| Titles | Abstract | Indexed Keywords | Author Keywords |
| An ethical investigation into the microbiome: the intersection of agriculture, genetics, and the obesity epidemic | There is growing evidence of the interconnectivity between animals, humans, and the environment, which has manifested in the One Health perspective that takes all three into account for a more comprehensive vision of health. Over the past century, agriculture has become increasingly industrialized with a particular rise in the amount of livestock raised and meat produced. In order to fulfill such market demands, livestock farmers and agricultural corporations have artificially selected for and bred their cash animals to be more and more metabolically efficient via genetic and human-driven means. However, by selecting for more metabolically efficient animals, we may have inadvertently been selecting for obesogenic gut microbiota. This is further compounded by the potential obesogenic and microbiome-altering role antibiotics play in livestock. Evidence suggests that there is the potential for interspecies gut microbe transmissibility. It is notable that there has been a concurrent multispecies obesity epidemic across the same timeframe, which raises questions about potential connections between these epidemics. If it is the case that humans have inadvertently influenced their own obesity epidemic via the artificial selection of and antibiotic administration to livestock, then this holds significant ethical implications. This analysis considers current meat consumption trends, the impacts of livestock on climate change, and animal ethics. The paper concludes that due to the potential significant impact yet tenuous nature of the evidence on this subject stemming from research silos, there is a definitive ethical impetus for researchers to bridge these silos to better understand the true nature of the issue. This case is emblematic of an overarching ethics-driven need for deeper collaboration between isolated but related research disciplines to better characterize issues of public health relevance. It also raises concerns regarding inherent value-driven strife that may arise between competing One Health domains. © 2020 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. | Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Agriculture; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Diet; Female; Food Preferences; Humans; Livestock; Male; Meat; Middle Aged; Obesity; Young Adult; antibiotic agent; antiinfective agent; agriculture; Article; artificial selection; beef; body mass; body weight gain; carbon footprint; egg; epidemic; genetics; grain legume; intestine flora; livestock; maize; meat; microbiome; mutton; nonhuman; obesity; pork; poultry; rice; wheat; adolescent; adult; aged; agriculture; animal; child; diet; ethics; female; food preference; human; male; microbiology; middle aged; obesity; pathology; preschool child; young adult |
| One Health education in Kakuma refugee camp (Kenya): From a MOOC to projects on real world challenges | Today, the world counts millions of refugees but only a fraction of them have access to higher education. Despite the multiple public health problems in refugee camps and the need to build local capacities to prevent and combat them, University level courses in public health are largely unavailable for refugees. This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of an innovative two-module blended-learning programme on One Health in Kakuma refugee camp (Kenya). This programme combines: (I) Interdisciplinary and multi-expert MOOC on “Global Health at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem interface”; (II) peer-to-peer learning involving students from University of Geneva Master of science in Global Health and research collaborations around specific and locally-relevant problems; (III) online mentoring and lecturing by experts from the Institute of Global Health of the University of Geneva in Kakuma. A total of 67 refugees applied to Module 1; 15 started the Module 1 in October 2017, of these 14 completed it and 6 passed the exams, finally five students started the Module 2 in October 2018 which they all passed in February 2019. Five student-led collaborative projects were developed focusing on the conception of a community-based monitoring system for prevalent diseases in the camp. With such a pedagogic approach, the programme provides an overview on Global Health challenges at the human-animal-ecosystem interface and the importance of the One Health approach, and introduces students to scientific research through interdisciplinary and international collaborations and innovation. The high number of applicants and positive feedback from students in Kakuma show the interest in One Health education in the camp. This learning experience ultimately aims at building local knowledge and capacity fostering “One Health” champions to reinforce local and national health system. This framework for One Health education could be potentially scaled up to other camps in Africa and the world. © 2020 The Author(s) | Article; blended learning; ecosystem; education; education program; global health; health education; human; Kenya; online system; refugee camp |
| Reflecting on One Health in Action During the COVID-19 Response | The COVID-19 pandemic, a singular disruptive event in recent human history, has required rapid, innovative, coordinated and collaborative approaches to manage and ameliorate its worst impacts. However, the threat remains, and learning from initial efforts may benefit the response management in the future. One Health approaches to managing health challenges through multi-stakeholder engagement are underscored by an enabling environment. Here we describe three case studies from state (New South Wales, Australia), national (Ireland), and international (sub-Saharan Africa) scales which illustrate different aspects of One Health in action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ireland, a One Health team was assembled to help parameterise complex mathematical and resource models. In New South Wales, state authorities engaged collaboratively with animal health veterinarians and epidemiologists to leverage disease outbreak knowledge, expertise and technical and support structures for application to the COVID-19 emergency. The African One Health University Network linked members from health institutions and universities from eight countries to provide a virtual platform knowledge exchange on COVID-19 to support the response. Themes common to successful experiences included a shared resource base, interdisciplinary engagement, communication network strategies, and looking global to address local need. The One Health approaches used, particularly shared responsibility and knowledge integration, are benefiting the management of this pandemic and future One Health global challenges. © Copyright © 2020 Häsler, Bazeyo, Byrne, Hernandez-Jover, More, Rüegg, Schwarzmann, Wilson and Yawe. | Africa; animal health; Article; attitude to health; coronavirus disease 2019; epidemiologist; evidence based practice; government; human; Ireland; New South Wales; nonhuman; One Health; pandemic; public health; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; veterinarian; veterinary medicine |
| Evaluation of primer pairs for microbiome profiling from soils to humans within the One Health framework | The ‘One Health’ framework emphasizes the ecological relationships between soil, plant, animal and human health. Microbiomes play important roles in these relationships, as they modify the health and performance of the different compartments and influence the transfer of energy, matter and chemicals between them. Standardized methods to characterize microbiomes along food chains are, however, currently lacking. To address this methodological gap, we evaluated the performance of DNA extraction kits and commonly recommended primer pairs targeting different hypervariable regions (V3-V4, V4, V5-V6, V5-V6-V7) of the 16S rRNA gene, on microbiome samples along a model food chain, including soils, maize roots, cattle rumen, and cattle and human faeces. We also included faeces from gnotobiotic mice colonized with defined bacterial taxa and mock communities to confirm the robustness of our molecular and bioinformatic approaches on these defined low microbial diversity samples. Based on Amplicon Sequence Variants, the primer pair 515F-806R led to the highest estimates of species richness and diversity in all sample types and offered maximum diversity coverage of reference databases in in silico primer analysis. The influence of the DNA extraction kits was negligible compared to the influence of the choice of primer pairs. Comparing microbiomes using 515F-806R revealed that soil and root samples have the highest estimates of species richness, while lowest richness was observed in human faeces. Primer pair choice directly influenced the estimation of community changes within and across compartments and may give rise to preferential detection of specific taxa. This work demonstrates why a standardized approach is necessary to analyse microbiomes within and between source compartments along food chains in the context of the One Health framework. © 2020 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd | Animals; Cattle; DNA Primers; Humans; Mice; Microbiota; One Health; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Soil Microbiology; Zea mays; primer DNA; RNA 16S; animal; bovine; DNA sequence; genetics; human; maize; microbiology; microflora; mouse; One Health |
| Facing pandemics from past to present; [D’hier à aujourd’hui, faire face aux pandémies] | An outbreak means a sudden rise of the incidence of a disease, generally infectious, at a certain place over an extended period of time. The term pandemic is used when an outbreak is spreading on a global scale. By the past, Human has been able to face several pandemics by developing preventive and therapeutic strategies. The new societal and economic behaviour enhance the progression of old and new diseases. The development of new multidisciplinary approaches is necessary to prevent new pandemic episodes. © 2020 | Article; human; pandemic |
| Geomatics and EO data to support wildlife diseases assessment at landscape level: A pilot experience to map infectious keratoconjunctivitis in chamois and phenological trends in Aosta Valley (NW Italy) | Geomatics and satellite remote sensing offer useful analysis tools for several technical-scientific fields. This work, with reference to a regional case of study, investigates remote sensing potentialities for describing relationships between environment and diseases affecting wildlife at landscape level in the light of climate change effects onto vegetation. Specifically, the infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) of chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.) in Aosta Valley (NW Italy) was investigated at the regional level. IKC (Mycoplasma conjunctivae) is a contagious disease for domestic and wild ruminants (Caprinae and Ovinae). Two types of analysis were performed: one aimed at exploring by remotely sensed data phenological metrics (PMs) and evapotranspiration (ET) trends of vegetation in the area; one investigating the correlation between PMs and ET, versus IKC prevalence. The analysis was based on TERRA MODIS image time series ranging from 2000 to 2019. Ground data about IKC were available for a shorter time range: 2009–2019. Consequently, PMs and ET trend investigations were focused on the whole times range (2000–2019); conversely, correlation analysis was achieved with reference to the reduced 2009–2019 period. The whole study was based on freely available data from public archives. MODIS products, namely MOD13Q1 v.6 and MOD16A2, were used to derive PM and ET trends, respectively. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Terrain Model (DTM) was used to describe local topography; CORINE Land Cover map was adopted to describe land use classes. PMs and ET (as derivable from EO data) proved to significantly changed their values in the last 20 years, with a continuous progressive trend. As far as correlation analysis was concerned, ET and some PMs (specifically, End of Season (EOS) and Length of Season (LOS) proved significantly condition IKC prevalence. According to results, the proposed methodology can be retained as an effective tool for supporting public health and eco-pathological sectors. Specifically, it can be intended for a continuous monitoring of effects that climatic dynamics determine onto wild animals in the Alpine area, included diseases and zoonosis, moving future environmental management and planning towards the One Health perspective. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Climate change; Correlation methods; Electrooptical devices; Environmental management; Land use; Landforms; Mammals; Radiometers; Remote sensing; Surveying; Temperature control; Topography; Tracking radar; Vegetation; Contagious disease; Continuous monitoring; Correlation analysis; Digital terrain model; Phenological trends; Remotely sensed data; Satellite remote sensing; Shuttle radar topography mission; Time series analysis |
| Antibiotic resistance of escherichia coli isolated from conventional, no antibiotics, and humane family owned retail broiler chicken meat | The use of antibiotics for therapeutic and especially non-therapeutic purposes in livestock farms promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in previously susceptible bacteria through selective pressure. In this work, we examined E. coli isolates using the standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility protocol and the CLSI standards. Companies selling retail chicken products in Los Angeles, California were grouped into three production groupings—Conventional, No Antibiotics, and Humane Family Owned. Humane Family Owned is not a federally regulated category in the United States, but shows the reader that the chicken is incubated, hatched, raised, slaughtered, and packaged by one party, ensuring that the use of antibiotics in the entire production of the chicken is known and understood. We then examined the antibiotic resistance of the E. coli isolates (n = 325) by exposing them to seven common antibiotics, and resistance was seen to two of the antibiotics, ampicillin and erythromycin. As has been shown previously, it was found that for both ampicillin and erythromycin, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between Conventional and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)-certified No Antibiotics chicken. Unique to this work, we additionally found that Humane Family Owned chicken had fewer (p ≤ 0.05) antibiotic-resistant E. coli isolates than both of the previous. Although not considered directly clinically relevant, we chose to test erythromycin because of its ecological significance to the environmental antibiotic resistome, which is not generally done. To our knowledge, Humane Family Owned consumer chicken has not previously been studied for its antibiotic resistance. This work contributes to a better understanding of a potential strategy of chicken production for the overall benefit of human health, giving evidentiary support to the One Health approach implemented by the World Health Organization. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | ampicillin; cefoperazone; doxycycline; erythromycin; gentamicin; levofloxacin; oxytetracycline; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial purification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; broiler; chicken meat; conventional broiler chicken meat; disk diffusion; Escherichia coli; humane family owned broiler chicken meat; incubation time; investigative procedures; Kirby Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test; no antibiotics use broiler chicken meat; nonhuman; zone of inhibition |
| A One Health framework for integrated service delivery in Turkana County, Kenya | Pastoralists in sub-Saharan Africa have limited access to public services due to their mobile lifestyle, economic and political marginalization, and the limited health infrastructure that is common to arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) where they primarily reside. This often results in poor health outcomes, including increased rates of maternal, neonatal, and under-5 mortality. One Health approaches that integrate human and animal health service delivery can help to improve pastoralists’ health through increased vaccine coverage and improved access to services. Kenya has institutionalized One Health at the national level; however, progress at the subnational level has been limited due to sustainability concerns, competing priorities, and insufficient coordination platforms. To address this gap, this paper presents a One Health framework (OHF) to aid in the implementation of integrated human and animal health policies in Turkana County, which can act as a model for other ASALs. Utilizing a grounded theory design, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with human health, animal health, and pastoralist stakeholders. Inadequate engagement with the public sector was identified as a major limitation by community members. Factors that contributed to this include distance to health facilities and restricted department capacities such as availability of vehicles, personnel, and cold chain maintenance. Our proposed OHF harnesses the existing structure of service delivery in Turkana and establishes an official coordination mechanism to implement One Health activities, through the form of mobile “One Health Huduma Centres”, offering a range of public services. This innovative framework is supported by stakeholders in Turkana and can improve service delivery constraints thereby improving the health of Turkana pastoralists. © 2020, The Author(s). |
| Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Detected in Mountain Gorilla Respiratory Outbreaks | Respiratory illness (RI) accounts for a large proportion of mortalities in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), and fatal outbreaks, including disease caused by human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, have heightened concern about the risk of human pathogen transmission to this endangered species, which is not only critically important to the biodiversity of its ecosystem but also to the economies of the surrounding human communities. Our goal was to conduct a molecular epidemiologic study to detect the presence of HRSV and HMPV in fecal samples from wild human-habituated free-ranging mountain gorillas in Rwanda and to evaluate the role of these viruses in RI outbreaks. Fecal samples were collected from gorillas with clinical signs of RI between June 2012 and February 2013 and tested by real-time and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays; comparison fecal samples were obtained from gorillas without clinical signs of RI sampled during the 2010 Virunga gorilla population census. PCR assays detected HMPV and HRSV first in spiked samples; subsequently, HRSV-A, the worldwide-circulating ON1 genotype, was detected in 12 of 20 mountain gorilla fecal samples collected from gorillas with RI during outbreaks, but not in samples from animals without respiratory illness. Our findings confirmed that pathogenic human respiratory viruses are transmitted to gorillas and that they are repeatedly introduced into mountain gorilla populations from people, attesting to the need for stringent biosecurity measures for the protection of gorilla health. © 2020, The Author(s). | Animals; Disease Outbreaks; Ecosystem; Feces; Gorilla gorilla; Humans; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; animal; ecosystem; epidemic; feces; Gorilla gorilla; human; Human respiratory syncytial virus |
| Punishment to support: The need to align animal control enforcement with the human social justice movement | Due to inherent and systemic biases, animal control policies in the US are over-enforced in low-income communities and communities of color, resulting in worse health outcomes for the pets in these communities. These outcomes are exemplified by higher confiscation, relinquishment, and euthanasia rates, lower return to owner rates, and extended lengths of stay in animal shelters. The Humane Communities framework operationalizes One Health and One Welfare concepts to comprehensively address issues of inequity at both the individual and structural levels to improve animal control policy and outcomes. Person-centered and culturally competent policies and programs that focus resources on addressing root causes of pet health and welfare issues as opposed to an emphasis on code enforcement can create more positive, scalable, and sustainable improvements in human, other animal, and environmental health and welfare outcomes. This shift from punishment-oriented approaches to support-based models of animal control aligns the animal welfare field with the modern human social justice movement. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | adult; animal experiment; animal model; animal welfare; article; controlled study; environmental health; euthanasia; female; human; length of stay; lowest income group; male; nonhuman; One Health; punishment; social justice |
| Harmonized one health trans-species and community surveillance for tackling antibacterial resistance in india: Protocol for a mixed methods study | Background: India has the largest burden of drug-resistant organisms compared with other countries around the world, including multiresistant and extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis and resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Antibiotic resistant bacteria are found in all living hosts and in the environment and move between hosts and ecosystems. An intricate interplay of infections, exposure to antibiotics, and disinfectants at individual and community levels among humans, animals, birds, and fishes triggers evolution and spread of resistance. The One Health framework proposes addressing antibiotic resistance as a complex multidisciplinary problem. However, the evidence base in the Indian context is limited. Objective: This multisectoral, trans-species surveillance project aims to document the infection and resistance patterns of 7 resistant-priority bacteria and the risk factors for resistance following the One Health framework and geospatial epidemiology. Methods: This hospital- and community-based surveillance adopts a cross-sectional design with mixed methodology (quantitative, qualitative, and spatial) data collection. This study is being conducted at 6 microbiology laboratories and communities in Khurda district, Odisha, India. The laboratory surveillance collects data on bacteria isolates from different hosts and their resistance patterns. The hosts for infection surveillance include humans, animals (livestock, food chain, and pet animals), birds (poultry), and freshwater fishes (not crustaceans). For eligible patients, animals, birds and fishes, detailed data from their households or farms on health care seeking (for animals, birds and fishes, the illness, and care seeking of the caretakers), antibiotic use, disinfection practices, and neighborhood exposure to infection risks will be collected. Antibiotic prescription and use patterns at hospitals and clinics, and therapeutic and nontherapeutic antibiotic and disinfectant use in farms will also be collected. Interviews with key informants from animal breeding, agriculture, and food processing will explore the perceptions, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use. The data analysis will follow quantitative (descriptive and analytical), qualitative, and geospatial epidemiology principles. Results: The study was funded in May 2019 and approved by Institute Ethics Committees in March 2019. The data collection started in September 2019 and shall continue till March 2021. As of June 2020, data for 56 humans, 30 animals and birds, and fishes from 10 ponds have been collected. Data analysis is yet to be done. Conclusions: This study will inform about the bacterial infection and resistance epidemiology among different hosts, the risk factors for infection, and resistance transmission. In addition, it will identify the potential triggers and levers for further exploration and action. © HOTSTAR-India Study Group, Manoja Kumar Das, Ashoka Mahapatra, Basanti Pathi, Rajashree Panigrahy, Swetalona Pattnaik, Sudhansu Shekhar Mishra, Samarendra Mahapatro, Priyabrat Swain, Jayakrushna Das, Shikha Dixit, Satya Narayan Sahoo, Rakesh N Pillai. |
| A “One-Health” approach for diagnosis and molecular characterization of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy | The current pandemic is caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV) called SARS-CoV-2 (species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, subgenus Sarbecovirus, genus Betacoronavirus, family Coronaviridae). In Italy, up to the 2nd of April 2020, overall 139,422 confirmed cases and 17,669 deaths have been notified, while 26,491 people have recovered. Besides the overloading of hospitals, another issue to face was the capacity to perform thousands of tests per day. In this perspective, to support the National Health Care System and to minimize the impact of this rapidly spreading virus, the Italian Ministry of Health involved the Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (IZSs), Veterinary Public Health Institutes, in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 by testing human samples. The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise is currently testing more than 600 samples per day and performing whole genome sequencing from positive samples. Sequence analysis of these samples suggested that different viral variants may be circulating in Italy, and so in Abruzzo region. CoVs, and related diseases, are well known to veterinarians since decades. The experience that veterinarians operating within the Public Health system gained in the control and characterization of previous health issues of livestock and poultry including avian flu, bluetongue, foot and mouth disease, responsible for huge economic losses, is certainly of great help to minimize the impact of this global crisis. © 2020 The Authors | adolescent; adult; aged; Article; avian influenza; bluetongue; child; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; female; food quality; foot and mouth disease; health care system; human; infant; Italy; livestock; major clinical study; male; middle aged; molecular diagnosis; newborn; One Health; poultry; quality control; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; very elderly; veterinarian; whole genome sequencing; young adult |
| Azole resistance in Candida from animals calls for the One Health approach to tackle the emergence of antimicrobial resistance | This study initially aimed at investigating the occurrence of azole resistance among Candida spp. from animals and analyzing the involvement of efflux pumps in the resistance phenomenon. Then, the dynamics of antifungal resistance was assessed, by comparing the antifungal epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) against C. albicans and C. tropicalis from humans and animals. Fifty azole-resistant isolates (24 C. albicans, 24 C. tropicalis; 2 C. parapsilosis sensu lato) were submitted to the efflux pump inhibition assay with promethazine and significant MIC reductions were observed for fluconazole (2 to 250-fold) and itraconazole (16 to 4000-fold). Then, the antifungal ECVs against C. albicans and C. tropicalis from human and animal isolates were compared. Fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole ECVs against human isolates were lower than those against animal isolates. Based on the antifungal ECVs against human isolates, only 33.73%, 50.39% and 63.53% of C. albicans and 52.23%, 61.85% and 55.17% of C. tropicalis from animals were classified as wild-type for fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Therefore, efflux-mediated mechanisms are involved in azole resistance among Candida spp. from animals and this phenomenon seems to emerge in animal-associated niches, pointing to the existence of environmental drivers of resistance and highlighting the importance of the One Health approach to control it. © The Author(s) 2020. | Animals; Antifungal Agents; Candida albicans; Candida parapsilosis; Candida tropicalis; Candidiasis; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Female; Fluconazole; Humans; Itraconazole; Male; Voriconazole; fluconazole; itraconazole; promethazine; voriconazole; antifungal agent; fluconazole; itraconazole; voriconazole; antifungal resistance; antifungal susceptibility; Article; Candida albicans; Candida parapsilosis; Candida tropicalis; controlled study; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; One Health; species comparison; wild type; animal; antifungal resistance; Candida albicans; Candida parapsilosis; Candida tropicalis; candidiasis; comparative study; drug effect; female; human; male; veterinary medicine |
