# Advancing One Health Data Capture at the Point of Zoonotic Spillover in the Congo Basin Forest Perimeter

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2024 · $181,022

## Abstract

Project Summary
Due to human encroachment on the fragile ecosystems of the Congo basin forest perimeter, spillover of zoonotic
pathogens into border communities have proliferated and resulted in worldwide implications. The region of the
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, located in the southwestern corner of Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC) is a biodiversity hotspot harboring among the largest number of primate and bat species of any
forest in Africa. It is also situated in one of the most densely human populated regions of Africa. Healthcare
facilities in this region remain vigilant for an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Marburg hemorrhagic fever
(MHF). This is especially timely given the recent confirmed outbreaks of EVD in neighboring districts. Utilizing a
One Health approach, this project will build an essential surveillance infrastructure for investigating ebolavirus
and other zoonotic disease spillover events by developing an integrated mHealth system that allows healthcare
providers to monitor outbreaks of disease in both humans and wildlife simultaneously. The goal of this
surveillance system is to improve detection of zoonotic spillover in the Bwindi region and help to answer decades
long questions about the ecological scenarios supporting ebolavirus emergence, enabling forecasting that could
help prevent future outbreaks. Specifically, during the R21 phase of this project we will: (1) develop a Village
Health Team (VHT) data collection system to capture AFI and wildlife morbidity / mortality information in remote
forest settings using a One Health smartphone based APP and community-based SMS system; (2) develop a
passive geo-location system using cell-phone tower triangulation with machine learning optimization that can be
implemented across smartphone and non-smartphone-based technologies to improve accuracy in localization
of outbreaks; and (3) create an integrated One Health AFI outbreak alert system operational in the Bwindi region,
optimized for rapid and accurate detection of outbreaks. During the R33 phase of this project we will: (1) refine,
expand and evaluate the tiered mHealth surveillance platform for improved longitudinal AFI case identification;
and (2) utilize the Bwindi mHealth surveillance system to investigate the epidemiology of ebolavirus exposure
associated with wildlife contact in the region. This project is well integrated with existing NIAID funded AFI
surveillance programs and collaborates closely with the Ugandan Ministry of Health. This project will provide an
optimal scenario for rigorously evaluating the benefits of adding an mHealth component to long term zoonotic
disease monitoring, benefiting the sustainability of all developed platforms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10912016
- **Project number:** 5R21TW012608-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Tierra Smiley Evans
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $181,022
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-17 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10912016

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10912016, Advancing One Health Data Capture at the Point of Zoonotic Spillover in the Congo Basin Forest Perimeter (5R21TW012608-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10912016. Licensed CC0.

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