In 2022, IRD is supporting the creation of five new research structures with activities in Laos. These research and training programs have various modes of operation and over a wide range of disciplinary fields (health, ecology, biology, geology, land use planning).
PSF SHSL-Capacity - Social Sciences & Health Research Capacity-Building In Vientiane
The Structural training projects (PSF) Social Sciences & Health Research Capacity-Building In Vientiane is a Franco-Lao cooperation initiative aimed at developing an annual intensive, multidisciplinary training programme on methods and tools related to social sciences in health research.
The SHSL-Capacity project will be led by Pascale Hancart-Petitet (IRD) and Vanphanom Sychareun (UHS).
IRD Research Units: TransVIHMI
Partners:
- University of Health Science (UHS)
- Lao Public Health Institute (LaoTPHI)
- Faculty of Social Science, National University of Laos (NUOL)
- Education Consulting Company (ECC)
- CETASE History Department, University of Montreal
GDRI COMPACSOL - Identifying and alleviating soil physical degradations to optimize sustainable food production
Soil is an ecosystem essential to terrestrial and human life since it directly or indirectly allows the production of 98% of our food. Soils not only contain the minerals essential to plant life, but they also store 80% of rainwater, thanks to an infinite number of millimeter and micrometer pores. This water storage allows to feed the plants (cultivated and natural) and it also limits the risks of floods (by slowing down the flow of water towards the rivers).
But in the last decades, modern techniques of agricultural development (mechanized cultivation, chemical inputs) have caused a generalized degradation of the soil. A recent FAO report on the state of soils was subtitled: "systems on the verge of collapse". Soil compaction has important consequences on agricultural production but it is almost invisible. It is, in fact, a decrease in pore volume that takes place at millimetre to micrometre levels that requires laboratory equipment to be demonstrated, but which considerably reduces the soil's capacity to store water (even in the case of irrigation) and results in a reduction in agricultural production.
In this context, IRD and its partners in the region are launching in 2022 an international research group (GDRI) called COMPACSOL to organize a network of laboratories and research teams working on soil compaction. The first objective will be to set up standardized procedures in order to obtain quality and reliable analytical results that will allow us to assess the situation at the scale of the Mekong basin and to measure the evolution (geographical extension and intensity) of soil compaction over the next 4 years. The second objective will be to involve farmers in the development of cultivation techniques for soil prevention and rehabilitation through a participatory approach that will make the best use of local knowledge and, at the same time, disseminate validated scientific knowledge on soil and water management.
Partners:
Institut of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (IRD - UMR IEES), France
Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), Cambodia
Department of Agricultiral Land Management (DALaM), Laos
Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University (KKU), Thailand
Soil and Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI), Vietnam
Team "Water/Soil/Plant Exchanges" - Liège University, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Belgium
ONG ECLOSIO – Liège University, Belgium & Cambodia
LMI PRESTO (PRotect-dEtect-STOp) - Understanding and mitigating zoonotic spillover events in declining biodiversity hot-spots in Southeast Asia
Following the evaluations of the International Joint Laboratory (IJL) proposals submitted in the framework of the 2021 call, the IRD will support the creation, starting in 2022, of the PRESTO IJL.
To better PRotect from, dEtect and STOp spillover and spread of pathogens, the IJL PRESTO, is a joint multidisciplinary collaboration of experts and researchers from France, Laos and Thailand, based on an ongoing long-term partnership, sharing the common goal of preventing and fighting emerging infectious diseases in the Greater Mekong region. Bringing together the complementary knowledge, experience, and expertise in biodiversity science, bioinformatics, disease ecology, epidemiology; molecular biology, public health, social sciences, and virology, the PRESTO IJL will facilitate the development of an intervention platform aiding the early recognition and fight against zoonotic infectious diseases in this recognized hotspot of potential disease emergence.
The ultimate goals are to:
- Establish a sustainable research platform on Emerging Diseases at the Human-Animal-Environment interface that will help regional partners to grow and thrive, while decreasing reliance on international support.
- Establish an alert system at the local level with a bottom-up/mixed approach to better prepare for future outbreaks.
- Develop a sustainable surveillance toolkit with a Best Practices Guideline, to improve knowledge sharing and to provide support for designing and implementing biodiversity conservation and public health strategies and policies in the Greater Mekong sub-region.
