Current public health surveillance system for infectious disease outbreaks in Ghana, works by investigating a list of known priority diseases and infections with known symptoms and specific case definitions.

Therefore, whenever there are outbreaks, based on the presentation of symptoms, investigations begin with the diagnosis of the usual suspects.

Invariably, in the likely events of novel infections which do not fit case definitions, these events are missed and evade the public health surveillance system.

Justification/Rationale

There is a need for an efficient, robust surveillance system to support the public health division in the management of disease epidemics and also prepare for pandemics.

Aims of the study

Identify novel viruses in vectors, and animal reservoirs with the potential to replicate in humans via NGS metagenomic sequencing. Thus, ensuring readiness for outbreaks

• Field collection of mosquitoes with Bioacoustic sensor-traps/blood meal analysis
• Follow up collection of Biological samples (human, animal environmental)
• DNA extraction, amplicon based and metagenomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis / identification of known and novel viruses
• Development of targeted Diagnostic protocols for early detection of novel viruses

Work packages

• WP-1. Predictive modeling
• WP-2. Bioacoustic IoT sensors for vector surveillance
• WP-3. Identification of circulating and novel pathogens with NGS
• WP-4. Vulnerable health group monitoring
• WP-5. Research uptake