The National Parks Board (NParks) has awarded funding under its Biosurveillance Research Programme to two studies addressing zoonotic disease risks in Singapore. Together, the studies will deepen the understanding of how pathogens might circulate among animals and their potential risks to people.
Focusing on pets and bird populations, the two studies will generate evidence to support surveillance, risk assessment and earlier detection of zoonotic disease threats. These projects reflect Duke-NUS’ growing role in advancing Singapore’s long-term resilience through research that links animal, environmental and human health.
Project: Determining the risks and drivers of zoonotic pathogen spillover from domestic cats and dogs in Singapore
While disease transmission from cats and dogs to people is uncommon, the close contact between pets and people creates opportunities for exposure to zoonotic pathogens, including bacteria, parasites and viruses. This project will advance understanding of zoonotic diseases and risks associated with Singapore’s close human-pet interface.
Researchers will examine the diversity of pathogens in cats and dogs, assess the risk of disease transmission, and identify key factors driving spillover in settings where pets and people interact closely, including homes, animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and community spaces.
The findings will strengthen Singapore’s ability to detect, assess, and manage zoonotic disease risks, and better inform public health strategies and disease surveillance efforts in urban settings.
Principal Investigator:
Professor Gavin Smith, Director, Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School
Co-Investigator(s) from Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Canopy Veterinary Centre and VetTrust Singapore.
Professor Gavin Smith, Director, Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School and principal investor of the study, said: “Diseases that can spread between pets and people are an ongoing area of research. This study will examine how key infections spread among cats and dogs, and whether they can be passed to their owners and caretakers. The findings will support stronger disease monitoring and help guide public health measures to better manage potential zoonoses in pets in urban communities.”
Methodology:
- Developing and using advanced laboratory tests to evaluate past exposure to a range of zoonotic pathogens in pets and people who are in close contact with them (e.g. owners, veterinary staff). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices surveys will identify behavioural risk factors for zoonotic transmission.
- Environmental air sampling will complement direct sampling to enhance pathogen detection and biosurveillance.
- Using modelling to understand and predict how diseases transmitted from pets could spread through households and the wider community.
Project: Assessing the risk of zoonotic avian influenza A viruses in domestic and wild birds in Singapore
The study will examine avian influenza viruses (AIV), including the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, which remain an area of active global research and monitoring. This project will strengthen understanding of how avian influenza viruses might move through wild and domestic bird populations in and around Singapore.
As a key stopover and wintering site along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, Singapore plays an important role in bird migration.
The presence of zoonotic AIV in the region represents an opportunity to advance scientific understanding of the biosecurity risk of Singapore.
Researchers will assess the prevalence, genetic diversity, and transmission risks of AIV in wild and domestic bird populations to strengthen surveillance capabilities and resilience against infectious diseases.
This study will generate data to inform surveillance strategies and mitigation efforts, and contributing to global AIV monitoring and risk assessment.
Principal Investigator:
Associate Professor Yvonne Su, Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School
Co-Investigator(s) from Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory.
Associate Professor Yvonne Su, Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, and principal investigator of the study, said: “Avian influenza is a growing global health and biosecurity concern, particularly as H5N1 viruses continue to spread across continents and infect an expanding range of animal species. As a key stopover for migratory birds, Singapore plays an important role in monitoring these evolving risks. This pioneering study in Singapore will utilise advanced phylodynamic and modelling approaches to track virus strains, providing critical insights into how avian influenza viruses may be introduced and circulate within local wild bird populations. The findings will strengthen Singapore’s capacity for early detection, surveillance and rapid response to emerging zoonotic threats."
Methodology:
- Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach.
- Researchers will test blood samples from both migratory and local birds at key resting sites to see if they have been exposed to avian influenza viruses. They will use a range of laboratory tests to detect signs of past infection and measure immune responses, helping to understand how widely the virus has spread among bird populations.
- Using advanced genetic testing on samples from birds and the environment to study the different types of avian influenza viruses present.
- Combining ecological data, genetic analysis, and predictive modelling to map how avian influenza may spread and assess the risk of transmission to people, with particular focus on wild birds.
Click here for the press release on NParks' Biosurveillance Research Programme.