ZikaPLAN: Zika Preparedness Latin American Network

Figures & data

Figure 1. Geographic distribution of the consortium.

Figure 2. Dual purpose of ZikaPLAN.

Figure 3. Schematic work plan by WP.

Box 1. Call topic SC1-PM-22-2016

Scope of the EU call:

The objective is to establish a multinational and multidisciplinary consortium across Latin America and other affected or at-risk regions, able to implement the urgently needed research during the ongoing ZIKV outbreak. The proposal should address all of the following issues:

The evaluation of the potentially causative relationship between ZIKV and the severe reported complications, as well as the exploration of the mechanisms involved or of alternative aetiologies if needed. All relevant research is possible, ranging from basic research, research in animal models, virology, and immunology studies, to a coordinated set of clinical studies (including for example prospective, cross-sectional or retrospective epidemiological or cohort studies, supported by harmonized case definitions and the development of improved ZIKV diagnosis and differential diagnosis assays, etc.) as necessary. If such an association is confirmed, the consortium should be ready to rapidly launch additional studies (e.g. observational studies aimed at establishing the natural history, pathogen and host determinants of severity of the disease, phase II or III interventional trials in primary and/or secondary care aimed at providing evidence for potential prevention [including vaccines] and/or treatment strategies). Depending on the evolution of the outbreak, the timeline of the proposed actions, and ZIKV research efforts implemented by other stakeholders, the proposed action plan should maintain the flexibility to address remaining research gaps against ZIKV. This should include the flexibility to include additional partners depending on the specific expertise required and/or the need to extend geographic scope. The consortium should further capitalize on the platforms established and the experience gained through this urgent ZIKV research response, in order to evolve into a network capable of rapidly launching a research response to future severe infectious outbreaks caused by emerging pathogens with pandemic potential or potential to cause significant damage to health and socioeconomics in the region [5]. Provisions should be made so that this initial research platform may be further developed through a comprehensive ‘interepidemic’ action plan addressing and fine-tuning the response to any obstacles identified during the ZIKV research response (e.g. resolving regulatory and other bottlenecks, development of adaptable study protocols, strengthening ICT infrastructure for communication and information exchange, developing a training programme to enhance the local partners’ capacity for laboratory and clinical research, developing a communication strategy for patient and public engagement, etc.). A comprehensive data-management framework allowing the standardized collection, storage, analysis, and sharing of data should be implemented, initially focusing on Zika data but eventually evolving as a critical part of the preparedness research network. Additionally, a sustainability strategy that would enable the continuation of the network beyond the timeline of the EU grant should be explored and developed during the project’s duration.

The consortium is expected to collaborate with relevant initiatives already-existing or under development at national, regional, and international level, in order to maximize synergy and complementarity and avoid duplication of the research efforts. If more than one proposal is successful, proposals should collaborate, and this should be indicated in the proposal.

Box 2. List of institutions in ZikaPLAN

Participant no.	Participant organization name	Country
1	Umeå University	Sweden
2	London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine	UK
3	University of Glasgow	UK
4	The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford	UK
5	Queen Mary University of London	UK
6	University of Ulster	UK
7	Katholieke Universiteit Leuven	Belgium
8	Erasmus Universitair Medisch Centrum Rotterdam	The Netherlands
9	Institut Pasteur	France
10	Fundacion Universidad del Norte	Colombia
11	Universidad del Valle	Colombia
12	Fondation Merieux	France
13	The University of Liverpool	UK
14	La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology	USA
15	The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	USA
16	Prins Leopold Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde	Belgium
17	Fundacao de Apoio a Universidade de Sao Paulo	Brazil
18	Instituto Butantan	Brazil
19	Associao Tecnica-Cientifica Estudo Collaborativo Latino Americano de Malformacoes Congenitas	Brazil
20	Fundacao Oswaldo Fiocruz	Brazil
21	Instituto Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri	Cuba
22	Institut Pasteur de Dakar	Senegal
23	Schweizerisches Tropen- und Public Health-Institut	Switzerland
24	International Vaccine Institute	Korea
25	Fundacao Universidade de Pernambuco	Brazil

Box 3. Primary research objectives for WP 1–12

Addressing ZIKA:

Objective 1: To determine the (1) attack rate of CZS by gestational week of infection and (2) describe the full spectrum of CZS including neurodevelopmental milestones in the first three years of life, and (3) evaluate the social impact on families

Objective 2: To define the spectrum of neurological diseases associated with ZIKV infection, in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system

Objective 3: To investigate the extent of and factors associated with sexual transmission of Zika in humans and mice models.

Objective 4: To discover and characterize the mechanistic pathways of ZIKV infection in the pathogenesis of CNS and PNS injury, focusing on (a) direct viral invasion, and (b) immune and autoimmune responses to viral infection.

Objective 5: To develop and evaluate diagnostic tools for the diagnosis, surveillance, and research on ZIKV.

Objective 6: To identify the major T-cell epitopes and crossreactive B-cell epitopes on ZIKV and assess the role of flavivirus antibodies in protective and pathogenic immunity following ZIKV through ADE.

Objective 7: To determine whether the contemporary ZIKV is associated with a higher viral fitness in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and more severe neurological disease and testicular involvement in mice compared with historical ZIKV.

Objective 8: To assess the seroprevalence in individuals aged 2–59 years in 14 different geographic locations in Brazil, and to document and model regional and global geographic spread of ZIKV infections.

Beyond ZIKA:

Objective 9: To develop mathematical models to inform public health policies on how best to achieve vector control

Objective 10: To develop novel, wash-in detergent formulations and long-lasting plastic technologies containing repellents for the treatment of clothing and other wearable repellent technologies for the protection of pregnant women and nonpregnant individuals against Zika and other Aedes-transmitted diseases

Objective 11: To establish a Latin American and Caribbean network together with the other two EU-funded Zika consortia for EID preparedness to support a rapid and coherent research response to the ZIKV outbreak in the short term, and to other vector-borne and emerging infectious disease outbreaks in Latin America in the long term.

Objective 12: To develop social messaging for women of reproductive age.

Brunoni D, Blascovi-Assis SM, Osorio AA, et al. Microcephaly and other Zika virus related events: the impact on children, families and health teams. Cien Saude Colet. 2016;21:3297–3302.

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