Empowering Initiative Award: Strengthening Arbovirus Diagnostics and Surveillance in the Western Balkans
Can you tell us about the initiative you presented?
Dr Dimitrije Glisic: The initiative focuses on strengthening arbovirus diagnostics and surveillance in Serbia and the Western Balkans through a One Health approach. The project aims to improve the detection and differentiation of key arboviruses circulating in the region—particularly West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV), tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). By combining large-scale serological screening with confirmatory virus neutralisation testing (VNT), the project will generate reliable data on virus circulation in animals such as horses, ruminants, and wild birds. In parallel, the initiative places strong emphasis on capacity building through training, methodological harmonisation, and the development of standardised diagnostic procedures. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance national and regional preparedness for emerging vector-borne diseases and to support evidence-based surveillance and response strategies.
Why did you choose these countries and institutions for your initiative?
Dr Dimitrije Glisic: Serbia and the wider Western Balkan region are areas where several arboviruses are known or suspected to circulate, yet diagnostic and surveillance capacities remain uneven. Strengthening collaboration with experienced regional partners is therefore essential for improving early detection and ensuring a more coordinated response to vector-borne threats. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ankara University was selected as our twinning partner due to its well-established expertise in arboviral diagnostics, particularly in the fields of flaviviruses and CCHFV. The Ankara team is internationally recognised for its work on CCHFV and for its active participation in major regional initiatives such as OneHealthSecure. The faculty also operates a fully equipped BSL-3 laboratory and has extensive experience in VNT, the gold standard for confirming arboviral infections and differentiating closely related flaviviruses.
The collaboration will be led on the Ankara side by Prof. Aykut Özkul and Dr. İlke Karayel Hacıoğlu, whose expertise in arboviral diagnostics and surveillance will be central to the success of the initiative. As part of the project implementation, researchers from Serbia will visit Ankara for hands-on training in VNT methodology and related laboratory techniques for arboviral detection. This training will enable the transfer of specialised knowledge and support the gradual implementation of these methods in Serbia. In a later phase, a scientist from Ankara University will visit Serbia to provide further guidance and evaluate the application of the newly introduced protocols, ensuring their sustainability and quality. Overall, the collaboration will strengthen technical capacity, promote knowledge exchange, and enhance regional cooperation in arbovirus surveillance within the One Health framework.
In your opinion, what impact will this initiative have?
Dr Dimitrije Glisic: This initiative is expected to have both immediate and long-term impact. In the short term, it will generate valuable data on the prevalence and distribution of key arboviruses in Serbia, helping to identify areas at increased risk and improve surveillance accuracy.
In the longer term, the project will strengthen diagnostic capacity through training and the implementation of advanced confirmatory testing methods, enabling us to independently perform more precise flavivirus diagnostics. The collaboration will also enhance regional cooperation and data sharing, contributing to improved alignment with European health security frameworks and more coordinated responses to emerging vector-borne diseases. By integrating research, training, and policy-relevant outputs, the initiative will support a more resilient One Health surveillance system and improve preparedness for future arboviral outbreaks across the Western Balkans.