MOBILISE (2022-2025)

Climate change and rising temperatures are facilitating the spread of emerging arboviruses, including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), West Nile virus (WNV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) and dengue virus, into Europe through arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, creating a growing public health concern. 

Effective monitoring of zoonotic outbreaks requires a “One Health” approach, integrating the analysis of human, animal and environmental samples as close as possible to the vectors’ habitats. In addition, returning travellers may introduce high-consequence pathogens such as Ebola and Marburg viruses or respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. A survey of existing European and African mobile laboratory capacity identified several shortcomings: of 193 laboratories, 66% were civilian, 88% were dedicated exclusively to human diagnostics, only 11% had an accredited quality management system, and just 3% provided the highest biosafety level required for handling risk group 4 haemorrhagic (arbo)viruses.

MOBILISE (https://mobilise-lab.eu/) addressed this diagnostic gap by developing a novel, quality-assured mobile One Health laboratory solution providing BSL-3+ capacity for the diagnosis of risk group 3 and 4 pathogens across Europe.

The truck-mounted laboratory was developed to the needs of European National Public Health Laboratories, National Veterinary Agencies and first responders, and can be powered entirely by solar energy to maximise self-sufficiency in the field. The system was field-tested to technical readiness level 7 (TRL-7) in Austria, Germany, Greece and Tanzania during simulation exercises and surveillance missions of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever virus (CCHFV), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPIA), West Nile fever, and Rift Valley fever virus. MOBILISE demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance, while operating autonomously on renewable energy. We demonstrated that the laboratory can receive and process human, animal and environmental samples for molecular diagnostics and serology, while also hosting a whole-genome sequencing platform for pathogen discovery and epidemiological analysis. 

Moreover, the consortium developed and field-tested novel, machine-readable rapid diagnostic tests for West Nile and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever viruses, and an AI-based “Emergency Operating Centre and Decision Support System” to support end-users in managing outbreaks in real time.