The aim of the Coordinated Action is to support a research program on tick-borne diseases jointly executed by a consortium of 43 institutions in 29 different countries

This Coordinated Action will focus on tick-host-pathogen interactions to identify concrete means of control that reduce the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in (sub)tropical countries. The current ICTTD-3 program is a continuation of ICTTD-1 (1996-2000) and ICTTD-2 (2000-2004) and has developed into a large consortium of researchers working on ticks and tick-borne diseases, with over 1000 registered scientists worldwide

Description

In ICTTD-3, five working groups have been created:

1. Database (THPbase) and GIS (Global Information Systems) working group: A cluster of integrated databases for ticks, hosts and pathogens. Prevalence data on ticks and tick-borne pathogens will be linked to remotely sensed eco-climatic data to create predictive maps for geographical distribution of ticks and diseases in the (sub-tropics)

2. Biosystematics Forum: A forum which will discuss, evaluate and recommend changes regarding biosystematics and molecular phylogeny of ticks and tick-borne pathogens

3. Molecular Diagnostic Network: Novel molecular diagnostics will be used to conduct comparative epidemiological studies on tick-borne diseases

4. Genomics and vaccine design: proteomics data for ticks and tick-borne pathogens will be exploited to design novel integrated vaccine strategies targeting ticks and pathogens to reduce dependency on chemical tick control. The CA will act as a focal point for setting up consortia on novel genomics projects particularly for ticks

5. Study group on tick-borne zoonoses: the human medicine section of the consortium, developing a database on zoonotic tick-borne pathogens occurring in the Tropics and Subtropics.