collective gathering in France, to share milestones and achievements. Instead, this year saw ZikaPLAN members, stakeholders, supporters and partners come together via Zoom – and it was no less an event for it.
ZikaPLAN on film: Looking back on 5+ years of intensive research driven by humanitarian vision
April 27, 2021
As the ZikaPLAN project ends, a new series of films highlight the stories behind this international consortium, from the people and communities affected by Zika, to the pioneering scientific studies that underpinned our work, through to the ongoing impacts of some of our most renowned innovations.
ZikaPLAN scientists shed light on Zika virus emergence across the globe
November 20, 2020
The pre-eminent journal ‘Science’ published a report led by scientists from ZikaPLAN partner, the Institut Pasteur entitled “Enhanced Zika virus susceptibility of globally invasive Aedes aegypti populations”. The paper provides new information about the emergence of the virus and offers an explanation for the lack of major Zika outbreaks in Africa hitherto.
ZikaPLAN officially extended for six months to end in March 2021
October 2020
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and ARCTEC have announced the launch of an early version of their Global Vector Hub (GVH), GVH-Beta.
LSHTM and ARCTEC launch GVH-Beta
June 22, 2020
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and ARCTEC have announced the launch of an early version of their Global Vector Hub (GVH), GVH-Beta.
ZikaPLAN organizes Practical and Theoretical Workshop on Molecular and Serological Arbovirus Diagnostics in Dakar
January 9, 2020
Scientists and technicians working on arbovirus projects in Senegal and West Africa are meeting for a training workshop organized by the Mérieux Foundation and Institut Pasteur of Dakar from January 6-10, 2020.
First of its kind free training app on birth defects launched today
October 30, 2019
The Global Birth Defects Description and Coding (GBDDC) app has just been released today. This first of its kind app provides images and definitions of major externally visible birth defects with ICD codes, in addition to videos on the examination of newborns, information on Congenital Zika Syndrome as well as a few other syndromes.
Research on track and productive exchanges with Colombian partners at the annual ZikaPLAN consortium meeting
October 28, 2019
The Universidad del Valle hosted the annual ZikaPLAN meeting October 21-22, convening over 60 consortium members in Cali, Colombia.
‘Nature Reviews Neurology’ publishes ZikaPLAN-supported landmark paper "Diagnosis and management of Guillain-Barré syndrome in ten steps"
October 7, 2019
Scientists funded by the EU Horizon 2020 grant and the ZikaPLAN-supported IGOS-Zika project have developed a globally applicable guideline for the diagnosis and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome(GBS) as a tool for clinicians. Their paper the "Diagnosis and management of Guillain-Barré syndrome in ten steps"was published in the high-impact journal ‘Nature Reviews Neurology’ on September 20, 2019
Exploring disease outbreaks: a new MOOC by ZikaPLAN member, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
May 22, 2019
Apart from their direct impact, outbreaks also have on-going human, social and economic consequences, which can devastate fragile health systems in affected areas. Therefore, to ensure better local and global health, the need for expertise in coordinating rapid responses to disease outbreaks remains strong.
International course on Dengue, Zika and other emergent arboviruses
April 18, 2019
The International Course on Dengue, Zika and Other Emergent Arboviruses organized by the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for the Study of Dengue and its Control of the Institute of Tropical Medicine “Pedro Kourí”/MINSAP, the Cuban Society of Microbiology and Parasitology, the Cuban Ministry of Public Health and PAHO/WHO, will take place in Havana, Cuba on August 12 – 23, 2019.
Practical and Theoretical Course on Arbovirus Diagnostics
March 27, 2019
Scientists and technicians working on arbovirus projects in Brazil and across Latin America are meeting for a five-day training workshop organized by the Mérieux Foundation (ZikaPLAN) and Fundacao Faculdade de Medicina (ZIKAlliance) on March 25-29, 2019.
