Action YEAR 2
Year 2 activities
Sustainable collaborations will be maintained, by regular meetings, the Action website, as well as STSM and a training school.
Year 2 specific objectives
Working Group 1
Overal objectives
The main objective of this WG is to characterise the epidemiology of Taenia spp. within and outside Europe.
Specific objectives will focus on:
- Studying the transmission dynamics of Taenia spp.;
- Assessing the economic and health burden of Taenia spp.;
- Proposing efficient taeniosis/cysticercosis surveillance systems
Year 2 specific objectives, activities and deliverables
- Objective 1: Summarize current knowledge on bovine cysticercosis in Europe
- Activity 1.1: Carry out a systematic review on bovine CC
- Deliverable 1.1: Systematic review document
- Activity 1.1: Carry out a systematic review on bovine CC
- Objective 2: Summarize local knowledge on taeniosis/cysticercosis epidemiology
- Activity 2.1: Continue country studies, coordinated by region coordinator
- Deliverable 2.1.1: Country study reports
- Deliverable 2.1.2: Systematic reviews of online data, per CYSTINET region
- Deliverable 2.1.3: Summary of offline data received
- Deliverable 2.1.4: Country/region study publications
- Activity 2.1: Continue country studies, coordinated by region coordinator
- Objective 3: Review existing Taenia spp. transmission models
- Activity 3.1: Carry out a review on existing Taenia spp transmission models
- Deliverable 3.1: Systematic review document
- Activity 3.1: Carry out a review on existing Taenia spp transmission models
- Objective 4: Improve the T. solium transmission model and develop a T. saginata transmission model
- Activity 4.1: Improve the T. solium disease transmission model (based on results obj 3)
- Deliverable 4.1: Improved Taenia solium transmission model
- Activity 4.2: Develop the T. saginata diseases transmission model, based on T. solium model
- Deliverable 4.2: Taenia saginata transmission model
- Activity 4.1: Improve the T. solium disease transmission model (based on results obj 3)
- Objective 5: Initiate case studies on Taenia saginata health and economic impact
- Activity 5.1: Case studies on Taenia saginata economic impact
- Activity 5.2: Case studies on Taenia saginata health impact
- Deliverable 5.1: Taenia saginata burden assessments
- Objective 6: Extend the network of stakeholders involved in Taenia spp epidemiological research, with a focus on inclusiveness countries
- Activity 6.1: Actively seek to involve other researchers in the epidemiology field (focus on inclusiveness countries)
- Deliverable 6.1: Increased nr of WG1 members, with a focus on inclusiveness countries
- Activity 6.1: Actively seek to involve other researchers in the epidemiology field (focus on inclusiveness countries)
Working Group 2
Overal objectives
The main objectives of this WG are to:
- Define more harmonised NCC case management procedures (evidence based) and endorse a reporting system for NCC cases within the European Union;
- Examine treatment failure for taeniosis;
- Look into optimisation, large-scale validation, inter-laboratory ring-trials and commercialisation of existing (serological) diagnostic tests for Taenia spp. and tackle in an innovative way the problem of high cost and/or need for expensive laboratory equipment for most techniques, (which makes them non-applicable in endemic areas), in collaboration with private diagnostic companies;
- Carry out fundamental analyses of the parasite (at the genomic, transcriptomic, and protein level). The latter holds prime opportunities for exchange of young researchers;
- Look into optimisation of control tools (such as treatment of animal cysticercosis, treatment/vaccine development)
Year 2 specific objectives, activities and deliverables
- Objective 1: Launch, data collection, and evaluation of human & animal diagnosis questionnaire in the participating countries
- Activity 1.1: Distribution of a questionnaire to labs involved in T/CC diagnosis (both medical and veterinary).
- Deliverable 1.1.1: List of diagnostics performed (humans, cattle and pigs)
- Deliverable 1.1.2: Review paper on current diagnostic tools used & gaps: submitted
- Deliverable 1.1.3: List of reference samples from all participating countries
- Activity 1.2.: Evaluation of T/CC diagnostic tests/ facilities in the different countries (both medical and veterinary).
- Deliverable 1.2: Recognition of key labs for T/CC diagnosis
- Activity 1.3: Gap analysis on T/CC laboratory diagnosis in the labs from the participating countries (both medical and veterinary).
- Deliverable 1.3.1: Recommendations to improve laboratory diagnostic assays for T/CC diagnosis
- Deliverable 1.3.2: Review manuscript of laboratory diagnosis tools used (see above)
- Activity 1.1: Distribution of a questionnaire to labs involved in T/CC diagnosis (both medical and veterinary).
