Recherche scientifique One Health research conference Luxembourg 11 December 2023

Prof. Annemarie Käsbohrer, head of Epidemiology, Zoonoses and Antimicrobial resistance unit and of the National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, German Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin (DE)

The European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) ask Member States to put in place National Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), to strengthen surveillance of AMR and Antimicrobial use (AMU) and to support integrated surveillance and reporting. The Codex Alimentarius “Guidelines on integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne antimicrobial resistance” highlight that the integrated program includes the alignment and harmonization of sampling, testing, analysis and reporting methodologies and practices, as well as the integrated analysis of relevant epidemiological information from humans, animals, crops, and food. During the G7 Conference “From the G7 Health Communiqué to Action: Integrated Surveillance Systems (AMU and AMR)” experts identified 6 critical steps of the implementation of integrated surveillance systems: decision making, political will, methodology, resources, harmonisation and data sharing.

In Germany, since the first German antibiotic resistance strategy “DART” in 2008, a One Health approach is applied. The DART 2030 stresses the closer involvement of the environmental sector in activities to combat AMR. Specific monitoring programmes provide already important sector specific data on AMR. Following a bottom-up approach researchers in Germany support the implementation of integrated surveillance systems to strengthen the One Health approach. Within the One Health European Joint Programme (One Health EJP), research included methodology, harmonisation, data sharing and analysis. Following a top-down approach, a framework with e.g. defined roles, responsibilities and procedures needs to be strengthened. An inter-ministerial working group currently coordinates collaboration between sectors. These are important steps to strengthen preparedness, prevention and control of the threat of AMR.

 - The presentation slides will be uploaded soon -

Dr. Johanna Dups-Bergmann, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Riems (DE)

Effective disease management programs are underpinned by surveillance data. These data support decision makers not only with developing control/eradication/prevention programs, but also with evaluating the performance of existing programs. Naturally, disease management programs that take a One health approach, are best supported with information from surveillance systems that also subscribe to the One health concept. These surveillance systems are known as One health surveillance systems (OHSS), and aim to share or integrate information across all the sectors affected. However, considerable obstacles to the development and implementation of such systems exist, including practical and legal limitations to data or information sharing, resistance to data or information sharing due to lack of trust between sectors, and a lack of assurance that shared data or information would be interpreted appropriately. The resulting difficulty in setting up OHSSs is reflected in the fact that relatively few true OHSSs exist, despite the growing need for them.

In light of this problem, several projects within the One Health European Joint project (OH EJP) were funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme to research and develop resources to facilitate development and implementation of One health surveillance, or data integration across sectors. Two of these projects were ORION (One health suRveillance Initiative on harmOnization of data collection and interpretation) and Matrix.

In this presentation we will present the main results and outcomes of the ORION and Matrix projects. We will describe the development of a One health codex and glossary, the latter necessary to resolve confusion borne from differences in surveillance terminology between sectors. We will also discuss the creation of an inventory of foodborne and zoonotic disease surveillance systems in the animal health, public health and food safety sectors. Analysis of the data captured within this inventory highlighted key differences in surveillance approaches between sectors. Lastly, we will present and describe a stepwise guide to creating OHSSs from existing surveillance structures. The guide facilitates the process of creating OHSSs drawing on evidence gathered by interview of persons associated with existing OHSSs, review and analysis of sectoral surveillance systems, expert opinion and literature review. 

Dr Dominique Vandekerchove, DVM, MSc, PhD – Sciensano and Belgian Biodiversity Platfom

The mission and organisation of Sciensano have evolved since its earliest beginnings at the end of the 19^th century, in function of emerging crises and new developments. While at first it focused on hygiene, several other fields of activity were added in the course of the years : food safety, microbiology, preventive measures such as vaccines, environment, epidemiology, … Now, in 2023, Sciensano is a scientific One Health research institute, comprising public health, animal health and environmental health, using state-of-the-art methods. It is involved in numerous projects, and provides the necessary policy support, e.g. during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

So far, Sciensano experts have organized themselves into eight One Health platforms : zoonosis monitoring, exposome, AntiMicrobial Resistance, vector-borne diseases, food-borne pathogens, respiratory pathogens, innovative and generic One Health approaches, and climate change. These platforms allow for targeted information exchange, creation of synergies, and collaborations with external experts and organizations, crucial for a OH approach.

Sciensano is one of the co-creators of the Belgian One Health Network (2019). Through it, it is involved in numerous other One Health-related networks at the European, international and global level, such as One Health EJP, PREventing ZOonotic Disease Emergence (PREZODE), Be-causeHealth and One Sustainable Health Forum. These networking efforts help ensure the information flow and keeping up to date on the continuously evolving needs and possibilities. 