New Global Birth Defects website: comprehensive resources to improve birth defect surveillance
February 11, 2019
The Birth Defect Surveillance Group, part of ZikaPLAN’s Work Package 8 (Disease Burden and Risk Assessment), announces the launch of the Global Birth Defects website.
Game over for Zika? KU Leuven researchers develop promising vaccine
December 19, 2018
Scientists at the KU Leuven Rega Institute, members of both the ZikaPLAN and ZIKAlliance consortia, have developed a new vaccine against the Zika virus. This vaccine should prevent the virus from causing microcephaly and other serious conditions in unborn babies.
Bringing diagnostics to the field
November 29, 2018
Diagnosing Zika in the field presents specific challenges as other diseases, such as chikungunya and dengue, present in the same areas, can give a false positive on diagnostic tests.
An improved Aedes aegypti reference genome to accelerate new disease elimination strategies
November 23, 2018
The mosquito Aedes aegypti should be considered one of the most dangerous animals on the planet. This is because the Aedes aegypti female carries several viruses that can cause diseases such as yellow fever, dengue and Zika. Its strong taste for human blood and voracious appetite – it feeds once every 1.5 days – make Aedes aegypti very efficient at passing on the viruses among humans. This mosquito is responsible for hundreds of millions of viral infections every year throughout the tropics and sub-tropics.
ZikaPLAN Scientific Consortium Meeting: Exploring novel tools and the latest developments in the fight against Zika
September 19, 2018
On the 11 and 12 of September, scientists from leading research organizations across the world met for the ZikaPLAN Consortium meeting at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK.
Patient and public engagement: sharing new research developments with affected families and health professionals in Brazil
July 9, 2018
ZikaPLAN’s NEURO-ZIKA neurological manifestations working group leader, the University of Liverpool, has been working with another working group member, Fiocruz, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the Brazilian charities ‘Uniao de Maes dos Anjos-UMA’ (Recife), ‘Associação Saúde Criança’ and Association Lotus (Rio de Janeiro) on patient and public engagement. The aims in this engagement are to share information on new research developments in Zika and the implications and consequences of congenital Zika infection and related disorders.
Authors’ commentary: Re-visiting the evolution, dispersal and epidemiology of Zika virus in Asia
July 4, 2018
Pettersson et al. – Emerging Microbes & Infections, May 2018
Zika virus (ZIKV) has attracted much attention globally, primarily because of its association with microcephaly in newborn babies, Guillain-Barre syndrome, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in adults and transmission via the oral and sexual route. Much attention has been focused on the clinical symptoms, emergence, epidemiology and evolution of ZIKV in the Pacific region and the Americas. However, during 2016 and 2017, many new sequences were submitted from regions in Asia where there had been few previous reports of the presence of ZIKV.
NEURO-ZIKA pathogenesis work in ZikaPLAN is differentiating autoimmune versus direct neuropathic phenomena of ZIKV to impact both clinical care and basic understanding of disease
July 3, 2018
NEURO-ZIKA pathogenesis work in ZikaPLAN is differentiating autoimmune versus direct neuropathic phenomena of ZIKV to impact both clinical care and basic understanding of disease.
Global Vector Hub provides all-encompassing resource for vector-borne disease control
June 27, 2018
Over 80% of the world’s population is at risk from vector-borne diseases, yet no single, all-encompassing resource for the researchers and health workers involved in vector-borne disease control exists today. The aim of the Global Vector Hub is to change this.
4 EU-funded Zika consortia met in Marseille during the International Symposium to discuss a common strategy for vaccine development
June 14, 2018
ZIKAlliance, ZikaPLAN, ZIKAction, and ZIKAVAX - the four EU-funded consortia - participated and presented their research findings at the International Symposium on Zika Virus Research, held in Marseille, France, between 4 and 6 June 2018. Importantly, the four consortia discussed for the first time a common strategy for a ZIKV vaccine development thanks to inputs from ZIKAVAX. The aim of this project is to produce a safe, effective, and affordable preventive vaccine by using a delivery platform technology based on a measles vector (MV).
