Using samples collected from febrile patients, arthropod vectors, rodents, bats and livestock, we are applying cutting-edge diagnostic tools to study the diversity and prevalence of viruses in selected ecosystems, and the possibility of cross-species virus transmission amongst host taxa. Most research so far has been conducted in the Taita Hills in south-east rural Kenya, supported by the University of Helsinki Taita Research Station, and Kibera slum in Nairobi. We anticipate soon expanding to other parts of Kenya.
The project is funded by the Academy of Finland, it includes PIs and collaborators at the University of Nairobi and Maasai Mara University, as well as graduate students and post-doctoral researchers based in Kenya and Finland.