The aim of the project is to understand the interplay between infectious agents, animal populations and the environment. One purpose is to develop a more detailed and current molecular, epidemiological map of the strains of bluetongue virus circulating in Europe and its neighbors. The project, which started in September, is ongoing for 4 years, 2017 - 2021. The work is part of the EU program Horizon 2020 Animal Health.
The project is also planned to develop innovative multiplex diagnostic tools to identify and type bluetongue virus. The researchers also want to try to characterize the transmission of virus from carriers among the ruminants, how the animals are infected, how the virus is propagated and the capacity of the scab to infect the animals.
The project will turn around six million euros.
