| Titles | Abstract | Indexed Keywords | Author Keywords |
| Detection of Japanese Encephalitis virus in culex mosquitoes in Singapore | Mosquito-borne flaviviruses are emerging pathogens of an increasing global public health concern because of their rapid increase in geographical range and the impact of climate change. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are of concern because of the risk of reemergence and introduction by migratory birds. In Singapore, human WNV infection has never been reported and human JEV infection is rare. Four sentinel vector surveillance sites were established in Singapore to understand the potential risk posed by these viruses. Surveillance was carried out from August 2011 to December 2012 at Pulau Ubin, from March 2011 to March 2013 at an Avian Sanctuary (AS), from December 2010 from October 2012 at Murai Farmway, and from December 2010 to December 2013 at a nature reserve. The present study revealed active JEV transmission in Singapore through the detection of JEV genotype II in Culex tritaeniorhynchus collected from an Avian Sanctuary. Culex flavivirus (CxFV), similar to the Quang Binh virus isolated from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Vietnam and CxFV-LSFlaviV-A20-09 virus isolated in China, was also detected in Culex spp. (vishnui subgroup). No WNV was detected. This study demonstrates the important role that surveillance plays in public health and strongly suggests the circulation of JEV among wildlife in Singapore, despite the absence of reported human cases. A One Health approach involving surveillance, the collaboration between public health and wildlife managers, and control of mosquito populations remains the key measures in risk mitigation of JEV transmission in the enzootic cycle between birds and mosquitoes. Copyright © 2020 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene | Animals; Culex; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese; Encephalitis, Japanese; Epidemiological Monitoring; Female; Genotype; Geography; Humans; Mosquito Vectors; Singapore; article; bird; China; Culex tritaeniorhynchus; genotype; human; Japanese encephalitis virus; manager; nonhuman; One Health; public health; Singapore; Viet Nam; virus transmission; West Nile virus; wildlife; animal; Culex; epidemiological monitoring; female; genetics; geography; isolation and purification; Japanese encephalitis; Japanese encephalitis virus; mosquito vector; Singapore; virology |
| Symposium report: emerging threats for human health–impact of socioeconomic and climate change on zooanthroponosis in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia | Population growth, socio-cultural and economic changes as well as technological progress have an immediate impact on the environment and human health in particular. Our steadily rising needs of resources increase the pressure on the environment and narrow down untainted habitats for plants and wild animals. Balance and resilience of ecosystems are further threatened by climate change, as temperature and seasonal shifts increase the pressure for all species to find successful survival strategies. Arctic and subarctic regions are especially vulnerable to climate change, as thawing of permafrost significantly transforms soil structures, vegetation and habitats. With rising temperature, the risk of zoonotic diseases in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has also increased. As vegetation periods prolong and habitats broaden, zoonotic pathogens and their vectors find more favourable living conditions. Moreover, permafrost degradation may expose historic burial grounds and allow for reviving the vectors of deadly infections from the past. To assess the current state of knowledge and emerging risks in the light of the “One Health” concept, a German-Russian Symposium took place on 13 August 2018 in Yakutsk, Russian Federation. This symposium report presents the main findings generated from presentations and discussions. © 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Arctic Regions; Climate Change; Congresses as Topic; Environmental Health; Humans; Risk Factors; Russia; Zoonoses; animal; Arctic; climate change; environmental health; human; organization; risk factor; Russian Federation; wild animal; zoonosis |
| Knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance among backyard pig farmers in rural Shandong province, China | China is among the world’s largest consumers of antibiotics for livestock, and the demand for meat protein continues to rise. Pig production takes place at a range of facilities, including backyard pig farms. The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of backyard pig farmers concerning antibiotic use and resistance, and to observe household storage of antibiotics for use in pigs. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among 271 rural residents with backyard pig farms in 12 villages in one town in Shandong province. The median number of pigs per backyard farm was 14, and 82 % (222/271) of participants reported not having had any training about raising pigs. Eighteen percent of participants (48/271) reported always or often adding antibiotics to feed to keep pigs healthy and prevent diseases, and a third (88/271) of participants believed that pigs should be given antibiotics when they stop eating. Thirty percent (82/271) reported having bought antibiotics in the previous year without having first spoken with a veterinarian. Antibiotics accounted for over half of all medicines stored (55 %, 197/358), and were observed in 31 % of all households (83/271). Less than half of participants (45 %, 37/83) from households in which antibiotics for pig use were found knew that they were storing antibiotics. The most common class of antibiotics stored for use in pigs was (Q)J01C beta-lactam antibiotics, penicillins (19 %, 37/197), followed by (Q)J01F macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins (14 %, 28/197), and (Q)J01M quinolones (12 %, 25/197). These results provide important insights into how backyard pig farmers are using antibiotics in rural China and suggest potential targets for interventions to reduce unnecessary and inappropriate use. © 2019 The Authors | Animal Husbandry; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; China; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Farmers; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Sus scrofa; antibiotic agent; beta lactam antibiotic; lincosamide; macrolide; penicillin derivative; quinolone derivative; streptogramin derivative; antiinfective agent; adult; agricultural worker; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; attitude to health; China; cross-sectional study; drug storage; female; health behavior; health care survey; human; male; middle aged; One Health; pig farming; priority journal; questionnaire; rural population; veterinarian; agricultural worker; animal; animal husbandry; classification; pig; psychology |