| First report of an escherichia coli strain carrying the colistin resistance determinant mcr-1 from a dog in south korea | We studied the presence of the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in Escherichia coli isolates recovered from fecal and urine samples of companion animals, that were collected from South Korea in 2018 and 2019. The mcr-1 gene was detected in one colistin-resistant E. coli isolated from a diarrheic dog. The isolate exhibited additional resistance to multiple antimicrobials, including fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. The mcr-1 carrying isolate belonged to ST160. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern of our strain differed from those ST160 E. coli strains previously identified from chickens in Korea. The mcr-1 gene was identified in the IncI2 plasmid. It was also transferred to E. coli J53 recipient strain, with a conjugation efficiency of 2.8 × 10−4 . Average nucleotide identity analysis demonstrated that the mcr-1-carrying plasmid in this study was closely related to those from patients in Korea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr-1 carrying E. coli from a companion animal in South Korea. Our findings support One Health approach is necessary to prevent the dissemination of this high-risk gene. © 2020, MDPI AG. All rights reserved. | ampicillin; cefalotin; cefazolin; cefovecin; ceftiofur; cephalosporin derivative; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; doxycycline; enrofloxacin; gentamicin; marbofloxacin; quinolone derivative; RNA 16S; sodium azide; streptomycin; sulfafurazole; tetracycline; ticarcillin; trimethoprim; unclassified drug; xbal enzyme; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium detection; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; bioassay; bioinformatics; broth dilution; colistin resistance; comparative study; conjugation assay; dog; Escherichia coli; feces analysis; gene; gene identification; gene sequence; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; mcr 1 gene; minimum inhibitory concentration; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; phylogenetic tree; plasmid; priority journal; pulsed field gel electrophoresis; sequence alignment; South Korea; urinalysis |
| The control of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminthoses using saprophytic fungi | Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are parasites transmitted through contact with soil contaminated with their infective eggs/larvae. People are infected by exposure to human-specific species or animal species (zoonotic agents). Fecal samples containing eggs of Ascaris suum or Lemurostrongylus sp. were sprayed with spores of the soil saprophytic filamentous fungi Clonostachys rosea (CR) and Trichoderma atrobrunneum (TA). The antagonistic effect was assessed by estimating the viability of eggs and their developmental rate. Compared to the controls (unexposed to fungi), the viability of the eggs of A. suum was halved in CR and decreased by two thirds in TA, while the viability of the eggs of Lemurostrongylus sp. was reduced by one quarter and one third in CR and TA treatments, respectively. The Soil Contamination Index (SCI), defined as the viable eggs that attained the infective stage, reached the highest percentages for A. suum in the controls after four weeks (66%), with 21% in CL and 11% in TA. For Lemurostrongylus sp., the values were 80%, 49%, and 41% for control, CR and TA treatments, respectively. We concluded that spreading spores of C. rosea or T. atrobrunneum directly onto the feces of animal species represents a sustainable approach under a One Health context to potentially reduce the risk of zoonotic STHs in humans. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Article; Ascaris suum; Clonostachys rosea; colony forming unit; controlled study; Duddingtonia; feces analysis; filamentous fungus; helminth; helminthiasis; larva; Lemurostrongylus; Mucor circinelloides; nonhuman; oocyte development; parasite load; saprotroph; soil pollution; Trichoderma; Trichoderma atrobrunneum; Verticillium; worm egg; zoonosis |
| Bioaerosol sampling optimization for community exposure assessment in cities with poor sanitation: A one health cross-sectional study | Evidence of exposure to enteric pathogens through the air and associated risk of infection is scarce in the literature outside of animal- or human-waste handling settings. Cities with poor sanitation are important locations to investigate this aerial exposure pathway as their rapid growth will pose unprecedented challenges in waste management. To address this issue, simple surveillance methods are needed. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to optimize a community exposure bioaerosol surveillance strategy for urban outdoor locations with poor sanitation, and to determine which bioaerosols could contribute to exposure. Passive and active bioaerosol sampling methods were used to characterize the fate and transport of sanitation-related bioaerosols during the rainy and dry seasons in La Paz, Bolivia. Median coliform bacteria fluxes were 71 CFU/(m2 × h) during the rainy season and 64 CFU/(m2 × h) during the dry season, with 38% of the dry season samples testing positive for E. coli. Wind speed, relative humidity and UVB irradiance were identified as significant covariates to consider in bioaerosol transport models in La Paz. Active sampling yielded one positive sample (10%) for human adenovirus (HadV) and one sample (10%) for influenza A virus during the rainy season. HadV was detected at the site with the highest bacterial flux. Four samples (8%) were positive for influenza A virus in the dry season. These findings suggest that aerosols can contribute to community exposure to potentially pathogenic microorganisms in cities with poor sanitation. The use of passive sampling, despite its limitations, can provide quantitative data on microorganisms’ viability within realistic timeframes of personal exposure. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. | Aerosols; Air Microbiology; Animals; Bolivia; Cities; Cross-Sectional Studies; Escherichia coli; Humans; One Health; Sanitation; Bolivia; La Paz [Bolivia]; Animalia; Bacteria (microorganisms); Human adenovirus; Influenza A virus; Antennas; Drought; Escherichia coli; Lanthanum; Sanitation; Viruses; Waste management; Wind; Cross-sectional study; Exposure assessment; Fate and transport; Influenza A virus; Pathogenic microorganisms; Personal exposures; Surveillance methods; Surveillance strategies; aerosol; air exposure; atmospheric transport; coliform bacterium; environmental fate; optimization; sampling; sanitation; seasonality; aerosol; article; Bolivia; case report; city; clinical article; coliform bacterium; cross-sectional study; dry season; human; Human adenovirus C; humidity; infectious agent; Influenza A virus; microorganism; nonhuman; rainy season; ultraviolet B radiation; waste management; wind speed; animal; city; cross-sectional study; Escherichia coli; microbiology; One Health; sanitation; Aerosols |
| Prevalence and epidemiology of multidrug‐resistant pathogens in the food chain and the urban environment in northwestern germany | The surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among humans and food‐producing animals is important to monitor the zoonotic transmission of multidrug‐resistant bacteria (MDRB). We assessed the prevalence of four MDRB within the meat production chain, including extendedspectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing, carbapenemase‐producing Enterobacterales (CPE) and colistin‐resistant Enterobacterales (Col‐E), as well as vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE). In total, 505 samples from four stages of meat production, i.e., slaughterhouses, meat‐processing plants, fresh food products and the urban environment, were collected in northwestern Germany in 2018/2019 and screened for the presence of MDRB using both culture‐based and PCR‐based techniques. We detected genes encoding for carbapenemases in 9–56% (blaOXA‐48, blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM) and colistin resistance‐encoding mcr genes in 9–26% of the samples from all stages. Culture‐based analysis found CPE and VRE only in environmental samples (11% and 7%, respectively), but Col‐E and ESBL‐producers in 1–7% and 12–46% of samples from all stages, respectively. Overall, our results showed that ESBL‐producers and mcr‐carrying Col‐E were common in food‐producing animals at slaughterhouses, in meat‐processing plants and in food items at retail, while CPE and VRE were only found in the environment. The discrepancy between detected carbapenemase genes and isolated CPE emphasizes the need for more sensitive detection methods for CPE monitoring. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | beta lactamase; carbapenemase; extended spectrum beta lactamase; vancomycin; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterium detection; bacterium isolate; Enterobacter aerogenes; Enterobacterales; Escherichia coli; food chain; gene expression; gene sequence; Germany; intestine flora; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; minimum inhibitory concentration; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Staphylococcus pseudintermedius; urban area; vancomycin resistant Enterococcus; whole genome sequencing |
| Responsible ownership for cats and dogs from different urban neighborhoods of the City of Umuarama, Paraná, Brazill; [Guarda responsável de gatos e cães de diferentes bairros da cidade de Umuarama, Paraná, Brasil] | The article analyzed the responsible care of dogs and cats of different urban neighborhoods of the City of Umuarama, PR. We interviewed 53 owners by means of a directed questionnaire, obtaining 106 animals evaluated indirectly. It was possible to determine several aspects related to the behavior of owners and important data related to animal welfare, and the deficiency of reproductive control being an important factor verified in this study. It was concluded that the responsible care is not fully exercised by the evaluated population of Umuarama, making urgent the elaboration of public policies to improve this situation. © 2020 Society of Veterinary Medicine of the State of Rio de Janeiro. All rights reserved. | animal welfare; article; cat; dog; human experiment; neighborhood; nonhuman; public policy; vaccination |
| A one health framework to estimate the cost of antimicrobial resistance | Objectives/purpose: The costs attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain theoretical and largely unspecified. Current figures fail to capture the full health and economic burden caused by AMR across human, animal, and environmental health; historically many studies have considered only direct costs associated with human infection from a hospital perspective, primarily from high-income countries. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Platform for ONE-Burden Estimates (GAP-ON€) network has developed a framework to help guide AMR costing exercises in any part of the world as a first step towards more comprehensive analyses for comparing AMR interventions at the local level as well as more harmonized analyses for quantifying the full economic burden attributable to AMR at the global level. Methods: GAP-ON€ (funded under the JPIAMR 8th call (Virtual Research Institute) is composed of 19 international networks and institutions active in the field of AMR. For this project, the Network operated by means of Delphi rounds, teleconferences and face-to-face meetings. The resulting costing framework takes a bottom-up approach to incorporate all relevant costs imposed by an AMR bacterial microbe in a patient, in an animal, or in the environment up through to the societal level. Results: The framework itemizes the epidemiological data as well as the direct and indirect cost components needed to build a realistic cost picture for AMR. While the framework lists a large number of relevant pathogens for which this framework could be used to explore the costs, the framework is sufficiently generic to facilitate the costing of other resistant pathogens, including those of other aetiologies. Conclusion: In order to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses to choose amongst different AMR-related interventions at local level, the costing of AMR should be done according to local epidemiological priorities and local health service norms. Yet the use of a common framework across settings allows for the results of such studies to contribute to cumulative estimates that can serve as the basis of broader policy decisions at the international level such as how to steer R&D funding and how to prioritize AMR amongst other issues. Indeed, it is only by building a realistic cost picture that we can make informed decisions on how best to tackle major health threats. © 2020, The Author(s). | Animals; Cost of Illness; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Health Care Costs; Humans; Infections; One Health; antibiotic resistance; article; bullock; cost effectiveness analysis; environmental health; exercise; funding; high income country; human; infectious agent; male; microorganism; nonhuman; quantitative analysis; teleconference; theoretical study; animal; cost benefit analysis; cost of illness; economics; health care cost; One Health |
| Perception of health risks in Lao market vendors | Wet markets are a critical part of South-East Asian culture and economy. However, their role in circulation and transmission of both endemic and emerging disease is a source of concern in a region considered a hotspot of disease emergence. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR, Laos), live and dead wild animals are frequently found in wet markets, despite legislation against the bushmeat trade. This is generally considered to increase the risk of disease transmission and emergence, although whether or not wildlife vendors themselves have indeed increased incidence of zoonotic disease has rarely been assessed. In preparation for a future longitudinal study of market vendors investigating vendors’ exposure to zoonotic pathogens, we conducted a pilot survey of Lao market vendors of wildlife meat, livestock meat and vegetables, to identify demographic characteristics and potential control groups within markets. We also investigated baseline risk perception for infectious diseases among market vendors and assessed the association between risk perception and risk mitigation behaviours. The surveys conducted with 177 vendors revealed similar age, sex, ethnic background and geographical origin between vendor types, but differences in professional background and work history for livestock meat vendors. The perception of disease risk was very low across all vendors, as was the reported use of personal protective equipment, and the two appeared unrelated. Personal risk discounting and assumptions about transmission routes may explain this lack of association. This information will help inform the development of future research, risk communication and risk mitigation policy, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2020 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH | Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Animals, Wild; Commerce; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Laos; Livestock; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Meat; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Pilot Projects; Risk Factors; Young Adult; Zoonoses; adolescent; adult; aged; Article; controlled study; demography; disease transmission; female; geography; government regulation; health hazard; human; job market; Laos; livestock market; longitudinal study; male; pandemic; perception; priority journal; vegetable; wet market; wild meat; zoonosis; zoonotic transmission; animal; attitude to health; commercial phenomena; cross-sectional study; Laos; livestock; meat; middle aged; pandemic; pilot study; risk factor; virology; wild animal; young adult; zoonosis |
| Fatal and nonfatal snakebite injuries reported in the United States | Objectives Venomous and nonvenomous snakes are found throughout the United States. Two families of venomous snakes are indigenous to this country: the Viperidae, or pit vipers (rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads), and the Elapidae (three species of coral snakes and a sea snake). Bites from captive nonindigenous venomous snakes such as cobras also may present at medical facilities, given the interest in exotic pet ownership in the United States. Even “dry,”nonenvenomating snakebites and those from nonvenomous snakes can result in puncture wounds that require medical evaluation. This article presents updated national estimates of snakebite injuries treated in US emergency departments (EDs). Methods Data on nonfatal snakebite injuries were abstracted from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (2001-2015). Variables included age, sex, body part affected, cause, disposition, and treatment month. The snake species were coded based on narrative comments. Estimates were weighted and analyzed with SAS 9.4. Data on fatal snakebites were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiological Research (1999-2017). Results From 2001-2015, an estimated 137,800 snakebite injuries were treated in US EDs (crude rate: 3.0 individuals per 100,000 population). The majority of patients were male (70.7%; crude rate 4.4/100,000 population). Arms/hands (46.8%) and legs/feet (46.1%) were the primary body parts injured. The majority of patients were treated and released (67.1%); however, nearly 30% were hospitalized or transferred to another hospital. Two-thirds of the cases involved a nonvenomous or unknown snake (67.7%). Among venomous encounters, 70.3% involved a rattlesnake. For fatal snakebites, an average of 6 deaths per year was reported (range 2-12). Conclusions Although rare, nonfatal snakebites in this study resulted in an estimated average of 9192 annual visits to EDs (roughly 1 visit per hour) and an average of 6 fatal snakebites per year. Epidemiologic data on snakebite injuries provide healthcare providers, public health officials, and veterinarians with information on populations at risk for snakebites, species of snakes likely to be encountered, and guidance for prevention efforts. © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. | Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Agkistrodon; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Crotalus; Elapidae; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Snake Bites; United States; Young Adult; adolescent; adult; age; aged; arm; Article; child; controlled study; Crotalus; disease course; emergency ward; epidemiological data; fatality; female; foot; gender; geography; government; hand; hospitalization; human; infant; leg; major clinical study; male; middle aged; newborn; nonvenomous snake; patient transport; poisonous snake; preschool child; school child; snake; snakebite; United States; young adult; Agkistrodon; animal; Elapidae; hospital emergency service; mortality; snakebite; United States |
| Veterinarians and One Health in the Fight Against Zoonoses Such as COVID-19 | [No abstract available] | animal health; Article; coronavirus disease 2019; human; infection control; nonhuman; One Health; pandemic; public health; veterinarian; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Teaching the basics of the One Health concept to undergraduate veterinary students | The increasingly acknowledged “One Word, One Health” (OH) concept studies the collaborative multi-disciplinary approaches for the assessment of human and animal health and the environment. This study provides information about a module of activities created to teach the OH concept to undergraduate veterinary students. The module consisted of three different activities: theoretical classes, teamwork for the preparation of different concepts and practical examples related to OH, and public presentations of the students of these practical cases. This module was evaluated by two questionnaires’ consisting of online surveys, which were filled in before (questionnaire 1, Q1) and after (questionnaire 2, Q2) the module about OH. Before the course, 80% of students recognized to have a poor or very poor knowledge about OH, and a 71% failed to include the three main items of the OH concept (humans, animals and environment) in their answers. After the course, the general knowledge about OH was improved and most students evaluated the course positively, although the lack of time and the high number of students per group were pointed out as the main drawbacks. In conclusion, the module of activities described in this report contributed to the increase of OH knowledge by veterinary students and could be a resource for future advances to improve the teaching of the OH concept in the curricula at University level in Veterinary and other Degrees related with OH. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Curriculum; Education, Veterinary; Female; Humans; Male; One Health; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching; article; attitude to health; case report; clinical article; human; human experiment; learning; One Health; questionnaire; teaching; teamwork; theoretical study; veterinary student; vocational education; animal; curriculum; education; female; male; student |
| Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus replication in primary human cells reveals potential susceptibility to infection | Zoonotic coronaviruses represent an ongoing threat, yet the myriads of circulating animal viruses complicate the identification of higher-risk isolates that threaten human health. Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is a newly discovered, highly pathogenic virus that likely evolved from closely related HKU2 bat coronaviruses, circulating in Rhinolophus spp. bats in China and elsewhere. As coronaviruses cause severe economic losses in the pork industry and swine are key intermediate hosts of human disease outbreaks, we synthetically resurrected a recombinant virus (rSADS-CoV) as well as a derivative encoding tomato red fluorescent protein (tRFP) in place of ORF3. rSADS-CoV replicated efficiently in a variety of continuous animal and primate cell lines, including human liver and rectal carcinoma cell lines. Of concern, rSADS-CoV also replicated efficiently in several different primary human lung cell types, as well as primary human intestinal cells. rSADS-CoV did not use human coronavirus ACE-2, DPP4, or CD13 receptors for docking and entry. Contemporary human donor sera neutralized the group I human coronavirus NL63, but not rSADS-CoV, suggesting limited human group I coronavirus cross protective herd immunity. Importantly, remdesivir, a broad-spectrum nucleoside analog that is effective against other group 1 and 2 coronaviruses, efficiently blocked rSADS-CoV replication in vitro. rSADS-CoV demonstrated little, if any, replicative capacity in either immune-competent or immunodeficient mice, indicating a critical need for improved animal models. Efficient growth in primary human lung and intestinal cells implicate SADS-CoV as a potential higher-risk emerging coronavirus pathogen that could negatively impact the global economy and human health. © 2020 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. | Adenosine Monophosphate; Alanine; Alphacoronavirus; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Chlorocebus aethiops; Coronavirus Infections; Disease Susceptibility; Gene Expression; Host Specificity; Humans; Luminescent Proteins; Mice; Vero Cells; Virus Replication; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; dipeptidyl peptidase IV; microsomal aminopeptidase; red fluorescent protein; remdesivir; adenosine phosphate; alanine; photoprotein; remdesivir; animal cell; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; Article; cells by body anatomy; controlled study; drug efficacy; drug mechanism; hepatocellular carcinoma cell line; herd immunity; human; human cell; immunocompetence; in vitro study; infection risk; infection sensitivity; intestine cell; lung alveolus cell; molecular docking; mouse; nonhuman; open reading frame; primate; priority journal; rectum carcinoma; swine acute diarrhea syndrome; Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus; virus cell interaction; virus entry; virus inhibition; virus neutralization; virus recombinant; virus replication; virus strain; virus transmission; Alphacoronavirus; animal; cell culture; Chlorocebus aethiops; Coronavirus infection; disease predisposition; drug effect; gene expression; genetics; growth, development and aging; host range; physiology; Vero cell line; virology |
| Tsol18 vaccine and oxfendazole for control of taenia solium cysticercosis in pigs: A field trial in endemic areas of tanzania | A field trial was conducted in Tanzania to determine the effectiveness of TSOL18 vaccine used concurrently with oxfendazole (OFZ), and of OFZ alone, on T. solium cysticercosis determined by organ and half carcase dissection of slaughter age pigs. This study followed a quasi-experimental group design. Suitable trial sites were randomly allocated to either treatment group T1 (OFZ treatment alone [30mg/kg, Paranthic 10%]) or T2 (TSOL18 [1ml, Cysvax] plus OFZ). Three 4-monthly treatments were administered to eligible pigs. A ran-dom selection of pigs were necropsied at baseline and at endline, 2–3.5 months after the final treatment. Additionally, untreated pigs from T1 and T2 areas were necropsied at end-line to provide contemporaneous comparisons with T1 and T2 pigs. Baseline prevalence of viable T. solium cysticerci for T1 was 25.5% (Exact 95% CI: 13.9, 40.3; n = 12/47), and for T2 was 12.0% (CI: 6.4, 20.0; n = 12/100). At endline, prevalence was 2.8% for T1 (CI: 0.1, 14.5, n = 1/36) and 0% for T2 (CI: 0, 4.7, n = 0/77). Among untreated pigs, three had viable cysticerci, one from T1 area (12.5%, CI: 0.3, 52.7; n = 1/8) and two from T2 area (5.7%, CI: 0.7, 19.2, n = 2/35). Fisher’s exact test showed significant changes in prevalence from baseline to endline in both groups (T1: p = 0.005, T2: p = 0.001). Firth’s penalized Maximum Like-lihood method suggested the changes were not significant relative to their controls (T1: p = 0.245, T2: p = 0.076). These findings showed a significant reduction in the prevalence of viable cysticerci from baseline to endline after both interventions. However, the changes could not be definitively attributed to the interventions due, in part, to small numbers of control pigs. Concurrent administration of the TSOL18 and OFZ cleared infection among assessed pigs whereas infection remained after treatment with OFZ only. Further studies including larger sample sizes would be required for more definitive conclusions. A One Health approach is recommended for rapid and sustainable impact. © 2020 Kabululu et al. | Animals; Anthelmintics; Benzimidazoles; Cysticercosis; Female; Male; Swine; Swine Diseases; Taenia solium; Tanzania; Vaccines; oxfendazole; vaccine; anthelmintic agent; benzimidazole derivative; oxfendazole; vaccine; African swine fever; agricultural worker; animal experiment; animal model; animal welfare; Article; autopsy; carcass; controlled study; cysticercosis; echinococcosis; field study; hanging; masticatory muscle; muscle mass; nonhuman; One Health; pig; piroplasmosis; prevalence; prospective study; randomized controlled trial; sample size; Schistosoma mansoni; scolex; season; sheep; skin defect; Taenia solium; Tanzania; vaccination; visual field; animal; cysticercosis; female; genetics; immunology; male; parasitology; swine disease; Taenia solium; veterinary medicine |
| White paper: Bridging the gap between surveillance data and antimicrobial stewardship in the outpatient sector – Practical guidance from the JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks | Background: The outpatient setting is a key scenario for the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities, considering that overconsumption of antibiotics occursmainly outside hospitals. This publication is the result of a joint initiative by the JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks, which is aimed at formulating a set of target actions for linking surveillance data with AMS activities in the outpatient setting. Methods: A scoping review of the literature was carried out in three research areas: AMS leadership and accountability; antimicrobial usage and AMS; antimicrobial resistance and AMS. Consensus on the actions was reached through a RAND-modified Delphi process involving over 40 experts in infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, AMS, veterinary medicine or public health, from18 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Results: Evidence was retrieved from 38 documents, and an initial 25 target actions were proposed, differentiating between essential or desirable targets according to clinical relevance, feasibility and applicability to settings and resources. In the first consultation round, preliminary agreement was reached for all targets. Further to a second review, 6 statements were re-considered and 3 were deleted, leading to a final list of 22 target actions in the form of a practical checklist. Conclusions: This White Paper is a pragmatic and flexible tool to guide the development of calibrated surveillance-based AMS interventions specific to the outpatient setting, which is characterized by substantial inter- and intra-country variability in the organization of healthcare structures, maintaining a global perspective and taking into account the feasibility of the target actions in low-resource settings. © 2020 The Author(s). | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Hospitals; Humans; Magnets; Outpatients; antibiotic agent; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; consultation; Delphi study; drug monitoring; drug use; evidence based practice; health care organization; high income country; human; leadership; low income country; medical expert; middle income country; One Health; outpatient; outpatient care; practice guideline; public health; research priority; systematic review (topic); veterinary medicine; hospital; magnet |