Cedric C. Lazcny¹, Paul Wilmes^1,2

¹ Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

² Department of Life Sciences and Medicine, Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

The growing emergence and spread of virulence alongside antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within and between microbiome reservoirs in humans, animals and the environment represents a major public health challenge. Studies focussing on the role of infection-mediating genes are typically limited to specific pathogenic taxa and seldomly consider the overall infective competence represented by them in the context of microbiomes. We have recently developed a suite of wet- and dry-lab methods for the systematic characterisation of infective competence across biomes including high-resolution molecular methods (integrated multi-omics) and computational approaches (the PathoFact tool). We have applied these methods to samples from humans, animals as well as heavily human-impacted and pristine environments. In all cases, we observe elevated, at times unexpectedly high levels of infection-mediating genes. Interestingly, we observe that such genes can be transferred differentially via mobile genetic elements (extrachromosomal elements and viruses) depending on the specific microbiome in which they are encoded and expressed. Our findings raise important considerations for our understanding of gene flows across biomes. In my talk, I will discuss the linked implications for One Health as well as for better stewardship of human, animal and the environmental microbiomes in the future.

Chantal J Snoeck¹, Aurélie Sausy¹, Regina Sinner¹, Emilie Charpentier¹, Manon Chassaing², Leslie Ogorzaly², Manon Bourg³, Felix Wildschutz⁴, Judith M Hübschen¹

¹Clinical and Applied Virology group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health

²Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology

³Laboratoire de Médecine vétérinaire de l’Etat, Administration luxembourgeoise vétérinaire et alimentaire

⁴Administration luxembourgeoise vétérinaire et alimentaire

ALVA and LIH started collaborating in 2006 in the field of viral zoonoses. Initially focused on avian influenza, the collaboration was subsequently extended to hepatitis E, SARS-CoV-2, West Nile and Usutu viruses and their molecular characterisation.

Among viral zoonoses, influenza A virus poses a considerable threat, not only because of the epidemic and pandemic potential of certain strains, but also the substantial economic consequences. Molecular surveillance of influenza provides an excellent example of the benefits of a One Health approach for both human and animal health. For instance, the combination of classical epidemiology and complete genome sequencing allowed the identification of cross-border trade as introduction route of highly pathogenic avian influenza to Luxembourg in 2017 and 2021 and wild migratory birds as infection source in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Increasing numbers of H5N1 infections in mammals worldwide also warranted expanding surveillance activities in combination with the development of deep sequencing tools for monitoring mutations linked with virus adaptation to mammals. Besides surveillance in animals as an early warning system to recognize threats for human health, environmental surveillance is an expanding field for monitoring pathogen circulation. Our preliminary results showed that signals in wastewater match reported human cases of seasonal influenza, highlighting that environmental surveillance has the potential to early and remotely detect increasing virus circulation in both human and animal populations. 

- The presentation slides contain unpublished results and can therefore not be displayed -

Alexander Weigand¹, Francis Schaffner²

¹ National Museum of Natural History of Luxembourg, 25 Rue Münster, L-2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg

² Francis Schaffner Consultancy, Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125 Riehen, Switzerland

VectorNet is a joint project of the European Center for Disease Control and the European Food Safety Authority, aiming at increasing overall preparedness for vector-borne diseases. The National Museum of Natural History of Luxembourg acts as the national contact point for VectorNet.

Here we present updated information on arthropod vectors of medical and veterinary importance in Luxembourg. More precisely, the diversity and currently known distribution of relevant ticks (Acari, Ixodida), mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) and sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) will be presented. Due to changing environmental conditions and increased globalization, several new arthropod vectors of medical or veterinary importance have been detected, have arrived or have further spread in the country over the last few years, e.g. Hyalomma marginatum, Dermacentor reticulatus, Aedes albopictus, Aedes japonicus as well as Phlebotomus mascittii.

The most relevant vectors and potential diseases for animal health in the country are a few invasive and native mosquito species that are vectors of West Nile and Usutu viruses (Aedes albopictus, Culex modestus, Culex pipiens) and biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) as vectors of bluetongue virus.

To assess vector-related risk, surveillance of the main vector species may be further implemented to determine presence, spread, abundance, as well as other vectorial capacity traits.