| Socio-economic impacts of working horses in urban and peri-urban areas of the Cape Flats, South Africa | In the Cape Flats townships, Cape Town, South Africa, there are more than 250 working cart horses. They serve the community with scrap metal and garden refuse removal, human transport and the selling of goods. A questionnaire was undertaken to understand the social and economic impacts of a horse and cart in the Cape Flats on individual owners and/or drivers, their households and the community. A mixture of classical quantitative questions combined with qualitative participatory technique questions were used. A total of 100 participants took part in the questionnaire, who cart with 163 horses between them. The majority (89%) identified the cart horse income as their primary income source. Apart from the participants, an additional 716 people were supported financially through this income, where the mean number of children supported was 2.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: ±0.42) per interviewed participant. Scrap metal transportation was the most common work and the season (winter) had a negative impact on their ability to work. The spatial extent to which a cart horses work was determined and related back to the impact on the horse and participant of the survey. It was demonstrated that the cart horse industry had an impact not only on those who worked in the industry, but also on the surrounding residents, either through their work or through supporting others with their income. This study revealed that the concepts of ‘One Health’ and ‘Health in Social-Ecological Systems’, in action as horse and human health within the Cape Flats are closely intertwined. © 2020. The Authors. | Animals; Female; Horses; Male; Socioeconomic Factors; South Africa; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urban Population; article; child; demography; ecosystem; female; horse; human; human experiment; major clinical study; male; nonhuman; One Health; quantitative analysis; questionnaire; resident; South Africa; urban area; winter; animal; socioeconomics; South Africa; urban population |
| Chikungunya Outbreak in the Republic of the Congo, 2019—Epidemiological, Virological and Entomological Findings of a South-North Multidisciplinary Taskforce Investigation | The Republic of Congo (RoC) declared a chikungunya (CHIK) outbreak on 9 February 2019. We conducted a ONE-Human-Animal HEALTH epidemiological, virological and entomological investigation. Methods: We collected national surveillance and epidemiological data. CHIK diagnosis was based on RT-PCR and CHIKV-specific antibodies. Full CHIKV genome sequences were obtained by Sanger and MinION approaches and Bayesian tree phylogenetic analysis was performed. Mosquito larvae and 215 adult mosquitoes were collected in different villages of Kouilou and Pointe-Noire districts and estimates of Aedes (Ae.) mosquitos’ CHIKV-infectious bites obtained. We found two new CHIKV sequences of the East/Central/South African (ECSA) lineage, clustering with the recent enzootic sub-clade 2, showing the A226V mutation. The RoC 2019 CHIKV strain has two novel mutations, E2-T126M and E2-H351N. Phylogenetic suggests a common origin from 2016 Angola strain, from which it diverged around 1989 (95% HPD 1985–1994). The infectious bite pattern was similar for 2017, 2018 and early 2019. One Ae. albopictus pool was RT-PCR positive. The 2019 RoC CHIKV strain seems to be recently introduced or be endemic in sylvatic cycle. Distinct from the contemporary Indian CHIKV isolates and in contrast to the original Central-African strains (transmitted by Ae. aegypti), it carries the A226V mutation, indicating an independent adaptive mutation in response to vector replacement (Ae. albopictus vs Ae. aegypti). © 2020 | Adolescent; Adult; Aedes; Animals; Bayes Theorem; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Child; Child, Preschool; Congo; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Humans; Larva; Male; Middle Aged; Mosquito Vectors; Mutation; Phylogeny; Young Adult; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin M; virus RNA; virus vector; adult; Aedes; Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus; Article; chikungunya; Chikungunya virus; Congo; disease surveillance; disease transmission; entomology; female; fluorescence analysis; gene sequence; genetic analysis; human; immunofluorescence; immunofluorescence assay; insect control; male; meteorology; nanopore sequencing; phylogeny; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; Sanger sequencing; sequence analysis; virus detection; virus diagnosis; virus genome; virus strain; adolescent; animal; Bayes theorem; chikungunya; Chikungunya virus; child; classification; epidemic; genetics; larva; middle aged; mosquito vector; mutation; physiology; preschool child; virology; young adult |
| Risk of Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Dispersion from Hog Farms: A Critical Review | The World Health Organization has declared antibiotic resistance “one of the biggest threats to global health.” Mounting evidence suggests that antibiotic use in industrial-scale hog farming is contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. To capture available evidence on these risks, we searched peer-reviewed studies published before June 2017 and conducted a meta-analysis of these studies’ estimates of the prevalence of swine-associated, antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in animals, humans, and the environment. The 166 relevant studies revealed consistent evidence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in hog herds (55.3%) raised with antibiotics. MRSA prevalence was also substantial in slaughterhouse pigs (30.4%), industrial hog operation workers (24.4%), and veterinarians (16.8%). The prevalence of swine-associated, multidrug-resistant S. aureus (MDRSA)—with resistance to