| World no Tobacco day: Tobacco is a threat to the one health and sustainability; [Dia mundial sem tabaco: O tabaco é uma ameaça à saúde e à sustentabilidade] | On 31st May of every year, in honour of the ‘World No Tobacco Day (WNTD),’ the international community does organise various events and encourages avoiding all forms of Tobacco consumption. To commemorate WNTD-2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) has promoted awareness to highlight the link between Tobacco and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Because, Tobacco use is the second leading cause of CVD, after high blood pressure. In addition to CVD, Tobacco use is also known to cause many non-communicable diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and other complicated disorders caused by smoking. In fact, non-communicable diseases are now emerging as the primary disease burden. Globally, Tobacco use kills about 7 million people each year, and if the trend remains the same, then it will kill more than 8 million people per year by 2030. On the contrary, despite promoting awareness, the Tobacco industry is growing with little or no regulation. However, in the long run, the global community will not be able to afford business as usual as Tobacco has a direct impact on human health, environmental health and sustainable development. © 2020, Associacao Brasileira de Pos – Graduacao em Saude Coletiva. All rights reserved. | Global Health; Humans; One Health; Smoking; Tobacco; Tobacco Industry; Tobacco Use; epidemiology; global health; human; One Health; smoking; tobacco; tobacco industry; tobacco use |
| Detection and modeling of anti-Leptospira IgG prevalence in cats from Lisbon area and its correlation to retroviral infections, lifestyle, clinical and hematologic changes | Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global importance caused by Leptospira species. Rodents are the main reservoirs, known to shed the bacteria in urine, thus contaminating water and soil and infecting other animals and people. Leptospirosis has been re-emerging in both developing and developed countries including Europe. It has been hypothesized that cats could be asymptomatic carriers of Leptospira. This study aims to evaluate cats’ exposure to Leptospira in Lisbon, Portugal, by measuring IgG titres and correlating them with possible factors that may increase the risk of exposure in urban cats. Two hundred and forty-three samples were collected from the biobank. An ELISA test followed by a seroprevalence analysis using a finite mixture model was performed to detect and measure anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies titres. In parallel, a survey was conducted to identify possible risk factors for seropositivity. According to the ELISA test protocol, only twenty-three cats (9.5%; 95% CI =(6.1%;13.9%)) could be considered as seropositive to Leptospira antigens. However, when the same data were analysed by the best different mixture models, one hundred and forty-four cats (59.3%; 95%CI = (52.8%; 65.5%)) could be classified as intermediate and high antibody responders to Leptospira antigens. Seropositivity to Feline Immunodeficiency Virus infection (FIV) was found to be the only significant risk factor associated with anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies. In conclusion, the present studies raises the possibility of a higher exposure of cats to Leptospira than previously thought due to the identification of a subpopulation of cats with intermediate antibody levels. © 2020 The Authors | bacterium antibody; immunoglobulin G antibody; animal health; Article; cat; Feline immunodeficiency virus infection; Lentivirus infection; Leptospira; lifestyle; nonhuman; Portugal; retrovirus infection; seroprevalence |
| Applying one health methods to improve cocoa production in Bougainville: A case study | Cocoa production is the major contributor to livelihoods for farming families that constitute nearly two-thirds of the population of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). These families, living mostly in subsistence poverty as a result of the Bougainville Civil War (1988–98), have significantly reduced cocoa production. Efforts to rebuild the industry have not been realised, due to known agricultural factors such as labour shortages, pests and diseases, poor support for farmers from trained agricultural extension officers and inefficient cocoa supply chains. But cocoa production involves factors other than agricultural ones. This article describes how we applied One Health methods to design and undertake a 6-year research project in Bougainville to improve cocoa productivity. Maximising the health and wellbeing of farming families and increasing agricultural productivity we argue, requires an in-depth understanding of the non-linear interactions between health, labour, household decision-making, yields and incomes. © 2020 The Authors | Article; cacao; case study; crop production; decision making; deforestation; employment; environmental protection; fermentation; household; nonhuman; Papua New Guinea; plant yield; pollination; productivity; soil degradation; water supply; wellbeing |
| The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak from a one health perspective | The severe acute respiratory syndrome cornavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a new human coronavirus candidate recently detected in China that is now reported in people on inhabited continents. The virus shares a high level of identity with some bat coronaviruses and is recognised as a potentially zoonotic virus. We are utilizing the One Health concept to understand the emergence of the virus, as well as to point to some possible control strategies that might reduce the spread of the virus across the globe; thus, containment of such virus would be possible. © 2020 | anticoronavirus agent; severe acute respiratory syndrome vaccine; Article; bat; biological trait; conceptual framework; Coronavirinae; coronavirus disease 2019; Coronavirus infection; disease burden; drug efficacy; epidemic; hand washing; human; infection control; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; nonhuman; One Health; organismal interaction; physical chemistry; SARS coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; virogenesis; virus carrier; virus genome; virus replication; virus transmission |
| One Health promotion and the politics of dog management in remote, northern Australian communities | Community perspectives are rarely sought or integrated into dog management policy and practice. Dog management in remote communities in Australia has focused on reducing the number of dogs, which is often implemented by visiting veterinarians, despite widely-held opinions that fly-in-fly-out services provide only temporary solutions. We conducted participatory research in a group of remote communities in northern Australia to explore how dog-related problems arise and are managed, and explain their impacts from a One Health perspective. Over the course of a year, 53 residents from a range of backgrounds contributed through in-depth interviews with key community service providers, and informal semi-structured discussions with community residents. Free-roaming dogs have broader impacts on canine and human health than previously documented. Dog-keeping norms that enable free-roaming can enhance human and dog wellbeing and intra-family connectivity. This can also cause disengagement and conflict with other residents, leading to resentment and occasionally violence towards dogs. Dog-related problems are underpinned by constraints associated with remote-living, governance and differing sociocultural norms. Focusing on dog population reduction detracts from the welfare benefits and sociocultural value of free-roaming dogs and undermines community-determined management that can overcome constraints to support local values and co-promote canine and human wellbeing. © 2020, The Author(s). | Animal Welfare; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Australia; Community-Based Participatory Research; Dogs; Health Promotion; Humans; One Health; Politics; Public Policy; Rural Population; adult; animal experiment; article; Australia; controlled study; dog; female; health promotion; human; interview; male; nonhuman; One Health; participatory research; politics; resident; social welfare; violence; wellbeing; animal; animal welfare; domestic animal; health promotion; politics; procedures; public policy; rural population |
| Evaluation of integrated control of three dog transmitted zoonoses: Rabies, visceral leishmaniasis and cystic echinococcosis, in Morocco | The present study is a component of a major European research project, ICONZ (Integrated Control of Neglected Zoonoses). The objective of this component was to implement, and then evaluate an Integrated Control Intervention (ICI) against three dog transmitted zoonoses, namely rabies, visceral leishmaniasis, and cystic echinococcosis. This was undertaken in Sidi Kacem Province (northwestern Morocco) where 22 control and 22 treated douars (villages) were randomly allocated to two control and one evaluation interventions over a period of 13 months. Across the 44 douars, an overall total of 6922 dogs were registered, 4519 were vaccinated against rabies, and 2885 persons attended the complementary health education campaigns; whereas, within the 22 treated douars, 466 dogs received anti-sandfly collars (deltamethrin-impregnated) and 2487 were dewormed (praziquantel). Evaluation of the ICI, revealed that (i) a canine rabies vaccination coverage of 65.0% was achieved, (ii) the use of deltamethrin-impregnated collars for dogs provided highly significant protection (p = 0.01) against leishmaniasis infection of more than 44%, and up to 100% for dogs that had kept the collar until the end of the intervention, (iii) despite a non-significant difference (p>0.05), dog-deworming with praziquantel yielded a reduction in the rate of Echinococcus granulosus infection, and (iv) health education was successful in improving respondents’ knowledge; However, the target communities remained unconvinced of the necessity of changing some of their risky behaviours. Lastly, the estimated total cost of the global intervention, including its research components, was US$ 143,050, of which 67% was for disease control work with clear evidence of significant economies of scale due to targeting three diseases together. It appears from this study that the integrated control approach against the three zoonoses was effective on both economic and logistical levels. © 2020 | Animals; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Echinococcosis; Health Education; Humans; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Rabies; Vaccination; Zoonoses; Morocco; Rabat-Sale-Kenitra; Sidi Kacem; Canis familiaris; Echinococcus granulosus; deltamethrin; praziquantel; rabies vaccine; canid; disease control; disease transmission; echinococcosis; health education; leishmaniasis; rabies; vaccination; antihelminthic therapy; Article; controlled study; dog; echinococcosis; health education; infection control; knowledge; Morocco; nonhuman; rabies; register; vaccination; visceral leishmaniasis; animal; dog disease; echinococcosis; human; rabies; veterinary medicine; visceral leishmaniasis; zoonosis |
| Demystifying and Demonstrating the Value of a One Health Approach to Parasitological Challenges | The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health and encourages collaboration between diverse disciplines to address complex health problems. In this paper, 3 academics, with diverse training, experience and backgrounds who each work on different pathogenic parasites, will share their stories of tackling parasitic challenges by applying a One Health approach. The pathogenic parasites to be discussed include the helminth Taenia solium and protozoans Giardia, Theileria, Babesia, Neospora and Toxoplasma species. The 3 narratives focus on research and clinical case-based challenges and illustrate where collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health scientists either has or could lead to improved control of human and animal health as well as important research discoveries. The need for better evaluation of interventions and scientific evidence to support changes in clinical practice and encourage enhanced collaboration between human and veterinary clinicians, as well as new governmental policies to improve public and wildlife health, are described. The need for a range of evidence-based metrics to monitor the success and impact of the One Health approach to veterinary parasitology is also discussed. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. | animal health; article; Babesia; clinical practice; controlled study; environmental health; Giardia; helminth; human; narrative; Neospora; nonhuman; One Health; parasitology; protozoon; public policy; Taenia solium; Theileria; Toxoplasma; veterinary medicine; wildlife |
| Ecological Fever: The Evolutionary History of Coronavirus in Human-Wildlife Relationships | [No abstract available] |
| Towards integrated surveillance-response systems for the prevention of future pandemics | Most human pathogens originate from non-human hosts and certain pathogens persist in animal reservoirs. The transmission of such pathogens to humans may lead to self-sustaining chains of transmission. These pathogens represent the highest risk for future pandemics. For their prevention, the transmission over the species barrier-although rare-should, by all means, be avoided. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, surprisingly though, most of the current research concentrates on the control by drugs and vaccines, while comparatively little scientific inquiry focuses on future prevention. Already in 2012, the World Bank recommended to engage in a systemic One Health approach for zoonoses control, considering integrated surveillance-response and control of human and animal diseases for primarily economic reasons. First examples, like integrated West Nile virus surveillance in mosquitos, wild birds, horses and humans in Italy show evidence of financial savings from a closer cooperation of human and animal health sectors. Provided a zoonotic origin can be ascertained for the COVID-19 pandemic, integrated wildlife, domestic animal and humans disease surveillance-response may contribute to prevent future outbreaks. In conclusion, the earlier a zoonotic pathogen can be detected in the environment, in wildlife or in domestic animals; and the better human, animal and environmental surveillance communicate with each other to prevent an outbreak, the lower are the cumulative costs. © 2020 The Author(s). | Animal Diseases; Animals; Betacoronavirus; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Coronavirus Infections; Disease Reservoirs; Epidemiological Monitoring; Humans; Italy; One Health; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Zoonoses; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; animal health; Article; brucellosis; coronavirus disease 2019; disease surveillance; disease transmission; ecosystem; human; livestock; Middle East respiratory syndrome; nonhuman; pandemic; priority journal; Q fever; rabies; schistosomiasis; vaccination; West Nile virus; animal; animal disease; Betacoronavirus; communicable disease; Coronavirus infection; disease carrier; economics; epidemiological monitoring; Italy; One Health; pandemic; veterinary medicine; virology; virus pneumonia; zoonosis |
| Saving ‘Ōhi’a: A case study on the influence of human behavior on ecological degradation through an examination of rapid ‘Ōhi’a death and its impacts on the Hawaiian Islands | ‘Ōhi’a lehua is a species of tree endemic to the islands of Hawai’i. Its existence is vital to the survival of many pollinator insects and endangered bird species and to the integrity of multiple islands’ watersheds. Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death (ROD) is an emerging fungal disease that poses a significant health risk for these trees and is spread by human traffic, ambrosia beetles, and wind dispersal. Loss of ‘Ōhi’a forests will negatively affect Hawai’i’s economy and ecology and will have detrimental impacts on Hawaiian culture, particularly because of the role of lehua flowers in hula. While transmission of ROD Death is not yet fully understood, human activity is currently considered the main proponent of its spread. Hawai’i’s economy is largely built on the tourism industry; however, tourists are often unaware of the disease and the practices implemented to contain the current outbreak while visiting the Hawaiian Islands. ROD is a conservation issue that connects humans with the environment and must be addressed using a one-health perspective. This article aims to elucidate the anthropogenic factors contributing to the depletion of ‘Ōhi’a lehua through the spread of ROD and to propose prevention measures that can be adopted by citizens and visitors. At the end of this case study, readers will understand the cultural, ecological, and economic significance of ‘Ōhi’a lehua. Readers will also be able to identify important stakeholders and examine the complexity of behavior change in conservation issues. © 2018 by the Regents of the University of California. | Hawaiian Islands; bird; conservation planning; endangered species; endemic species; environmental degradation; fungal disease; human activity; insect; mortality; pollinator; watershed |
| A one health approach to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in wakiso district, uganda | Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), as one of the global strategies to promote responsible use of antimicrobials to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR), remains poor in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We implemented a project aimed at strengthening AMS in Wakiso district, Uganda using a One Health approach. A total of 86 health practitioners (HPs), including animal health workers, and 227 community health workers (CHWs) participated in training workshops, and over 300 pupils from primary schools were sensitized on AMR, AMS, and infection prevention and control (IPC). We further established two multidisciplinary online communities of practice (CoPs) for health professionals and students, with a current membership of 321 and 162, respectively. In addition, a Medicine and Therapeutics Committee (MTC) was set up at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital. The project evaluation, conducted three months after training, revealed that the majority of the HPs (92.2%) and CHWs (90.3%) reported enhanced practices, including improved hand washing (57.3% and 81.0%, respectively). In addition, 51.5% of the HPs reported a reduction in the quantity of unnecessary antibiotics given per patient. This project demonstrates that AMS interventions using a One Health approach can promote understanding of the prudent use of antimicrobials and improve practices at health facilities and in communities. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | antibiotic agent; adult; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; controlled study; DNA extraction; environmental health; female; health auxiliary; health care facility; health care planning; health education; health practitioner; health promotion; high income country; human; infection prevention; leadership; lifestyle modification; male; One Health; online support group; paraveterinary worker; patient guidance; patient referral; perception; pharmacist; prescription; public health; questionnaire; resident; Staphylococcus capitis; student; training; Uganda; veterinary medicine; workshop |
| Bibliometric analysis of global research output on antimicrobial resistance in the environment (2000–2019) | Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat that requires a “One Health” approach. Of the One Health triad, the environmental component is the most dynamic and most neglected. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess and analyze global research activity on AMR in the environment. Methods: This was a bibliometric descriptive study of publications on AMR in the environment. Publications were retrieved using SciVerse Scopus for the study period from 2000 to 2019. The search query was developed using terms and phrases related to the topic. The retrieved publications were analyzed for specific bibliometric indicators including annual growth, citation analysis, key players, research output for each world regions, research themes, and occurrences of different drug classes of antimicrobials. Visualization maps including research collaboration were created using VOSviewer program. The Hirsch (h) index was used to assess scientific impact. Results: There were 2611 research articles based on the implemented research query. The retrieved documents had an average of 22 citations per document and an h-index of 122. The annual number of publications showed a steep increase from 2011 to 2019. The major research themes in the field were (1) dissemination and abundance of antibiotic-resistant genes and (2) detection of bacterial strains or antibiotic residues in various environmental isolates. The bulk of the retrieved articles (n = 899; 34.4%) originated from the European region. China led with 598 (22.9%) documents. Four of the top 10 active institutions were in China. The top 10 active countries had relatively inadequate international research collaboration. The most commonly encountered antibiotic drug classes in the retrieved articles were penicillin/cephalosporin (n = 1152 occurrences). The most frequently encountered pathogen in the retrieved publications was E. coli (n = 666). The Science of the Total Environment journal was the most prolific journal with 139 (5.3%) publications. Conclusion: Scientific literature on the AMR in the environment has witnessed a steep growth lately with a leading role of China and Chinese institutions. Data on AMR in the environment need to be collected from all world regions including the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions through research collaboration and funding of research in this field. © 2020, The Author(s). | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bibliometrics; Biomedical Research; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Global Health; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; bibliometrics; global health; medical research |
| A multilevel intervention framework for supporting people experiencing homelessness with pets | Approximately one in 10 people experiencing homelessness have pets. Despite the psychosocial benefits derived from pet ownership, systemic and structural barriers can prevent this group from meeting their basic needs and exiting homelessness. A multilevel framework is proposed for improving the health and well‐being of pet owners experiencing homelessness. Informed by a One Health approach, the framework identifies interventions at the policy, public, and direct service delivery levels. Policy interventions are proposed to increase the supply of petfriendly emergency shelters, access to market rental housing and veterinary medicine, and the use of a Housing First approach. At the public level, educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and reduce stigma about the relationship between homelessness and pet ownership. Direct service providers can support pet owners experiencing homelessness by recognizing their strengths, connecting them to community services, being aware of the risks associated with pet loss, providing harm reduction strategies, documenting animals as emotional support animals, and engaging in advocacy. By targeting policies and service approaches that exacerbate the hardships faced by pet owners experiencing homelessness, the framework is a set of deliberate actions to better support a group that is often overlooked or unaccommodated in efforts to end homelessness. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | article; basic needs; controlled study; emergency shelter; harm reduction; homeless youth; homelessness; housing; human; human experiment; One Health; social welfare; stigma; veterinary medicine; wellbeing |
| Assessment of viral targeted sequence capture using nanopore sequencing directly from clinical samples | Shotgun metagenomic sequencing (SMg) enables the simultaneous detection and characterization of viruses in human, animal and environmental samples. However, lack of sensitivity still poses a challenge and may lead to poor detection and data acquisition for detailed analysis. To improve sensitivity, we assessed a broad scope targeted sequence capture (TSC) panel (ViroCap) in both human and animal samples. Moreover, we adjusted TSC for the Oxford Nanopore MinION and compared the performance to an SMg approach. TSC on the Illumina NextSeq served as the gold standard. Overall, TSC increased the viral read count significantly in challenging human samples, with the highest genome coverage achieved using the TSC on the MinION. TSC also improved the genome coverage and sequencing depth in clinically relevant viruses in the animal samples, such as influenza A virus. However, SMg was shown to be adequate for characterizing a highly diverse animal virome. TSC on the MinION was comparable to the NextSeq and can provide a valuable alternative, offering longer reads, portability and lower initial cost. Developing new viral enrichment approaches to detect and characterize significant human and animal viruses is essential for the One Health Initiative. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Animals; Computational Biology; Genome, Viral; Humans; Metagenomics; Nanopore Sequencing; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Virus Diseases; animal virus; article; gold standard; human; human tissue; Influenza A virus; nanopore sequencing; nonhuman; One Health; viral metagenomics; virome; animal; biology; DNA sequence; metagenomics; nucleic acid hybridization; procedures; virology; virus genome; virus infection |
