Empowering Initiative Award: Pioneering West Nile Virus Surveillance in Georgia
Can you tell us about the initiative you presented?
Dr Lela Urushadze: This is a pilot project under the Empowering Initiatives of the OneHealthSecure Program: "Surveillance of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Birds and Mosquito Vectors in Georgia." This initiative represents the first targeted investigation of WNV in Georgia.
It is an experimental model designed to screen local bird populations for WNV exposure and infection using the sentinel chicken model, generate baseline data to assess the risk of WNV circulation in Georgia, determine the presence of WNV vector mosquito species at study sites, and detect WNV RNA in mosquito pools as an indicator of virus circulation.
Why did you choose these countries and institutions for your initiative?
Dr Lela Urushadze: The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Georgia has been part of the OneHealthSecure program for almost 10 years. Our staff has been trained under this program, and WNV is a pathogen of interest for this initiative. The involvement of the Wildlife and Ecology Center of Ilia State University will enable a One Health approach for vector-borne pathogen research in OHS countries.
In your opinion, what impact will this initiative have?
Dr Lela Urushadze: This initiative will establish a functional surveillance model integrating entomology, ornithology, virology, and public health sectors under the One Health framework in Georgia. It will provide early warning capacity for WNV introduction and transmission risk in Georgia, particularly in high-risk regions bordering Armenia. The project will strengthen intersectoral collaboration across human virology, animal health, entomology, public health, and environmental sciences. Furthermore, it will contribute to regional biosurveillance capacity in the South Caucasus and enhance Georgia's preparedness for emerging mosquito-borne zoonoses.