- Objective 2: Organization of an inter-laboratory ring trial on serological detection of NCC
- Activity 2.1: Design of an inter-laboratory ring trial for NCC diagnosis based on Ab-detection, using the immunoassays employed by the different participating labs
- Deliverable 2.1: Determination of Ab-diagnosis test performances in the different labs
- Activity 2.2: Establishment of a serum samples panel, including sera from NCC patients, hydatidosis patients and healthy individuals
- Deliverable 2.2: Identification of gaps on NCC laboratory Ab-serological diagnosis
- Activity 2.3: Distribution of selected samples to the participating labs
- Activity 2.4: Evaluation of Ab-serological diagnosis ring-trial data
- Deliverable 2.3: Recommendations on laboratory Ab-serological procedures for NCC diagnosis
- Activity 2.1: Design of an inter-laboratory ring trial for NCC diagnosis based on Ab-detection, using the immunoassays employed by the different participating labs
- Objective 3: Data bank of Taenia molecules with diagnosis potential, described by the different labs based on -omics approaches and bioinformatic analyses
- Activity 3.1: Collection of diagnostic molecules data derived from genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic,…omic studies, carried out by participating groups
- Deliverable 3.1: List of molecules with potential NCC diagnosis properties
- Activity 3.2: Exchange and testing candidate antigens in serological assays between laboratories
- Deliverable 3.2: Promising antigens for serological diagnosis of NCC identified
- Activity 3.1: Collection of diagnostic molecules data derived from genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic,…omic studies, carried out by participating groups
- Objective 4: Extend the network of stakeholders involved in Taenia spp diagnostics and fundamental research, with a focus on inclusiveness countries
- Activity 4.1: Actively seek to increase the number of researchers involved in Taenia spp diagnostics and fundamental research, with a focus on inclusiveness countries
- Deliverable 4.1: Increased nr of WG2 members, focus on inclusiveness countries
- Activity 4.1: Actively seek to increase the number of researchers involved in Taenia spp diagnostics and fundamental research, with a focus on inclusiveness countries
- Objective 5: Formal assessment of the prevalence of NCC and its clinical characteristics in Europe and overseas departments (continued form year 1)
- Activity 5.1: Review on available information on prevalence and clinical characteristics of NCC in Europe and overseas departments (Continued from year 1)
- Deliverable 5.1: Writing up and publication of the mansucript
- Activity 5.1: Review on available information on prevalence and clinical characteristics of NCC in Europe and overseas departments (Continued from year 1)
- Objective 6: Exploring ways of a European registry TSCT/NCC (in collaboration with WP1)
- Activity 6.1: Assess willingness of European partrners to contribute
- Deliverable 6.1: Provide a list of countries willing to contribute
- Activity 6.2: Assess funding possibilities
- Deliverable 6.2: Provide a list of funding possibilities
- Activity 6.3: Acquire pratical knowledge about what a registry should look like
- Deliverable 6.3: Invite experts to inform on formailities and suggest a framework of a potential registry
- Activity 6.1: Assess willingness of European partrners to contribute
- Objective 7: Exploring ways of establishing a EU wide mandatry reporting system for NCC (in collaboration with WP1)
- Activity 7.1: Assess formalities of mandatory reporting of NCC in European partner countries
- Deliverable 7.1: Provide a list of European countries with and without a mandatory reporting system for NCC and describe formalities in those countries without a mandatory reporting system
- Activity 7.1: Assess formalities of mandatory reporting of NCC in European partner countries
- Objective 8: Collection of case reports of partner countries on NCC management
- Activity 8.1: Ascertainment of those countries with documented cases of NCC and collection of related material information such as imaging etc
- Deliverable 8.1: Provide a list of European countries with information about NCC cases and detail that information
- Activity 8.1: Ascertainment of those countries with documented cases of NCC and collection of related material information such as imaging etc
- Objective 9: Establishment of informal guidelines for NCC management in Europe
- Activity 9.1: Assessment of management of NCC in Europe based on expert opinion (focus group discussions)
- Deliverable 9.1: Provide a summary of agreement and disagreement of management of NCC in Europe
- Activity 9.1: Assessment of management of NCC in Europe based on expert opinion (focus group discussions)
Working Group 3
Overal objectives
The main objectives of this multidisciplinary WG are:
- To identify the optimal control and prevention tools within and outside the European Union for both diseases with a focus on new, integrated, innovative systems;
- To develop a harmonised reporting/surveillance system for cysticercosis/taeniosis within the European Union.
Year 2 specific objectives, activities and deliverables
- Objective 1: Assess control tools and algoritms for best bet options
- Activity 1.1: Finalise questionnaire with the aim to prioritise available control tools
- Deliverable 1.1: Finalised questionnaire
- Activity 1.2.: Publish a review on control options and their applicability (Acta Tropica – special issue)
- Deliverable 1.2: Review
- Activity 1.3.: Propose ‘best-bet’ option for control for endemic countries selected by WHO/FAO/OIE
- Deliverable 1.3: Opinion note on best bet options
- Activity 1.4.: Develop and assess education tool
- Deliverable 1.4: Draft document on development of education tool
- Activity 1.1: Finalise questionnaire with the aim to prioritise available control tools
- Objective 2: Collect data from pilot control programs from endemic areas and look into adaptation to EU conditions
- Activity 2.1: Study results from recently finalised pilot control studies
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- Deliverable 2.1: Draft document with study results summary
- Activity 2.2: Evaluate effect of Meat Inspection changes on occurrence of T. saginata
- Deliverable 2.2: Viewpoint
- Objective 3: Extend the network of stakeholders involved in Taenia prevention and control to establish a multidisciplinary working group (incl expand dissemination)
- Activity 3.1: Link with WHO/FAO/OIE informal T solium network
- Activity 3.2: Link with EFSA
- Activity 3.2: Link withother sectors (water & sanitation, eg World Water Forum etc) , continue seeking collaboration with relevant stakeholders
- Deliverable 3.1: Increased no. of WG3 members, focus on inclusiveness countries