| Salmonella enterica in invasive lizard from fernando de noronha archipelago: Serotyping, antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiology | Salmonella infection can pose serious health issues, especially to children, elders or immunosuppressed humans. Wild populations of reptiles can reach Salmonella prevalence of up to 100% and the direct or indirect transmission from reptiles to humans have been extensively reported. Fernando de Noronha (FN) is an inhabited oceanic archipelago in the northeast coast of Brazil, with an economy based on tourism. The tegu (Salvator merianae) is the largest lizard native to South America and was introduced to the archipelago in the early 20th century. This study determines the prevalence, serotypes, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular epidemiology of Salmonella enterica in the tegu population from FN archipelago. Results show that S. enterica is widely distributed in the FN tegu population, with 43.8% prevalence. The bacteria were isolated from 70.5% of the sampled sites and a total of 15 serotypes were detected in 98 S. enterica isolates. Strains were further classified into 31 genotypes. Recaptured animals presented distinct genotypes in each season, demonstrating a seasonal strain turnover. Most S. enterica isolates from FN tegus presented low antimicrobial resistance. This is possibly due to geographical isolation of the island population, hampering contact with strains from livestock from the continent, where antimicrobial resistance is common. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| Risk of hospitalization and death within 2 years after methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) diagnosis in persons colonized or infected with livestock and non–livestock-associated MRSA—A nationwide register-based cohort study | Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) CC398 has emerged in humans throughout Europe and the USA during the last decade and is associated with the spread of LA-MRSA CC398 in production animals. In this study, we investigated the risk of subsequent hospitalization with an S. aureus-related diagnosis and death within the first 2 years after MRSA diagnosis. The study included 7,521 carriers of MRSA, an age-matched reference population of 376,041 individuals and 7,607 patients infected with MRSA. Hazard ratios (HR) for hospitalization with an S. aureus-related diagnosis were 4.09 (95% CI: 2.78–6.00) and for death 1.21 (95% CI: 0.80–1.83) in LA-MRSA CC398 carriers compared with the reference population. Comparing carriers of LA-MRSA CC398 and non-CC398 MRSA, HR for hospitalization was 0.61 (95% CI: 0.37–0.99) and death 0.25 (95% CI: 0.16–0.40), respectively. Patients initially diagnosed with LA-MRSA CC398 or non-CC398 MRSA infection differed from MRSA carriers in terms of older age, higher Charlson comorbidity index score and longer hospital stays. HR for subsequent hospitalization and death was similar regardless having infection with LA-MRSA CC398 or non-CC398 MRSA at the time of MRSA diagnosis. We established that MRSA CC398 carriers have a lower risk of hospitalization and death up to 2 years after MRSA diagnosis than non-CC398 MRSA carriers do. In contrast, MRSA carriage, regardless the MRSA strain is a burden in terms of hospitalization and death when compared to the background reference population. Further, we established that there are no differences in risk of subsequent hospitalization and death in patients initially diagnosed with MRSA CC398 or non-CC398 MRSA infection. We suggest that public health surveillance of MRSA clearly needs to distinguish between carriage and infection as well as strain type before any inference from number of cases to disease burden is made. © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH | Adult; Animals; Carrier State; Cohort Studies; Death; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Livestock; Male; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Risk Factors; Staphylococcal Infections; Zoonoses; adult; Article; bacterial strain; Charlson Comorbidity Index; cohort analysis; comparative study; death; disease burden; female; hazard ratio; hospitalization; human; length of stay; livestock; major clinical study; male; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection; nonhuman; priority journal; risk assessment; animal; death; heterozygote; hospitalization; microbiology; mortality; risk factor; Staphylococcus infection; zoonosis |
| Experiences of the one-health approach by the Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council and its secretariat in the control of zoonotic sleeping sickness in Uganda | Elimination of sleeping sickness from endemic countries like Uganda is key if the affected communities are to exploit the potential of the available human and livestock resources (production and productivity). Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the parasite that causes acute sleeping sickness in humans, is transmitted by tsetse flies and co-exists in non-human animal reservoirs. Uganda by Act of Parliament in 1992 decided to handle the complex approach to control of sleeping sickness and animal trypanosomiasis by establishing the Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council (UTCC) and its secretariat the Coordinating Office for the Control of Trypanosomiasis in Uganda (COCTU). The Institutional arrangement aimed to promote engagement with key stakeholders across nine key ministries and the community, all vital for control of zoonotic sleeping sickness, creating a One Health platform, long before such practice was common. From 2006, approaches by the Public Private Partnership, Stamp Out Sleeping Sickness (SOS) have required involvement of stakeholders in the promotion of insecticide treated cattle as live tsetse baits, targeting elimination of zoonotic sleeping sickness. Experiences in promoting sustainability of these interventions have been captured in this study as part of the Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa (TIBA) partnership. Meeting transcripts, focus group discussions and questionnaires were used to collect data from the different stakeholders involved in a rapid impact live bait study over 12 months from Dec 2017. The study provides unprecedented insights into the stakeholders involved in the application of a One health approach for control of zoonotic sleeping sickness across the most important active human African trypanosomiasis focus in East Africa. This unique study is fundamental in guiding multi-stakeholder engagement if the goal to eliminate zoonotic sleeping sickness is to be realised. A major challenge is timely feedback to the community as regards human and animal disease status; rapid diagnostic services that can be delivered from facilities established in close proximity to the affected communities and well equipped in-country reference laboratories are key to delivering effective control and best One Health Approach. © 2020 The Authors | African trypanosomiasis; Article; blood sampling; clinical practice; disease course; disease transmission; epidemiological data; geographic distribution; health care facility; health care policy; health service; human; infection control; laboratory test; livestock; medical ethics; microbiological examination; nonhuman; parasitology; stakeholder engagement; Uganda |
| The considerable progress of environmental health; [Les considérables progrès de la santé environnementale] | Environmental health is not the health of the environment but deals with the impacts of the quality of the environment on public health. The relationships between environmental hazards (physical, chemical, biological) and human diseases are much better revealed, described and quantified and are of major importance. The great advances made in analytical methods prove the great diversity of the chemical dangers to which man is exposed. This confronts the difficulties in measuring the effects in order to quantify the risks. At the international level and in France, the major health organizations have integrated these problems, and national plans on this subject are developed. The major themes of “One health” and the “Exposome” measurement are unifying and carrying ambitions. Health warnings are increasing, and citizens are demanding accurate information on the risks to their health. This is why health professionals must become aware of the progress of this issue and for that reason be better trained in the risk assessment associated with environmental exposures. The pressures on the environment, and therefore on humans, associated with climate change, urban growth, air pollution or chemical multiple exposure are some of the significant contributions to diseases that should no longer be ignored. © 2020 l’Académie nationale de médecine; La santé environnementale n’est pas la santé de l’environnement mais traite des impacts de la qualité de l’environnement sur la santé publique. Les rapports entre les dangers de l’environnement (physiques, chimiques, biologiques) et les maladies humaines sont beaucoup mieux révélés, décrits et chiffrés et se confirment d’importance majeure. Les très grands progrès accomplis dans les méthodes analytiques prouvent la grande diversité des dangers chimiques auxquels l’Homme est exposé. Ceci se confronte aux difficultés à en mesurer les effets afin de permettre de quantifier les risques. Au niveau international et en France, les grands organismes sanitaires ont intégré cette problématique et des plans nationaux sur ce sujet sont développés. Les grands thèmes que sont « Une santé (One health) » et la mesure de l’« exposome » sont fédérateurs et porteurs d’ambitions. Les alertes sanitaires se multiplient et les citoyens exigent des informations précises sur les risques pour leur santé. C’est pourquoi les professionnels de la santé doivent prendre conscience des avancées de cette problématique et pour cela être mieux formés en matière de risques liés aux expositions environnementales. Les pressions sur l’environnement, donc sur l’humain, associées aux changements climatiques, aux croissances urbaines, à la pollution atmosphérique ou la multiexposition chimique sont quelques-unes des contributions significatives aux maladies qu’il ne faut plus ignorer. © 2020 l’Académie nationale de médecine | air pollution; air quality standard; Article; biological monitoring; climate change; environmental exposure; environmental health; exposome; exposomics; France; health care organization; health hazard; health practitioner; history; human; One Health; public health; public policy; risk assessment; urbanization |
| Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Relating to Parasitic Diseases and Anthelmintic Resistance Among Livestock Farmers in Hamedan, Iran | Iranian studies have shown a high prevalence of broad spectrum anthelmintic resistance (AR) in gastrointestinal helminths of ruminants. However, there is a lack of information about levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices among livestock farmers in Iran regarding the concept of parasite control and AR. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of livestock farmers of Hamedan, Iran, regarding parasitic diseases and AR by interviewing 150 farmers using a structured questionnaire. Most of farmers had some knowledge of the clinical signs associated with helminth parasitism, but more than half were unaware of the existence of zoonotic parasites. More than half of the participants had never heard about AR, but were interested to learn about it through their veterinarians. Those who were aware of the problem considered non-prescribed anthelmintic drugs to play a role in its emergence, while several of the participants believed that “more expensive” and “foreign-branded” drugs worked best. Almost all of the farmers reported that they frequently consulted with a veterinarian about anthelmintic treatments, but very few adhered to recognized principles of responsible and sustainable drug use. About half of the participating farmers treated their sheepdogs for helminth parasites, despite the common practice of regularly feeding likely infected livestock offal. Education had a significantly positive association with farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and best practice scores, while knowledge was significantly associated with both attitudes and practices. Based on these results, we recommend that regular country-wide classes should be held to educate farmers on the evidence-based principles of sustainable helminth control and prevention of zoonotic helminth diseases. © Copyright © 2020 Sazmand, Alipoor, Zafari, Zolhavarieh, Alanazi and Sargison. |
| Strengthening global health content in health professions curricula | Background: Health professionals should be prepared to lead and contribute to initiatives that mitigate emerging global health risks to target communities. Health professions education, however, has inconsistently incorporated essential global health topics into curricula despite growing interest among health professional students. Objective: To identify targeted strategies that health professions educators can integrate into coursework to strengthen global health training. Method: A narrative review of the literature was conducted to describe clinical and non-clinical skills that are indispensable to strong global health leadership. Results: Five strategies were highlighted that health professions educators can utilise to empower health professional students to strengthen their scientific knowledge base, develop ethical and culturally-appropriate community health interventions and effectively communicate health messages to stakeholders. Conclusion: Incorporating global health topics into health professions curricula can provide health professional students with a repertoire of evidence-based resources to apply in their clinical and community health initiatives. A trained global health workforce is essential to help nations achieve established national and international health objectives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. © The Author(s) 2020. | article; global health; health practitioner; health promotion; human; human experiment; knowledge base; leadership; medical information; narrative; occupation; One Health; public health; skill; sustainable development; workforce |
| Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum: Integration of human, animal and environmental data through a One Health approach | The aim of this study was to explore Leishmania infantum epidemiology through a One Health approach that promotes a better estimation of leishmaniasis burden and a deeper understanding of the spatial distribution of the key actors of the parasite life cycle (vectors, reservoirs and humans). We conducted a 14-year mixed retrospective and prospective study of leishmaniasis cases in an endemic area in southern Spain (Granada province), to estimate the human incidence and its association with the vector presence, cryptic leishmaniasis rates and canine leishmaniasis prevalence. We found an annual linear increase in the incidence that cannot be fully explained by active case surveillance and the improvement of PCR diagnostic techniques. 49.4% of cases were not reported to the surveillance system. Approximately half of the human cases correspond to the visceral form that occurred more frequently in men; cutaneous, mucosal and cryptic forms were also detected. Leishmaniasis is no longer a disease of young children, accounting for a quarter of immunocompetent patients and most infected people remained asymptomatic. Human and canine leishmaniasis, cryptic or symptomatic, are present in the whole province, where there is a medium/high risk of the presence of Phlebotomus perniciosus, the main vector. We found association between the incidence of human leishmaniasis and the presence of the vector, but not with the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis and cryptic human leishmaniasis. A potential hot spot was also found, where high leishmaniasis incidence may be associated to the involvement of host species other than dogs. © 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH | Animals; Asymptomatic Infections; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Humans; Incidence; Insect Vectors; Leishmania infantum; Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Male; One Health; Phlebotomus; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Spain; amphotericin B lipid complex; corticosteroid; fluconazole; immunoglobulin M; meglumine antimonate; methotrexate; virulence factor; adolescent; adult; aged; animal experiment; antiretroviral therapy; Article; autoimmune disease; child; dialysis; disease surveillance; dog; environmental change; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; geographic distribution; human; immunity; immunocompromised patient; immunosuppressive treatment; incidence; indirect fluorescent antibody technique; kidney transplantation; Leishmania infantum; leishmaniasis; major clinical study; male; nonhuman; Phlebotomus perniciosus; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; prospective study; psoriasis; real time polymerase chain reaction; retrospective study; rheumatoid arthritis; visceral leishmaniasis; animal; asymptomatic infection; dog disease; insect vector; leishmaniasis; One Health; parasitology; Phlebotomus; Spain; veterinary medicine; visceral leishmaniasis |
| Emerging Zoonotic Diseases: Should We Rethink the Animal–Human Interface? | [No abstract available] | agricultural worker; animal hunting; Article; domestic animal; human; human-animal bond; market; nonhuman; wildlife; zoonosis |
| Antimicrobial use in food animals and human health: time to implement ‘One Health’ approach | The use of antimicrobials in animals for growth promotion and infection prevention significantly contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing public health threat. While the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) have taken steps towards reducing and restricting the use of antimicrobials in animals, initiatives are insufficient in developing countries where the demands for food animals continue to rise over the years. The inter-sectoral acknowledgment of inextricable link between animal health, human health and the environment (One Health approach) is critical. Concerted and collaborative efforts among all the stakeholders are essential to deal with this complex problem of resistance. © 2020, The Author(s). | Animals; Animals, Domestic; Anti-Infective Agents; Drug Residues; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Humans; One Health; Public Health; antiinfective agent; growth promotor; veterinary drug; antiinfective agent; drug residue; animal food; animal health; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial therapy; Article; bacterial infection; bacterial mutation; bacterial transmission; body growth; community participation; drug use; environmental impact; health care policy; human; infection prevention; intersectoral collaboration; livestock; meat; meat consumption; meat industry; nonhuman; One Health; pollution; priority journal; public health; veterinary medicine; animal; domestic animal; microbiology |
| Fakes and chemicals: indigenous medicine in contemporary Kenya and implications for health equity | Background: Access to effective biomedical treatments for humans and livestock in Kenya is far from universal. Indigenous healing has a significant role to play in contemporary society in Kenya, yet access is not the only reason for this. Beliefs surrounding the composition of biomedicines, people’s experiences of biomedical care, and issues of counterfeit biomedicines sold over the counter have led to patients seeking care outside of biomedical institutions. Methods: This study explores local realities of treatment seeking in one rural and one urban study site, for both humans and their livestock, including when, where and how people access certain types of medicines. Using an ethnographic approach to interviews, focus groups and observations, I explore the role that indigenous healing, both herbal and occasionally spiritual, plays within this context with healers and community members. Results: Indigenous healing remains important for many people due to their mistrust and suspicion of biomedicine and big pharma. Their interactions with the healer or doctor, and the equity of these interactions, influence their decisions whether to access herbal or biomedical care, or a combination of the two. Indigenous healing bridges the gap many people experience when they are unable to access biomedical treatments and effectively creates a broader, more equitable coverage for healthcare. The plurality of reasons surrounding decision making is complex, but it is clear that many people often use indigenous healing, improvements in the regulation of both formulas and practice would assist people to access more effective treatment. Conclusions: Indigenous healing is an important way in which Kenyans in rural and urban areas access healthcare for themselves and their animals. Issues of counterfeit biomedicines have led to broad mistrust and people favour indigenous healing, depending on the illness or severity of symptoms. Indigenous healing is a vital way in which people in underserved rural and urban populations access care. Herbal medicines and indigenous healing are trusted due to the greater transparency in their creation, and the more equitable relationship between indigenous doctor and patient. The study demonstrates that a pluralistic system is appropriate to increasing equity in access to healthcare in both urban and rural settings, as well as the importance of biomedical care providers respecting indigenous healing and viewing it with legitimacy. By taking a One Health perspective to understand the intersection of humans, livestock and the environment, we can better understand critical aspects affecting decision making for treatment and implications for healthcare equity in a rapidly changing world. © 2020, The Author(s). | Anthropology, Cultural; Female; Focus Groups; Health Equity; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Kenya; Male; Medicine, Traditional; Rural Population; Urban Population; Kenya; decision making; disease treatment; equity; health care; indigenous population; medicine; rural area; urban area; Article; community care; decision making; ethnography; health care access; health equity; health insurance; help seeking behavior; human; indigenous health care; Kenya; One Health; personal experience; priority journal; rural area; traditional medicine; urban area; cultural anthropology; female; health care delivery; information processing; Kenya; male; rural population; urban population |
| Updated research agenda for water, sanitation and antimicrobial resistance | The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, genetic resistance elements, and antibiotic residues, presents a significant threat to human health. Reducing the incidence of infection by improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is one of five objectives in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Action Plan on AMR. In September 2019, WHO and the Health-Related Water Microbiology specialist group (HRWM-SG) of the International Water Association (IWA) organized its third workshop on AMR, focusing on the following three main issues: environmental pathways of AMR transmission, environmental surveillance, and removal from human waste. The workshop concluded that despite an increase in scientific evidence that the environment may play a significant role, especially in low-resource settings, the exact relative role of the environment is still unclear. Given many antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) can be part of the normal gut flora, it can be assumed that for environmental transmission, the burden of fecal-oral transmission of AMR in a geographical area follows that of WASH-related infections. There are some uncertainties as to the potential for the propagation of particular resistance genes within wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), but there is no doubt that the reduction in viable microbes (with or without resistance genes) available for transmission via the environment is one of the goals of human waste management. Although progress has been made in the past years with respect to quantifying environmental AMR transmission potential, still more data on the spread of environmental AMR within human communities is needed. Even though evidence on AMR in WWTPs has increased, the reduction in the emergence and spread of AMR by basic sanitation methods is yet unresolved. In order to contribute to the generation of harmonized One Health surveillance data, WHO has initiated an integrated One Health surveillance strategy that includes the environment. The main challenge lies in rolling it out globally including to the poorest regions. © 2020 IWA Publishing. All rights reserved. | Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; Sanitation; Water; angiotensin receptor antagonist; antiinfective agent; dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase inhibitor; water; antibiotic resistance; antibiotics; antimicrobial activity; bacterium; hygiene; microbial activity; sanitation; wastewater treatment plant; World Health Organization; antibiotic resistance; human; sanitation |
| Tick-borne encephalitis outbreak following raw goat milk consumption in a new micro-location, Croatia, June 2019 | In June 2019, the Croatian Institute of Public Health was informed of a cluster of patients with laboratory confirmed tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) from the Gorski Kotar region. Five of the six patients with TBE reported consuming raw (unpasteurized) goat milk in the two week period before symptom onset, and one reported a recent tick bite. To assess risk factors for infection, we selected six control individuals from among healthy family and community members, and conducted a case-control analysis. None of the cases or controls were vaccinated against TBE. Individuals with TBE (cases) had 25 (95 % CI 0.8-1410.2, p = 0.021) times higher odds of raw goat milk consumption compared to healthy controls. Milk samples from 12 goats from the implicated farm were tested for the TBE virus (TBEV) using RT-PCR. TBEV RNA was not detected in the milk, but serological testing of goats and other farm animals yielded evidence of exposure to the virus: Six goats from the flock had TBEV neutralizing antibodies. Our findings suggest that the vehicle for the outbreak was raw goat milk from a single farm. Following public health advice to cease consumption of raw dairy products, no further cases have been reported. © 2020 Elsevier GmbH | Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Case-Control Studies; Child; Croatia; Disease Outbreaks; Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne; Encephalitis, Tick-Borne; Female; Foodborne Diseases; Goat Diseases; Goats; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Milk; Young Adult; immunoglobulin G antibody; immunoglobulin M antibody; neutralizing antibody; virus RNA; aged; antibody detection; antibody titer; Article; case control study; child; chill; clinical article; clinical feature; confusion; controlled study; Croatia; dietary intake; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; epidemic; fatigue; female; fever; goat milk; human; infection risk; male; myalgia; population exposure; priority journal; raw milk; real time polymerase chain reaction; serology; tick borne encephalitis; Tick borne encephalitis virus; tremor; virus load; virus neutralization; vomiting; adolescent; adult; animal; epidemic; food poisoning; goat; goat disease; isolation and purification; middle aged; milk; tick borne encephalitis; very elderly; veterinary medicine; virology; young adult |
| Knowledge and practices surrounding zoonotic disease among Mongolian herding households | The strong bond between herder and livestock was forged centuries ago in rural Mongolia and remains an element of national pride and a cornerstone to the economy. However, semi-nomadic herders frequently live at the edge of human health care, veterinary services, and municipal infrastructure like water and sanitation. This study examined zoonotic risk factors and disease perceptions among 150 rural herding households. Less than half of the participating households used an improved drinking water source (43.3%), and the majority of herding families did not use an improved sanitation service (68.5%). Almost half of the study population practise open defaecation (49.7%). Hand washing occurs after animal contact (78%) but not after defaecation/urination (76.6%). Domestic animal ownership and/or presence was reported at every household, and exposure risks varied by the gender of the household member. Most households had knowledge about zoonotic disease transmission (74%) but far less recognized the risk of reverse zoonoses, or human-to-animal disease transmission (53.3%). Few survey respondents believed that animal contact is a risk factor for diarrhoeal disease (8.7%). This study highlights zoonotic disease exposure risks from animal husbandry practices and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene access and behaviours among rural herding households. Zoonotic disease prevention among Mongolian herders should be implemented using a One Health framework to simultaneously address human, animal, and environmental health concerns of rural herding households. © 2020, The Author(s). |