three or more antibiotics—is not as well documented. Nonetheless, sufficient studies were available to estimate MDRSA pooled prevalence in conventional hog operation workers (15.0%), workers’ household members (13.0%), and community members (5.37%). Evidence also suggests that antibiotic-resistant S. aureus can be present in air, soil, water, and household surface samples gathered in or near high-intensity hog operations. An important caveat is that prevalence estimates for humans reflect colonization, not active infection, and the health risks of colonization remain poorly understood. In addition, these pooled results may not represent risks in specific locations, due to wide geographic variation. Nonetheless, these results underscore the need for additional preventive action to stem the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens from livestock operations and a streamlined reporting system to track this risk. © 2020 Society for Risk Analysis | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Risk Factors; Staphylococcal Infections; Swine; Swine Diseases; Zoonoses; Animalia; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Suidae; Agriculture; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Health; Health risks; Mammals; Risk assessment; antiinfective agent; Antibiotic resistance; Geographic variation; Household members; Livestock operations; Multidrug resistants; Preventive action; Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; World Health Organization; antibiotic resistance; bacterium; colonization; dispersion; literature review; livestock farming; meta-analysis; World Health Organization; animal; drug effect; human; isolation and purification; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; microbial sensitivity test; microbiology; pig; risk factor; Staphylococcus infection; swine disease; veterinary medicine; zoonosis; Staphylococcus aureus |
| Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of an Extensively Drug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Agona Isolate from an Australian Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) Reveals the Acquisition of Multidrug Resistance Plasmids | Although most of the approximately 94 million annual human cases of gastroenteritis due to Salmonella enterica resolve without medical intervention, antimicrobial therapy is recommended for patients with severe disease. Wild birds can be natural hosts of Salmonella that pose a threat to human health; however, multiple-drug-resistant serovars of S. enterica have rarely been described. In 2012, silver gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) chicks at a major breeding colony were shown to host Salmonella, most isolates of which were susceptible to antibiotics. However, multiple-drug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli with resistance to carbapenems, ceftazidime, and fluoroquinolones was reported from this breeding colony. In this paper, we describe a novel MDR Salmonella strain subsequently isolated from the same breeding colony. SG17-135, an isolate of S. enterica with phenotypic resistance to 12 individual antibiotics but only nine antibiotic classes including penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors (trimethoprim), sulfonamides, and glycylcyclines was recovered from a gull chick in 2017. Wholegenome sequence (WGS) analysis of SG17-135 identified it as Salmonella enterica serovar Agona (S. Agona) with a chromosome comprising 4,813,284 bp, an IncH12 ST2 plasmid (pSG17-135-HI2) of 311,615 bp, and an IncX1 plasmid (pSG17-135-X) of 27,511 bp. pSG17-135-HI2 housed a complex resistance region comprising 16 antimicrobial resistance genes including blaCTX-M-55. The acquisition of MDR plasmids by S. enterica described here poses a serious threat to human health. Our study highlights the importance of taking a One Health approach to identify environmental reservoirs of drug-resistant pathogens and MDR plasmids. © 2020 Cummins et al. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Australia; Charadriiformes; DNA, Bacterial; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Plasmids; Salmonella enterica; Whole Genome Sequencing; amikacin; aminoglycoside derivative; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; ampicillin; antibiotic agent; azithromycin; aztreonam; beta lactamase CTX M; carbapenem derivative; cefalexin; cefazolin; cefepime; cefoxitin; ceftazidime; ceftriaxone; cephalosporin derivative; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor; ertapenem; gentamicin; glycylcycline derivative; imipenem; macrolide; meropenem; monobactam derivative; nalidixic acid; nitrofurantoin; norfloxacin; penicillin derivative; piperacillin plus tazobactam; polymyxin B; quinoline derived antiinfective agent; sulfonamide; tigecycline; timentin; tobramycin; trimethoprim; antiinfective agent; bacterial DNA; antibiotic resistance; Article; Australian; bacterial strain; bacterium colony; bacterium isolation; chick; Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae; chromosome analysis; nonhuman; phenotype; plasmid; Salmonella enterica serovar Agona; sequence analysis; whole genome sequencing; animal; Australia; Charadriiformes; Escherichia coli; genetics; microbiology; multidrug resistance; pathogenicity; Salmonella enterica; whole genome sequencing |
| Food and waterborne parasites in Africa – threats and opportunities | This Special Issue (SI) was conceptualized on the basis that success in tackling foodborne and waterborne parasites (FBP and WBP) will contribute to achievement of seven of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We chose to take a closer look at research on FBP and WBP in Africa, given that attaining these SDGs may be particularly challenging there. In this SI we present 7 articles that provide particular insights into FBP and WBP from different regions in Africa. The articles take different approaches. Three papers are reviews addressing “occurrence” (either widely, in terms of parasite and/or geography, or with focus on a specific parasite genus at a more regional level); all 3 articles emphasise the importance of a “One Health” approach regarding control and prevention of FBP and WBP, and the need for further research to fulfil the information gaps identified. Two articles then report on investigations regarding the knowledge and understanding of different communities in Africa regarding various FBP and WBP. These articles highlight lack of awareness among communities at risk, and also, perhaps of greater relevance, gaps in the knowledge of health workers regarding some FBP and WBP of public health importance. The final two articles are research articles regarding prevalence and occurrence of specific WBP, both as infections and in the environment. This SI, while limited in depth and scope, provides insights into some of the current challenges associated with FBP and WBP in Africa that might result in a lack of success regarding attainment of the previously mentioned seven SDGs. We anticipate significant advances in research on FBP and WBP in Africa, and hope that a future SI on the same topic may present a more positive picture regarding the current status and research achievements. © 2020 The Authors | Africa; Article; community; environment; geography; health care personnel; human; nonhuman; One Health; parasite; parasite control; priority journal; public health |