Ruth Moeller¹, Radu Duca¹, Maria-Mirela Ani¹, Maria Torres-Toda¹, Matteo Creta¹, Emilie Hardy¹, Françoise Schaefers¹, Cathy Jacobs¹, Justine Pincemaille¹, Cristiana Costa Pereira¹, Laurence Wurth², An van Nieuwenhuyse¹

¹ Laboratoire national de santé (LNS), Department of Health Protection (Service “Environmental Hygiene and Human Biological Monitoring”; Service “Medical Expertise and Data Intelligence”; Service “Food Monitoring”)

² Ministère de la Santé, Direction de la Santé (Service Santé Environnementale)

Human Biomonitoring (HBM) measures chemicals/metabolites in internal fluids or other specimens and thus reflects internal exposure, i.e. the amount taken up by the body via different routes of exposure and from multiple sources. It is a key tool in the next generation chemical risk assessment further developed under the European Partnership for Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC). In Luxembourg, the Department Health Protection of the Laboratoire national de santé is in charge of HBM in science-policy initiatives. In the recent HBM surveys, carried out under HBM4EU (2017-2022), Luxembourg participated in the 1^st (Cd; bisphenols A, F and S; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and 2^nd set of priority substances (deoxynivalenol, DON; acrylamide; UV-filters) for adults. Results showed substantial exposure to bisphenols, with the whole population exposed above the bisphenol A health-based guidance value; and to deoxynivalenol, with Luxembourg among countries with health quotient above 1. Aggregated exposure assessment frameworks, developed for the European regulators in PARC, stress the need of complementary efforts in human biomonitoring, environmental and food monitoring to come to action in a “one health” perspective.  PARC puts forward indoor pollution as one of the priority domains that needs further investment. In addition, as food and food contact materials are one of the most likely and already known exposure routes for bisphenols and mycotoxins, like DON, the generation of food consumption data is the second next step for Luxembourg.  

 - The presentation slides will be uploaded soon -

Louise Hock^1* , Malte Herold^1,2 , Cécile Walczak¹ , Alexandra Schoos³ , Christian Penny¹ , Henry-Michel Cauchie¹ , Catherine Ragimbeau²

¹ Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.

² Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), Epidemiology and Microbial Genomics, 1 rue Louis Rech, L-3555 Dudelange, Luxembourg.

³ Laboratoire de Médecine Vétérinaire de l’Etat (LMVE), 1 rue Louis Rech, L-3555 Dudelange, Luxembourg.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis around the world, but, unlike other foodborne pathogens, is not commonly reported as causing outbreaks. The population structure of the species is characterised by a high degree of genetic diversity but the presence of stable clonally derived genotypes persisting in space and time, and potentially leading to diffuse outbreaks, have recently been identified. The spread of these recurring genotypes could be enhanced by wild birds, suspected to act as vectors for a wide range of microorganisms that can be transmissible to other animals/humans. This study assessed the genetic diversity of C. jejuni carriage in wild birds and surface waters to explore a potential link between these environments and the persistence over years of recurring lineages infecting humans in Luxembourg. These lineages corresponded to over 40% of clinical isolates from 2018 to 2021. While mainly exotic genotypes were recovered from environmental samples, 4% of C. jejuni from wild birds corresponded to human recurring genotypes. Among them, a human clinical endemic lineage, occurring for over a decade in Luxembourg, was detected in one bird species, suggesting a possible contribution to the persistence of this clone and its multi-host feature. Whereas 27% of wild birds were carriers of C. jejuni, confirming their role as reservoir, only three out of 59 genotypes overlapped with recurring human strains. While direct transmission of C. jejuni infection through wild birds remains questionable, they may play a key role in the environmental spreading of stable clones to livestock.

Joël Mossong , Anne Vergison

Direction de la Santé, Division de l'inspection sanitaire, 2a, rue Thomas Edison, L - 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg

From 2020 to 2023, Luxembourg monitored SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater alongside extensive testing and mandatory isolation. For this study we compared weekly counts of confirmed cases were compared with corresponding weekly viral flux concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater from April 2020 to September 2023. Linear regression was used to develop predictive models estimating reported cases based on RNA concentrations in wastewater.

Our analysis showed a high concordance between wastewater data and reported case data, identifying various waves of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The ratio of reported cases to wastewater concentrations varied throughout the pandemic and seasonally. A peak was observed in the first quarter of 2022 with the emergence of the BA.1 variant. A significant reduction in test-seeking behaviour was suggested when the testing and isolation regimen ended in April 2023.

Despite low reported case numbers in the summer of 2023, the analysis indicates an 87% reduction in case ascertainment relative to the period 2020-2022. Our study demonstrates that wastewater-based assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations provides a valuable measure of population-level infection prevalence, independent of testing capacity, strategy, or public acceptance.