ResTick · Resilience Enhancement for Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa

The actions address urgent issues surrounding ticks as disease vectors, focusing on Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, within the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Ticks pose significant challenges to ecosystems, economies, and public health, particularly as climate change exacerbates environmental dynamics. Therefore, tackling ticks' impact becomes crucial, including the development of early warning and monitoring systems and the creation of affordable, user-friendly diagnostics. Proactive actions are necessitated as climate-driven shifts are reshaping disease landscape. We seek to enhance resilience against these challenges by establishing a dedicated network focused on understanding tick species, pathogens, and their interactions within the SSA context. Leveraging advanced molecular ecology methodologies, statistics, and cutting-edge technologies, the initiative will establish baseline data for early warning systems and develop point-of-care devices, integrating them into One Health approaches. Additionally, it endeavours to create predictive models for both tick abundance and disease prevalence. ResTick underscores the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing these challenges. By bringing together experts from various fields, including molecular biology, ecology, veterinary science, epidemiology and diagnostic assay development, the initiative aims to generate essential tools for managing tick populations and mitigating the spread of tick-borne diseases as integration of scientific findings into practical applications is a key priority for ResTick. Through knowledge dissemination and implementation of innovative prevention strategies, we aim to safeguard public health, support sustainable animal farming, and promote economic vitality in SSA. Through coordinated efforts and cross-border cooperation, ResTick seeks to enhance resilience and fortify societal response to the complex challenges posed by ticks and tick-borne diseases in SSA.