| Exploration of veterinary service supply to rural farmers in Namibia: a one health perspective | Introduction: expansion of the Namibian beef export market presents benefits for both the National economy and small-scale farming communities. However, meeting animal health and productivity requirements whilst securing veterinary public health are identified as key challenges to the sector. Farmer access to veterinary services, animal health advice and veterinary medicines is scarce due to the geographical expanse, and on-going risks from endemic and emergent zoonotic diseases. Methods: an exploratory, qualitative research methodology was adopted to obtain ground-up rich data from pastoral livestock farmers (n=60) through a series of ten focus groups. Groups were stratified by the geographical regions of Otjozondjupa and Omaheke, representing key beef cattle producing areas in Namibia. Transcribed data were analysed using theoretical thematic analysis, constructed in Grounded Theory methodology, with an iterative constant comparison technique used to identify common themes. Triangulation analysis was completed between authors to ensure consistency in coding. Results: focus group data analysis revealed three emergent themes representative of farmer experiences, belief and opinions. Themes relevant and important to pastoralist farming in the regions, and to veterinary public health, were defined and described as; access to veterinary services and advice; veterinary medicines supply chain; farmer knowledge and understanding. Conclusion: control of endemic zoonoses and the prevention of emergent zoonotic disease is essential to secure livestock health, welfare and productivity, and human health and livelihoods in the region. Contemporaneously is the need to improve livestock farmer access to veterinary and public health advice and education, which should be derived through a One Health approach. © 2020, Pan African Medical Journal. All rights reserved. |
| Rethinking One Health: Emergent human, animal and environmental assemblages | One Health perspectives are growing in influence in global health. One Health is presented as being inherently interdisciplinary and integrative, drawing together human, animal and environmental health into a single gaze. Closer inspection, however, reveals that this presentation of entanglement is dependent upon an apolitical understanding of three pre-existing separate conceptual spaces that are brought to a point of connection. Drawing on research with livestock keepers in northern Tanzania, in the context of the history of livestock policy in colonial and postcolonial East Africa, this demonstrates what an extended model of One Health – one that moves from bounded human, animal and environmental sectors to co-constitutive assemblages – can do to create a flexible space that is inclusive of the multiplicity of health. © 2020 The Authors | Animals; Global Health; Humans; Livestock; One Health; Tanzania; Zoonoses; Tanzania; Animalia; animal welfare; conceptual framework; environmental management; interdisciplinary approach; livestock farming; public health; research work; animal health; Article; clinical effectiveness; clinical practice; disease control; environmental health; global health; health care policy; health status; human; infection prevention; livestock; nonhuman; One Health; Tanzania; vaccination; zoonosis; animal; zoonosis |
| Developing a Global One Health Workforce: The “Rx One Health Summer Institute” Approach | The One Health approach has gained support across a range of disciplines; however, training opportunities for professionals seeking to operationalize the interdisciplinary approach are limited. Academic institutions, through the development of high-quality, experiential training programs that focus on the application of professional competencies, can increase accessibility to One Health education. The Rx One Health Summer Institute, jointly led by US and East African partners, provides a model for such a program. In 2017, 21 participants representing five countries completed the Rx One Health program in East Africa. Participants worked collaboratively with communities neighboring wildlife areas to better understand issues impacting human and animal health and welfare, livelihoods, and conservation. One Health topics were explored through community engagement and role-playing exercises, field-based health surveillance activities, laboratories, and discussions with local experts. Educational assessments reflected improvements in participants’ ability to apply the One Health approach to health and disease problem solving, as well as anticipate cross-sectoral challenges to its implementation. The experiential learning method, specifically the opportunity to engage with local communities, proved to be impactful on participants’ cultural awareness. The Rx One Health Summer Institute training model may provide an effective and implementable strategy by which to contribute to the development of a global One Health workforce. © 2020, The Author(s). | Curriculum; Global Health; Health Workforce; Humans; One Health; Program Evaluation; Universities; curriculum; global health; human; One Health; program evaluation; university |
