A Global Review of Causes of Morbidity and Mortality in Free-Living Vultures
AbstractVulture species worldwide play a key role in ecosystems as obligate scavengers, and several populations have had precipitous declines. Research on vulture health is critical to conservation efforts including free-living vultures and captive breeding programs, but is limited to date. In this systematic review, we determined the reported causes of free-living vulture species morbidity and mortality worldwide. The most commonly reported cause of mortality was from toxins (60%), especially lead and pesticides, followed by traumatic injury (49%), including collisions with urban infrastructure and gunshot. Neglected area...
Source: EcoHealth - January 9, 2022 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Sustained Ranavirus Outbreak Causes Mass Mortality and Morbidity of Imperiled Amphibians in Florida
AbstractA persistent 2-month long outbreak ofRanavirus in a natural community of amphibians contributed to a mass die-off of gopher frog tadpoles (Lithobates capito) and severe disease in striped newts (Notophthalmus perstriatus) in Florida. Ongoing mortality inL. capito and disease signs inN. perstriatus continued for 5 weeks after the first observation. Hemorrhagic disease and necrosis were diagnosed from pathological examination ofL. capito tadpoles. We confirmed detection of a frog virus 3 (FV3)-likeRanavirus via quantitative PCR in all species. Our findings highlight the susceptibility of these species toRv and the ...
Source: EcoHealth - January 9, 2022 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
A Global Review of Causes of Morbidity and Mortality in Free-Living Vultures
AbstractVulture species worldwide play a key role in ecosystems as obligate scavengers, and several populations have had precipitous declines. Research on vulture health is critical to conservation efforts including free-living vultures and captive breeding programs, but is limited to date. In this systematic review, we determined the reported causes of free-living vulture species morbidity and mortality worldwide. The most commonly reported cause of mortality was from toxins (60%), especially lead and pesticides, followed by traumatic injury (49%), including collisions with urban infrastructure and gunshot. Neglected area...
Source: EcoHealth - January 9, 2022 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Sustained Ranavirus Outbreak Causes Mass Mortality and Morbidity of Imperiled Amphibians in Florida
AbstractA persistent 2-month long outbreak ofRanavirus in a natural community of amphibians contributed to a mass die-off of gopher frog tadpoles (Lithobates capito) and severe disease in striped newts (Notophthalmus perstriatus) in Florida. Ongoing mortality inL. capito and disease signs inN. perstriatus continued for 5 weeks after the first observation. Hemorrhagic disease and necrosis were diagnosed from pathological examination ofL. capito tadpoles. We confirmed detection of a frog virus 3 (FV3)-likeRanavirus via quantitative PCR in all species. Our findings highlight the susceptibility of these species toRv and the ...
Source: EcoHealth - January 9, 2022 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Metagenomic Analysis Reveals Previously Undescribed Bat Coronavirus Strains in Eswatini
AbstractWe investigated the prevalence of coronaviruses in 44 bats from four families in northeastern Eswatini using high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples. We found evidence of coronaviruses in 18% of the bats. We recovered full or near-full-length genomes from two bat species:Chaerephon pumilus andAfronycteris nana, as well as additional coronavirus genome fragments fromC. pumilus,Epomophorus wahlbergi,Mops condylurus, andScotophilus dinganii. All bats from which we detected coronaviruses were captured leaving buildings or near human settlements, demonstrating the importance of continued surveillance of coronaviruse...
Source: EcoHealth - December 30, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Three Pathogens Impact Terrestrial Frogs from a High-Elevation Tropical Hotspot
AbstractThree infectious pathogensBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd),Ranavirus (Rv) and Perkinsea (Pr) are associated with widespread and ongoing amphibian population declines. Although their geographic and host ranges vary widely, recent studies have suggested that the occurrence of these pathogens could be more common than previously thought, even in direct-developing terrestrial species traditionally considered less likely to harbor these largely aquatic pathogens. Here, we characterizeBd,Rv, and Pr infections in direct-developing terrestrial amphibians of thePristimantis genus from the highland Ecuadorean Andes. We co...
Source: EcoHealth - December 11, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Stress-Related Herpesvirus Reactivation in Badgers Can Result in Clostridium Proliferation
AbstractClostridium perfringens is an important food-borne zoonotic pathogen and a member of the commensal gut microbiome of many mammals. Predisposing factors such as coinfection with other pathogens or diet change can, however, cause overgrowth and subsequent disease development. Here we investigated the occurrence ofC. perfringens in a free-ranging badger population with up to 100% prevalence of herpesvirus infection. Herpesvirus reactivation is known to be associated with increased susceptibility bacterial infections. PCR screening of rectal swabs from 69 free-ranging badgers revealed 15.9% (11/69, 95% CI = 9.1–...
Source: EcoHealth - December 6, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
The Last South American Redoubt? Tested Surinamese Anurans Still Chytrid Free
AbstractBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a chytrid fungus infecting amphibians ’ cutaneous layer, is responsible for the greatest contemporary loss of amphibian biodiversity. In South America, Suriname is one of the only three countries whereB. dendrobatidis infections of anurans (frogs and toads) have not been documented. To further examine this apparent gap in pathogen occurrence, frogs were sampled forB. dendrobatidis spores at eight disparate geographic locations in Suriname, including locations with high and low levels of anthropogenic activities, and near Suriname ’s border with Brazil and French Guiana, countries...
Source: EcoHealth - December 4, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Metagenomic Analysis Reveals Previously Undescribed Bat Coronavirus Strains in Eswatini
AbstractWe investigated the prevalence of coronaviruses in 44 bats from four families in northeastern Eswatini using high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples. We found evidence of coronaviruses in 18% of the bats. We recovered full or near-full-length genomes from two bat species:Chaerephon pumilus andAfronycteris nana, as well as additional coronavirus genome fragments fromC. pumilus,Epomophorus wahlbergi,Mops condylurus, andScotophilus dinganii. All bats from which we detected coronaviruses were captured leaving buildings or near human settlements, demonstrating the importance of continued surveillance of coronaviruse...
Source: EcoHealth - December 1, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
The COVID-19 Pandemic Endangers Africa ’s Indigenous Pygmy Populations
(Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - December 1, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Neotropical Primates Sampled During COVID-19 Pandemic in Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
In this study, neotropical primates (NP) were sampled in different areas from Brazil to investigate whether they were infected by SARS-CoV-2. A total of 89 samples from 51 NP of four species were examined. No positive samples were detected via RT-qPCR, regardless of the NHP species, tissue or habitat tested. This work provides the first report on the lack of evidence of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in NP. The expansion of wild animals sampling is necessary to understand their role in the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and other potentially zoonotic pathogens in natural environments shared by humans. (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - November 29, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
