| Sanction Date: | 12.01.2024 | |||
| Project Category | SG | |||
| Year | 2023-2024 | |||
| Project Duration | 3 Years | |||
| BTA : | Biodiversity Conservation and Management (BCM) | |||
| Project Site/ State/ Districts/ Villages Covered: |
Darjeeling, Sikkim Himalaya |
|||
| Organization/ Implementation Agency: |
• Department of Health & Family Welfare, Darjeeling and Sikkim • VRDL, Virology Department, Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital (STNM), Govt. of Sikkim, NH 31A, Gangtok, East Sikkim • Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Krishi Bhawan, Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim • Forest & Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, Deorali • CWLW, Forest Department, Sikkim |
|||
| Project Partners: | S.No. | Name | ||
| 1. | ||||
| Lead Proponent: | Dr. Sunita Pradhan |
|||
| Project Brief Description: | The Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya landscape, is a biodiversity hotspot with a high diversity of mammal, with rodents making as much as 36% of the mammals reported from the region (Thangasulian and Pradhan 2020). Very few ecological studies have been undertaken on rodents in the region (Thangasulian and Pradhan 2020), especially none in the context of wildlife disease and their linkages to zoonosis (Tilak et al. 2009). One Health recognizes that the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are interconnected requiring a coordinated, collaborative, multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach. The 'Manhattan Principles of One Health recommended the inclusion of wildlife health as an essential component of global disease prevention, surveillance, control, and mitigation. Scrub typhus, caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and transmitted to humans through infected chiggers (trombiculid mite larva), has emerged as a significant zoonotic threat in India including the Himalayan Region, with its spread and outbreaks. Wildlife diseases in this framework has received limited attention. Given the high costs of managing disease emergence events and significant public health impacts, better understanding of the underlying drivers including wildlife health of disease emergence, with an integrated approach of "one-health" is imperative. This applies to the Indian Himalaya too, where emergence and re-emergence of zoonoses are being reported. One of many such events is the resurgence of scrub typhus since 2004 in Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim (Dhiman 2014) and Darjeeling (Tilak et al. 2009). In the Indian Himalayas, neglected zoonotic diseases like Scrub typhus have shown reemergence (Dhiman and Tiwari, 2018). This includes the Darjeeling-Sikkim landscape of the One Health approach advocates active collaborations among human, veterinary, and wildlife sectors for the prevention and control of zoonotic infections is important and relevant (One Health Commission 2020). With this understanding, this project proposes to study Rodent ecology (distribution, species diversity, abundance, habitat), chigger abundance and infestation in rodents along with examining the drivers for disease transmission risks such as human-wildlife interactions, land-use change, and socioeconomics and others in the Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya in the manifestation of Scrub typhus - an emerging zoonotic threat in the Himalaya. Ecological investigations of hosts, along with examinations of drivers for spill overs would provide a base for development of appropriate strategies and place specific predictive models (Carroll et al. 2018, Mills and Child 1998). The findings of this project will be also used to build awareness among various stakeholders on the aspects of scrub typhus prevention, control and the linkages between wildlife and human interactions in the manifestation of the disease. This study will contribute to the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of scrub typhus in the Darjeeling Sikkim landscape of Eastern Himalaya, particularly in areas with high incidence rates. This research will develop effective strategies for host and vector control and prevention of scrub typhus, including the identification of key vector species and their habitats. The Project will focus on Scrub Typhus which is an under-reported zoonotic disease. This is because it has an ecology involving small mammals, mite fauna and bacterium Orentia tsutsugamushi. In order to collect samples, areas with Scrub Typhus outbreaks will be identified based on the database of the Department of Health, Government of Sikkim published and unpublished literature and local consultations. This project aims to implement a comprehensive One Health approach for wildlife disease surveillance, focusing on rodents as potential reservoirs, and their infestation by trombiculid mite larvae in order to better understand the impacts of various changes in the environment that would be influencing the reemergence and outbreaks of scrub typhus in Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya. Scrub typhus outbreaks have been reported with increasing frequency in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya, posing substantial public health and human well-being concerns, especially in the tea plantations and rural areas of the region. | |||
| Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders: | Local Communities in the Himalayan Region; Public Health Authorities; Healthcare Professionals; Researchers and Scientists; Veterinarians and Animal Health Professionals; Tourists and Travellers; Wildlife Conservationists; Government Agencies for Wildlife and Environmental Protection; Educational Institutions; Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); International Health Organizations. |
|||
| Activity Chart | Click Here | |||
| Total Grants (in Rs.) | Rs. 47,33,425 (Rupees: forty seven lakh thirty three thousand four hundred twenty five only) | |||
| 1st Installment (in Rs.) : | Rs. 17,93,810 (Rupees: Seventeen lakh ninety three thousand eight hundred ten only) | |||
| Project Objectives | Quantifiable Deliverables | Monitoring Indicators |
|
• To understand the epidemiology of scrub typhus in Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya by investigating the ecology (distribution, abundance and species diversity in different habitat types) of the reservoir host - the small mammals. • To understand the vector infestation of trombiculids mite larvae in small mammals as an indicator of scrub typhus prevalence. To identify the ecological and environmental transmission risk factors including human-wildlife interfaces to identify high-risk priority areas. • To educate, bring about awareness in various stakeholders and promote responsible practices • To reduce disease transmission of scrub typhus. |
• A comprehensive document on the status of the distribution and abundance of reservoir host (Rodents) and ectoparasite vector (Trombiculid chiggers) involved in the manifestation of scrub typhus in Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya. • Ecological insights on interactions between rodents, mites and pathogens for effective control measures. • 2 hotspots of scrub typhus infestation using One Health Collaboration. • Document on the perception of changes in potential drivers of rodent abundance, scrub typhus reemergence and outbreaks. • 2 research articles; 1 policy guidelines on zoonosis. • Capacity training on research methodologies given to 15 students and 5 personnel of different sectors >1000 local community members and stakeholders made aware of Scrub typhus and preventive methods. |
• Monitoring in comparison to the baseline information to be provided by the proponent: • A Comprehensive Document/ Manual (No.) • Trainings conducted (No.) • Trained resources (No.): students (Nos), Officials (Nos), Local Community members (Nos.) • Knowledge Products (No.): Research articles, Policy enabling draft/ guidelines Assessment Report • Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders (No.) |
| S.No. | Name (Sanctioned) | Grant under Professoional Services |
| 1. | 1. SRF | @35000 per for three years |
| 2. | 1 Research Assistant | @18000 per month for two year 8 months |
| 3. | 2 Field workers | @10000 for 18 Months |
| S.No. | Name of Equipment (Sanctioned) | Cost (in INR) |
| 1. | : Computer 1 Nos. @ 100000/-, Sterio Mircoscope 01 Nos. @125000/- | 2,25,000/- |