| Microplastics in wild fish from North East Atlantic Ocean and its potential for causing neurotoxic effects, lipid oxidative damage, and human health risks associated with ingestion exposure | Microplastics (MP) pollution has received increased attention over the last few years. However, while the number of studies documentating the ingestion of microplastics by fish has increased, fewer studies have addressed the toxicological effects derived from the ingestion of these small items in wild conditions. Here, MP contamination and effect biomarkers were investigated in three commercially important fish species from the North East Atlantic Ocean. From the 150 analysed fish (50 per species), 49 % had MP. In fish from the 3 species, MP in the gastrointestinal tract, gills and dorsal muscle were found. Fish with MP had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher lipid peroxidation levels in the brain, gills and dorsal muscle, and increased brain acetylcholinesterase activity than fish where no MP were found. These results suggest lipid oxidative damage in gills and muscle, and neurotoxicity through lipid oxidative damage and acetylcholinesterase induction in relation to MP and/or MP-associated chemicals exposure. From the 150 fish analysed, 32 % had MP in dorsal muscle, with a total mean (± SD) of 0.054 ± 0.099 MP items/g. Based on this mean and on EFSA recommendation for fish consumption by adults or the general population, human consumers of Dicentrachus labrax, Trachurus trachurus, Scomber colias may intake 842 MP items/year from fish consumption only. Based on the mean of MP in fish muscle and data (EUMOFA, NOAA) of fish consumption per capita in selected European and American countries, the estimated intake of microplastics through fish consumption ranged from 518 to 3078 MP items/year/capita. Considering that fish consumption is only one of the routes of human exposure to microplastics, this study and others in the literature emphasize the need for more research, risk assessment and adoption of measures to minimize human exposure to these particles. Thus, MP pollution and its effects should be further investigated and addressed according to the WHO ‘One Health’ approach. © 2019 The Author(s) | Animals; Atlantic Ocean; Eating; Environmental Monitoring; Fishes; Humans; Lipids; Microplastics; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Atlantic Ocean; Atlantic Ocean (Northeast); Scomber colias; Trachurus trachurus; Brain; Food safety; Health; Health risks; Microplastic; Muscle; Pollution; Risk assessment; acetylcholinesterase; microplastic; polyester; polyethylene; lipid; Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase activity; Gastrointestinal tract; Lipid peroxidation levels; Marine fish; Microplastics; Neurotoxicity; Toxicological effects; concentration (composition); food safety; health care; health risk; ingestion rate; oxidative stress; plastic; pollution exposure; toxicity; World Health Organization; abdominal wall musculature; animal tissue; Article; Atlantic Ocean; controlled study; Dicentrachus labrax; dietary exposure; dorsal muscle; enzyme activity; enzyme induction; fish; fish consumption; food intake; food safety; gastrointestinal tract; gill; health hazard; lipid oxidation; lipid peroxidation; neurotoxicity; nonhuman; oxidative stress; priority journal; risk assessment; Scomber colias; skeletal muscle; Trachurus trachurus; animal; eating; environmental monitoring; human; oxidation reduction reaction; water pollutant; Fish |
| Where and when to vaccinate? Interdisciplinary design and evaluation of the 2018 Tanzanian anti-rabies campaign | Objectives: Hoping to improve health-related effectiveness, a two-phase vaccination against rabies was designed and executed in northern Tanzania in 2018, which included geo-epidemiological and economic perspectives. Methods: Considering the local bio-geography and attempting to rapidly establish a protective ring around a city at risk, the first phase intervened on sites surrounding that city, where the population density was lower than in the city at risk. The second phase vaccinated a rural area. Results: No rabies-related case has been reported in the vaccinated areas for over a year post-immunisation; hence, the campaign is viewed as highly cost-effective. Other metrics included: rapid implementation (concluded in half the time spent on other campaigns) and the estimated cost per protected life, which was 3.28 times lower than in similar vaccinations. Conclusions: The adopted design emphasised local bio-geographical dynamics: it prevented the occurrence of an epidemic in a city with a higher demographic density than its surrounding area and it also achieved greater effectiveness than average interventions. These interdisciplinary, policy-oriented experiences have broad and immediate applications in settings of limited and/or time-sensitive (expertise, personnel, and time available to intervene) resources and conditions. © 2020 The Author(s) | Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Humans; Immunization Programs; Rabies; Rabies Vaccines; Tanzania; rabies vaccine; rabies vaccine; Article; biogeography; cost benefit analysis; cost effectiveness analysis; health care cost; health economics; health promotion; health service; human; infection prevention; nonhuman; program development; public health campaign; rabies; rural area; Tanzania; vaccination; animal; cat; cat disease; dog; dog disease; economics; female; preventive health service; rabies |
| Antimicrobial resistance in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli other than serotype O157:H7 in England, 2014–2016 | Introduction. Despite many ongoing surveillance projects and the recent focus on the veterinary and clinical ‘One Health’ aspects of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), evidence of the extent of any public health risk posed by animal reservoirs with respect to the transmission of resistant strains of Escherichia coli to humans remains varied and contentious. In the UK, the main zoonotic reservoir for the foodborne pathogen Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is cattle and sheep. In this study, we adopt an alternative approach to the risk assessment of transmission of AMR E. coli from animals to humans, involving monitoring AMR in isolates of STEC, an established zoonotic, foodborne pathogen, from human cases of gastrointestinal disease. Aim. The aim of this study was to determine the genome-derived AMR profiles for STEC from human cases to assess the risk of transmission of multidrug-resistant STEC from ruminants to humans. Methodology. STEC belonging to 10 different clonal complexes (CCs) (n=457) isolated from human faecal specimens were sequenced and genome-derived AMR profiles were determined. Phenotypic susceptibility testing was undertaken on all isolates (n=100) predicted to be resistant to at least one class of antimicrobial. Results. Of the 457 isolates, 332 (72.7%) lacked identifiable resistance genes and were predicted to be fully susceptible to 11 classes of antimicrobials; 125/332 (27.3%) carried 1 or more resistance genes, of which 83/125 (66.4%) were resistant to 3 or more classes of antibiotic. The percentage of isolates harbouring AMR determinants varied between CCs, from 4% in CC25 to 100% in CC504. Forty-six different AMR genes were detected, which conferred resistance to eight different antibiotic classes. Resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracyclines and sulphonamides was most commonly detected. Four isolates were identified as extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers. An overall concordance of 97.7% (n=1075/1100) was demonstrated between the phenotypic and genotypic methods. Conclusion. This analysis provided an indirect assessment of the risk of transmission of AMR gastrointestinal pathogens from animals to humans, and revealed a subset of human isolates of the zoonotic pathogen STEC were resistant to the antimicrobials used in animal husbandry. However, this proportion has not increased over the last three decades, and thismay provide evidence that guidancepromoting responsible practice has been effective. © 2020 Crown Copyright | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cattle; Disease Reservoirs; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; England; Escherichia coli Infections; Feces; Genome, Bacterial; Genotype; Humans; Male; One Health; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sheep; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli; Zoonoses; amikacin; aminoglycoside antibiotic agent; ampicillin; azithromycin; beta lactam antibiotic; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; cefpirome; ceftazidime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; ertapenem; fosfomycin; gentamicin; macrolide; quinoline derived antiinfective agent; rifamycin; streptomycin; sulfamethoxazole; sulfonamide; temocillin; tetracycline; tetracycline derivative; tobramycin; trimethoprim; trimethoprim derivative; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial genome; bacterial transmission; bacterium isolate; clonal variation; controlled study; England; Escherichia coli O157; feces analysis; gene sequence; genotype; human; nonhuman; phenotype; priority journal; risk assessment; ruminant; serotype; Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli; animal; bovine; disease carrier; Escherichia coli infection; feces; genetics; isolation and purification; male; microbiology; multidrug resistance; One Health; sexual and gender minority; sheep; Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli; zoonosis |
| Evidence-based homeopathy and veterinary homeopathy, and its potential to help overcome the anti-microbial resistance problem – an overview; [L’homéopathie et l’homéopathie vétérinaire fondées sur les faits et leur potentiel pour aider à surmonter le problème de la résistance aux antimicrobiens – un aperçu]; [Evidenzbasierte veterinär-/homöopathie und ihre mögliche bedeutung für die bekämpfung der antibiotikaresistenzpro-blematik – ein überblick]; [Evidenze basate sull’omeopatia veterinaria e il suo potenziale signifi-cato nell’affrontare il problema della resistenza agli antibiotici – una panoramica] | The basic principles of homeopathy, and its legal and scientific foundations, are discussed in an overview to address the positions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the commission of the European Union (EU) on complementary medicine. According to the WHO, the antimicrobial resistance problem poses a global threat. The EU Commission’s current One Health Action Plan requests research in complementary medicine, the WHO urges member states to include complementary medicine in their national health policies. Regarding external evidence on the general use of human and veterinary homeopathy, evidence level 1a studies are reviewed. Focusing on the external evidence on the use of homeopathy in infections, some evidence level 1a, 1b, 2c studies, and a case report, are described in more detail. In conclusion, evidence for the effectiveness of human and veterinary homeopathy in general, and in particular, of homeopathic treatment for infections, is available. Especially, individualized homeopathy demonstrates effects at all quality levels according to Cochrane criteria, even in the methodologically high-quality studies. As in most areas of veterinary medicine and medicine, further good/excellent studies are necessary. In compliance with the principles of homeopathy, further methodologically high-quality trials focusing on the homeopathic treatment of infections are the next logical step. The selection of the simile (individually fit-ting homeopathic medicinal product) by appropriately trained homeopathic doctors/veterinarians is essential for the effectiveness of homeopathy. Implementation of studies at university facilities is a prerequisite for quality assurance. Consequently, further integration of homeopathy at universities is a necessary requirement for the patients’ best interests. © GST | SVS. | Drug Resistance, Microbial; Evidence-Based Medicine; Homeopathy; adult; antibiotic resistance; article; case report; clinical article; European Union; female; homeopathy; human; male; One Health; public health; quality control; veterinarian; World Health Organization; evidence based medicine; homeopathy; veterinary |
