News

A One Health approach…

Major research into animal-to-human diseases launched in Tanzania

A major, international One Health research programme exploring the factors that drive animal-to-human (zoonotic) disease transmission in Tanzania [a country in East Africa] has been launched. Social, Economic and Environmental Drivers of Zoonoses in Tanzania (SEEDZ) is a four-year project that will see an interdisciplinary team of researchers, led by the University of Glasgow, UK, considering the drivers, risks and impacts of brucellosis, Q fever and Rift Valley fever in the context of major transformations currently being experienced in Tanzania, in particular rapid urbanisation. The three diseases cause livestock production losses, impacting upon people’s livelihoods. They can also cause severe illness in people – and sometimes chronic disability and death.

In addition to the University of Glasgow, the SEEDZ partners are: Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, ESRC STEPS Centre, at the Institute of Development Studies, UK; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre-Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Tanzania; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania; Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute; National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania; Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, Tanzania; Food and Agriculture Organization; University of Otago, New Zealand; and Washington State University.

SEEDZ is funded under  the Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems (ZELS) programme, a £20.5m ($30.25m) research and training initiative supported by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Department for International Development, Economic and Social Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council and Natural Environment Research Council.

Please see original Media Release December 11, 2014 http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications/SEEDZ%20launch%20media%20release%20FINAL.pdf

·         For further information and to sign up to research updates visit www.seedztanzania.org or email n.marks@ids.ac.uk

Provided to One Health Initiative website January 8, 2015 by:

Naomi Marks

Communications

Dynamic Drivers of Disease in Africa Consortium

Social, Economic and Environmental Drivers of Zoonoses in Tanzania (SEEDZ)

STEPS Centre

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 915606