| India to Envision One Health Movement for Confronting Emerging Health Threats: From Concept to Approach Toward Institutionalization | The author’s key role in advocating and leading One Health (OH) initiatives in India (especially in Kerala), review the need for and progress of OH from concept to approach and proposes its institutionalization as the way forward. India is currently facing many health threats such as antimicrobial resistance, environmental health hazards, and food safety risks and most importantly, zoonotic diseases such as Nipah, Avian Influenza, Scrub typhus, Congo fever, Kyasanur forest disease, COVID-19, and leptospirosis that grossly impact country’s economy. The recent pandemics had exposed the gaps in public health policy and government is prepared to commit on the OH approach and to invest more on public health infrastructure. Further, as challenges have increased in recent years, OH approach was clearly advocated by the experts not only to cope up the pandemic but also to manage the infodemic by promoting the timely dissemination of accurate information. Right from the endorsement of OH in 2007 by India’s Prime minister to the present fight against COVID-19 pandemic, the actions to control and manage the disease was ideally oriented toward a collaborative approach. Last year (2019), the representatives from relevant ministries and department had a ground-breaking dialog to develop charter and constitute a National policy on OH. Recently, Health Ministers of the Member States of the World Health Organization South-East Asia signed “Delhi declaration” where the key essence was to implement intersectoral coordination mechanisms following the “OH” approach. India’s future policy intervention will emphasize on strengthening of integrated public health labs and contributing to building a national institutional platform for OH to boost research initiatives. Taking stock of OH happenings, resources, challenges, and priorities, the implementation strategy has been proposed across human, animal and environmental health. The article further highlights the key areas that need OH intervention in India, the country’s progress in OH and the success stories of OH for a sustainable action to confront emerging health threats. Copyright: Nambiar. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. | antibiotic resistance; Article; avian influenza; coronavirus disease 2019; employment; environmental health; evidence based practice; food safety; health care policy; health hazard; human; infection control; information dissemination; institutionalization; Kerala; Kyasanur Forest disease; leptospirosis; medical information system; medical research; murine typhus; Nipah virus; One Health; pandemic; public health service; risk assessment; scrub typhus; South Asia; World Health Organization; zoonosis |
| Environment and COVID-19: Pollutants, impacts, dissemination, management and recommendations for facing future epidemic threats | Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Its relationship with environmental factors is an issue that has attracted the attention of scientists and governments. This article aims to deal with a possible association between COVID-19 and environmental factors and provide some recommendations for adequately controlling future epidemic threats. Environmental management through ecosystem services has a relevant role in exposing and spreading infectious diseases, reduction of pollutants, and control of climatic factors. Pollutants and viruses (such as COVID-19) produce negative immunological responses and share similar mechanisms of action. Therefore, they can have an additive and enhancing role in viral diseases. Significant associations between air pollution and COVID-19 have been reported. Particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) can obstruct the airway, exacerbating cases of COVID-19. Some climatic factors have been shown to affect SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Yet, it is not well established if climatic factors might have a cause-effect relationship to the spreading of SARS-CoV-2. So far, positive as well as negative indirect environmental impacts have been reported, with negative impacts greater and more persistent. Too little is known about the current pandemic to evaluate whether there is an association between environment and positive COVID-19 cases. We recommend smart technology to collect data remotely, the implementation of “one health” approach between public health physicians and veterinarians, and the use of biodegradable medical supplies in future epidemic threats. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. | Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Ecosystem; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Coronavirus; SARS coronavirus; Disease control; Diseases; Ecosystems; Health risks; Pollution; Viruses; Cause-effect relationships; Climatic factors; Ecosystem services; Environmental factors; Immunological response; Infectious disease; Particulate Matter; Smart technology; air quality; COVID-19; disease control; disease spread; disease transmission; environmental conditions; environmental management; epidemic; future prospect; pollution effect; public health; respiratory disease; viral disease; air pollution; Article; coronavirus disease 2019; disease transmission; environmental factor; environmental impact; environmental management; human; liquid waste; nonhuman; particulate matter; pollutant; priority journal; solid waste; wildlife; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirinae; Coronavirus infection; ecosystem; pandemic; virus pneumonia; Environmental management |
| Cross-Protection by Inactivated H5 Prepandemic Vaccine Seed Strains against Diverse Goose/Guangdong Lineage H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses | The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 A/goose/ Guangdong/1996 lineage (Gs/GD) is endemic in poultry across several countries in the world and has caused sporadic lethal infections in humans. Vaccines are important in HPAIV control both for poultry and in prepandemic preparedness for humans. This study assessed inactivated prepandemic vaccine strains in a One Health framework across human and agricultural and wildlife animal health, focusing on the genetic and antigenic diversity of field H5N1 Gs/GD viruses from the agricultural sector and assessing cross-protection in a chicken challenge model. Nearly half (47.92%) of the 48 combinations of vaccine and challenge viruses examined had bird protection of 80% or above. Most vaccinated groups had prolonged mean death times (MDT), and the virus-shedding titers were significantly lower than those of the sham-vaccinated group (P ≤ 0.05). The antibody titers in the prechallenge sera were not predictive of protection. Although vaccinated birds had higher titers of hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies against the homologous vaccine antigen, most of them also had lower or no antibody titer against the challenge antigen. The comparison of all parameters and homologous or closely related vaccine and challenge viruses gave the best prediction of protection. Through additional analysis, we identified a pattern of epitope substitutions in the hemagglutinin (HA) of each challenge virus that impacted protection, regardless of the vaccine used. These changes were situated in the antigenic sites and/or reported epitopes associated with virus escape from antibody neutralization. As a result, this study highlights virus diversity, immune response complexity, and the importance of strain selection for vaccine development to control H5N1 HPAIV in the agricultural sector and for human prepandemic preparedness. We suggest that the engineering of specific antigenic sites can improve the immunogenicity of H5 vaccines. IMPORTANCE The sustained circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 A/goose/Guangdong/1996 (Gs/GD) lineage in the agricultural sector and some wild birds has led to the evolution and selection of distinct viral lineages involved in escape from vaccine protection. Our results using inactivated vaccine candidates from the human pandemic preparedness program in a chicken challenge model identified critical antigenic conformational epitopes on H5 hemagglutinin (HA) from different clades that were associated with antibody recognition and escape. Even though other investigators have reported epitope mapping in the H5 HA, much of this information pertains to epitopes reactive to mouse antibodies. Our findings validate changes in antigenic epitopes of HA associated with virus escape from antibody neutralization in chickens, which has direct relevance to field protection and virus evolution. Therefore, knowledge of these immunodominant regions is essential to proactively develop diagnostic tests, improve surveillance platforms to monitor AIV outbreaks, and design more efficient and broad-spectrum agricultural and human prepandemic vaccines. © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved. | Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Antigenic Variation; Chickens; Cross Protection; Epitopes; Geese; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; Influenza in Birds; Influenza Vaccines; Vaccination; Vaccines, Inactivated; Virus Shedding; epitope; hemagglutination inhibiting antibody; inactivated virus vaccine; influenza vaccine; Influenza virus hemagglutinin; hemagglutinin, avian influenza A virus; inactivated vaccine; influenza vaccine; neutralizing antibody; virus antibody; agriculture; animal experiment; animal health; animal model; antibody blood level; antibody titer; antigenicity; Article; avian influenza (H5N1); chicken model; controlled study; cross protection; drug efficacy; genetic analysis; genetic difference; hemagglutination inhibition; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; immune response; nonhuman; One Health; pandemic; priority journal; survival; time of death; vaccine immunogenicity; vaccine production; virus shedding; wildlife; animal; antigenic variation; avian influenza; blood; chicken; cross protection; genetics; goose; immunology; Influenza A virus (H5N1); vaccination; veterinary medicine; virology |
| Donkey Fascioliasis Within a One Health Control Action: Transmission Capacity, Field Epidemiology, and Reservoir Role in a Human Hyperendemic Area | A One Health initiative has been implemented for fascioliasis control in a human hyperendemic area for the first time. The area selected for this multidisciplinary approach is the Northern Bolivian Altiplano, where the highest prevalences and intensities in humans have been reported. Within the strategic intervention axis of control activities concerning animal reservoirs, complete experimental studies, and field surveys have been performed to assess the fascioliasis transmission capacity and epidemiological role of the donkey for the first time. Laboratory studies with altiplanic donkey-infecting Fasciola hepatica and altiplanic Galba truncatula snail vector isolates demonstrate that the donkey assures the viability of the whole fasciolid life cycle. Several aspects indicate, however, that F. hepatica does not reach, in the donkey, the level of adaptation it shows in sheep and cattle in this high altitude hyperendemic area. This is illustrated by a few-day delay in egg embryonation, longer prepatent period despite similar miracidial infectivity and shorter patent period in the intramolluscan development, lower cercarial production per snail, different cercarial chronobiology, shorter snail survival after shedding end, shorter longevity of shedding snails, and lower metacercarial infectivity in Wistar rats. Thus, the role of the donkey in the disease transmission should be considered secondary. Field survey results proved that liver fluke prevalence and intensity in donkeys are similar to those of the main reservoirs sheep and cattle in this area. Fasciolid egg shedding by a donkey individual contributes to the environment contamination at a rate similar to sheep and cattle. In this endemic area, the pronounced lower number of donkeys when compared to sheep and cattle indicates that the epidemiological reservoir role of the donkey is also secondary. However, the donkey plays an important epidemiological role in the disease spread because of its use by Aymara inhabitants for good transport, movements, and travel from one locality/zone to another, a repercussion to be considered in the present geographical spread of fascioliasis in the Altiplano due to climate change. Donkey transport of parasite and vector, including movements inside the zone under control and potential introduction from outside that zone, poses a problem for the One Health initiative. © Copyright © 2020 Mas-Coma, Buchon, Funatsu, Angles, Mas-Bargues, Artigas, Valero and Bargues. | aged; animal experiment; Article; bovine; chronobiology; climate change; donkey; embryo; Fasciola hepatica; fascioliasis; Galba truncatula; laboratory test; life cycle; male; nonhuman; One Health; prevalence; rat; sheep; virus shedding; virus transmission; Wistar rat |
| Occurrence and characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli from dairy cattle, milk, and farm environments in peninsular Malaysia | The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance genes and resistant bacteria do not recognize animal, human, or geographic boundaries. Addressing this threat requires a multidisciplinary approach involving human, animal, and environmental health (One Health) sectors. This is because antimicrobial agents used in veterinary medicine have been reported to be the same or similar to those in human medicine use. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) E. coli is a growing public health problem worldwide, and the agri-food industry is increasingly becoming a source of clinically important ESBL bacteria. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of ESBL-producing E. coli from dairy cattle, milk, and the farm environment. E. coli isolates were identified by their 16sRNA, and their ESBL production was confirmed using ESBL–CHROMagar media and the double disk diffusion method. Genotypes of ESBL producers were characterized using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay. It was found that 18 (4.8%) of the total samples were positive for ESBL-producing E. coli. Of these, 66.7% were from milk, and 27.8% and 5.5% were from the farm environment and faecal samples, respectively. Predominant ESBL genotypes identified were a combination of both TEM and CTX-M in eight out of 18 (44.4%) isolates. Four (22.2%) isolates produced the CTX-M gene, two (11.1%) isolates produced the TEM gene, and four (22.2%) remaining isolates produced the ESBL genes other than TEM, SHV, CTX-M, and OXA. The SHV and OXA gene were not detected in all 18 isolates. In all, there were four profiles of genetic similarity. The occurrence of these genotypes in indicator organisms from dairy cattle, milk, and the farm environment further re-enforced the potential of food-animals as sources of ESBL-producing E. coli infection in humans via the food chain. Thus, there is the need for the adoption of a tripartite One Health approach in surveillance and monitoring to control antimicrobial resistance. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | cefotaxime; cefoxitin; ceftazidime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; clindamycin; erythromycin; extended spectrum beta lactamase; fosfomycin; gentamicin; neomycin; penicillin derivative; sulfonamide; tetracycline; trimethoprim; adoption; agricultural worker; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; Bacillus cereus; bacterial growth; bacterium contamination; bacterium culture; bacterium detection; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; bovine; buffalo; controlled study; dairy cattle; disease surveillance; disk diffusion; DNA extraction; Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus faecium; environmental health; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli; feces; feces analysis; food chain; food industry; food safety; gene expression; genetic similarity; genotype; geographic distribution; indicator organism; integron; intestine parasite; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Listeria monocytogenes; Malaysia; mastitis; meat; milk; multiplex polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; One Health; polymerase chain reaction; poultry; prevalence; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; public health; public health problem; pulsed field gel electrophoresis; quality control; Salmonella; Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium; Staphylococcus aureus; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Sheep and Cattle Reservoirs in the Highest Human Fascioliasis Hyperendemic Area: Experimental Transmission Capacity, Field Epidemiology, and Control Within a One Health Initiative in Bolivia | The Northern Bolivian Altiplano is the human fascioliasis hyperendemic area where the highest prevalences and intensities of infection by Fasciola hepatica in humans have been reported. Four animal species are the reservoir species for F. hepatica in this area, namely, sheep, cattle, pigs, and donkeys. Livestock for the Aymara inhabitants is crucial because vegetable cultures are not viable due to the inhospitality of the very high altitude of 3,820–4,100 m. A One Health initiative has been implemented in this area in recent years, as the first such control action in a human endemic area ever. Among the different control axes included, special focus is devoted to the two main reservoirs sheep and cattle. Egg embryonation, miracidial infectivity, intramolluscan development, cercarial production, infected snail survival, and metacercarial infectivity were experimentally studied in altiplanic sheep and cattle isolates. These laboratory studies were performed using altiplanic isolates of the lymnaeid species Galba truncatula, the only vector present in the hyperendemic area. Experiments were made at constant 12 h day/12 h night and varying 20/20°C and 22/5°C photoperiods. Infections were implemented using mono-, bi-, and trimiracidial doses. Results demonstrate that sheep and cattle have the capacity to assure F. hepatica transmission in this very high-altitude area. Field surveys included prevalence studies by coprology on fecal samples from 1,202 sheep and 2,690 cattle collected from different zones of the Northern Bolivian Altiplano. Prevalences were pronouncedly higher and more homogeneous in sheep (63.1%; range: 38.9–68.5%) than in cattle (20.6%; range: 8.2–43.3%) in each one of the different zones. Although similarities between the prevalences in sheep and cattle appeared in the zones of the highest and lowest infection rates, this disappeared in the other zones due to cattle treatments. Comparison with past surveys demonstrates that this hyperendemic area is stable from the disease transmission point of view. Therefore, the control design should prioritize sheep and cattle within the One Health action. Studies performed in the Bolivian Altiplano furnish a baseline for future initiatives to assess the transmission and epidemiological characteristics of fascioliasis in the way for its control in other high altitude Andean endemic areas. © Copyright © 2020 Mas-Coma, Buchon, Funatsu, Angles, Artigas, Valero and Bargues. | altitude; animal experiment; animal model; Article; Bolivia; comparative study; controlled study; disease transmission; embryo; embryo development; Fasciola hepatica; fascioliasis; Galba truncatula; human; infection rate; infection risk; infection sensitivity; miracidium; nonhuman; One Health; parasite transmission; prevalence; species difference |
| Healthcare challenges and future solutions in dental practice: assessing oral antibiotic resistances by contemporary point-of-care approaches | Antibiotic resistance poses a global threat, which is being acknowledged at several levels, including research, clinical implementation, regulation, as well as by the World Health Organization. In the field of oral health, however, the issue of antibiotic resistances, as well as of accurate diagnosis, is underrepresented. Oral diseases in general were ranked third in terms of expenditures among the EU-28 member states in 2015. Yet, the diagnosis and patient management of oral infections, in particular, still depend primarily on empiric means. On the contrary, on the global scale, the field of medical infections has more readily adopted the integration of molecular-based systems in the diagnostic, patient management, and antibiotic stewardship workflows. In this perspective review, we emphasize the clinical significance of supporting in the future antibiotic resistance screening in dental practice with novel integrated and point-of-care operating tools that can greatly support the rapid, accurate, and efficient administration of oral antibiotics. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | amikacin; amoxicillin; antibiotic agent; clindamycin; corticosteroid; imipenem; meropenem; metronidazole; moxifloxacin; penicillin derivative; penicillin V; piperacillin plus tazobactam; quinolone derivative; antibiotic prophylaxis; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial activity; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; bacterium identification; biofilm; dental practice; disease surveillance; epithelial mesenchymal transition; genetic recombination; health care facility; human; life expectancy; limit of detection; metagenomics; mouth hygiene; nonhuman; patient care; periodontal disease; periodontitis; personalized medicine; pharmacogenomics; point of care testing; polymerase chain reaction; priority journal; public health; restorative dentistry; screening test; senile plaque; tooth plaque; World Health Organization |
| COVID-19 in pastoral contexts in the greater Horn of Africa: Implications and recommendations | COVID-19 is a global pandemic that continues to spread around the world, including to Africa where cases are steadily increasing. The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is leading the pandemic response in Africa, with direction from the World Health Organization guidelines for critical preparedness, readiness, and response actions. These are written for national governments, lacking nuance for population and local differences. In the greater Horn of Africa, conditions unique to pastoralists such as inherent mobility and limited health and service infrastructure will influence the dynamics of COVID-19. In this paper, we present a One Health approach to the pandemic, consisting of interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration focused on the determinants of health and health outcomes amongst pastoralists. Our contextualized public health strategy includes community One Health teams and suggestions for where to implement targeted public health measures. We also analyse the interaction of COVID-19 impacts, including those caused directly by the disease and those that result from control efforts, with ongoing shocks and vulnerabilities in the region (e.g. desert locusts, livestock disease outbreaks, floods, conflict, and development displacement). We give recommendations on how to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its secondary impacts on pastoral areas. Given that the full impact of COVID-19 on pastoral areas is unknown currently, our health recommendations focus on disease prevention and understanding disease epidemiology. We emphasize targeting pastoral toponymies with public health measures to secure market access and mobility while combating the direct health impacts of COVID-19. A contextualized approach for the COVID-19 public health response in pastoral areas in the Greater Horn of Africa, including how the pandemic will interact with existing shocks and vulnerabilities, is required for an effective response, while protecting pastoral livelihoods and food, income, and nutrition security. © 2020, The Author(s). |
| Antimicrobial resistance of escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeruginosa from companion birds | Antimicrobial resistance is a public health concern worldwide and it is largely attributed to the horizontal exchange of transferable genetic elements such as plasmids carrying integrons. Several studies have been conducted on livestock showing a correlation between the systemic use of antibiotics and the onset of resistant bacterial strains. In contrast, although companion birds are historically considered as an important reservoir for human health threats, little information on the antimicrobial resistance in these species is available in the literature. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from 755 companion birds. Cloacal samples were processed for E. coli and P. aeruginosa isolation and then all isolates were submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. P. aeruginosa was isolated in 59/755 (7.8%) samples, whereas E. coli was isolated in 231/755 (30.7%) samples. Most strains showed multidrug resistance. This study highlights that companion birds may act as substantial reservoirs carrying antimicrobial resistance genes which could transfer directly or indirectly to humans and animals, and from a One Health perspective this risk should not be underestimated. © 2020, MDPI AG. All rights reserved. | article; bird; Escherichia coli; genetic susceptibility; human; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; One Health; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; public health |
| Exposing the Barcoding Void: An Integrative Approach to Study Snail-Borne Parasites in a One Health Context | Trematodes are snail-borne parasites of major zoonotic importance that infect millions of people and animals worldwide and frequently hybridize with closely related species. Therefore, it is desirable to study trematodiases in a One Health framework, where human and animal trematodes are considered equally important. It is within this framework that we set out to study the snail and trematode communities in four artificial lakes and an abattoir in Zimbabwe. Trematode infections in snails were detected through multiplex PCR protocols. Subsequently, we identified snails by sequencing a partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) fragment, and trematodes (adults from the abattoir and larval stages detected in snails) using COI and nuclear rDNA markers. Of the 1,674 collected snails, 699 were molecularly analyzed, in which we identified 12 snail and 19 trematode species. Additionally, three parasite species were sampled from the abattoir. Merely four trematode species were identified to species level through COI-based barcoding. Moreover, identification of members of the superfamilies Opisthorchioidea and Plagiorchioidea required a phylogenetic inference using the highly conserved 18S rDNA marker, as no related COI reference sequences were present in public databases. These barcoding challenges demonstrate a severe barcoding void in the available databases, which can be attributed to the neglected status of trematodiases. Adding to this, many available sequences cannot be used as different studies use different markers. To fill this gap, more studies on African trematodes, using a standardized COI barcoding region, are desperately needed. © Copyright © 2020 Schols, Mudavanhu, Carolus, Hammoud, Muzarabani, Barson and Huyse. | DNA 18S; internal transcribed spacer 2; proteinase K; reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (ubiquinone); ribosome DNA; adult; animal experiment; animal model; Article; clinical protocol; controlled study; DNA barcoding; DNA sequencing; Fasciola gigantica; Fasciola nyanzae; lake; larval stage; mitochondrion; molecular biology; molecular phylogeny; multiplex polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; Opisthorchioidea; parasite identification; parasitology; Plagiorchioidea; Radix natalensis; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosoma mattheei; slaughterhouse; snail; species identification; trematode; trematodiasis; Zimbabwe |
| Informing influenza pandemic preparedness using commercial poultry farmer knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surrounding biosecurity and self-reported avian influenza outbreaks in Nepal | Avian influenza (AI) is a global health obstacle of critical concern as novel viruses are capable of initiating a pandemic. Recent spillover events of AI into human populations have occurred at human-poultry food system interfaces. As Nepal’s poultry sector transitions to more intensified commercial production systems, it is important to examine the epidemiology of AI and the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of poultry sector workers. We conducted a cross-sectional KAP study utilizing a structured survey to interview 150 commercial poultry farmers in Chitwan District, Nepal. All commercial poultry farmers had knowledge of AI previous to the study and the majority farmers were able to identify farm-farm and poultry-human transmission mechanisms of AI. Farmers had more knowledge surrounding poultry AI symptoms as compared to human AI symptoms. Most farmers believe that AI is serious, contagious and a threat to everyone, yet only half believe it can be prevented. Individual-level personal protective equipment (PPE) uptake, such as facemask, glove and boot usage, on the enrolled farms was low and farm-level biosecurity practices varied greatly. Nine commercial poultry farms (6%) self-reported having an HPAI outbreak and 60 farms (40%) self-reported having an LPAI outbreak in the past 5 years. Layer farms had higher odds (OR: 5.4, 95% CI: 2.3–12.8) of self-reported LPAI as compared broiler farms. Poultry sector farmers face multiple obstacles when attempting to report AI to government authorities such as the fear of flock culling and the perceived lack of monetary compensation for culling. Our study provides updated KAP surrounding AI of farmers and self-reported AI farm-level epidemiology in Nepal’s highest density commercial poultry production district. Commercial poultry farmers are fairly knowledgeable on AI, but do not take further protective practice efforts to implement their knowledge and prevent AI. Due to the potential role that human-poultry interfaces may play in AI emergence, it is critical to collaborate with the commercial poultry industry when planning and conducting AI pandemic preparedness mechanisms. © 2020 | adult; agricultural worker; animal culling; Article; attitude to illness; avian influenza; broiler; communicable disease; compensation; cross-sectional study; disease severity; fear; female; health hazard; highly pathogenic avian influenza; human; infection prevention; infection risk; low pathogenic avian influenza; male; Nepal; occupational health; One Health; pandemic influenza; poultry farming; self report; structured interview; symptom; virus transmission |
