Zoonotic risks in regions of environmental degradation in the Amazon biome: Understanding the Amazon microbiome and virome

Abstract

The Amazon Biome presents great, yet largely unexplored, diversity, but it is severely threatened. In 2021, there was an increase in deforestation compared to 2020. In addition to the climatic and conservation issues resulting from the degradation of wildlife, there is an intricate relationship between deforestation and the occurrence of diseases, particularly infectious ones. The breach of the animal/human interaction barrier by an infectious agent (spillover) is directly influenced by anthropogenic processes and activities, which reshape communities and narrow the contact between humans and domestic animals with wildlife. This project aims, through a novel approach, to bring together researchers from different Brazilian states, belonging to the research and sequencing network "Collaborative Study of Genetic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazilian cities", as well as foreign collaborators to work together in monitoring pathogens with risk to human health. Biological samples (human, animal, and invertebrate vector) and environmental samples (water and sewage) will be collected, in addition to samples from patients with undetermined febrile and neurological symptoms, for a detailed investigation through metagenomics. Furthermore, this project aims to promote the participation of the centers involved from sample processing to the analysis of final sequencing data.The development and training of human and technological resources will not only be useful for strengthening CT & I infrastructure at the regional level but should also increase the collaboration capacity in network of these Centers with other Brazilian states, also promoting their internationalization.