IRD Research Unit: MIVEGEC
IRD Coordinators: LOCATELLI Sabrina, NGO-GIANG-HUONG Nicole
“Southern” coordinator: KHAMDUANG Woottichai
Academic institution(s) from the South involved in the project:
Laos
University of Health Sciences
National université of Laos (NUOL)
Thailand
Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University
Faculty of Science and Faculty of Veterinary Medecine, Chiang Mai University
Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasertsart University
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Other institutions participating in the project:
Laos
National Animal Health Laboratory (NAHL)
ANOULAK (French NGO based in Laos)
NAM THEUN 2 POWER COMPANY LIMITED (NTPC) - Lao, Thai and French shareholders
Centre d'Infectiologie Lao-Christophe Mérieux (CILM)
Both IRD coordinators, Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong and Sabrina Locatelli are expatriate in Thailand and Laos, respectively, and are involved in ongoing projects supported by grants from SEAOHUN (Southeast Asia One Health University Network) via Thailand One Health University Network (THOHUN), the ANR, ANRS, MEAE (in the frame of FSPI) and NTPC. Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong, Sabrina Locatelli, Woottichai Khamduang, are backed up by Eric Deharo (MIVEGEC, and IRD Representative in Laos), leader of the One Health in Southeast Asia project, Eric Leroy, and Gonzague Jourdain (MIVEGEC, IRD) in Montpellier, and Serge Morand (MIVEGEC, IRD), who leads the TICA project “Innovative Animal Health”, Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University in Thailand.
ELAOS: The Emergence of Tuberculosis at the Human-Elephant Interface
In Laos, Tuberculosis (TB) and drug resistant TB represent a significant public health threat. TB is also considered an emerging disease in wildlife. In South-East Asia, the disease is also threatening elephants and other animals, like sun bears (Helarctos malayanus). Asian elephants (Elephas maxima) are victims of shrinking habitat, poaching, human conflicts and diseases and are listed as Endangered on the IUCN red list. Captive elephants are employed for tourism-festival purposes, although hundreds still work in illegal logging.
© Jean-Marc Dubost
In Laos, owning an elephant is still a conventional practice. The constant proximity between the elephant and its mahout (someone who owns or works with an elephant) increases the chances of diseases transmissions in both directions, notably TB. This has already been documented among keepers and elephants in zoos and sanctuaries across the world.
Mycobacterial culture from collected sputum, accompanied by chest x-rays is still the gold standard for diagnosis of active TB in human beings. For the diagnosis in elephants, veterinarians are required to collect trunk washes or blood samples from trained animals, with results of varying degree of sensitivity and specificity. These techniques are not applicable to untrained elephants, therefore, a diagnostic method based on non-invasively collected samples would be a more suitable approach. Alternatives exist today to detect TB in fecal samples from people and notably sun bears, with active disease.
The main objective of this interdisciplinary pilot project is to determine, by adopting a One-Health approach, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) prevalence and antibiotic resistance among captive elephants, their mahouts and domestic animals to evaluate the risk of TB emergence at the human-animal interface, in Laos. More specifically, we aim at developing a reliable, non-invasive diagnostic approach in elephants with a perspective of extending the study to a broader domesticated and wild elephant population.
Project leader:
LOCATELLI Sabrina, IRD - University of Montpellier, MIVEGEC Unit and Centre d’Inféctiologie Lao Christophe Mérieux, Vientiane Capital, Laos
Institutions and collaborators:
- Laos
BELEN LOPEZ PEREZ Ana, Biologist at the Elephant Conservation Center Sayaboury District, Laos. Member of the Board for the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group
PABORIBOUNE Phimpha, Scientific director of the Centre d’Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux in Laos
SAYASONE Somphou, Head of Department (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute: Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
- Cambodia
CHENG Sokleaph, Medical Biology Laboratory and AMR research group, LMI DRISA, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge
ONENAKAI: Developing a One Health approach at the edge of the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park
A One-Health approach to estimate the prevalence and genetic diversity of gastrointestinal pathogens circulating among elephants, domesticated bovines and the human population living at the edge of the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, Laos.
Emerging zoonotic diseases are a serious threat to public health and animal conservation. Humans have always shared habitats with wild and domestic animals, but the dynamics of their relationships have changed. Development activities such as roads, dams, and other infrastructure projects can drive encroachment and fragmentation of wildlife habitat, block migration routes, and facilitate poaching of wild animals.