| Antimicrobials and antibiotic-resistant bacteria: A risk to the environment and to public health | The release of antibiotics to the environment, and the consequences of the presence of persistent antimicrobial residues in ecosystems, have been the subject of numerous studies in all parts of the world. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics is a common global phenomenon, which substantially increases the levels of antibiotics in the environment and the rates of their spread. Today, it can be said with certainty that the mass production and use of antibiotics for purposes other than medical treatment has an impact on both the environment and human health. This review aims to track the pathways of the environmental distribution of antimicrobials and identify the biological effects of their subinhibitory concentration in different environmental compartments; it also assesses the associated public health risk and government policy interventions needed to ensure the effectiveness of existing antimicrobials. The recent surge in interest in this issue has been driven by the dramatic increase in the number of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria worldwide. Our study is in line with the global One Health approach. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Antibiotics; Bacteria; Health risks; Risk assessment; Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Biological effects; Drug-resistant bacteria; Environmental compartment; Environmental distribution; Mass production; Medical treatment; Policy intervention; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial activity; bacterium; concentration (composition); drug resistance; environmental risk; health risk; public health; Public health |
| Integrating environmental, entomological, animal, and human data to model the Leishmania infantum transmission risk in a newly endemic area in Northern Italy | Introduction: Historically, leishmaniasis in Italy was constrained to areas with Mediterranean climate. In the last 20 years, sand fly vectors (Phlebotomus perniciosus), cases of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and cases of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been observed in Northern Italian regions, traditionally classified as cold areas unsuitable for sand fly survival. Aim: We aim to evaluate through a One-Health approach the risk of endemic transmission of Leishmania infantum in the Piedmont Region, Northern Italy. Methods: We collected environmental, entomological, animal, and human data. We applied a geostatistical binomial model to map the probability of P. perniciosus presence in the study area, using selected environmental parameters as predictors. We evaluated the spatial relationship between the probability of P. perniciosus presence and the geographical distribution of CanL and VL cases observed between 1999 and 2013. Results: Between 1999 and 2003, 142 sampling sets (17%) out of 839 resulted positive for P. perniciosus. Elevation, degree of slope, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and summer temperatures were associated with positive sampling sets. During the study period, 164 (13.6%) of Piedmont municipalities reported at least one autochthonous case of CanL, while 89 VL cases were observed in 54 municipalities (4.5%). We observed an association between municipalities affected by autochthonous CanL cases and the estimated probability of P. perniciosus presence (Odds Ratio for 10% increase of probability: 2.66; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.16–3.37). We found that human VL incident cases were positively associated with the probability of the municipality of residence of being endemic for CanL (Incidence Rate Ratio for 10% increase of probability: 1.49; 95% CI 1.02–2.16). Conclusions: Using a One-Health approach, we quantified the spatial association between the distribution of P. perniciosus, municipalities endemic for CanL and incident cases of human VL, suggesting that the disease has become endemic in the Piedmont region. © 2020 The Authors | altitude; Article; confidence interval; controlled study; dog disease; endemic disease; entomology; environmental parameters; environmental temperature; geographic distribution; geostatistical analysis; human; incidence; infection risk; Italy; Leishmania infantum; leishmaniasis; nonhuman; normalized difference vegetation index; odds ratio; One Health; parasite transmission; Phlebotomus perniciosus; probability; residential area; sampling; spatial analysis; statistical model; summer; visceral leishmaniasis |
| How pets factor into healthcare decisions for COVID-19: A One Health perspective | There is evidence that prioritizing pets’ welfare can impact the health and well-being of their owners, especially when pet owners have a strong bond with their pet. This carries public health implications, particularly in a global public health emergency such as COVID-19. The study objective was to understand pet owners’ consideration of their pets’ welfare when making personal healthcare decisions specific to COVID-19. A large sample (n = 1356) of adult pet owners in the U.S. completed an online survey in April and May of 2020, coinciding with the onset of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Respondents were asked if they would delay or avoid testing or treatment for COVID-19 due to concern for their pets’ welfare, and a follow-up question asked them to elaborate. Multinomial logistic regression models showed that attachment to pets and socioeconomic resources were important factors in pet owners’ hypothetical decisions regarding testing and treatment for COVID-19. Qualitative analysis of responses to the follow-up question revealed explanations across three themes: (1) the need to find pet accommodation prior to seeking healthcare; (2) pet-related concerns; and, (3) human-related concerns. Pet owners often cited concern for their pets’ welfare as a factor contributing to their decision making; participants’ lack of a concrete plan for pet care was most commonly cited as the reason for their delay in seeking healthcare. Results from this study indicate that pet owners experience unique obstacles to accessing healthcare related to COVID-19, which has implications for future public health emergencies. Increased disease spread and prevalence of poor health outcomes could result if pet owners delay or avoid testing or treatment. Communities can benefit from a One Health/One Welfare approach to collaboration between human and animal health and service providers to reduce COVID-19 spread and secure the well-being of people and their pets. © 2020 The Authors | adult; aged; animal care; animal health; animal welfare; animal well-being; Article; clinical outcome; coronavirus disease 2019; decision making; delayed diagnosis; diagnostic test; factor analysis; follow up; health care access; health care need; health status; health survey; help seeking behavior; human; infection prevention; medical decision making; online analysis; pet animal; prevalence; public health; qualitative analysis; social distancing; socioeconomics; therapy delay; very elderly |
| Molecular detection of Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae in human blood and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Sergentomyia minuta: unexpected host-parasite contacts | The detection of atypical Kinetoplastida in vertebrate hosts and vectors might suggest unexpected host-parasite contacts. Aside to major vectors of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Italy (e.g. Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus perfiliewi), the sand fly fauna also includes Sergentomyia minuta, herpetophilic and proven vector of Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae, in which records of blood meal on mammals and detection of L. infantum DNA are increasing. This study was conducted in Central Italy aiming to molecularly detect potential atypical Leishmania host-vector contacts. Detection of Leishmania spp. DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction (SSU rRNA, ITS1 targets) on field-collected sand fly females (N = 344), blood samples from humans (N = 185) and dogs (N = 125). Blood meal identification was also performed on engorged sand flies. Leishmania spp. DNA was found in 13.1% sand flies, 3.7% humans and 14.4% dogs. Sequence analysis identified L. infantum in S. minuta (4.4%), P. perniciosus (9.1%), humans (2.2%) and dogs (14.4%). Leishmania tarentolae was detected in S. minuta (12.6%), P. perfiliewi (6.6%) and human (1.6%) samples. Of 28 S. minuta examined for blood meal, 3.6 and 21.4% scored positive for human and lizard DNA, respectively. These results indicate the importance of one-health approach to explore new potential routes of transmission of leishmaniasis involving S. minuta. © 2020 The Royal Entomological Society | Animals; DNA, Protozoan; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Dogs; Feeding Behavior; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Insect Vectors; Leishmania; Leishmania infantum; Leishmaniasis; Lizards; One Health; Pathology, Molecular; Psychodidae; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Vector Borne Diseases; Zoonoses; Italy; Kinetoplastida; Leishmania infantum; Leishmania major; Leishmania tarentolae; Mammalia; Phlebotominae; Phlebotomus perfiliewi; Phlebotomus perniciosus; Sergentomyia minuta; Squamata; Trypanosomatidae; Vertebrata; DNA; small subunit ribosomal RNA; protozoal DNA; ribosomal spacer DNA; RNA 18S; blood; detection method; disease transmission; disease vector; host-parasite interaction; leishmaniasis; molecular analysis; parasite; vertebrate; amplicon; animal experiment; Article; bird; blood; blood sampling; cat; chicken; controlled study; dog; female; gene amplification; host parasite interaction; human; immunofluorescence test; Leishmania infantum; Leishmania tarentolae; lizard; Markov chain; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; Phlebotominae; Phlebotomus mascittii; Phlebotomus papatasi; Phlebotomus perniciosus; polymerase chain reaction; promastigote; reptile; sequence analysis; Sergentomyia; Sergentomyia minuta; software; animal; classification; feeding behavior; genetics; host parasite interaction; insect vector; isolation and purification; Leishmania; Leishmania infantum; leishmaniasis; molecular pathology; One Health; parasitology; Psychodidae; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Molecular investigation of zoonotic intracellular bacteria in Chilean bats | Intracellular pathogens were investigated for the first time in 55 Chilean bats belonging to six species. Using a conventional PCR protocol targeting a fragment of the ITS region, 21 bats (38 %) were positive for DNA of Bartonella sp. Molecular characterization of fragments of the gltA, rpoB and fstZ genes and subsequent phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of diverse genotypes related to Bartonella from bats worldwide. DNA from C. burnetii was investigated using a real-time PCR (qPCR) protocol targeting the IS1111 gene and yielded positive results for 5 individuals (9%), being the first report of C. burnetii in wildlife in Chile. All bats were negative for Rickettsia sp., evaluated by qPCR for the gltA gene, confirming that bats do not act as important reservoirs for Rickettsia. This preliminary survey calls for more comprehensive studies on the epidemiology of these agents, including larger sample sizes, the evaluation of potential transmission routes and spillover potential. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Chile; Chiroptera; Female; Genotype; Humans; Male; Phylogeny; Zoonoses; Article; bacterial gene; Bartonella; Chilean; fstZ gene; gene targeting; gltA gene; molecular docking; nonhuman; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; Proteobacteria; real time polymerase chain reaction; rpoB gene; zoonosis; animal; bartonellosis; bat; Chile; classification; female; genetics; genotype; human; male; microbiology; veterinary medicine |
| Antimicrobial use and production system shape the fecal, environmental, and slurry resistomes of pig farms | Background: The global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a One Health problem impacted by antimicrobial use (AMU) for human and livestock applications. Extensive Iberian swine production is based on a more sustainable and eco-friendly management system, providing an excellent opportunity to evaluate how sustained differences in AMU impact the resistome, not only in the animals but also on the farm environment. Here, we evaluate the resistome footprint of an extensive pig farming system, maintained for decades, as compared to that of industrialized intensive pig farming by analyzing 105 fecal, environmental and slurry metagenomes from 38 farms. Results: Our results evidence a significantly higher abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) on intensive farms and a link between AMU and AMR to certain antimicrobial classes. We observed differences in the resistome across sample types, with a higher richness and dispersion of ARGs within environmental samples than on those from feces or slurry. Indeed, a deeper analysis revealed that differences among the three sample types were defined by taxa-ARGs associations. Interestingly, mobilome analyses revealed that the observed AMR differences between intensive and extensive farms could be linked to differences in the abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Thus, while there were no differences in the abundance of chromosomal-associated ARGs between intensive and extensive herds, a significantly higher abundance of integrons in the environment and plasmids, regardless of the sample type, was detected on intensive farms. Conclusions: Overall, this study shows how AMU, production system, and sample type influence, mainly through MGEs, the profile and dispersion of ARGs in pig production. [MediaObject not available: see fulltext.] © 2020, The Author(s). | Animals; Animals, Domestic; Anti-Infective Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Environmental Microbiology; Farms; Feces; Genes, Bacterial; Metagenome; Swine; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase AmpC; cefotaxime; chloramphenicol; fosfomycin; lincosamide; lipopolysaccharide; macrolide; oxazolidinone derivative; quinolone derivative; RNA 16S; sulfonamide; tetracycline; antiinfective agent; Actinobacteria; agricultural land; agricultural slurry; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistome; Article; bacterial microbiome; Betaproteobacteria; chromosome; Clostridia; controlled study; DNA extraction; feces; feces microflora; Firmicutes; gene sequence; genetic variability; herd; integron; intestine flora; livestock; metagenome; metagenomics; microbial diversity; Moraxellaceae; nonhuman; phylogeny; pig farming; Planctomycetes; principal coordinate analysis; Proteobacteria; pyrosequencing; soil microflora; species richness; animal; antibiotic resistance; bacterial gene; domestic animal; drug effect; environmental microbiology; feces; genetics; microbiology; pig |
| White paper: Bridging the gap between surveillance data and antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities – Practical guidance from the JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks | Background: In long-term care facilities (LTCFs) residents often receive inappropriate antibiotic treatment and infection prevention and control practices are frequently inadequate, thus favouring acquisition of MDR organisms. There is increasing evidence in the literature describing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities in LTCFs, but practical guidance on how surveillance data should be linked with AMS activities in this setting is lacking. To bridge this gap, the JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks joined their efforts to provide practical guidance for linking surveillance data with AMS activities. Materials and methods: Considering the three main topics [AMS leadership and accountability, antimicrobial usage (AMU) and AMS, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and AMS], a literature review was performed and a list of target actions was developed. Consensus on target actions was reached through a RAND-modified Delphi process involving 40 experts from 18 countries and different professional backgrounds adopting a One Health approach. Results: From the 25 documents identified, 25 target actions were retrieved and proposed for expert evaluation. The consensus process produced a practical checklist including 23 target actions, differentiating between essential and desirable targets according to clinical relevance and feasibility. Flexible proposals for AMS team composition and leadership were provided, with a strong emphasis on the need for well-defined and adequately supported roles and responsibilities. Specific antimicrobial classes, AMU metrics, pathogens and resistance patterns to bemonitored are addressed. Effective reporting strategies are described. Conclusions: The proposed checklist represents a practical tool to support local AMS teams across a wide range of care delivery organization and availability of resources. © 2020 The Author(s). | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Humans; Long-Term Care; Magnets; antibiotic agent; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic therapy; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; consensus; Delphi study; health care facility; health care policy; human; nursing home; One Health; residential home; long term care; magnet |
| Carriage of ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria by flies captured in a hospital and its suburban surroundings in Ethiopia | Background: Local data from the Asella Teaching and Referral Hospital in the town of Asella, Ethiopia reveal a high prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase- (ESBL) producing Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in clinical isolates. To investigate a possible route of transmission, we determined the proportions ESBL-producing GNB in isolates from flies caught in the hospital and in the town of Asella. Methods: Flies were collected in August 2019 from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the orthopedic ward, the hospital’s waste disposal area, and from a butchery situated 1.5 km from the hospital. After trapping, the flies were macerated and suspended in sterile normal saline. The suspensions were inoculated on MacConkey agar and incubated overnight. Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using Vitek®-MS and VITEK® 2. Results: In total, 103 bacterial isolates were obtained from 85 flies (NICU: 11 isolates from 20 flies, orthopedic ward: 10 isolates from 12 flies, waste disposal area: 37 isolates from 26 flies, butchery: 45 isolates from 27 flies). The proportions of ESBL-producing bacteria among isolates obtained from flies collected in the hospital compound were significantly higher (82%, 90%, and 57% in NICU, orthopedic ward and waste disposal area, respectively) compared to flies collected outside of the hospital compound (2% (@1/45) in the butchery) (p ≤ 0.001). The proportion of ESBL was 67% (6/9) among Raoultella spp. 67% (4/6) among Kluyvera spp., 56% (5/9) among Enterobacter spp., 50% (5/10) among E. coli, and 44% (8/18) among Klebsiella spp. Of the 40 ESBL-genes detected, 85% were CTX-M-like, 83% TEM-like, 23% SHV-like, and 2% CTX-M-2-like. ESBL-producing bacteria showed higher rates of resistance against ciprofloxacin (66% vs. 5%), gentamicin (68% vs. 3%), piperacillin-tazobactam (78% vs. 5%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (88% vs. 16%), compared to non-ESBL-producing bacteria. Conclusion: A high proportion of ESBL was identified in isolates from flies caught in the hospital compound compared with isolates of flies collected at a distance of 1.5 km from the hospital. Flies can be potential vectors for transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria within hospitals. Further studies are needed to determine the source of MDR colonization in flies and possible impact of MDR for nosocomial infections. © 2020, The Author(s). | Animals; beta-Lactamases; Cross Infection; Diptera; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Hospitals; Insect Vectors; ciprofloxacin; cotrifamole; extended spectrum beta lactamase; gentamicin; piperacillin plus tazobactam; beta lactamase; animal trapping; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial colonization; bacterial transmission; bacterium carrier; bacterium culture; bacterium isolate; Citrobacter; controlled study; Diptera; Enterobacter; ESBL gene; Escherichia coli; Ethiopia; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing gram negative bacterium; flycatcher; Gram negative bacterium; hazardous waste site; hospital; human; human tissue; insect vector; Klebsiella; Kluyvera; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; Moellerella wisconsensis; neonatal intensive care unit; nonhuman; orthopedics; priority journal; Proteus; Providencia; Raoultella; slaughterhouse; species identification; suburban area; ward; animal; biosynthesis; cross infection; Diptera; drug effect; enzymology; genetics; Gram negative bacterium; hospital; insect vector; isolation and purification; microbiology; multidrug resistance |
| Animal-Encounter Fatalities, United States, 1999-2016: Cause of Death and Misreporting | Objectives: Errors and misreporting on death certificates are common, along with potential inaccuracies in cause-of-death coding. We characterized and compared fatalities by animal-encounter mentions reported as underlying cause of death (UCD) with animal-encounter mentions reported as multiple cause of death (MCD) to determine factors associated with misreporting UCD. Methods: We analyzed fatality data from 1999-2016 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research by UCD and MCD animal-encounter mentions (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes W53-59, X20-27 and X29, T63.0-63.6, T63.8-63.9, and T78.2-78.4). We examined differences in reporting by age, sex, race, autopsy (yes, no, unknown), allergic reactions, and toxicities. Results: The number of animal-encounter mentions by UCD was 3638 (202 average per year) and by MCD was 4280 (238 average per year), a difference of 18% (n = 642; 36 average per year) by MCD analysis. The number of nonvenomous animal-encounter mentions increased 20% (from 2138 UCD to 2567 MCD), and the number of venomous animal-encounter mentions increased 14% (from 1500 UCD to 1713 MCD). Decedents aged ≥65 had the highest additional number of animal-encounter mentions among all age groups, primarily encounters with other reptiles (n = 113), other mammals (n = 71), and dogs (n = 42). Of 642 MCD additional animal-encounter mentions, heart disease (n = 211, 33%) and infections (n = 146, 23%) represented more than half of the UCD. Of 553 dog-encounter fatalities, 165 (30%) were among children aged ≤4. Conclusions: Animal-encounter fatalities, analyzed by UCD alone, may be underreported. An initiating animal injury, complicated by comorbidities and fatality, may obscure the causal chain, resulting in misreporting UCD. Ongoing training for medical certifiers is recommended, highlighting accurate identification of UCD and contributing causes in the causal chain of death. © 2020, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. | Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Animals; Bites and Stings; Cause of Death; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Continental Population Groups; Female; Humans; Infant; Insecta; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mammals; Middle Aged; Reptiles; Sex Factors; United States; Venoms; Young Adult; venom; adolescent; adult; age; aged; allergy; animal encounter fatality; Article; autopsy; cause of death; child; fatality; female; heart disease; human; incidence; infant; infection; information; male; misreporting; newborn; priority journal; race; sex; United States; ancestry group; animal; bites and stings; comorbidity; epidemiology; insect; longitudinal study; mammal; middle aged; mortality; preschool child; reptile; sex factor; young adult |
| The COVID-19 Pandemic and Global Food Security | We present scientific perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and global food security. International organizations and current evidence based on other respiratory viruses suggests COVID-19 is not a food safety issue, i.e., there is no evidence associating food or food packaging with the transmission of the virus causing COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), yet an abundance of precaution for this exposure route seems appropriate. The pandemic, however, has had a dramatic impact on the food system, with direct and indirect consequences on lives and livelihoods of people, plants, and animals. Given the complexity of the system at risk, it is likely that some of these consequences are still to emerge over time. To date, the direct and indirect consequences of the pandemic have been substantial including restrictions on agricultural workers, planting, current and future harvests; shifts in agricultural livelihoods and food availability; food safety; plant and animal health and animal welfare; human nutrition and health; along with changes in public policies. All aspects are crucial to food security that would require “One Health” approaches as the concept may be able to manage risks in a cost-effective way with cross-sectoral, coordinated investments in human, environmental, and animal health. Like climate change, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be most acutely felt by the poorest and most vulnerable countries and communities. Ultimately, to prepare for future outbreaks or threats to food systems, we must take into account the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and a “Planetary Health” perspective. © Copyright © 2020 Mardones, Rich, Boden, Moreno-Switt, Caipo, Zimin-Veselkoff, Alateeqi and Baltenweck. | agricultural worker; animal health; animal welfare; Article; climate change; coronavirus disease 2019; cost effectiveness analysis; environmental health; food availability; food packaging; food safety; food security; harvest; human; investment; nonhuman; nutrition; One Health; pandemic; plant; public health; public policy; risk management; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; sustainable development; United Nations; virus transmission |
| Inter-institutional partnerships to developveterinarian-investigators through the NIH comparative biomedical scientisttraining program benefit one health goals | Limitations in workforce size and access to resources remain perennial challenges to greater progress in academic veterinary medicine and engagement between human and veterinary medicine (One Health). Ongoing resource constraints occur in part due to limited public understanding of the role veterinarians play in improving human health.One Health interactions,particularly through interdisciplinary collaborations in biomedical research,present constructive opportunities to inform resource policies and advance health care.To this end, inter-institutional partnerships between individual veterinary medical education programs (VMEPs) and several National Institutes of Health (NIH) intramural research programs have created synergies beyond those provided by individual programs.In the NIH Comparative Biomedical ScientistTraining Program (CBSTP),interdisciplinary cross-training of veterinarians consisting of specialty veterinary medicine coupled with training in human disease research leading to a PhD,occurs collaboratively on bothVMEP and NIH campuses.Pre-doctoral veterinary student research opportunities have also been made available.Through the CBSTP, NIH investigators and national biomedical science policy makers gain access to veterinary perspective and expertise,while veterinarians obtain additional opportunities for NIH-funded research training. CBSTP Fellows serve as de facto ambassadors enhancing visibility for the profession while in residence at NIH,and subsequently through a variety of university,industry,and government research appointments, as graduates.Thus, the CBSTP represents an inter-institutional opportunity that not only addresses critical needs for veterinarian-scientists in the biomedical workforce, but also simultaneously exposes national policy makers to veterinarian-scientists’ specialized training, leading to more effective realization of One Health goals to benefit human and animal health. © 2020 AAVMC | Animals; Biomedical Research; Education, Veterinary; Goals; Humans; National Institutes of Health (U.S.); One Health; United States; Veterinarians; animal; education; human; medical research; motivation; national health organization; One Health; United States; veterinarian |
