London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

School experts responding to the Zika outbreak have received significant funding for new research projects on Zika infection in pregnancy, mosquito control, and virus transmission and surveillance. The funding - totalling more than half a million pounds - comes from the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Newton Fund and the Wellcome Trust, as part of the Zika Rapid Response Initiative that fast-tracks key research.

Professor Laura Rodrigues' cohort study of pregnant women in Pernambuco (Brazil) who display the kind of rash associated with Zika, is one of the projects awarded funding. The study aims to identify the risk to women according to the stage of pregnancy at which they are exposed to the virus.

Professor Jimmy Whitworth will lead a project looking at the transmission dynamics and impact of Zika virus on population health in a large city in northeastern Brazil. The epidemiological studies will include work to estimate the number of people infected with Zika, the proportion of asymptomatic infections, and how common it is for people to be re-infected.

A study led by Dr Laith Yakob will look at surveillance, risk factors and vector management in Brazil, linked to the Zika outbreak. Researchers will gather data on Zika infection in pregnant women and newborn babies, and analyse the data to identify risk factors associated with infection.  This information will be used to produce mathematical models to analyse the most effective control strategies for mosquitoes, including traditional methods (such as insecticide) and novel methods (including genetic control and Wolbachia).

A surveillance study of Zika in human and mosquito populations in Cape Verde led by Prof Taane Clark also receives funding. Since the current outbreak in the Americas, Cape Verde has become the first African nation to declare an epidemic of Zika, reporting around 7,000 cases since October 2015. The study aims to determine the origin and spread of infection, and support the implementation of a rapid public health response there.

Prof Jimmy Whitworth said: "When it comes to Zika, we still have many gaps in our knowledge, and these projects will enable us to rapidly gather important information to tackle the epidemic. Our research will help produce vital information to enable health authorities and professionals to better conduct treatment, prevention and disease control supported by solid scientific evidence."

As part of the projects the School researchers will work with experts in Cape Verde and Brazil.

The MRC-led funding initiative received 103 proposals, with four School projects among the 26 awarded funding by the scheme. The 26 projects funded as part of the initiative have a combined total of £3.2 million. Following the Zika Rapid Response Initiative launched by the MRC in February, which saw £1 million of funding made available through the Government's Global Challenges Research Fund, an additional £1 million and up to £2 million was contributed by the Wellcome Trust and the Newton Fund respectively, totalling up to £4 million worth of funding.

The successful projects were deemed able to provide novel, critical and timely insights into the nature of the Zika virus and potential avenues for its management or prevention.

Professor Sir John Savill, the MRC's chief executive said: "Two very important elements needed to come together in order to respond to the global health threat from the Zika virus - agility and capacity. Our Rapid Response Initiative allowed us to allocate funding to this global research challenge within a very short time frame, and valuable contributions from the Wellcome Trust and the Newton Fund created the capacity to match the remarkably strong response we received from the research community. Working in partnership is vital if we are to successfully tackle the health risks posed by emerging infections such as the Zika virus."

Related links

• Zika virus outbreak and related School research
• Q&A with Prof Laura Rodrigues