UK government launches £10m disease surveillance project

The UK government is providing £10m for a new disease surveillance project, which it hopes will strengthen pathogen detection across the UK over the next two years and protect the economy.

The Genomics for Animal and Plant Disease Consortium (GAP-DC) project is led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) and will undertake surveillance across animal, plant and aquatic environments, using advanced genome sequencing technologies.

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The fight against pests and diseases, Defra said, can cost the UK economy billions of pounds.

By using advanced methods that read the complete genetic code of a living organism, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, or animals, it is hoped to detect, identify and track pathogens with precision.

Advanced genome sequencing technologies have already been used in the UK, for example when avian influenza is found in UK poultry, as it can help confirm the virus type, trace its spread, and detect any mutations, which supports disease control measures.

“This vital funding and collaboration with world leading experts will help Apha identify and tackle disease risk more effectively,” said Apha interim chief executive Dr Jenny Stewart.

“This research will lead to significantly advanced surveillance capabilities to protect UK borders from new and existing threats.” 

Cost of diseases

The UK faces significant and growing economic threats from pests and diseases affecting agriculture, livestock, and the environment.

Invasive species alone cost the UK economy an estimated £4bn annually, while plant pathogens and pests contribute to substantial crop losses.

Ash dieback is predicated to cost £15bn to the UK over the coming decades.

Livestock diseases, such as avian influenza, have been estimated to cost the poultrymeat sector more than £100m over a two-year period.

Research to be undertaken

In collaboration with seven partners, the Apha-led project will include a focus on increasing the speed of pathogen detection at UK borders, addressing new and re-emerging disease outbreaks, developing new strategies to control and mitigate endemic disease, and an improved approach to working with stakeholders and the community.

It will also investigate disease spillover from wild animals and plants, for example when a virus moves from one species to other, such as the transmission of the Covid-19 virus from bats to humans.