Changes in the global environments have increased incidence of infectious diseases. Most of these diseases are zoonoses which are transmitted from animals to humans. Outbreaks of Ebola virus disease, which is notorious zoonosis, in West Africa in 2014 are unforgettable. It is an urgent task to control and prevent of zoonotic disease outbreaks. However, it is not simple and straightforward, since the natural reservoir animals and the transmission routes of the causative agents are not elucidate in all zoonoses. The objective of this project is to forestalling outbreaks of zoonotic infection on the basis of epidemiological investigations in Africa.
  We are developing diagnostic methods that are practical for routine use and investigating epidemiological studies aimed at identification of the natural reservoirs, elucidation of the transmission routes and discovery of a novel infectious agent in zoonoses. This project is collaborated with the African counterparts and proactively transfer and share the techniques and knowledges. This work is expected to contribute to the reinforcement of the researcher network and the control of zoonotic infectious diseases, and a part of this work is supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS).