Epidemiological Investigation of COVID-19 in Laos Using a One-Health Approach in Human and Animals

Summary

The Respiratory infection COVID-19, due to a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV2, appeared in December 2019 in several people who attended the wildlife market in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. While COVID-19 has spread to nearly 200 countries and caused two millions infections, Lao PDR detected its first confirmed case very recently, on March 20, three months after the start of the outbreak in China. As of April 12th, 2020, Lao PDR has only recorded 18 confirmed cases, a very low number compared to other countries around the world.

However, several key factors suggest that Lao PDR could be much more affected by COVID-19 because of the following reasons: (i) The multiple and massive trans-border movements between Lao PDR and China. (ii) The similar biogeographical and socio-ecological characteristics with South-Western China. (iii) The detection of a high diversity of Betacoronavirus sequences in several species of bats in Lao PDR. (iv) The numerous markets selling high volumes of local wildlife including bats and pangolins.

LACOVISS project aim at investigating, using a ONE-HEALTH approach, this unexpected epidemiological pattern of SARS-CoV-2 in Lao PDR by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of experts in the field from IRD, the University of Caen, the Center of Infectiology Lao-Christophe Mérieux (CILM) and the National animal Health Laboratory (NAHL) in Vientiane. The study will focus on a community-based cohort of 1092 households, including 5400 study participants, followed-up between March 2015 and February 2019 for influenza-like illness investigation and causative agents detection (LACORIS project), located in the Vientiane metropolitan area. The COVID-19 progression in Lao PDR, and track SARS-CoV-2, will be followed retrospectively and prospectively, in all potential actors in SARS-CoV-2 circulation, including humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.

The LACOVISS project will undoubtedly bring new insight in SARS-Cov-2 and SARS-CoV-like circulation in Lao PDR as well as valuable information on the natural history of COVID-19, and on the modalities of the spillover into humans, which are still largely unknown.

Conditions

• Influenza -Like Illness
• Covid19

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

ILI and COVID-19 detection

All participants presenting with ILI symptoms will have non-invasive exam for SARS-CoV-2 detection (nasal, throat, swab, saliva) and a questionnaire. All family members more than 6 months living with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals will have will have non-invasive exam for SARS-CoV-2 detection (nasal, throat, swab, saliva) and a questionnaire.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Centre d'Infectiologie Charles Mérieux

  collaborator OTHER

• University Hospital, Caen

  collaborator OTHER

• Department of livestock and fisheries National animal health laboratory, Vientiane, Laos

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Phimpha PABORIBOUNE, MD, PhD · Centre d'Infectiologie Lao-Christophe Mérieux

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-08-01

Primary Completion

2022-03-31

Completion

2022-03-31