| Evaluating impacts of a one health approach to companion animal health and management in a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory, Australia | This study evaluated a community-driven animal health and management program in the remote community of Wadeye, Northern Territory. This evaluation used a pre-post design to assess changes in animal and human health outcomes over a 12-month period of program implementation, from June 2018 to June 2019. The evaluation assessed the program by comparing animal health outcomes before versus one year after program implementation and comparing human health outcomes before versus during the first 12 months of the program. Outcome measures included the desexing status of dogs and cats, body condition and hair score of dogs, and rates of people presenting to the health clinic for a dog bite. Animal health outcomes significantly improved after program implementation. From pre to post program, there was a 77% increase in the prevalence of good body condition score among dogs and a 9% increase in the prevalence of good hair score among dogs, and the prevalence of desexed dogs and cats more than doubled. There was no significant change in the number of people presenting to the health clinic for a dog bite. Consideration on how to further incorporate human and environmental health aspects into the program could be useful for future One Health programs. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | animal health; Article; body constitution; cat; dog; dog bite; environmental health; health program; indigenous people; nonhuman; outcome assessment; prevalence; public health |
| Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals without traditional risk factors: Development and validation of a novel risk score | Background: Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs mostly in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection or heavy alcohol use or cirrhosis, some patients develop HCC without these risk factors. Our objective in this study was to develop and validate a new HCC risk score that could stratify HCC risk in patients who develop HCC without known risk factors. Methods: A new HCC risk score was developed using a nationwide, population-based cohort among individuals without chronic HBV infection, chronic HCV infection, heavy alcohol use or cirrhosis (n = 467 206, derivation cohort). The performance of the HCC risk score was validated using an independent Samsung Medical Center Health Promotion Center cohort (n = 91 357, validation cohort). Results: Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified six independent risk factors: age, sex, smoking, diabetes, total cholesterol level and serum alanine aminotransferase level. A 19-point scale for HCC risk score was developed, with 10-year risk of HCC ranging from 0.0% to 6.16% for the lowest and highest risk scores, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve values (AUROCs) to predict HCC development were 0.83 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.88)] and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.95) at 10 years in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Predicted risk was well correlated with the Kaplan-Meier observed HCC risk. Conclusions: A simple-to-use, novel HCC risk score was developed for predicting HCC development in individuals without alleged risk factors. It can be used to assess the risk of HCC in this population so that decisions about their clinical management, including risk reduction interventions, can be subsequently made. © 2020 The Author(s); all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association. | Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Risk Factors; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; alanine aminotransferase; antihypertensive agent; cholesterol; glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase; hexokinase; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; triacylglycerol; alcohol; cohort analysis; hepatitis; infectivity; risk factor; serum; virus; adult; age; aged; alanine aminotransferase blood level; alcohol consumption; area under the curve; Article; body mass; cancer incidence; cancer risk; cholesterol blood level; chronic hepatitis B; chronic hepatitis C; cohort analysis; controlled study; current smoker; diabetes mellitus; diastolic blood pressure; disease risk assessment; exercise; female; follow up; glucose blood level; heavy drinking; human; hypertension; intermediate risk population; liver cell carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; low risk population; major clinical study; male; mass screening; middle aged; One Health; people by drinking status; people by smoking status; population research; priority journal; receiver operating characteristic; retrospective study; sex; smoking; smoking habit; systolic blood pressure; total cholesterol level; triacylglycerol blood level; validation study; chronic hepatitis B; complication; Hepatitis B virus; liver cell carcinoma; liver tumor; risk factor |
| Implications of antibiotics use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Present and future | COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has infected more than 4 million people with 278 892 deaths worldwide as of 11 May 2020. This disease, which can manifest as a severe respiratory infection, has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern and is being treated with a variety of antivirals, antibiotics and antifungals. This article highlights the administration of antimicrobials in COVID-19 patients worldwide, during the 2019-20 pandemic. It is imperative to be aware of the unreported amounts of antibiotics that have been administered worldwide in just a few months and a marked increase in antimicrobial resistance should therefore be expected. Due to the lack of data about antimicrobial use during this pandemic, the global impact on the emergence of new antimicrobial resistance is as yet unknown. This issue must be at the forefront of public health policymaking and planning in order that we are prepared for the potentially severe consequences for human and animal health and the environment. © The Author(s) 2020. | Anti-Infective Agents; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Global Health; Health Policy; Humans; One Health; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Population Surveillance; amikacin; antibiotic agent; antifungal agent; azithromycin; carbapenem derivative; ceftriaxone; cephalosporin derivative; dexamethasone; doxycycline; ganciclovir; hydroxychloroquine; lopinavir; lopinavir plus ritonavir; moxifloxacin; oseltamivir; quinolone derivative; rapamycin; remdesivir; ribavirin; ritonavir; tigecycline; vancomycin; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic therapy; antimicrobial therapy; antiviral therapy; Article; coinfection; coronavirus disease 2019; fluid therapy; health service; human; long term care; management; medical service; One Health; oxygen therapy; pandemic; respiratory tract infection; sepsis; treatment outcome; World Health Organization; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus infection; global health; health care policy; health survey; virus pneumonia |
| “One health“ inspired SARS-CoV-2 surveillance: The Galapagos Islands experience | The COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide since the outbreak in Wuhan (China) in December 2019, currently infecting over 25 million people and causing more than 800.000 deaths. In Ecuador, up to the 30th of August 2020, overall 113.648 confirmed cases and 6.555 deaths have been declared. Besides overloading of hospital, capacity for molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 by the Ministry of Public Health was quickly overwhelmed. In this context, emergency authorization for SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR diagnosis was granted to other institutions, like the “Agencia de Regulación y Control para la Bioseguridad y Cuarentena de Galápagos” (ABG), that implemented “LabGal” with support of One Health Research Group from “Universidad de Las Américas” (UDLA). The previous experience of ABG and the One Health Research Group in conducting massive surveillance of zoonotic diseases on livestock was crucial to the success on the control of COVID-19 outbreak at Galapagos Islands by the end of May 2020, when Latin American countries were leading the spread of the pandemic. © 2020 The Authors | Article; clinical research; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; disease surveillance; Ecuador; emergency health service; experience; Galapagos Islands; geographic distribution; hospital bed capacity; human; livestock; major clinical study; male; molecular diagnosis; mortality; national health organization; One Health; real time polymerase chain reaction; zoonosis |
| Prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus in Africa in one health approach: a systematic review and meta-analysis | Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are a global challenge currently as reported by the World Health Organization. It is also important to recognize that combating antimicrobial resistance needs to recognize the interconnections between people, animals, plants and their shared environment in creating public health, the so-called One Health approach. Although the presence of VRE has been described in many regions of the world, there is a lack of comprehensive data indicating their prevalence of in Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to aggregate the result of studies describing VRE reported across multiple regions in Africa. A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Google scholar, and Hinari with the term “Vancomycin resistance enterococcus in Africa” on August 1–3, 2019. All available articles were downloaded to “Endnote version 7.1” then to Microsoft Word 2013. Articles determined to meet our criteria for the review was extracted to Microsoft Excel 2013. Those articles that reported the prevalence of vancomycin resistance Enterococcus obtained from all sample types and published from 2010 to 2019 in the English language were included for the review. A meta-analysis was conducted with OpenMetaAnalyst version R.3.1.0 software. The effect size was determined using a binary random effect model and statically significant considered when p < 0.05. Heterogeneity determined with the inconsistency index. A leave one out analysis used to perform the sensitivity analysis. There were 151 articles identified from the database searches; of this, 36 articles included after extensive review with two independent authors. Out of 4073 samples collected, 1488 isolates identified with an overall pooled prevalence of VRE 26.8% (95% CI; 10.7–43.0%) in Africa with a one-health perspective. The analysis showed that considerable heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 99.97%; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis in-country, African region, laboratory method, year of publication, and sample source showed that a high prevalence was identified from South Africa (74.8%), South African regions (74.8%), PCR (959.2%), 2010–2015 years (30.3%) and environmental (52.2%), respectively. This meta-analysis indicates that there was a high-pooled prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in African. A lot should be done to prevent and control the transmission of vancomycin resistance enterococci to a human being from the environment in the continent. © 2020, The Author(s). | Africa; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Enterococcus; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; One Health; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence; Vancomycin; Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci; antiinfective agent; vancomycin; article; effect size; English (language); human; human experiment; laboratory technique; Medline; meta analysis; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; sensitivity analysis; software; South Africa; systematic review; vancomycin resistance; vancomycin resistant Enterococcus; Africa; Enterococcus; genetics; Gram positive infection; microbial sensitivity test; One Health; pathogenicity; prevalence; vancomycin resistant Enterococcus |
| High-throughput diagnosis of human pathogens and fecal contamination in marine recreational water | Waterborne pathogens and their associated diseases are major threats to public health, and surveillance of pathogens and identification of the sources of pollution are imperative for preventing infections. However, simultaneously quantitative detection of multiple pathogens and pollution sources in water environments is the major challenge. In this study, we developed and validated a highly sensitive (mostly >80%) and highly specific (>99%) high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT-qPCR) approach, which could simultaneously quantify 68 marker genes of 33 human pathogens and 23 fecal markers of 10 hosts. The HT-qPCR approach was then successfully used to investigate pathogens and fecal pollution in marine recreational water samples of Xiamen, China. Totally, seven pathogenic marker genes were found in 13 beach bathing waters, which targeted Acanthamoeba spp., Clostridium perfringens, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio cholera/V. parahaemolyticus and Legionella spp. Fecal markers from human and dog were the most frequently detected, indicating human and dog feces were the main contamination in the recreational waters. Nanopore sequencing of full-length 16S rRNA gene revealed that 28 potential human pathogens were detected and electrical conductivity, salinity, oxidation-reduction potential and dissolved oxygen were significantly correlated with the variation in bacterial community. Our results demonstrated that HT-qPCR approach had the potential rapid quantification of microbial contamination, providing useful data for assessment of microbial pathogen associated health risk and development of management practices to protect human health. © 2020 The Author(s) | Animals; Bathing Beaches; China; Dogs; Environmental Monitoring; Feces; Humans; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Water; Water Microbiology; Water Pollution; China; Fujian; Xiamen; Acanthamoeba; Bacteria (microorganisms); Canis familiaris; Clostridium perfringens; Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Legionella; Vibrio; ammonia; bacterial DNA; bacterial RNA; dissolved oxygen; mitochondrial DNA; nitrogen; RNA 16S; sea water; RNA 16S; water; assessment method; coliform bacterium; dissolved oxygen; electrical conductivity; health risk; management practice; microbial activity; microbial community; oxidation; pathogen; polymerase chain reaction; quantitative analysis; reduction; salinity; Acanthamoeba; amplicon; Article; Bacillus cereus; Bacillus thuringiensis; bacterial infection; Clostridioides difficile; concentration (parameter); controlled study; Cryptosporidium; electric conductivity; enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; feces; Giardia intestinalis; Helicobacter pylori; high throughput screening; human; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Legionella; Legionella pneumophila; marine environment; marker gene; microbial community; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nanopore sequencing; nonhuman; oxidation reduction potential; pathogenesis; pathogenic Escherichia coli; priority journal; real time polymerase chain reaction; salinity; Salmonella enterica; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Vibrio cholerae; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; water contamination; water temperature; animal; China; dog; environmental monitoring; feces; genetics; microbiology; swimming; water pollution |
| Fangcang shelter hospitals are a One Health approach for responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China | In February 2020, the exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in Wuhan city posed a huge economic burden to local medical systems. Consequently, Wuhan established Fangcang Shelter hospitals as a One Health approach for responding to and containing the COVID-19 outbreak by isolating and caring for mild-to-moderate cases. However, it is unclear to what degree the hospitals contained COVID-19. This study performed an interrupted time series analysis to compare the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 before and after the operation of Fangcang Shelter hospitals. The initial number of confirmed cases in Wuhan increased significantly by 68.54 cases per day prior to February 4, 2020. Compared with the number of cases noted 20 days before the use of Fangcang Shelter hospitals, a sustained reduction in the number of confirmed cases (trend change, −125.57; P < 0.0001) was noted 41 days after the use of the hospitals. Immediate-level changes were observed for confirmed cases (level change, 725.97; P = 0.025). These changes led to an estimated 5148 fewer confirmed cases (P < 0.0001). According to the mean confirmed cases of 395.71 per day before the intervention, we estimated that Wuhan had advanced the terminal phase of COVID-19 by 13 days. Furthermore, immediately after introduction of Fangcang Shelter Hospitals on February 5, the reproduction number dropped rapidly, from a pre-introduction rate of 4.0 to 2.0. The Fangcang Shelter hospitals most likely to reversed the epidemic trend of COVID-19 while a containment strategy was implemented in Wuhan. In a One Health perspective, Fangcang Shelter hospitals, with their functions of isolation and treatment of confirmed COVID-19 patients, engaging professionals from many disciplines, such as medicine, engineering, architecture, psychology, environmental health, and social sciences. The results of this study provide a valuable reference for health policy makers in other countries. © 2020 | Article; China; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cost control; emergency shelter; health care policy; human; isolation hospital; major clinical study; One Health; paramedical disciplines; patient isolation; risk reduction; terminal disease; time series analysis; trend study; virus replication |
| Care integration within and outside health system boundaries | Objective: Examine care integration—efforts to unify disparate parts of health care organizations to generate synergy across activities occurring within and between them—to understand whether and at which organizational level health systems impact care quality and staff experience. Data Sources: Surveys administered to one practice manager (56/59) and up to 26 staff (828/1360) in 59 practice sites within 24 physician organizations within 17 health systems in four states (2017-2019). Study Design: We developed manager and staff surveys to collect data on organizational, social, and clinical process integration, at four organizational levels: practice site, physician organization, health system, and outside health systems. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and regression. Principal Findings: Managers and staff perceived opportunity for improvement across most types of care integration and organizational levels. Managers/staff perceived little variation in care integration across health systems. They perceived better care integration within practice sites than within physician organizations, health systems, and outside health systems—up to 38 percentage points (pp) lower (P <.001) outside health systems compared to within practice sites. Of nine clinical process integration measures, one standard deviation (SD) (7.2-pp) increase in use of evidence-based care related to 6.4-pp and 8.9-pp increases in perceived quality of care by practice sites and health systems, respectively, and a 4.5-pp increase in staff job satisfaction; one SD (9.7-pp) increase in integration of social services and community resources related to a 7.0-pp increase in perceived quality of care by health systems; one SD (6.9-pp) increase in patient engagement related to a 6.4-pp increase in job satisfaction and a 4.6-pp decrease in burnout; and one SD (10.6-pp) increase in integration of diabetic eye examinations related to a 5.5-pp increase in job satisfaction (all P <.05). Conclusions: Measures of clinical process integration related to higher staff ratings of quality and experience. Action is needed to improve care integration within and outside health systems. © Health Research and Educational Trust | Adult; Continuity of Patient Care; Delivery of Health Care; Efficiency, Organizational; Electronic Health Records; Health Services Research; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Organizational; Organizational Objectives; Quality of Health Care; Systems Integration; United States; Article; clinical practice; descriptive research; ethnic difference; evidence based medicine; female; health care organization; health care quality; health care system; human; integrated health care system; job satisfaction; male; mathematical computing; mathematical model; One Health; patient care; practice guideline; professional burnout; professional competence; questionnaire; adult; electronic health record; health care delivery; health services research; middle aged; nonbiological model; organization; organization and management; patient care; system analysis; United States |
| Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5n1) landscape suitability varies by wetland habitats and the degree of interface between wild waterfowl and poultry in india | Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, subtype H5N1, constitutes one of the world’s most important health and economic concerns given the catastrophic impact of epizootics on the poultry industry, the high mortality attending spillover in humans, and its potential as a source subtype for a future pandemic. Nevertheless, we still lack an adequate understanding of HPAI H5N1 epidemiology and infection ecology. The nature of the wild waterfowl–poultry interface, and the sharing of diverse wetland habitat among these birds, currently underscore important knowledge gaps. India has emerged as a global hotspot for HPAI H5N1, while also providing critical wintering habitat for many species of migratory waterfowl and year-round habitat for several resident waterfowl species. The current study sought to examine the extent to which the wild waterfowl–poultry interface, varied wetland habitat, and climate influence HPAI H5N1 epizootics in poultry in India. Using World Organisation for Animal Health reported outbreaks, this study showed that the wild waterfowl–poultry interface and lacustrine, riparian, and coastal marsh wetland systems were strongly associated with landscape suitability, and these relationships varied by scale. Although increasing poultry density was associated with increasing risk, this was only the case in the absence of wild waterfowl habitat, and only at a local scale. In landscapes increasingly shared between wild waterfowl and poultry, suitability was greater among lower density poultry, again at a local scale only. These findings provide further insight into the occurrence of HPAI H5N1 in India and suggest important landscape targets for blocking the waterfowl–poultry interface to interrupt virus transmission and prevent future outbreaks. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Disease Outbreaks; India; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; Influenza in Birds; Poultry; Poultry Diseases; Seasons; Wetlands; animal health; area under the curve; Article; avian influenza (H5N1); climate; community structure; controlled study; diagnostic test accuracy study; disease surveillance; dispersity; ecological niche; economic aspect; habitat; India; Influenza virus; landscape; mortality; nonhuman; One Health; organismal interaction; pandemic; poultry; public health; receiver operating characteristic; resident; seasonal variation; species distribution; terminal disease; waterfowl; wetland; animal; avian influenza; bird disease; epidemic; Influenza A virus (H5N1); isolation and purification; metabolism; season; veterinary medicine; virology; wild animal |
| Combating COVID-19 Lockdown Inactivity in the African Population: Use of Cultural Practices and One Health Approach | A novel pulmonary illness caused by coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) of unknown origin was first reported in China. This disease has claimed over a million human lives worldwide. This pandemic respiratory disease spread through droplets on surfaces and community spread. Government of different countries adopted a total lockdown to reduce human to human contact and keep families safe from the disease. This compulsory movement restriction reduces physical activity of individuals which could pose cardiovascular risk to physically inactive African population. This brief states the various cultural and one health approaches that could be adopted to increase physical activity within the home setting. Literature search using PubMed, Scopus and google scholar and views of one health personnel in the promotion of physical activity at home during the compulsory lockdown were sought for to identify some simple approaches and gaps that need to be researched on. The overview identified culturally related indoor physical activities in Africa such as ampe or tente that could enhance health. It encouraged dog walking, tending backyard farm and catering for indigenous chicken and small ruminants as means of increasing physical activity. Counselling was proffered by nurses to increase health promotion activities such as setting reminders for physical activities and routine house chores. This submission bring to bear indigenous, flexible and simple measures to combat boredom, promote cardiovascular health by increasing physical activity during the compulsory lockdown currently being experienced in Africa, a known cardiovascular risk, physically inactive population. © Physiological Society of Nigeria | Africa; Agriculture; Animals; Coronavirus Infections; Exercise; Health Promotion; Humans; Nurse’s Role; One Health; Pandemics; Pets; Pneumonia, Viral; Quarantine; Africa; agriculture; animal; Coronavirus infection; exercise; health promotion; human; nurse attitude; One Health; pandemic; pet animal; quarantine; virus pneumonia |
| From nursery to nursing home: Emerging concepts in clostridioides difficile pathogenesis | Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacterium that infects the human gastrointestinal tract, causing a wide range of disorders that vary in severity from mild diarrhea to toxic megacolon and/or death. Over the past decade, incidence, severity, and costs associated with C. difficile infection (CDI) have increased dramatically in both the pediatric and adult populations. The factors driving this rapidly evolving epidemiology remain largely unknown but are likely due in part to previously unappreciated host, microbiota, and environmental factors. In this review, we will cover the risks and challenges of CDI in adult and pediatric populations and examine asymptomatic colonization in infants. We will also discuss the emerging role of diet, pharmaceutical drugs, and pathogen-microbiota interactions in C. difficile pathogenesis, as well as the impact of host-microbiota interactions in the manifestation of C. difficile-associated disease. Finally, we highlight new areas of research and novel strategies that may shed light on this complex infection and provide insights into the future of microbiota-based therapeutics for CDI. Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. | Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carrier State; Clostridioides difficile; Clostridium Infections; Cross Infection; Disease Susceptibility; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Nursing Homes; Recurrence; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; drug; adult; aged; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial colonization; bacterial immunity; bacterial microbiome; bacterial virulence; Clostridioides difficile; Clostridium difficile infection; diet; disease association; futurology; host bacterium interaction; human; immune response; infant; infection rate; molecular epidemiology; newborn; nonhuman; nursery; nursing home; nutrition; One Health; priority journal; recurrence risk; recurrent infection; risk factor; age; Clostridium infection; cross infection; disease predisposition; heterozygote; microbiology; physiology; recurrent disease; risk assessment; very elderly |
