ZikaPLAN: addressing the knowledge gaps and working towards a research preparedness network in the Americas

ABSTRACT

Zika Preparedness Latin American Network (ZikaPLAN) is a research consortium funded by the European Commission to address the research gaps in combating Zika and to establish a sustainable network with research capacity building in the Americas. Here we present a report on ZikaPLAN`s mid-term achievements since its initiation in October 2016 to June 2019, illustrating the research objectives of the 15 work packages ranging from virology, diagnostics, entomology and vector control, modelling to clinical cohort studies in pregnant women and neonates, as well as studies on the neurological complications of Zika infections in adolescents and adults. For example, the Neuroviruses Emerging in the Americas Study (NEAS) has set up more than 10 clinical sites in Colombia. Through the Butantan Phase 3 dengue vaccine trial, we have access to samples of 17,000 subjects in 14 different geographic locations in Brazil. To address the lack of access to clinical samples for diagnostic evaluation, ZikaPLAN set up a network of quality sites with access to well-characterized clinical specimens and capacity for independent evaluations. The International Committee for Congenital Anomaly Surveillance Tools was formed with global representation from regional networks conducting birth defects surveillance. We have collated a comprehensive inventory of resources and tools for birth defects surveillance, and developed an App for low resource regions facilitating the coding and description of all major externally visible congenital anomalies including congenital Zika syndrome. Research Capacity Network (REDe) is a shared and open resource centre where researchers and health workers can access tools, resources and support, enabling better and more research in the region. Addressing the gap in research capacity in LMICs is pivotal in ensuring broad-based systems to be prepared for the next outbreak. Our shared and open research space through REDe will be used to maximize the transfer of research into practice by summarizing the research output and by hosting the tools, resources, guidance and recommendations generated by these studies. Leveraging on the research from this consortium, we are working towards a research preparedness network.

KEYWORDS:

• Zika
• congenital Zika syndrome
• birth defect
• epidemic preparedness
• research capacity building
• European Commission
• microcephaly
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• encephalitis
• sustainability

Responsible editor Peter Byass, Umeå University, Sweden

Responsible editor Peter Byass, Umeå University, Sweden

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge all our consortium members and their institutions, as listed above, and we are thankful to many other institutional staff members (all the administrators and financial managers) who participate and support the implementation of the ZikaPLAN project in different capacities. We are grateful to our Scientific Advisory Board members (Duane Gubler, James Sejvar, Herman Goossens) and Ethics Advisory Committee member (Anna Durbin) for their timely support and guidance at various stages of the project so far. We appreciate our collaborative work with ZIKAction (Grant Agreement No. 734857) and ZIKAlliance (Grant Agreement No. 734548) which allows advancing common efforts and strengthening the research output.

Our utmost thanks go to Professor Laura C. Rodrigues who initiated the links between MERG and ZikaPLAN. Lastly, we would like to thank Frank Deege, Nextco, The Netherlands, for guiding us through developing a sustainability plan beyond the funding period.

Author contributions

AWS, the Scientific Coordinator of ZikaPLAN, wrote the manuscript; all other authors contributed in their respective fields of expertise as work package leaders or significant task leaders of ZikaPLAN. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethics and consent

Ethics clearances were sought in the institutional review boards of the countries where the research is taking place. The European Commission performed a mid-term Ethics Compliance to ensure all institutions involved are following the regulations; locally, nationally and/or internationally.

Paper context

Zika virus infection emerged as a public health emergency of international concern and the European Commission awarded grants to three research consortia. This paper synthesises mid-term achievements of ZikaPLAN, presenting findings that address the knowledge gaps to combat ZIKV and our efforts to build research capacity and a preparedness network in Latin American and Caribbean region to support, thus enabling sustained research in the region.

Additional information

Funding

This project, ZikaPLAN is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 734584. Some authors have received additional research funding. For example, TS is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (Grant No. IS-HPU-1112-10117), and NIHR Global Health Research Group on Brain Infections (No. 17/63/110). MERG as a group has received funding from Wellcome Trust UK, Department for International Development UK, Medical Research Council UK, the Brazilian funding through CNPq, Secretaria de Vigilância de Saúde (SVS), and Fundação do Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia (FACEPE).