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Supporting the One Health approach in Belgium: identification of policy-relevant organisms and tissues by BopCo
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Accurate species identification is crucial in the One Health framework because it underpins the ability to effectively monitor, prevent, and mitigate the emergence and spread of human and animal infectious diseases and zoonoses. Moreover, misidentification can lead to inadequate risk assessments, allowing infectious agents or invasive alien species to spread undetected, thereby threatening biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and public health. BopCo is a Belgian research unit that provides such accurate identifications of organisms and biological tissues with relevance for policy and decision-making processes. It is jointly run by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and the Royal Museum for Central Africa, and has access to extensive reference collections, expert taxonomists, and a comprehensive research infrastructure. BopCo uses morphology and DNA-based approaches to handle on-demand species identification requests, and it is a partner on various projects within the One Health context. In this framework, BopCo contributes to identifying the introduction pathways and dispersal dynamics of two invasive mosquito species in Belgium, Aedes albopictus and Ae. japonicus, as part of the MEMO+ project in collaboration with Sciensano and the Institute of Tropical Medicine. Using various DNA identification techniques, BopCo verifies the species identity of the exotic mosquitoes collected at multiple points of entry. Similarly, the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces is investigating the Culicidae mosquito biodiversity at foreign deployment sites. BopCo takes part in this project by providing DNA-based identifications to support the Laboratory for Vector-Borne Diseases of the Queen Astrid Military Hospital. Accurate identification of the various mosquito species is important since they are known vectors of pathogens of significant public health concern such as Western Nile virus, Plasmodium parasites, and dengue virus. Furthermore, BopCo is involved in the monitoring of (exotic) animal product imports into Belgium within the INTERCEPT project, in collaboration with the University of Antwerp. Within this project, meat intercepted from passenger’s luggage at Brussels Airport was sampled and identified using DNA barcoding to prevent the import of transmittable animal diseases and the introduction of invasive alien species. Finally, BopCo contributed to the discovery of the first occurrence of Trichobilharzia regenti in Belgium, a blood parasite of birds, which may try to infect humans, triggering painful skin lesions known as “swimmer’s itch”. Following a reported case in Kampenhout, Belgium, researchers at the Royal Museum for Central Africa and KU Leuven captured freshwater snails (the intermediate hosts) and performed a shedding experiment, after which BopCo used a DNA analysis to identify the shed parasites, unveiling the presence of T. regenti. BopCo continually seeks partnerships with research institutes and government agencies to deliver accurate species identifications within a One Health framework and other policy-relevant research contexts.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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Expanding the swimmer’s itch pool of Belgium: a first record of Trichobilharzia regent
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Introduction: Swimmer's itch (or cercarial dermatitis) is caused by avian and mammalian blood flukes, a parasitic infection affecting people worldwide. In particular, avian blood flukes of the genus Trichobilharzia, including Trichobilharzia regenti, are known for causing swimmer's itch. While these parasites typically infect waterfowl as final hosts, incidental infections in humans by cercariae can occur. Such infections trigger immune responses leading to painful, itchy skin lesions. In experimental animals, T. regenti has however shown the ability to evade immune responses, causing neuroinflammation. Recent decades have witnessed an increase in swimmer's itch cases across Europe, turning it into an emerging zoonosis. Methods: Following a swimmer's itch case in Kampenhout (Belgium) in 2022, a malacological and parasitological survey was conducted at the transmission site, consisting of a private pond and adjacent creek. Results: Six snail species were collected, including Ampullaceana balthica, a common intermediate host for Trichobilharzia parasites. Shedding experiments and DNA barcoding identified one snail specimen infected with T. regenti, a new species record for Belgium. This finding further strengthens the link between T. regenti and cercarial dermatitis. Additionally, Echinostomatidae sp. and Notocotylus sp. were isolated from other A. balthica specimens. However, the absence of reference DNA sequences hindered genus- and species-level identification for these parasites. Conclusions: The presence of T. regenti in Belgium may have significant clinical implications, emphasizing the need for heightened diagnostic awareness among medical professionals. The lack of species-level identification for other parasite species underscores the need for comprehensive DNA databases for trematodes. These findings reveal the necessity for a Belgian framework to promptly detect and monitor zoonotic outbreaks of trematode parasites within the One Health context.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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Metagenomic screening of African wild meat unveils a wide diversity of viruses
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The processes involved in acquiring, trading, preparing, and consuming wild meat pose significant risks for the emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases. Several major viral outbreaks have been directly linked to the wild meat supply chain, yet our knowledge of the virome in many mammals involved in this chain remains limited and disproportionately focused on certain mammalian taxa and pathogens. This report presents the findings of a metagenomic viral screening of 99 specimens belonging to 27 wild African mammal species and one domesticated species, all traded for their meat. The study focuses on tissue and swab samples collected from various regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Brussels, Belgium. A total of fifteen virus strains were detected, belonging to the families Arteriviridae, Retroviridae and Sedoreoviridae (primates), Picobirnaviridae (primates and rodents), Picornaviridae (rodents), Hepadnaviridae (hyrax), Orthoherpesviridae (artiodactylid and carnivore) and Spinareoviridae (carnivore). Several strains were detected in mammalian hosts for the first time, expanding their host range and genetic diversity. Of note is the presence of viruses genetically related to recognised zoonotic pathogens, i.e., human picobirnavirus (Orthopicobirnavirus hominis) (primates and rodents), simian foamy viruses (Simiispumavirus) (primates), and rotavirus A (Rotavirus alphagastroenteritidis) (primates). The presence of these viruses in primates is concerning as non-human primates are phylogenetically closely related to humans, which can facilitate interspecies viral transmission. These findings underscore the high diversity of mammalian viruses and the potential risk of human infection through cross-species transmission during the close interactions with wildlife in the wild meat supply chain.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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Leveraging ecosystem restoration for zoonotic spillover risk mitigation
