Spotlight on TGen’s One Health
Research and Response Efforts
Pandemic Surveillance
Translating COVID-19 Genomics into Public Health Action
Using genomic epidemiology, we have a more detailed picture of the COVID-19 experience in Arizona and a better understanding of the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 variants among communities.
Link to Arizona COVID-19 Dashboard
COVID-19 & Pets
A surveillance study in partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services to identify SARS-CoV-2 in domestic pets living in households with people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Wildlife and Zoo Surveillance
TGen scientists conducted SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in free-ranging wildlife and zoo animals to identify susceptible species and understand possible transmission events.
Understanding Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in Arizona Communities
Wastewater surveillance can indicate presence of a pathogen before cases are even detected. We are working with partners in southern Arizona to surveil SARS-CoV-2 in multiple locales throughout the state.
Healthcare-Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance
Genomic Tracking for Invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS)
To better identify localized outbreaks and characterize new strains of Group A streptococcus, we are working with public health and clinical laboratory partners to implement a statewide genomic surveillance system.
Link to Arizona iGAS Tracker
Prevent HAARM
Our goal is to develop an advanced, statewide Healthcare-Associated Antimicrobial Resistant Microbes (HAARM) surveillance system to gather and analyze AMR data from healthcare facilities throughout Arizona.
Valley Fever & Fungal Diseases
CocciWatch
The CocciWatch team screens ambient air samples from the Phoenix area for the presence of Coccidioides, the fungal pathogen that causes
Valley Fever.
Cryptococcus in Companion Animals
TGen epidemiologists are working with Arizona veterinary clinics to collect samples to test for Cryptococcus gattii—particularly a new strain known as VGVI, which may be endemic to the Southwest—to understand the prevalence of this fungus in cats.
Cryptococcus Investigation
Strain-specific genetic features of Cryptococcus gattii, a fungus with origins in Brazil that emerged in the Pacific Northwest, are currently being explored as potential causes of its increased virulence.
Tracking Foodborne Pathogens
Cattle-GARD
TGen is developing a rapid next-generation sequencing assay that will detect dozens of foodborne pathogens and antibiotic- resistance genes present along any step of food production and transportation.
Vectorborne and Zoonotic Diseases
West Nile Virus
Researchers from TGen and Northern Arizona University are developing phylogeographic models of West Nile virus dispersal across the Southwest. Viral sequencing of West Nile virus from mosquito pools in Arizona and the Southwest has led to a more comprehensive understanding of how West Nile virus moves across the region.
Citizen Science Supports Tick-borne Pathogen Surveillance
In collaboration with academic partners, TGen has harnessed citizen science tick surveillance to investigate tick-borne pathogen dynamics, including vector distribution, vector population dynamics, pathogen distribution, pathogen prevalence, and factors influencing human-tick interactions.
Southwest One Health Collaborative 