On April 7, 2025, the French National Research Agency (NRA) announced the five laureates of the second phase of the PEPR PREZODE program, entitled “Zoonotic diseases epidemiological surveillance and early warning systems“.
The international jury of high-level experts, mandated by the NRA, assessed the applications regarding the Second Call of the PEPR PREZODE, launched in May 2024. The experts selected five projects that aim to improve the detection of infectious diseases of animal origin (pathogens, vectors, and emergence factors) and strengthen early warning systems in France and abroad. The geographical territories of the study sites include overseas territories. The total funding for this second call is €7 million.
CAVICOR: Monitoring coronaviruses circulating in bats
The objective of this project is to monitor coronaviruses circulating in bats in a heavily anthropized tropical forest in southern Cameroon. The project will combine ambient air sampling in caves, conventional sampling, and virological analyses. The objective is to identify potentially zoonotic viruses, particularly sarbecoviruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, and assess their capacity to infect humans. This project will enhance epidemiological surveillance of wildlife and local capacity for long-term monitoring of bat colonies, as part of an integrated ecology-public health approach. Ahidjo Ayouba, Ph.D., a virologist at IRD, serves as the coordinator of CAVICOR.
HODAS: Refocusing surveillance on the animal populations that facilitate emergence
HODAS aims to enhance the early detection of zoonotic pathogens. To achieve this, the focus of surveillance will be shifted from the pathogens themselves to the animal populations that facilitate their emergence. By leveraging underutilized population data (livestock movements, animal mortality, behaviors resulting from precision farming), it aims to identify early signals and dissemination dynamics. The objective is to develop tools for real-time data integration and analysis, and to evolve current systems towards distributed surveillance infrastructures, while drawing on the social sciences to ensure their adoption. Guillaume Fournié, a veterinarian and epidemiologist at the French National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRAE), serves as the coordinator of HODAS.
INSTEAD: Surveillance and early detection of West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) arboviruses
The West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) arboviruses, transmitted by mosquitoes and maintained in birds, are becoming endemic in Europe, representing a growing threat in France. The objective of the INSTEAD project is to enhance surveillance and expedite the detection of these viruses through an integrated “One Health” approach, which unites 17 laboratories and a diverse array of local and national stakeholders. The organization is developing innovative detection tools and co-constructing a cross-sector monitoring system to improve preparedness for these emerging risks. Gaëlle Gonzales, a virologist at ANSES, is the coordinator of INSTEAD.
RATSWIM: Assessing the relevance of wastewater for monitoring pathogens carried by rodents
The high diversity of rodents in urban environments makes them significant reservoirs of emerging or re-emerging zoonoses, such as poxviruses, hantaviruses, HEV-C1, and leptospirosis. The objective of the project is to evaluate the relevance of wastewater as a monitoring medium for these pathogens, which are often challenging to capture. The study will also examine the infectivity of these agents in wastewater using cellular models and explore their potential role in maintaining animal reservoirs. Elodie Monchartre Leroy, veterinarian and epidemiologist at ANSES, is the coordinator of RATSWIM.
TALEDZ: Combining field data, genomic and behavioral analyses and artificial intelligence
The French West Indies encounter particular challenges related to poultry biosecurity, which are associated with their tropical climate, geographical isolation, and diversity of farming systems. The TALEDZ project endeavors to enhance the early detection and management of zoonoses, particularly avian influenza, through the development of a typology of farms, non-invasive surveillance tools, and multi-scale predictive modeling. The objective of the TALEDZ initiative is to enhance the health resilience of West Indian livestock farms by integrating field data, genomic and behavioral analyses, and artificial intelligence. The initiative’s overarching goal is to serve as a model for other island territories. Pascal Zongo, Associate Professor, Université des Antilles, is the coordinator of TALEDZ.
A collaborative effort involving multiple parties
The PREZODE PEPR is a French research program led by IRD, CIRAD, and INRAE. The primary objective is to enhance the generation of knowledge and the development of pertinent tools to formulate innovative strategies for risk mitigation and the early detection of emerging zoonotic diseases.
The PREZODE PEPR is part of the France 2030 strategy for accelerating emerging infectious diseases (EID) and CBRN (nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical) threats. This strategy is coordinated by the Secretariat Général pour l’Investissement (SGPI). The program is funded by the NRA, a public administrative institution under the authority of the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.