Progress report of the tenth period of the post-doctoral research project 1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/204

The tenth stage of Project of European Regional Development Fund “1.1.1.2. “Post-doctoral research aid” “One Health” multidisciplinary approaches for epidemiology and prevention of selected parasitic zoonosis (OMEPPAZ), (1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/204)” senior researcher Dr. boil. Gunita Deksne were implementing following actions:

1) Postdoctoral research results on the prevalence of the most important food borne parasitic pathogens (Echinococcus spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis) in humans and animals in Latvia were presented in the International Scientific Symposium “SCIENCE TO STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABLE AND SAFE FOOD SYSTEMS” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, which were held from 30 to 31 January 2020

2) A knowledge transfer visit to Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Epidemiology Institute took place between 9 and 13 March this year, during which various methods of large-scale data processing were learned, successfully data analyses were performed with the data obtained during the postdoctoral study on Cryptosporidium spp. and the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in Latvia and their potential risk factors, as well as work was started on the preparation of manuscripts of two publications on the obtained results.

3) A study to determine the presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystsis spp. occurrence in the muscle samples of wild boars and domestic pigs, the possible mix infections of these protozoa parasites, as well as the genetic diversity of the parasites are  performed using modern molecular diagnostic methods.

Cooperation authority is State Education Development Agency. The duration of the project is 36 months. The total cost of the project is EUR 133 806, 85% of which is financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

Publication dated 18.04.2020.