© Association ANOULAK
The Nakai–Nam Theun National Park (NNT NP), spanning the eastern part of the Nakai Plateau into the Annamite Mountains up to the Lao–Vietnam border, is considered a biodiversity hotspot. The Nakai Plateau underwent major habitat transformation following the closure of the NT2 hydroelectric dam in April 2008. Prior to dam closure, most of what became the 450 km2 Nakai Reservoir was forested, and an estimated 40% of suitable wildlife habitat on the plateau was lost as a result. As a consequence, people, domestic and wild animals live in increasing spatial proximity to each other. This is leading to an increasing exposure of pathogens for the animals and the human population. Among pathogens transmissible from wild and domesticated animals to humans and vice-versa, there are gastro-intestinal (GI) parasites. Helminthiases in particular, are a burden, especially where access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is poor.
In NNT NP wild and domestic animals (especially elephants and domesticated bovines) congregate at artificial salt lick-feeding sites; since the impoundment of the Nakai Reservoir, elephants have moved closer to villages and there has been increasing evidence of human-elephant conflicts. There is therefore a potential of pathogens transmission between humans, elephants and domestic bovines worth investigating.
This pilot study will be conducted on the Nakai Plateau and around the Nakai Reservoir, to investigate the presence, the genetic diversity and the circulation of gastro-intestinal parasites in humans, domesticated bovines and elephants, and to determine their potential role as reservoir hosts contributing to the environmental sustenance of zoonotic parasitic infections. Partners in Malaysia will first provide consultancy and the necessary expertise in population genetics and subsequently the facilities to welcome a Lao MsC student to perform some of the genetic analyses.
Project leader:
LOCATELLI Sabrina, IRD - University of Montpellier, MIVEGEC Unit and Centre d’Inféctiologie Lao Christophe Mérieux, Vientiane Capital, Laos
Institutions and collaborators:
- Laos
COUDRAT Camille, Director of Association Anoulak, dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and human communities resilience in the Annamite Mountains of Laos.
Watthana Theppangna, Deputy Director, National Animal Health Laboratory, Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
SAYASONE Somphou, Head of Department (International Program for Health in the Tropics), Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute: Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
- Malaysia
GOSSENS Benoit, Director Danau Girang Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysia; Professor, Cardiff University, UK. Research Affiliate, Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff, UK. Advisor, Sabah Wildlife Departmen
INEDI - Vientiane’s landfill Investigation to study the Emergence of Diseases related to waste management
In a context of accelerating urban expansion, major changes in land use patterns in Vientiane, the transdisciplinary approach - combining environmental sciences (ecology, biology), social sciences (urban geography) and urbanism – of this project aims to provide a global perspective on waste management issue at a landfill scale.
Vientiane landfill in December 2021
© Insisiengmay
A spotlight on the tight spatial relationships between ecosystems, human activities (including urban planning) and health will be carried out through the implementation of various measures and analyses in order to establish a diagnosis of the extent of pollution and health risks and to prevent a zoonotic disease emergence; to raise awareness of the need to advocate for the One Health Approach in urban areas with the decision-makers and the public at large.
The methodology of the research, in particular for all the activities related to social sciences will be elaborated jointly with the Vietnamese team (Hanoi Architectural University) which will share its experience in the spatial and social data collection and treatment.
The project INEDI will be led by Oudomphone Insisiengmay (CLAST) and Karine Peyronnie (IRD)
IRD Research Units: Prodig
Funding: French solidarity fund for innovative projects (FSPI) “One Health in Practice in Southeast Asia”
IRD Coordinator: Madame Karine Peyronnie
Laos Coordinator: Madame Oudomphone Insisiengmay (CLAST)
Partners:
Laos
The Cabinet of Lao Academy of Science and Technology (CLAST) of the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports: Mrs Oudomphone Insisiengmay
National University of Laos (NUOL)
- Faculty of Environment: Mrs Khemngeun PONGMALA
- Faculty of Architecture: Mr Germua TONGPOH
- Faculty of Sciences: Mr Liphone NOPHASEUD
Vietnam
University of Architecture Hanoi: Mrs Thai Huyen NGUYEN
