A Multi-landscape Assessment of Leptospira Prevalence on a Diversity of Small Mammals
This study aims to determine the prevalence of pathogenicLeptospira in a diversity of small mammals across different landscapes. Cage-trapping was deployed for small mammals ’ trappings, and the kidneys of captured individuals were extracted, for screening of pathogenicLeptospira by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using LipL32 primer. Eight microhabitat parameters were measured at each study site. Out of 357 individuals captured, 21 (5.9%) were positive for pathogenicLeptospira of which recreational forest had the highest prevalence (8.8%) for landscape types, whereasSundamys muelleri shows the highest prevalence (50%) a...
Source: EcoHealth - April 27, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Human Exposure to Bats, Rodents and Monkeys in Bangladesh
AbstractBats, rodents and monkeys are reservoirs for emerging zoonotic infections. We sought to describe the frequency of human exposure to these animals and the seasonal and geographic variation of these exposures in Bangladesh. During 2013 –2016, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in a nationally representative sample of 10,002 households from 1001 randomly selected communities. We interviewed household members about exposures to bats, rodents and monkeys, including a key human–bat interface–raw date palm sap consumption. Res pondents reported observing rodents (90%), bats (52%) and monkeys (2%) in or around the...
Source: EcoHealth - April 26, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Nasotracheal Microbiota of Nestlings of Parent White storks with Different Foraging Habits in Spain
This study aims to determine genera/species diversity, prevalence, and co-colonization indices of bacteria obtained from tracheal (T) and nasal (N) samples from storks in relation to exposure to point sources through foraging. One-hundred and thirty-six samples from 87 nestlings of colonies of parent white storks with different foraging habits (natural habitat and landfills) were obtained (84 T-samples and 52 N-samples) and processed. Morphologically distinct colonies (up to 12/sample) were randomly selected and identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. About 87.2% of the total 806 isolates recovered were identified: 398 from T-sample...
Source: EcoHealth - April 15, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Different Roles of Wild Boars and Livestock in Salmonella Transmission to Humans in Italy
AbstractWild boar (Sus scrofa) is the most widely distributed large wildlife mammal worldwide. To investigate the transmission ofSalmonella enterica amongst wild boars (Sus scrofa), humans, and livestock, we compared via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and whole genome sequences the isolates ofS. enterica serovar Typhimurium (biphasic and monophasic variants) and Enteritidis collected from wild boars, food-producing animals, and human patients in Emilia-Romagna region (Northern Italy) between 2017 and 2020. Specifically, we analysed 2175 isolates originated from human (1832), swine (117), bovine (128), poultry (76), and w...
Source: EcoHealth - March 15, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Zoos as Sentinels? A Meta-Analysis of Seroprevalence of Terrestrial Mammalian Viruses in Zoos
AbstractThe One Health framework links animal, human, and environmental health, and focuses on emerging zoonotic pathogens. Understanding the interface between wildlife and human activity is critical due to the unpredictable nature of spillover of zoonotic pathogens from animals to humans. Zoos are important partners in One Health because of their contributions to education, conservation, and animal health monitoring. In addition, the housing of wildlife in captive and semi-natural settings makes zoos, especially relevant for detecting animal-related pathogens. A first step to determine the utility of zoos in contributing ...
Source: EcoHealth - March 1, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Newspaper Coverage and Framing of Bats, and Their Impact on Readership Engagement
We examined the extent to which bats were presented as a threat to human health and the assumed general attitudes towards bats that such articles supported. We quantified press coverage on bat conservation values and evaluated whether the country and political stance had any information bias. Finally, we assessed their terminology and, for the first time, modelled the active response from the readership based on the number of online comments. Out of 1095 articles sampled, 17% focus ed on bats and diseases, 53% on a range of ecological and conservation topics, and 30% only mention bats anecdotally. While most of the ecologi...
Source: EcoHealth - March 1, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Assessing Behavioral Risk Factors Driving Zoonotic Spillover Among High-risk Populations in Myanmar
This study employed a behavioral surveillance strategy among high-risk populations to understand the behavioral risks for zoonotic disease transmission in an effort to identify risk factors for pathogen spillover. To explore behavioral mechanisms of spillover in Myanmar, we aimed to: (1) evaluate the details around animal contact and types of interaction, (2) assess the association between self-reported unusual symptoms (i.e., any illness or sickness that is not known or recognized in the community or diagnosed by medical providers) and animal contact activities and (3) identify the potential risk factors including behavio...
Source: EcoHealth - March 1, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
In This Issue
(Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - January 26, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
A Novel Host of an Emerging Disease: SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Kept Under Clinical Care in Brazil
AbstractA young male free-ranging giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) was found with paralysis of pelvic limbs on a highway and kept under human care. Radiographs confirmed multiple incomplete fractures in the thoracolumbar vertebrae. Due to the poor prognosis, euthanasia was chosen. The infection was established by viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in the rectal swab, spleen and kidney samples. Immunohistochemistry detected the viral nucleocapsid protein in sections of the lungs, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and large intestine sections, and spike protein antigen in the lung tissue. Pilosa order species should be include...
Source: EcoHealth - January 24, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
The Movement of Pathogen Carrying Flies at the Human –Wildlife Interface
AbstractFlies form high-density associations with human settlements and groups of nonhuman primates and are implicated in transmitting pathogens. We investigate the movement of nonhuman primate-associated flies across landscapes surrounding Kibale National Park, Uganda, using a mark –recapture experiment. Flies were marked in nine nonhuman primate groups at the forest edge (\(\overline{x}\) = 929 flies per group), and we then attempted to recapture them in more anthropized areas (50 m, 200 m and 500 m from where marked; 2–21 days after marking). Flies marked in nonhuman primate groups were recaptured in human a...
Source: EcoHealth - January 11, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Orbivirus RNA in a Banana Serotine (Afronycteris nanus) Bat in the Republic of the Congo
AbstractOrbiviruses are arthropod borne viruses of vertebrates, with some of them being important pathogens of veterinary, conservation and economic importance, while others are occasionally associated with human disease. Some apparently bat specific orbiviruses have been detected, but little is known about their distribution and diversity. We thus sampled and screened 52 bats living in the Congo Basin, and detected RNA indicative of a novel orbivirus in a single banana serotine (Afronycteris nanus) by PCR. The detected RNA clusters with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, bluetongue virus, and others. The findings highl...
Source: EcoHealth - January 11, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