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As disease regulation is a key ecosystem service, it is crucial that we better understand the role that restoring landscapes can play in reducing disease risks. Ongoing One Health studies suggest that declining biodiversity and increasing zoonotic pathogen spill-over risk are linked. Restoration processes normally aim at increasing species diversity, wherefore it is assumed that pathogens will be diluted in restored ecosystems, hence reducing the risk of zoonotic spillover. Nonetheless, the developing species composition during restorative processes will impact dilution-amplification effects. To estimate the threshold beyond which a restored ecosystem can be considered to have reached the pathogen dilution phase, it is crucial to characterise the communities of hosts, and the prevalence of pathogens, at the different stages of recovery of an ecosystem. Using interdisciplinary methods, this project has the dual aim of examining the amplification-dilution of zoonotic pathogens in a mangrove forest of the western Peninsular Malaysia, and to estimate the frequency and duration of exposure of local communities to this hazard, so as to best mitigate the risk of zoonotic pathogen spillover.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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Increasing detections of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus in Belgium
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Aedes albopictus is an invasive mosquito species expanding its territory in Europe, posing a health risk as the species is a competent vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus. In European countries autochthonous transmission of these viruses are reported in localities where the species is established. In Belgium the introduction of Ae. albopictus was first monitored through active surveillance at Points of Entry (PoEs). Since 2018, the increased observation of Ae. albopictus at parking lots located along the highways suggested a rise in introduction through route traffic. Hence, in 2022, a passive surveillance based on citizen science was implemented to complement the active surveillance and expand the coverage of the monitoring countrywide. We present the current situation for Ae. albopictus in Belgium based on the results of both active and passive surveillance. Via an online platform (web/app), citizens uploaded pictures of potential Ae. albopictus specimens after answering filtering questions about morphological characteristics of the mosquito related to its size, color and stripes on the hind legs. Subsequently, pictures were then analysed to determine whether or not it is Ae. albopictus. When Ae.albopictus was confirmed on the picture, a field inspection was performed. This inspection included larval sampling and the set-up of ten oviposition traps for one or two weeks around the notification point. Additionally, in 2022 and 2023, ten oviposition traps were set-up at eight parking lots between May and October. In 2023, a longitudinal surveillance was also implemented to monitor overwintering and potential spread at two locations where the presence of Ae. albopictus was confirmed in 2022. In 2024, overwintering monitoring happened through larval sampling at four locations where Ae. albopictus was detected in 2023. DNA-based validation of all life stages of Ae. albopictus collected during field visits from several locations was performed to validate the identification of the species, and to investigate the haplotype composition of the population. We received 12 notifications of Ae. albopictus from citizens from nine locations in 2022, 29 from 15 new locations in 2023 and 47 from 12 new locations in 2024. Overall, Ae. albopictus was detected at 36 locations in Belgium over these three years. Further, the exotic species was detected in 2022 at three, and in 2023 at seven parking lots. Longitudinal surveillance in 2023 confirmed the presence of Ae. albopictus at two locations, indicating local establishment and overwintering. In 2024, overwintering was confirmed at another three locations. Prior to 2022, Aedes albopictus was in the early stage of its invasion process in Belgium, with confirmed occurrences limited to PoEs. Since 2022, the implementation of citizen surveillance has led to a steep increase in detections, including in residential areas, alongside numerus findings at parking lots. Additionally, the confirmation of overwintering at five locations, indicates that the species is being increasingly imported into Belgium via ground vehicular traffic and has become locally established in recent years.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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Monitoring the wild meat trade through DNA barcoding and pathogen screening of passenger-imported meat
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The INTERCEPT project maps the current situation of monitoring (exotic) animal product imports from third countries into Belgium, highlighting both the legal and illegal aspects of the trade and its implications for public and animal health. Recommendations are being drafted to move towards a more robust framework for long-term monitoring including a centralized database that integrates data from various federal services and agencies to gain a better overview of the trade and to promote the dissemination of crucial information among federal services, agencies, and stakeholders. The project also aims to introduce a secure and efficient sampling method for officials, along with a molecular species identification pipeline for researchers, which will enable rapid DNA-based identification of illegally imported meat. During this project, over 600 specimens have been sampled from intercepted meat from passenger’s luggage at Brussels Airport, of which more than 500 samples have so far been identified using DNA barcoding and screened for orthopoxviruses. Metagenomic DNA and RNA sequencing is ongoing for a selection of samples pooled per DNA-confirmed species, preparation method (raw vs. cooked), and, when possible, region of origin. By fostering collaboration among scientific institutions and federal agencies, this initiative aims to inform border control measures and will support future research into pathogens carried by both domestic and exotic meat, allowing better characterisation of the health risks associated with the illegal import of meat from third countries.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
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First record of a proseriate flatworm predating on a rhabdocoel (Platyhelminthes: Proseriata and Rhabdocoela)
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
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Een speurtocht naar niet-inheemse soorten in het Galgeschoor en het Doeldok te Antwerpen
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023
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Evolution in the tides: unravelling adaptive strategies in Pogonus chalceus beetles
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
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The green heart of Africa, the Lomami Primer
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
