Research Project - DC7

My name is Oumaima Kadiri, originally from Morocco, and I have a background in veterinary medicine and epidemiology. I earned a degree from ESCP Business School in Paris and gained professional experience in France before embarking on a PhD focused on animal health and infectious disease surveillance. My research, conducted within the VIVACE consortium, investigates innovative strategies to enhance surveillance of avian influenza in vaccinated poultry populations, with particular emphasis on environmental sampling and transmission modelling. I am based at IAV Hassan II in Rabat, under co-supervision with INRAE Toulouse (UMR IHAP). Outside of research, I love traveling with friends, exploring local cuisines, and playing UNO, though I admit I can be a competitive and sometimes sore loser.

DC7 — Rethinking avian influenza virus surveillance in a context of vaccination

DC7 tests whether environmental sampling can outperform or complement bird sampling when vaccination dampens clinical signs and detection. In Moroccan farms (broilers, breeders, layers; with/without H9 vaccination), it collects bird (OP/tracheal/feather) and environmental (dust, water, feed, air) samples, detects viruses by RT-qPCR, and genetically characterizes positives.

Latent-class models (secondment at INRAE) estimate sensitivity/specificity of each sample type, and transmission models quantify dynamics in vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated flocks. Integrated simulations then compare sampling strategies to optimize timeliness and cost-effectiveness of detection, generating policy-ready surveillance recommendations.