| Development, implementation, and evaluation of a novel multidisciplinary one health course for university undergraduates | Today’s collaborations across fields of health and wellness are insufficient to meet societies’ challenges in combating disease and maintaining the ecosystem and public health. In this article, we present a One Health curriculum model designed to encourage undergraduate students of varying disciplines to value the connectedness of animals, humans, and the environment and to think innovatively about solutions to priority global health issues. We present the design and implementation of a course that brought together multiple faculty from different fields of study, including the dental, medical, nutrition, and veterinary schools, in a curriculum designed for undergraduates primarily from Arts & Sciences fields. The curriculum was collaboratively designed around four key One Health categories: 1) Infectious zoonotic diseases and global health, 2) Naturally occurring shared disease in companion animals that can serve as models for human disease, 3) Human-animal interactions, and 4) Impact of environmental health on human and animal health. We show this course successfully deepened students’ understandings of One Health, its role in addressing high priority health issues and the overall benefits of a One Health approach to tackling societal problems. We also report a positive experience by the faculty working in collaboration to implement the curriculum model and the overall enthusiasm of students for the course, all of whom would recommend it to their peers. We conclude by proposing the potential of the curriculum model underlying this course to fill the need for One Health Curricula in programs preparing future health professionals. © 2020 The Authors | animal health; Article; course implementation; curriculum development; dental education; education; education program; environmental health; evaluation study; global health; health; human; human animal interaction; human health; infection; nutrition; One Health; organismal interaction; pet animal; student attitude; undergraduate student; university; university student; veterinary medicine |
| Molecular identification of leptospira interrogans in naturally infected cows from a rural property in the border region; [Identificação molecular de Leptospira interrogans em Vacas naturalmente infectadas de uma propriedade rural em Região Fronteiriça] | The aim of this study was to investigate the antibodies and DNA of Leptospira spp. isolated from infected cattle in a small rural dairy farm in a border region between Brazil and Paraguay. Blood and urine samples were collected from 50 Holstein cows aged between 1 and 15 years. The diagnostic tests performed were microscopic serum agglutination for antibody detection and polymerase chain reaction for Leptospira spp. detection. Out of the samples analyzed, 48% were MAT positive with titers ranging from 100 to 400, and the most prevalent antibody was to the serovar Hardjo. One serum sample was amplified to 549 bp for the sec y gene, and sequencing identified it as L. interrogans. This is the first report from northwestern Paraná (PR) State of L. interrogans identification in naturally infected milk cattle. Thus, based on these results, to enhance production efficiency, new serological and molecular studies on dairy cattle from border regions are required to characterize the epidemiology of possible genotypes and their consequences in affected herds. © 2020 Universidade Estadual de Londrina. All rights reserved. |
| Enhanced West Nile Virus Circulation in the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy Regions (Northern Italy) in 2018 Detected by Entomological Surveillance | With several human cases reported annually since 2008 and the unapparent risk of infection of blood donors, the West Nile virus (WNV) is emerging as an important health issue in Europe. Italy, as well as other European countries, experienced a recrudescence of the virus circulation in 2018, which led to an increased number of human cases. An integrated surveillance plan was activated in the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions (Northern Italy) since 2008 in order to monitor the intensity and timing of WNV circulation. A fundamental part of this plan consists in entomological surveillance. In 2018, the surveillance plan made it possible to collect 385,293 mosquitoes in 163 stations in the two Regions. In total 269,147 Culex mosquitoes were grouped into 2,337 pools and tested for WNV, which was detected in 232 pools. Circulation started in the central part of the Emilia-Romagna region in the middle of June, about one month before the previous seasons. Circulation suddenly expanded to the rest of the region and reached the Lombardy region in the middle of July. WNV circulated more intensively in the eastern part of the surveyed area, as confirmed by the highest number of human cases. A relationship between the number of mosquitoes collected and the virus incidence emerged, but the data obtained highlighted that the probability of detecting the virus in a given site was less than expected with a higher number of collected mosquitoes. A significant relationship was observed between the temperature recorded one week before the sampling and the number of collected mosquitoes, as well as between the estimated number of WNV-positive mosquitoes and the temperature recorded two weeks before the sampling. The two weeks delay in the influence of temperature on the positive mosquitoes is in line with the time of the virus extrinsic incubation in the mosquito. This finding confirms that temperature is one of the principal drivers in WNV mosquito infection. The surveillance system demonstrated the ability to detect the virus circulation early, particularly in areas where circulation was more intense. This allowed evaluating the effect of mosquito abundance and weather factors on virus circulation. © Copyright © 2020 Calzolari, Angelini, Bolzoni, Bonilauri, Cagarelli, Canziani, Cereda, Cerioli, Chiari, Galletti, Moirano, Tamba, Torri, Trogu, Albieri, Bellini and Lelli. | Article; Culex; disease surveillance; entomology; human; Italy; morbidity; mosquito; nonhuman; season; temperature; virus detection; West Nile virus |
| Molecular detection of virulence genes in Campylobacter species isolated from livestock production systems in South Africa | Campylobacter species are a major cause of foodborne bacterial infections in both developed and developing countries worldwide. Campylobacter jejuni is responsible for the majority of infections. This study was conducted to identify virulence-associated genes in Campylobacter species isolated from livestock production systems in South Africa. A total of 250 fecal samples consisting of cattle (n=50), chickens (n=50), goats (n=50), sheep (n=50) and pigs (n=50) were randomly collected from livestock in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa between April and October 2018. The samples were analyzed for the presence of virulence genes in Campylobacter species using molecular PCR-based methods. It was found that 77 and 23% of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli respectively were isolated from all the livestock samples. There were positive significant (P<0.05) correlations amongst all the virulence genes that were investigated. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were implemented to test for the effect of livestock species on the presence or absence of virulence genes. The study demonstrated that most of livestock species can potentially cause zoonotic infections and food poisoning due to the high prevalence of Campylobacter. The high prevalence of virulence genes highlights the significance of Campylobacter in livestock production systems in South Africa. This requires the implementation of one-health approaches to reduce the impact of foodborne and zoonotic diseases for the welfare of human and animal health. © 2020 CAAS. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V |
| Rabies knowledge and practices among human and veterinary health workers in Chad | To prevent human rabies deaths close communication between the veterinary and human health sector is needed for timely and adequate treatment after a bite exposure. Good practice treatment and efficient One Health communication depends heavily on the knowledge and practices (KP) of both human health and veterinary workers. We have evaluated the level of KP of both these sectors during a one-day joint training program to kick start a large scale rabies burden and vaccine demand study in selected regions of Chad. Participants were evaluated through a questionnaire before and after training to get insight into the basic knowledge of rabies and the improvement of this knowledge after the training session. In addition to 20 questions on rabies derived from the educational platform of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, the questionnaires included a pre-training knowledge self-evaluation and a post-training evaluation of the course. Overall 247 workshop participants with varied level of educational background responded to at least one questionnaire. Around 75% of respondents were from the human health sector and 20% from the veterinary sector. Knowledge level did not differ significantly between the two sectors nor between rural or urban working backgrounds. Respondents with a university degree scored significantly higher in pre-and post-training questionnaire compared to respondents with high school level degree or lower. Knowledge was also dependent on study region and sex of the respondent. In general, the importance of a One Health approaches, such as vaccination of dogs to prevent human rabies, is well understood in both sectors. Regarding treatment, many participants did not know the adequate number of doses required for a full course of PEP, but through the training, this knowledge improved. Detailed knowledge of atypical transmission routes and pathophysiology (neurotropism of the virus) was generally lacking and did not significantly improve through the training. The study revealed considerable deficiencies and challenges in the knowledge level of both veterinary and human health workers in Chad. Rabies control programs need to anticipate these challenges to implementation and provide sufficient time and funds for training workshops and follow-up. © 2019 | Adult; Animals; Bites and Stings; Chad; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Personnel; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; One Health; Rabies; Rabies Vaccines; Rural Population; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaccination; Chad; Canis familiaris; rabies vaccine; rabies vaccine; education; health care; health education; health worker; knowledge; rabies; adult; Article; Chad; controlled study; female; health care personnel; high school; human; knowledge; major clinical study; male; questionnaire; rabies; Rabies virus; training; vaccination; veterinary medicine; virus transmission; workshop; animal; attitude to health; bites and stings; dog; dog disease; immunology; middle aged; One Health; rabies; rural population |
| Singapore’s national action plan on antimicrobial resistance | The rapid emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat, and international bodies have called for action against it. Studies show that Singapore is not spared from its effects. There was strong local political support for action and One Health agencies assembled a One Health AMR Workgroup to jointly develop the National Strategic Action Plan (NSAP) for Antimicrobial Resistance. The NSAP would set the framework for Singapore’s response to AMR and would be aligned with the World Health Organisation’s Global Action Plan on AMR with reference made to the standards and guidelines established by intergovernmental bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organisation for Animal Health. This paper describes existing initiatives to combat AMR, and lists priority areas for further action akin to the WHO Global Action Plan for AMR. These priority areas include education, surveillance and risk assessment, research, prevention and control of infection, and optimisation of antimicrobial use. Today, the One Health AMR Workgroup comprises of the Ministry of Health, the Health Promotion Board, the National Environment Agency, National Parks Board, PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency and the Singapore Food Agency. © Asian Fisheries Society. | Singapore [Southeast Asia]; action plan; antibiotic resistance; aquaculture; disease control; national planning |
| The Pearl River Declaration: A timely call for enhancing health security through fostering a regional one health collaboration in the Asia-Pacific | The Second International Symposium on One Health Research (ISOHR) was held in Guangzhou city, China on 23-24 November 2019. A transdisciplinary collaborative approach, One Health (OH), was the central theme of the symposium which brought together more than 260 experts, scholars and emerging researchers from human health, veterinary health, food safety, environmental health and related disciplines and sectors. More than 50 organizations including World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control (USA), and Queensland Government (Australia) participated in the symposium. Scholars, experts and emerging researchers, policy-makers and practitioners in their respective fields delivered over 50 presentations at the symposium, highlighting the collective vulnerability to some of the emerging health challenges the region was combating. These included emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, food safety and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. The Pearl River Declaration, emanated from the symposium, called for establishing a One Health Cooperation Network in the Southeast Asia-Pacific region with a vision to strengthen regional health security through sharing each other’s knowledge and experience, and making investments in workforce development, scientific innovations such as vaccine research and development, sharing epidemic intelligence, risk identification, risk communication and appropriate response measures against emerging health threats. © 2020 The Author(s). | China; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Epidemics; Global Health; Government; Humans; International Cooperation; One Health; Organizations; World Health Organization; China; Guangdong; Guangzhou; Pacific Ocean; Pacific Rim; antibiotic agent; conference proceeding; health care; infectious disease; interdisciplinary approach; policy making; public health; vulnerability; World Health Organization; antibiotic resistance; Article; China; chronic disease; climate change; drug research; epidemic; food safety; health workforce; human; infection; international cooperation; intersectoral collaboration; investment; non communicable disease; nonhuman; One Health; priority journal; public health service; Queensland; risk assessment; World Health Organization; communicable disease; global health; government; international cooperation; organization; World Health Organization |
| Antimicrobial usage and resistance in companion animals: A cross-sectional study in three european countries | Companion animals have been described as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), however data remain scarce. Therefore, the objectives were to describe antimicrobial usage (AMU) in dogs and cats in three European countries (Belgium, Italy, and The Netherlands) and to investigate phenotypic AMR. A questionnaire and one fecal sample per animal (n = 303) were collected over one year and AMU was quantified using treatment incidence (TI). Phenotypic resistance profiles of 282 Escherichia coli isolates were determined. Nineteen percent of the animals received at least one antimicrobial treatment six months preceding sampling. On average, cats and dogs were treated with a standard daily dose of antimicrobials for 1.8 and 3.3 days over one year, respectively. The most frequently used antimicrobial was amoxicillin-clavulanate (27%). Broad-spectrum antimicrobials and critically important antimicrobials for human medicine represented 83% and 71% of the total number of treatments, respectively. Resistance of E. coli to at least one antimicrobial agent was found in 27% of the isolates. The most common resistance was to ampicillin (18%). Thirteen percent was identified as multidrug resistant isolates. No association between AMU and AMR was found in the investigated samples. The issue to address, regarding AMU in companion animal, lies within the quality of use, not the quantity. Especially from a One-Health perspective, companion animals might be a source of transmission of resistance genes and/or resistant bacteria to humans. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | amoxicillin; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; antibiotic agent; antiinfective agent; azithromycin; cefotaxime; cefovecin; ceftazidime; chloramphenicol; colistin; extended spectrum beta lactamase; gentamicin; metronidazole; nalidixic acid; ofloxacin; sulfamethoxazole; tetracycline; trimethoprim; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial therapy; Article; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; Belgium; cat; controlled study; cross-sectional study; dog; Escherichia coli; European; feces analysis; incidence; Italy; minimum inhibitory concentration; multidrug resistance; Netherlands; nonhuman; priority journal; questionnaire; treatment duration; veterinarian |
| Lessons Learned From the Stakeholder Engagement in Research: Application of Spatial Analytical Tools in One Health Problems | Stakeholder engagement in research is widely advocated as a tool to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives in the management of health threats while addressing potential conflicts of interest. Although guidelines for stakeholder engagement exist in public health and environmental sciences, the feasibility of actionable decisions based on scientific analyses and the lessons learned from the stakeholder engagement in the process co-creation of knowledge have been rarely discussed in One Health literature and veterinary sciences. Risk maps and risk regionalization using spatiotemporal epidemiological/analytical tools are known to improve risk perception and communication. Risk maps are useful when informing policy and management decisions on quarantine, vaccination, and surveillance intended to prevent or control threats to human, animal, or environmental health interface (i.e., One Health). We hypothesized that researcher-stakeholder engagement throughout the research process could enhance the utility of risk maps; while identifying opportunities to improve data collection, analysis, interpretation, and, ultimately, implementation of scientific/evidence-based management and policy measures. Three case studies were conducted to test this process of co-creation of scientific knowledge, using spatiotemporal epidemiological approaches, all related to One Health problems affecting Minnesota. Our interpretation of the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned from the process are summarized from both researcher and stakeholder perspectives. By sharing our experience we intend to provide an understanding of the expectations, realizations, and “good practices” we learned through this slow-moving iterative process of co-creation of knowledge. We hope this contribution benefits the planning of future transdisciplinary research related to risk map-based management of One Health problems. © Copyright © 2020 Kanankege, Phelps, Vesterinen, Errecaborde, Alvarez, Bender, Wells and Perez. | article; controlled study; environmental health; expectation; human; interdisciplinary research; Minnesota; One Health; quarantine; stakeholder engagement; vaccination; veterinary medicine |
| ‘One Health’ Actors in Multifaceted Health Systems: An Operational Case for India | The surging trend of (re)emerging diseases urges for the early detection, prevention, and control of zoonotic infections through the One Health (OH) approach. The operationalization of the OH approach depends on the contextual setting, the presence of the actors across the domains of OH, and the extent of their involvement. In the absence of national operational guidelines for OH in India, this study aims to identify potential actors with an attempt to understand the current health system network strength (during an outbreak and non-outbreak situations) at the local health system of Ahmedabad, India. This case study adopted a sequential mixed methods design conducted in two phases. First, potential actors who have been involved directly or indirectly in zoonoses prevention and control were identified through in-depth interviews. A network study was conducted as part of the second phase through a structured network questionnaire. Interest and influence matrix, average degree, network density, and degree of centralization were calculated through Atlas.Ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany), UCINET (Analytic Technologies, Lexington, KY, USA) software. The identified actors were categorized based on power, administrative level (either at the city or district level), and their level of action: administrative (policy planners, managers), providers (physicians, veterinarians), and community (health workers, community leaders). The matrix indicated that administrative actors from the district level were ‘context setters’ and the actors from the city level were either ‘players’ or ‘subjects’. The network density showed a strength of 0.328 during the last outbreak of H5N1, which decreased to 0.163 during the non-outbreak situation. Overall, there was low collaboration observed in this study, which ranged from communication (during non-outbreaks) to coordination (during outbreaks). The private and non-governmental actors were not integrated into collaborative activities. This study concludes that not only collaboration is needed for OH among the sectors pertaining to the human and the animal health system but also better structured (‘inter-level’) collaboration across the governance levels for effective implementation. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| West Nile virus in Europe: After action reviews of preparedness and response to the 2018 transmission season in Italy, Slovenia, Serbia and Greece | Background: After Action Reviews (AAR) with a One Health perspective were performed in Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Greece following a severe West Nile virus (WNV) transmission season in 2018. A protocol combining traditional techniques and organizational process analysis was developed and then implemented in each country. Results: In 2018, response to the unusually intense transmission season of WNV in Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Greece took place through routine response mechanisms. None of the four countries declared a national or subnational emergency. We found a very strong consensus on the strengths identified in responding to this event. All countries indicated the availability of One Health Plans for surveillance and response; very high laboratory diagnostic capacity in the human, veterinary and entomology sectors and strong inter-sectoral collaboration with strong commitment of engaged institutions as critical in the management of the event. Finally, countries implementing One Health surveillance for WNV (in terms of early warning and early activation of prevention measures) consistently reported a positive impact on their activities, in particular when combining mosquito and bird surveillance with surveillance of cases in humans and equids. Recurring priority areas for improvement included: increasing knowledge on vector-control measures, ensuring the sustainability of vector monitoring and surveillance, and improving capacity to manage media pressure. Conclusions: The AARs presented here demonstrate the benefit of cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary approaches to preparedness for West Nile virus outbreaks in Europe. In the coming years, priorities include fostering and strengthening arrangements that: enable coordinated One Health surveillance and response during WNV transmission seasons; ensure adequate laboratory capacities; strengthen risk communication; and fund longer-term research to address the knowledge gaps identified in this study. © 2020 The Author(s). | Animals; Culicidae; Disease Outbreaks; Greece; Humans; Italy; Mosquito Vectors; Seasons; Serbia; Slovenia; West Nile Fever; West Nile virus; Europe; Greece; Italy; Serbia; Slovenia; Aves; Equidae; West Nile virus; communication; disease control; disease incidence; disease spread; disease transmission; disease vector; early warning system; entomology; health risk; seasonality; West Nile virus; Article; bird; consensus; controlled study; disease surveillance; entomology; epidemic; Equidae; Europe; Greece; human; Italy; knowledge; mosquito; nonhuman; One Health; priority journal; seasonal variation; Serbia; Slovenia; vector control; veterinarian; virus transmission; West Nile fever; West Nile virus; animal; mosquito vector; season; virology; West Nile fever; West Nile virus |
| The One Health Consortium: Design of a Phase I Clinical Trial to Evaluate M032, a Genetically Engineered HSV-1 Expressing IL-12, in Combination With a Checkpoint Inhibitor in Canine Patients With Sporadic High Grade Gliomas | As the most common and deadly of primary brain tumors, malignant gliomas have earned their place within one of the most multifaceted and heavily-funded realms of medical research. Numerous avenues of pre-clinical investigation continue to provide valuable insight, but modeling the complex evolution and behavior of these tumors within a host under simulated circumstances may pose challenges to extrapolation of data. Remarkably, certain breeds of pet dogs spontaneously and sporadically develop high grade gliomas that follow similar incidence, treatment, and outcome patterns as their human glioma counterparts. The most malignant of these tumors have been refractory to limited treatment options despite aggressive treatment; outcomes are dismal with median survivals of just over 1 year in humans and 2 months in dogs. Novel treatments are greatly needed and combination therapies appear to hold promise. This clinical protocol, a dose-escalating phase I study in dogs with sporadic malignant glioma, represents a first in comparative oncology and combination immunotherapy. The trial will evaluate M032, an Interleukin-12 expressing Herpes Simplex virus, alone and combined with a checkpoint inhibitor, Indoximod. Extensive pre-clinical work has demonstrated safety of intracranial M032 administration in mice and non-human primates. M032 is currently being tested in humans with high-grade malignant gliomas. Thus, in a novel fashion, both canine and human trials will proceed concurrently allowing a direct “head-to-head” comparison of safety and efficacy. We expect this viral oncolytic therapy to be as safe as it is in human patients and M032 to (a) infect and kill glioma cells, producing a virus and tumor cell antigen-rich debris field; (b) provide an adjuvant effect due to liberation of viral DNA, which is rich in unmethylated CpG sequences that “toggle” TLR-9 receptors; and (c) express IL-12 locally, stimulating induction of TH1 lymphocytes. The resultant immune-mediated anti-viral responses should, through cross-epitope spreading, translate into a strong response to tumor antigens. The ability to compare human and dog responses in real time affords the most stringent test of suitability of the dog as an informative model of human brain tumors. Subsequent studies will allow canine trials to properly inform the design of human trials. © Copyright © 2020 Chambers, Bentley, Crossman, Foote, Koehler, Markert, Omar, Platt, Self, Shores, Sorjonen, Waters, Yanke and Gillespie. |
| Subnational operationalization of One Health: lessons from the establishment of One Health rapid response teams in Tanzania | In 2018, Tanzania launched the One Health Coordination Desk (OHCD) in a country that operates a centralized public health system with limited privatization. In contrast, the animal health system is decentralized, with huge reliance on privatization. Subnational level implementation of health services are sometimes at odds with national-level planning due to inherent challenges. To bridge these gaps, One Health rapid response teams (OHRRTs) were set up and pilot tested in selected districts and regions of Tanzania. These teams serve the community directly through the delivery of community-oriented One Health activities. We discuss the OHRRT set-up process as an example of good practice for adoption in developing economies. © The Author(s) 2020. | Government Programs; Hospital Rapid Response Team; One Health; Tanzania; adoption; animal health; article; economic aspect; human; One Health; public health; rapid response team; Tanzania; government; Tanzania |
