Partnership
Netherlands Centre for One Health
Wageningen University & Research is a partner of the Netherlands Centre for One Health (NCOH), an initiative that brings together leading Dutch academic research institutes in an open innovation network operating in the field of One Health.
The aim of NCOH is to develop an integrated approach to the global risks of infectious diseases, and long-term solutions to major social challenges relating to human and animal health, healthy wild fauna and ecosystems. NCOH focuses its research and continuous knowledge development on four themes: antibiotic resistance, emerging infectious diseases, smart livestock farming and healthy ecosystems. Annemarie Rebel, Professor of healthy and resilient livestock at the Adaptation Physiology group and manager of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, is Scientific Director of the strategic theme Smart & Healthy Farming at NCOH.
Collaboration
NCOH instigates collaboration between academic and research institutes, government organisations, NGOs, institutes for public health and industrial partners. The partners of WUR include Utrecht University, the University Medical Center Utrecht, Erasmus MC and Amsterdam UMC, Leiden University, the Leiden University Medical Center, Radboudumc and University of Groningen.
News
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How Lyme, ticks, mice and forests are interrelated
- Ecologists Helen Esser and Clara Köhler will travel to a Romanian primaeval forest this spring with game cameras and white sheets. They aim to map the relationship between ticks, rodents, and the forest’s structure. Esser: ‘We aim to discover how the forest’s structure affects the risk of diseases caused by ticks, including in the Netherlands.’ -
Bird flu virus found in cows and human in United States
- Highly pathogenic bird flu virus was found in cows a number of US states in March. The virus was later also detected in a human. Infected wild birds are most likely the source of this infection. -
WUR examines definition of farm and animal density
- What do we mean by farm and animal density? Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR, part of Wageningen University & Research) investigated and tested various definitions at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV). This resulted in relatively simple candidate definitions per animal sector that match transmission risks for animal diseases and zoonoses. The definitions provide decentralised authorities with tools for decision-making on the (re)design of rural areas. -
Nature-inclusive farming requires different approach to one health
- “Nature-inclusive farming increases the risk of potentially zoonotic diseases,” warns researcher Ad Koets of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR, part of Wageningen University & Research). Koets was keynote speaker at the recently held European Buiatrics Congress in Berlin. In his presentation, he addressed the challenges society faces when choosing to change the relationship between animals, humans and nature. -
'We have to keep a close watch on zoonoses'
- “The increase in the extent of zoonoses continues over a longer period of time,” observes Wim van der Poel, research leader 'Emerging and Zoonotic Viruses' at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR). He is one of the researchers who contributed to the creation of the RIVM report 'Staat van Zoönosen 2022'. -
WBVR awarded with 25 million CEPI grant for Rift Valley fever vaccine research
- The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is expanding its partnership with Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR, part of Wageningen University & Research) to advance its vaccine candidate against the deadly mosquito borne Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). WBVR will lead a consortium to perform clinical trials in East Africa in people most at risk of infection. -
ZonMw grant for NCOH research into pandemic preparedness
- ZonMw is making 2.5 million euros available to the Netherlands Centre for One Health (NCOH) for research into pandemic preparedness. The research partners within NCOH are working together to prevent a situation such as the corona pandemic in the future. “ZonMw's contribution supports our research into strengthening pandemic preparedness in the Netherlands,” says NCOH chair Annemarie Rebel. -
Global One Health approach connects food systems and health
- “A Global One Health approach is a necessary tool to enable preparedness for future pandemics or minimize the effects of them”, states Bieneke Bron. She is one of the authors of ‘The Age of Pandemics, Connecting Food Systems and Health: A Global One Health Approach’. The publication by Bron, Joukje Siebenga and Louise Fresco is part of the book ‘Science and Innovations for Food Systems Transformations’, based on the UN Food System summit held in 2021. -
WUR welcomes ‘National action plan on zoonoses’
- Wageningen University & Research (WUR) welcomes the National action plan on zoonoses as it was published today by the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Safety. “The plan acknowledges ongoing research and sets new actions and goals,” concludes Joukje Siebenga, programme manager of ERRAZE@WUR. -
Mammal biodiversity shapes disease risk
- To predict the spillover of pathogens from wildlife to humans and limit future pandemics, it is important to understand where wildlife disease risk is highest. A team of researchers, led by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), report that mammal biodiversity is an important mechanism driving wildlife disease risk. They identified hotspots of disease risk using the predicted distributions and abundances of more than 4,000 mammal species worldwide.
Projects
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Mitigating the spread of the coronavirus in interior spaces
- Interior spaces such as restaurants, offices, stores and theatres play a critical role in the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The SamenSlimOpen (Dutch for OpenSmartTogether) is a consortium in which Wageningen University & Research (WUR), TU Delft and Erasmus MC study the efficacy of specific measures in mitigating the spread of viruses in interior spaces. The study includes variations in how strictly people adhere to the measures. -
Fighting COVID-19 in animals and humans
- Several countries have reported that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 can also infect animals, primarily felines and mustelids. The risk this poses to public health is currently considered negligible. The driving force behind the COVID-19 pandemic is, after all, transmission between humans. However, once this transmission has been sufficiently reduced, a virus reservoir in animals could pose a considerable threat. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has commissioned an extensive study on COVID-19 in domestic pets. -
One Health EJP
- The One Health European Joint Programme (EJP) was launched in 2018. This initiative aims to set up a sustainable European partnership by integrating and coordinating the research programmes of public health, animal health and food safety institutes. A number of Dutch institutes also have a role to play among which Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR). The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is responsible for the strategic research agenda. -
Successful implementation of intervention strategies
- Successful implementation of scientific knowledge and innovations is not self-evident. Wageningen University & Research works on a method to make pre-emptive predictions on the effectiveness of innovations and measures and characterizations of the utility function for possibly interested parties. They will make use of conceptual breakthroughs in behavioural economics that primarily have been used in consumer research. The study will provide building blocks that can improve implementation. This will increase the effect of interventions and support policy makers. -
Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy People
- Climate change, population growth and increasing life expectancy put increasing pressure on our food system. An integral solution is hampered by scientific fragmentation. Wageningen University & Research has developed a transdisciplinary data platform to facilitate synergy between research on food production, nutrition and health.
Dossiers
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Avian influenza: bird flu and avian flu
- Bird flu (avian influenza, AI) is a collective term for different influenza viruses that may be dangerous to poultry. Especially chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, waders, beach birds, ratites and starlings are susceptible to avian influenza, with possible lethal consequences. Some variants of avian influenza are also transmissible to humans. -
Antibiotic resistance
- Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. The use of antibiotics in livestock farming can entail risks for humans and animals. Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics and this resistance can be transmitted to other bacteria. As a result, infections with these antibiotic-resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) studies the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria of animal origin. -
Coronavirus
- A large variety of coronaviruses exist naturally and can cause diseases in many animal species. Several coronaviruses are zoonoses: they are able to infect humans. SARS-CoV-2 transferred from animals to humans in Wuhan (China) late 2019, and is responsible for the COVID-19 disease. -
Zoonoses
- Animals can transfer pathogens such as the corona virus, avian influenza or Q-fever onto humans. These infectious diseases are known as zoonoses. Wageningen University & Research focuses on a One Health approach to combat zoonoses. To this end, scientists from various domains, such as human and animal health, ecology and behavioural sciences, collaborate.