Grant: APHC - Pandemic and Health Emergency Prev/, Preparedness, Response and Recovery

The primary causes of international outbreaks, public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs) and pandemics are zoonotic in origin. Recent spillover events (sread from animals to humans) from wildlife triggered outbreaks caused by mpox, Ebola and Marburg viruses, and high consequence coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV). Despite the monumental impacts of these viral zoonoses, conventional public health programs rarely focus on the prevention of zoonotic pathogen emergence and spread. In Canada, there are substantial functional gaps in efforts to incorporate animal surveillance (testing of animals) in public health. This partly stems from siloed approaches to training and practice across sectors. We have an important window to develop and apply knowledge to prevent the spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI), a leading potential cause for the next pandemic. I propose a plan of work based on a One Health approach that considers how the interconnections between humans, animals and the environment they share to prevent zoonotic pathogen spillover. To this end, I will identify settings and situations at highest risk for zoonotic spillover and strive to understand predisposing factors to identify key control points for surveillance and prevention. I will also address ecosystem stressors (e.g. climate change) as they relate to landscape immunity (or how healthy ecosystems protect us from infections), and will work with decision makers to enable translation through existing and novel instruments for communication and policy. This proposal will fill several longstanding gaps in upstream prevention of viral zoonotic spillover and pandemic prevention and launch new initiatives that will allow us to focus research and policy to keep dangerous pathogens from spreading between animals and humans.