| Food security and health in transition to adulthood for individuals with disabilities | Background: Due to a more stringent disability definition used for eligibility redetermination at age 18, individuals with disabilities may lose eligibility for the Supplement and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Objective: This study examines how the transition to adulthood may affect the association between food security and self-rated health and healthcare needs for individuals with disabilities. Methods: The study uses five years of data (2011–2015) from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). One health indicator, self-rated health status, and two indicators of unmet healthcare needs, delayed medical care and not receiving medical care due to cost, are analyzed as dependent variables. The effects of food security status on health and health-related outcomes are closely examined for the four groups: youth without disabilities, youth with disabilities, young adults without disabilities and young adults with disabilities. Results: Results indicate a statistically significant association between food security status and self-rated health and unmet healthcare needs in late childhood and young adulthood. Such association is stronger for young adults than for youth. The association between low food security and self-rated health and health-related outcomes does not significantly differ between the two youth groups or the two young adult groups by disability status. Conclusions: Suggestions for improving accessibility of public food and nutrition programs are discussed. The study also suggests the importance of creating a healthcare system that benefits every member of the society. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. | Adolescent; Adult; Disabled Children; Female; Food Assistance; Food Security; Food Supply; Health Status; Humans; Male; Nutritional Status; Transition to Adult Care; Young Adult; adult; Article; controlled study; disability; family size; female; food security; health care access; health care need; health food; health insurance; health status; human; major clinical study; male; medical care; One Health; outcome assessment; priority journal; adolescent; catering service; food assistance; food security; handicapped child; nutritional status; transition to adult care; young adult |
| Epidemiologic-economic models and the One Health paradigm: echinococcosis and leishmaniasis, case studies in Veneto region, Northeastern Italy | Epidemiology and health economics have systemic interdependencies. The identification of the economic outcomes of any disease is operated by overlapping its epidemiology with the economic functions of the impacted entities. This communication presents two epidemiologic-economic models designed to evaluate the economic burden of cystic echinococcosis and leishmaniasis in Veneto (Northeastern Italy). Following a One Health approach, the research integrates expertise from different disciplines and institutions and fulfilled its first stage by defining the relevant cost categories and the data collection strategy for the two diseases in the study area. The two models identify the relevant epidemiological factors and the economic outcomes of infections in both animals and humans. The results, visualized in flow charts indicating the types of costs associated with these zoonoses, will guide data collection and the epidemiologic and economic assessment in the next research stages. This experience shows that One Health methods, although still innovative or unusual in many scientific and professional contexts, can be applied by using relatively limited resources and already available professional skills. © 2019 The Authors | Article; case study; echinococcosis; economic burden; economic evaluation; epidemiologic economic model; greenhouse effect; health care cost; health care utilization; health economics; human; information processing; Italy; leishmaniasis; model; nonhuman; One Health; professional competence |
| Antimicrobial prescriptions in cats in Switzerland before and after the introduction of an online antimicrobial stewardship tool | Background: Antimicrobial stewardship activities are essential to improve prudent antimicrobial use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in antimicrobial prescriptions in cats after the introduction of prudent use guidelines promoted by an online antimicrobial stewardship tool (AntibioticScout.ch) in Switzerland. Data from 792 cats presented to two university hospitals and 14 private practices in 2018 were included and compared to 776 cases from 2016. Cats were diagnosed with acute upper respiratory tract disease (aURTD), feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and abscesses. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescriptions (class, dosage, duration) were assessed. Type and proportions [95% confidence intervals] of antimicrobial prescriptions were compared between the two evaluation periods and a mixed effects logistic regression model was applied to evaluate compliance with Swiss prudent use guidelines. Results: From 2016 to 2018, the proportion of antimicrobial prescription in all included cases decreased from 75.0% [71.8-78.0] to 66.7% [63.3-69.9]; this decrease was most pronounced for treatments at university hospitals (67.1% [59.5-74.0] to 49.3% [40.9-57.8]) and for cats with FLUTD (60.1% [54.6-65.4] to 48.8% [43.2-54.4]). Use of 3rd generation cephalosporins in private practices declined from 30.7% [26.5-35.1] to 22.1% [18.4-26.2], while overall use of non-potentiated aminopenicillins increased from 19.6% [16.4-23.0] to 27.8% [24.1-31.9]. In cases where antimicrobial therapy was indicated, compliance with guidelines did not increase (33.3% [26.6-40.6] to 33.5% [27.2-40.2]), neither at universities nor in private practices. On the other hand, antimicrobial treatment was more often withheld in cases with no indication for antimicrobial therapy (35.6% [30.1-41.4] to 54.0% [47.6-60.4]); this was found for private practices (26.7% [20.8-33.4] to 46.0% [38.4-53.7]) and for aURTD cases (35.0% [26.5-44.2] to 55.4% [44.7-65.8]). Conclusions: Overall proportions of antimicrobial prescription, unjustified antimicrobial therapy and, in private practices, use of 3rd generation cephalosporins decreased from 2016 to 2018 for the investigated feline diseases. However, overall compliance with Swiss prudent use guidelines was still low, implying that further efforts are required to foster prudent antimicrobial use in cats. © 2020 The Author(s). | Animals; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Cat Diseases; Cats; Drug Prescriptions; Guideline Adherence; Internet; Switzerland; aminopenicillin; amoxicillin; antiinfective agent; cefalexin; cefazolin; cephalosporin; chloramphenicol; clavulanic acid; clindamycin; doxycycline; lincosamide; macrolide; nitroimidazole; quinoline derived antiinfective agent; tetracycline; abscess; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; bacteriuria; cat breed; cat disease; comparative study; female; hospitalization; male; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; premedication; prescription; private practice; protocol compliance; sex ratio; Switzerland; treatment duration; university hospital; upper respiratory tract infection; urinalysis; urinary tract infection; wound drainage; animal; antimicrobial stewardship; cat; cat disease; Internet; prescription; procedures; veterinary medicine |