International Symposium on Zika Virus Research in Marseille, France, 4-6 June 2018
March 19, 2018
Registrations are now open for the international conference on Zika Virus to be held in Marseille, France, next June. The event - organised by the EU-funded ZIKAlliance project in collaboration with three other EU-funded Zika projects (ZikaPLAN, ZIKAction, and ZIKAVAX) and the European Society for Virology - will take place at the Faculty of Medicine La Timone.
Mapping Living Conditions and the Microcephaly Epidemic in Northeast Brazil
February 7, 2018
A key aim of ZikaPLAN’s Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group (MERG/ZikaPLAN; Work Package 1) is to unravel the factors - both biological and social - underpinning the development of severe congenital brain malformations in babies exposed to Zika virus in utero.
International Guillain-Barré syndrome Outcome Study (IGOS) and the Zika epidemic
Exploring the relation between Zika virus and the Guillain-Barré syndrome
February 1, 2018
The epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) throughout the Americas and Asia, and the subsequent alarming rise in reported cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in over 23 countries, has caused worldwide concern. However, many issues remain unsolved regarding the link between Zika and GBS.
Persistence of Zika virus in semen: Characterizing the potential for sexual transmission
January 29, 2018
Early in the Zika virus epidemic in the Americas, evidence confirmed reports suggesting that this mosquito-borne virus could also be transmitted sexually. The majority of reports concerned transmission from male to female sexual partners. The simultaneous increase in public awareness of detrimental neonatal outcomes of mothers who were infected with Zika virus during pregnancy, sparked concerns over this mode of transmission. At the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, our aim is to contribute to the knowledge base of non-vector transmission.
First Case-Control Study Rules Out Link between Congenital Microcephaly and Vaccines or Larvicides
December 21, 2017
Prof. Laura Rodrigues, and members of the MERG ZikaPLAN working group she leads, are among the authors of an article published in the December 11 issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases: Association between microcephaly, Zika virus infection, and other risk factors in Brazil: final report of a case-control study. The research was partially funded by ZikaPLAN.
Three EU-funded Zika Consortia Meetings at ECTMIH
October 23, 2017
During the European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH) conference in Antwerp, the three EU-funded Zika Consortia, ZIKAlliance, ZIKAction and ZikaPLAN organized a joint symposium, with an afternoon of presentations packed with up-to-date science regarding ZIKV on October 17th.
Establishing a Latin American network for congenital anomaly surveillance
September 15, 2017
ZikaPLAN in its multi-faceted WP8, in one part envision screating an inventory of existing congenital anomaly surveillance tools, available globally. It will support the building of a Latin American network for congenital anomaly surveillance that will include the RELAMC registries to contribute their data towards a collaborative study.
Efforts to define the spectrum of neurological disease associated with Zika virus
September 15, 2017
The Work Package 2 of ZikaPLAN forming the Neuro-Zika Group is working in the field conducting case control studies in Brazil & Colombia with an aim to define the spectrum of neurological disease. Although, there has been a lower incidence of Zika virus this year, progress has been steady with valuable insights gained to date. The team has the largest group of scientists who interact on regular basis and have had successful working group meetings in Liverpool, Glasgow and Rotterdam.
Creating a coordinated and accessible Zika Diagnostics Evaluation Platform
September 15, 2017
Getting a diagnostic test from development to its use at the point-of-care can take years. To make this process shorter, ZikaPLAN under the leadership of Prof Rosanna Peeling (the WP5 leader), aims to develop, validate and evaluate tools including Point of Care tests for ZIKV diagnosis, surveillance and research. ZikaPLAN will work with ZIKAlliance, ZIKAction and other groups like UNICEF, WHO to establish a virtual network of biobanks.
