Univerza na Primorskem Fakulteta za matematiko, naravoslovje in informacijske tehnologije
Več informacij o projektu / More info about the project
Vsebina projekta / Project content
Virusi in paraziti, ki se prenašajo s komarji in peščenimi muhami ter bolezni, ki jih
povzročajo so vselej obstajale v Evropi, vendar se je njihova razširjenost in pojavnost
pokazala šele ob večjih izbruhih. V zadnjih nekaj letih smo priča širjenju porajajočih se
mikroorganizmov tudi na povsem nova področja, kjer jih pred tem nismo poznali. Vzrok za
vzpon porajajočih se mikroorganizmov je kompleksna mreža prepletajočih se dejavnikov, ki
so posledica neprestanega spreminjanja okolja, podnebja ter povečane mobilnos ljudi in
živali. Zato je nujen enoten pristop k iskanju vzrokov in vzpostavitev občutljivih nadzornih
sistemov. Glede na obolevnost in smrtnost, so komarji in peščene muhe najnevarnejše
skupine prenašalcev za ljudi, saj skoraj polovici svetovnega prebivalstva grozi možnost
okužbe s patogeni, ki jih le‐ prenašajo. Med porajajočimi se grožnjami tvorijo arbovirusi
(virus Denga, virus Zika, virus rumene mrzlice, virus Zahodnega Nila, virus Chikungunya…)
in nekateri parazi (lišmanija, malarija…) edinstveno skupino patogenov. V Sloveniji so bile
raziskave na avtohtonih in tujerodnih, invazivnih vrstah komarjev, kot prenašalcev
porajajočih se mikroorganizmov, v preteklos večinoma prezrte. Redke raziskave, ki so bile
opravljene do sedaj, so bile usmerjene le v preučevanje razširjenos in sezonske ak vnos
tujerodnih vrst komarjev, medtem ko avtohtonih vrst niso zajemale. Zato še vedno nimamo
popolnega seznama vrst komarjev, ki se pojavljajo pri nas. Podobno je tudi pri peščenih
muhah, ki so pomembni prenašalci lišmanije, le malo znanega o razširjenos in vrs
virusov, ki jih prenašajo. V okviru projekta bomo vzpostavili standardizirane postopke
vzorčenja komarjev in peščenih muh. Prenašalce bomo vzorčili na več lokacijah, vsa tri leta
trajanja projekta ter jih določili do vrste natančno. Z vrhunskimi molekularnimi metodami
bomo ugotavljali pogostost medicinsko pomembnih patogenov v vzorcih prenašalcev.
Podatki o prisotnos in odsotnos ter razširjenos prenašalcev in patogenov bodo skupaj z
okolijskimi podatki osnova za risanje zemljevidov razširjenos in modeliranje tveganja.
Predlagana raziskava bo pomembno prispevala tako pri pregledu obstoječega stanja, kot
tudi pri nadzoru nad širjenjem morebitnih porajajočih se mikroorganizmov v slovenski
prostor ter prispevala pomembne podatke o razširjenos in sledenju gostote populacij
preučevanih prenašalcev. Rezulta predlagane raziskave bodo dali oceno o razširjenos
tako avtohtonih kot tujerodnih vrst komarjev, peščenih muh v Sloveniji, ter oceno o
prevalenci patogenih mikroorganizmov, ki jih le‐ prenašajo. Vzpostavili bomo sistem
zgodnjega opozarjanja ob pojavu novih porajajočih se patogenov v Sloveniji. Zbrani podatki
ne bodo koristni le za slovenske strokovnjake za javno zdravje, ampak tudi za ostale
evropske države, saj je v vsaki državi potreben stalen nadzor in spremljanje okolijskih ali
ekoloških sprememb, ki bi lahko privedle do pojava in obstanka prenašalcev ali patogenov
tudi v bolj severnih zemljepisnih širinah.
PROJECT ABSTRACT
Mosquito‐ and sandfly‐borne diseases have always existed in Europe, when the
temperatures permitted their transmission, but their identity, distribution and incidence
only became known when outbreaks occurred. In recent years, emerging pathogens have
shown an increased ability to spread beyond the areas, previously considered to be their
established geographic ranges. The reason for the emergence of microorganisms can be
found in a complex network of factors, resul ng from a constantly changing environment,
climate and increased mobility of both humans and animals. A unified approach in
iden fying the causes and establishing a sensi ve surveillance systems is therefore
essen al. In view of morbidity and mortality, mosquitoes and phlebotomine sandflies
present the most dangerous group of vectors for humans, since nearly half of the world’s
popula on is threatened by the possibility of infec on with the pathogens they transmit.
Among the emerging threats, arboviruses (Dengue virus, Zika virus, Yellow fever virus,
West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus…) and some parasites (Leishmania sp., Plasmodium sp.
…) form a unique group of pathogens. In Slovenia the research on na ve and invasive
mosquitos’ species as vectors of emerging pathogens, has largely been ignored in the
past. Few studies done so far have only focused on the distribu on and seasonal ac vity
of invasive mosquitoes, while na ve species were not studied. Thus, a complete list of
mosquito species that are present in our country is s ll missing. Similarly, phlebotomine
sandflies are an important vectors of leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin, but only
li le is known about the endemicity and emergence of viruses they transmit. Within the
project we will establish a standardized approach for field sampling of both vector groups.
The samples will be collected for three years and iden fied to the species level. A state‐ofthe‐
art molecular methodology will be used to detect pathogens of medical importance.
The collected data on vector and pathogen presence and absence, together with
environmental data, will serve as a basis for mapping and modelling of the risk they
present. The proposed research will contribute significantly to the overview of the current
situa on as well as to the control of the poten al spread of vector‐borne pathogens onto
the Slovenian territory. Addi onally, it will present data on the distribu on and density of
inves gated vectors’ popula ons in the area. The results of the proposed research will
give an es mate of the prevalence of na ve and invasive mosquitoes and phlebotomine
sandflies in Slovenia, and an assessment of the prevalence of the pathogens, they
transmit. Finally, an early warning control system for the introduc on of new emerging
pathogens into Slovenia will be established. Also, the collected data will not be beneficial
only for Slovenian public health experts and policy makers, but also for the other European
countries, since a constant vigilance in each country is needed to monitor for any change
in environmental or ecological condi ons that would allow for the introduc on and
persistence of vectors and/or pathogens also in northerly la tudes.