{"id":8110,"date":"2020-08-10T22:49:44","date_gmt":"2020-08-10T20:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/?page_id=8110"},"modified":"2020-08-11T09:49:00","modified_gmt":"2020-08-11T07:49:00","slug":"genomic-characterization-and-surveillance-of-microbial-threats-in-west-africa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/genomic-characterization-and-surveillance-of-microbial-threats-in-west-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Genomic Characterization and Surveillance of Microbial Threats in West Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row css_animation=&#8221;fadeInDown&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1597092609951{margin-top: 36px !important;}&#8221;]<h6><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/consortium\/projects-2\/#1553507718507-14bc80d0-b081\"><em>H3Africa Collaborative Research Center<\/em><\/a><\/h6>\n<h1>Genomic Characterization and Surveillance of Microbial Threats in West Africa<\/h1>\n<h4>The Goal: to develop innovative genomic tools and strategies that will reduce the devastating impact of viral diseases, like Ebola and Lassa fever, on West African populations.<\/h4>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter\">\n<p><!-- \/wp:post-content --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:buttons --><\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Project Leads<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_1.png\" alt=\"happi_1\" width=\"61\" height=\"62\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Christian Happi<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Redeemer\u2019s Univeristy<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:happic@run.edu.ng\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_4.png\" alt=\"happi_4\" width=\"62\" height=\"62\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Pardis Sabeti<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Broad Institute<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:pardis@broadinstitute.org\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_2.png\" alt=\"happi_2\" width=\"61\" height=\"61\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Donald Grant<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Kenema Government Hospital<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:donkumfel@yahoo.co.uk\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_5.png\" alt=\"happi_5\" width=\"61\" height=\"62\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Daouda Ndiaye<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Universit\u00e9 Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:daouda.ndiaye@ucad.edu.sn\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;]<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_3.png\" alt=\"happi_3\" width=\"61\" height=\"62\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Peter Okokhere<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:okokherep@gmail.com\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"team team_vertical\"><div class=\"image_frame photo no_link scale-with-grid\"><div class=\"image_wrapper\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"scale-with-grid\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/happi_6.png\" alt=\"happi_6\" width=\"61\" height=\"62\"\/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desc_wrapper\"><h4>Dr. Robert Garry<\/h4><p class=\"subtitle\">Tulane University<\/p><hr class=\"hr_color\" \/><div class=\"desc\"><\/div><div class=\"links\"><a href=\"mailto:rfgarry@tulane.edu\" class=\"icon_bar icon_bar_small\"><span class=\"t\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><span class=\"b\"><i class=\"icon-mail\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]<h3>The Problem<\/h3>\n<p>Fevers of unknown origins are incredibly difficult to diagnose, due to their vast diversity and complexity. As a result, recent viral outbreaks have had a devastating impact on African populations, highlighting vulnerabilities in African public health systems. Tools to enable the rapid, accurate diagnosis and analysis of patient samples were often not readily available in the areas affected by outbreaks, making it more difficult to reduce morbidity and mortality during recent epidemics.<\/p>\n<h3>Project Strategy<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Utilize modern genomic technologies to better understand the nature and extent of fevers of unknown origins, including viral infections in West Africa.<\/li>\n<li>Develop robust and cost-effective field diagnostics to swiftly and accurately capture the prevalence of these viruses in the population.<\/li>\n<li>Use genomic and immunological data to characterize the pathogen-host interaction and enhance clinical care.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Outcomes to Date<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Viral Research<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Established modern genomics hubs in Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone that have the ability to identify and analyze unknown circulating viruses.<\/li>\n<li>Used these hubs to rapidly characterize and track emergent viruses and outbreaks in West Africa including Lassa Virus (Nigeria, Sierra Leone), Yellow Fever (Nigeria), Dengue Virus (Sengal). This brisk action enabled local governments to implement containment strategies and enhanced patient care to effectively reduce the public health impact.<\/li>\n<li>Helped contain and characterize the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Technology Development<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Developed a novel variation of SHERLOCK, a low-cost genomics test, to rapidly identify three types of fever at the bedside, reducing the standard of care diagnostic time; deployed during the recent Lassa outbreak in Nigeria.<\/li>\n<li>Developed additional genomics tests to enable rapid identification of Ebola virus, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Yellow fever virus, Dengue virus, and West Nile virus, performed trainings, and deployed in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Senegal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} --><\/p>\n<h3>Project Sites<\/h3>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:media-text {\"mediaId\":7441,\"mediaType\":\"image\",\"mediaWidth\":28} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns: 28% auto;\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/genomic-characterization-and-surveillance-of-microbial-threats-in-west-africa\/asset-28\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8120 size-medium alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-297x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"297\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-297x300.png 297w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-1013x1024.png 1013w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-768x777.png 768w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-1519x1536.png 1519w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-2025x2048.png 2025w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-144x146.png 144w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-74x75.png 74w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-85x85.png 85w, https:\/\/h3africa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Asset-28-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 297px) 100vw, 297px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><strong>A: Nigeria<\/strong><br \/>Redeemer\u2019s University &amp;<br \/>Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital<\/p>\n<p><strong>B: Senegal<\/strong><br \/>Universit\u00e9 Cheikh Anta Diop<\/p>\n<p><strong>C: Sierra Leone<\/strong><br \/>Kenema Government Hospital<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:media-text --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-African Collaborators<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><strong>USA<\/strong>:\u00a0Broad Institute, Harvard University, &amp; Tulane University<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:buttons {\"align\":\"center\"} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter\">\n<p><!-- wp:button {\"backgroundColor\":\"vivid-red\",\"textColor\":\"very-light-gray\",\"borderRadius\":10,\"className\":\"is-style-outline\"} --><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Funding<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">This work is supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director (OD), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) grant number U54HG007480.<\/div>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<h3>Additional Resources<\/h3>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration:none;\" href=\"https:\/\/acegid.org\">African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID)<\/a><\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Project Publications (PubMed)&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#c12000&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F%3Fterm%3DHG007480%255BGrant%2BNumber%255D|title:Happi%20PubMed|target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Scientific Description and Aims (NIH RePORT)&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#c12000&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fprojectreporter.nih.gov%2Fproject_info_description.cfm%3Faid%3D9985182%26icde%3D51198625%26ddparam%3D%26ddvalue%3D%26ddsub%3D%26cr%3D4%26csb%3Ddefault%26cs%3DASC%26pball%3D|title:Happi%20NIH%20RePORT|target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Download a PDF of this page&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#c12000&#8243; custom_text=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fh3africa.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FHappi_H3ACommDoc_2.pdf|title:Happi%20Comm%20Doc|target:%20_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/consortium\/projects-2\/\">Return to H3A Projects Page<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overall Recent viral outbreaks in West Africa, specifically the 2013-16 Ebola Virus Outbreak, shed light on the many limitations of current surveillance and diagnostics in the region\u2019s public health systems. Tools for rapid, accurate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[60],"class_list":["post-8110","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-consortium-documents","category-projects","tag-collaborative-center-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8110"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8127,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8110\/revisions\/8127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/h3africa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}