Ecological and Conservation Significance of Herpesvirus Infection in Neotropical Bats
AbstractBats are the second most diverse order of mammals and key species for ecosystem functioning, providing a wide range of ecosystem services, from pest control to seed dispersal. Chiropterans are known for hosting a large diversity of viruses, in some cases with little or no effect to their health. Here, we report on the results of a screening for DNA (Herpesviridae) and RNA viruses (Rhabdovirus and Pneumovirus), finding a high prevalence and wide diversity of both Beta- and Gamma-Herpesvirus in insectivorous and hematophagous bats of the southern cone of South America. Our findings suggest that bats in the southern n...
Source: EcoHealth - June 28, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Niche Contraction of an Endangered Frog Driven by the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus
AbstractIntroduced pathogens can alter the geographic distribution of susceptible host species. For example,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a fungal pathogen that has been linked to the global decline and extinction of numerous amphibian species during the last four decades. A growing number of studies have described the distribution of Bd and susceptible hosts across the globe; however, knowledge on how Bd may shape the climatic niche of susceptible species is still missing. We estimated the effect of Bd on the geographic distribution and niche dynamics of the critically endangered lowland robber frog (Craugastor r...
Source: EcoHealth - June 28, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Active Forest Management Reduces Blacklegged Tick and Tick-Borne Pathogen Exposure Risk
AbstractIn the northeastern USA, active forest management can include timber harvests designed to meet silvicultural objectives (i.e., harvesting trees that meet certain maturity, height, age, or quality criteria). Timber harvesting is an important tool in enhancing regeneration and maintaining forest health. It also has considerable potential to influence transmission dynamics of tick-borne pathogens, which are deeply embedded in the forest ecosystem. We conducted a 2-year study to test the hypotheses that recent timber harvesting impacts blacklegged tick density and infection prevalence in managed nonindustrial forests. ...
Source: EcoHealth - June 22, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Metabarcoding of Soil Fungi from Different Urban Greenspaces Around Bournemouth in the UK
AbstractSoil microbes are important for public health. Increasing urbanisation is adversely affecting soil microbiota, which may be contributing to the global rise of immune-related diseases. Fungi are key components of urban environments that can be negatively impacted by altered land-use, land-management and climate change, and are implicated in the development and exacerbation of non-communicable diseases such as allergy, asthma and chronic inflammatory conditions. Fungal metagenomics is building knowledge on fungi within different environments (the environmental mycobiome), fungi on and within the human body (the human...
Source: EcoHealth - June 5, 2021 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
