One Health: Saint Louis wants to get ahead in the fight against zoonoses

Better detection of health risks before they become epidemic crises: this is the ambition of the Africam project, whose results were presented on October 21 and 22 in Saint-Louis. At the conclusion of this initiative, stakeholders are advocating for strengthened health surveillance and the continuation of collaborations between researchers, technical services, and communities.

Epidemic prevention begins well before the first cases appear. In Saint-Louis, the work of the Africam project highlighted the importance of monitoring pathogens that can circulate between animals, humans, and their environment. During the feedback and closing workshop held on October 21 and 22, participants shared research findings and discussed ways to preserve the achievements of this initiative, based on the "One Health" approach.

According to the regional director of Livestock and Animal Production, Dr. Mouhamed Moustapha Sarr, the Africam project has made it possible to broaden investigations into health risks through samples taken from different species of wild fauna, including primates and rodents, as well as from domestic animals.

“We needed to have an idea of what’s circulating in wild animals and domestic ruminants in order to be able to focus on the risks,” he explains. This research contributes to better identification of health threats and the development of appropriate contingency plans.

The importance of this surveillance is all the greater given that Senegal faced a Rift Valley fever epidemic in 2025, which particularly affected the Saint-Louis region. According to Dr. Sarr, analyses carried out on rodents as part of the project did not reveal any circulation of the virus. These investigations also allow for the exploration of risks associated with other diseases, notably Lassa fever.

Beyond the scientific results, the regional official emphasizes the close collaboration between researchers, academics, technical services, and the public. This cooperation is essential for better understanding the risks and organizing an effective response. "A multi-sectoral approach was key when dealing with zoonoses," he points out.

For Jean-Hugues Caffin, coordinator of the Africam project in Senegal, the objective was to give regional actors the means to identify epidemic threats early, by combining scientific skills with knowledge and community involvement.

“The project’s objective was to help them, along with researchers and communities, to work on the proactive detection of future outbreaks,” he explains. He believes that one of the main achievements lies in the ability of the various stakeholders to work together using a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach.

The end of the project, however, opens a new challenge: maintaining this momentum and ensuring that the knowledge produced continues to be used for prevention. Information sharing and knowledge management were therefore key topics in the workshop discussions.

“Many issues revolve around sustainability and, within sustainability, the sharing of information,” emphasizes Jean-Hugues Caffin. The valorization of collected data and its circulation between different stakeholders thus appear as essential levers for strengthening monitoring mechanisms.

In Saint-Louis, participants aim to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Africam project's achievements. The goal is to transform the "One Health" approach into a practical tool for prevention by strengthening collaboration between the human, animal, and environmental health sectors. This approach could lead to better anticipation of future health threats and mitigate their impact on populations.