Cross-Consortia Data Sharing Session at IPK, Havana, Cuba
September 14, 2017
A cross-consortia Data Sharing session took place at the Instituto Pedro Kouri in Havana, Cuba, on 11 August 2017. As part of the collaborative effort being pursued by 3 EU-funded Zika Consortia (ZIKAction, ZIKAlliance, and ZikaPLAN) on data harmonisation and data sharing, the meeting was an important opportunity to advance the ongoing work and update participants about the work done so far. Read more about it on the ZIKAction, ZIKAlliance, and ZikaPLAN websites.
ZikaPLAN Meetings and Workshop at the 15th International Dengue Course at IPK in Havana
August 14, 2017
More than 65 participants attended the second annual ZikaPLAN consortium meeting that took place at the historically important Pedro Kouri Institute (IPK) in Cuba, August 12-13.
ZikaPLAN partner, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, co-authors groundbreaking study
June 23, 2017
This groundbreaking study "Zika virus pathogenesis in rhesus macaques is unaffected by pre-existing immunity to dengue virus" was published in June 2017 in Nature Communications and is co-authored by Aravinda de Silva PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill - a ZikaPLAN Partner.
Launch of WHO Toolkit
June 21, 2017
Zika virus is associated with severe neurological complications, particularly congenital Zika virus syndrome and Guillain Barré syndrome. The associated complications have a marked impact on the people affected and their communities, including both physical and mental health.
Zika Messaging in Brazil Presented at Zika Virus and other Mosquito-borne Viruses Conference
May 18, 2017
John Kinsman, member of the ZikaPLAN Messaging project and Associate Professor in Global Health at the Epidemiology and Global Health Unit, Umeå University gave a presentation on the “Perceptions of and reactions to Zika messages in Brazil” on day two of the conference, Zika Virus and other Mosquito-borne Viruses, Science for Preparedness and Response in the Mediterranean Region, which was held in Barcelona, May 23-24.
The Brazilian Ministry of Health Publishes Protocol Concerning Congenital Syndrome Associated with Zika Virus Infection
May 18, 2017
The Brazilian Ministry of Health has published a protocol entitled "Procedures for monitoring changes in growth and development from pregnancy to early childhood, related to infection by Zika virus and other infectious etiologies within the operational capacity of the Health Unit System – SUS*.
New Online Course "Preventing the Zika Virus: Understanding and Controlling the Aedes Mosquito"
March 9, 2017
Dr. James Logan, who leads the WEAR (Wearable Aedes Repellent Technologies) working group in ZikaPLAN, is teaching a new online course on Zika virus vector control.
First International Conference on Zika Virus
February 22, 2017
A keynote lecture will be done by Annelies Wilder-Smith, ZikaPLAN Scientific Coordinator, on February 23rd about the evolution of the Zika outbreak.
15th International Dengue Course: Challenges of Zika and Chikungunya transmission
February 16, 2017
ZikaPLAN announces the 15th edition of the Dengue International Course to be held from August 7 to 18, 2017 in Havana (Cuba).
Workshop on New and Innovative Approaches to Laboratory Diagnosis of Zika, Dengue and other Arboviruses
January 26, 2017
The Partnership for Dengue Control (PDC) is organizing a workshop on May 2 to 4, 2017 on new technologies under development and whether they can be used to address Aedes-transmitted arboviruses. The workshop, held at Les Pensières in Annecy (France), will also look at which characteristics should be prioritized, how to meet regulatory requirements, and how to move from innovation to market.
Zika Workshop in Brazil: A Collaborative Exchange
December 2, 2016
GloPID-R members hosted a workshop in Sao Paulo, Brazil on November 30 – December 2, 2016 to facilitate collaboration between members on the Zika funded research projects. ZikaPLAN participated in the workshop, whose aim was to identify and establish collaboration and synergies between the research and capacity development projects in support of the Zika virus response in Latin America and the Caribbean funded by GloPID-R members worldwide.
ZikaPLAN: 25 Research Organizations Unite to Fight Zika Virus and Build Long-term Outbreak Response Capacity in Latin America
October 25, 2016
25 leading research and public health organizations from Latin America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Europe gathered in Recife for the launch of ZikaPLAN (Zika Preparedness Latin American Network).