The detection of infectious disease emergence relies on reporting cases, i.e. indicator-based surveillance (IBS). This method lacks sensitivity, due to non or delayed reporting of cases. In a changing environment due to climate change, animal and human mobility, population growth and urbanization, there is an increased risk of emergence of new and exotic pathogens, which may pass undetected with IBS. Hence, the need to detect signals of disease emergence using informal, multiple sources, i.e. event-based surveillance (EBS). The MOOD project aims at harness the data mining and analytical techniques to the big data originating from multiple sources to improve detection, monitoring, and assessment of emerging diseases in Europe. To this end, MOOD will establish a framework and visualisation platform allowing real-time analysis and interpretation of epidemiological and genetic data in combination with environmental and socio-economic covariates in an integrated inter-sectorial, interdisciplinary, One health approach: 1)Data mining methods for collecting and combining heterogeneous Big data, 2)A network of disease experts to define drivers of disease emergence, 3)Data analysis methods applied to the Big data to model disease emergence and spread, 4)Ready-to-use online platform destined to end users, i.e. national and international human and veterinary public health organizations, tailored to their needs, complimented with capacity building and network of disease experts to facilitate risk assessment of detected signals. MOOD output will be designed and developed with end users to assure their routine use during and beyond MOOD. They will be tested and fine-tuned on air-borne, vector-borne, water-borne model diseases, including anti-microbial resistance. Extensive consultations with end users, studies into the barriers to data sharing, dissemination and training activities and studies on the cost-effectiveness of MOOD output will support future sustainable user uptake

Leishmania causes devastating human diseases – leishmaniases - representing an important public health problem in the Mediterranean basin and declared as emerging diseases in the EU due to climate change and population displacement. The LeiSHield-MATI consortium will for the first time investigate in an integrative fashion the complex parasite-vector-host interplay in cutaneous leishmaniasis affecting Morrocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Iran (MATI), using field isolates and human clinical samples. The ultimate goal of our project is to identify genetic factors selected during natural infection and to understand how the complex parasite-vector-animal interaction impacts clinical outcome in infected patients. This goal will be achieved through a highly ambitious secondment plan between all partners, and the organization of courses and workshops to train the next generation of scientists generating a long-term impact on the research capacities in endemic areas. Capitalizing on complementary infrastructures of its EU, African and Asian partners and their expertise in molecular parasitology, epidemiology, systems level analyses, bioinformatics, computational biology, immunology, dermatology, field studies, and public health, our project will drive important innovation in clinical research, strengthen capacities in disease endemic regions, inform authorities on control measures, and raise awareness in all partner countries on this emerging EU public health problem. The highly inter-disciplinary and inter-sectorial structure of LeiSHield-MATI, and its powerful integrative and comparative approach is novel in parasitic systems and will drive a unique bio-marker discovery pipeline for the future development of new prognostic and diagnostic tools, as well as novel preventive and therapeutic measures that will ensure long-term collaboration, promote scientific and commercial self-sustainability of its partners, and will have an important impact to improve public health.

Leprosy (Hansen disease) and Buruli ulcer are among the devastating skin neglected tropical diseases (Skin NTDs) prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa that cause progressive and permanent disabilities, exposing the patients and their families to discrimination, social stigma, and economic burden, adding complex challenges to communities already exposed to extreme inequality. Considering the needs of the most affected populations, children and people living in rural remote areas, current treatments are suboptimal in their complexity and length. Treating leprosy requires multiple drugs administered for 6 to 12 months. Buruli ulcer treatment requires 3 pills daily at different hours for two months, and lesion healing can take up to 12 months. Both treatments are associated with significant side effects (skin discoloration from clofazimine, exacerbating the stigma that leprosy patients face, and potentially fatal hypersensitivity to dapsone). This proposal aims to transform the treatment of Buruli ulcer and leprosy using the novel compound telacebec. Telacebec has demonstrated profound activity against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agents of Buruli ulcer and leprosy, respectively, whose evolutionary biology has rendered them hypersusceptible to killing by telacebec. We propose to conduct two clinical trials with telacebec-based treatment regimens that will cure Buruli ulcer and leprosy with fewer drugs, shorter duration, and fewer side effects than current therapy. We will perform this work through an integrated, multidisciplinary consortium of experts with broad experience in drug development, therapeutic delivery, community engagement, stakeholder participation, policy implementation, and capacity building to achieve equitable access to a new standard of care for these diseases.