| Lactoferrin quantification in cattle faeces by ELISA | Background: Promoting and maintaining health is critical to ruminant welfare and productivity. Within human medicine, faecal lactoferrin is quantified for routine assessment of various gastrointestinal illnesses avoiding the need for blood sampling. This approach might also be adapted and applied for non-invasive health assessments in animals. Methods: In this proof-of-concept study, a bovine lactoferrin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), designed for serum and milk, was applied to a faecal supernatant to assess its potential for quantifying lactoferrin in the faeces of cattle. Faecal lactoferrin concentrations were compared to background levels to assess the viability of the technique. A comparison was then made against serum lactoferrin levels to determine if they were or were not reflective of one another. Results: The optical densities of faecal samples were significantly greater than background readings, supporting the hypothesis that the assay was effective in quantifying faecal lactoferrin (T13, 115 = 11.99, p < 0.0005). The mean faecal lactoferrin concentration was 0.269 μg mL-1 (S.E. 0.031) and the mean serum concentration 0.074 μg mL-1 (S.E. 0.005). Lactoferrin concentrations of faecal and serum samples, taken from the same animals on the same day, were significantly different (T21 = 2.20, p = 0.039) and did not correlate (r = 0.2699, p = 0.238). Conclusion: Results support the hypothesis that lactoferrin can be quantified in cattle faeces by ELISA. Whilst further research is required to determine the physiological source of the lactoferrin, this highlights the potential of the method for non-invasive assessment of cattle immunology and pathology. Copyright © 2020 Cooke et al. | horseradish peroxidase; lactoferrin; Article; blood analysis; blood sampling; bovine; calibration; colostrum; dilution; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; Escherichia coli; feces analysis; immunology; incubation time; information processing; limit of detection; milk; nonhuman; optical density; pathology; prevalence; sensitivity and specificity; veterinary medicine |
| Sero-prevalence of bovine brucellosis in the Bojanala Region, North West Province, South Africa 2009-2013 | Bovine brucellosis affects food safety, food security and human health in rural communities in the North West Province, South Africa. The World Organisation for Animal Health suggests routine sero-surveillance and vaccination of cattle for control and to prevent zoonotic transmission. Although sero-surveillance and subsidised vaccination have been in place for decades, data from Bojanala have not previously been analysed. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse historical data on routine sero-surveillance of bovine brucellosis and state subsidised vaccination, in communal, commercial and dairy cattle in the study area. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional retrospective analysis of records from all adult cows bled by the state veterinary services during routine sero-surveillance for bovine brucellosis, in the Bojanala Region, North West Province, between 2009 and 2013. Fewer communal (N = 11 815) and dairy (N = 6696), than commercial beef (N = 28 251) cows, were tested. Overall herd prevalence (33.33%), differed significantly from individual prevalence (3.18%) in all groups. Communal herds had both the highest herd prevalence (38.8%) and the highest individual prevalence (5.2%). Both herd and individual sero-prevalence were lowest in dairy cattle, possibly because registered dairy herds are routinely tested. Over the 5-year study period, only 24 086 (7.15%) of the 342 500 cows eligible for free vaccination, were vaccinated. The annual number of cattle tested was highly variable. Dairy cattle that were regularly tested had a significantly lower herd and individual prevalence. Herd prevalence would be useful for spatial mapping, whilst individual prevalence could better reflect the risk of zoonotic transmission. © 2020. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. | Animals; Brucellosis, Bovine; Cattle; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; South Africa; Vaccination; adult; Article; bovine brucellosis; cross-sectional study; dairy cattle; descriptive research; geographic distribution; infection control; infection prevention; nonhuman; retrospective study; seroprevalence; South Africa; spatial analysis; temporal analysis; animal; bovine; bovine brucellosis; female; prevalence; risk factor; seroepidemiology; vaccination; veterinary medicine |
| An economic case study of the control of dog-mediated rabies by an animal welfare organisation in Jaipur, India | A global strategic plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 was announced in 2018. The cost-effectiveness of annual mass dog vaccination programmes, as a control and elimination method, has been advocated on many occasions. Complementary methods, such as animal birth control (ABC) activities, have received less attention. This paper provides a case-study of a programme operated by Help in Suffering (HIS) in Jaipur, India from 1994/95 until 2016/17 comprising both ABC and additional vaccination-only activities. The availability of cost data alongside information on dog numbers, dog bites and human rabies cases provided an exceptionally detailed and unique retrospective dataset recording actual events and expenditures. Updated to 2016/17 prices, the total cost of the programme was 658,744 USD. Since 2007/2008, activity costs have been separated and returned costs of 10.78 USD per dog, both sterilised and vaccinated, and 1.86 USD per dog, vaccinated only. Over the course of the programme, the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to premature death and the distress associated with dog bites was estimated to be 36,246 fewer than would have been expected if HIS had not been operating, based on a counterfactual scenario using pre-intervention values. Linking the DALY figure to the cost of the activities undertaken by HIS yields a cost of 26 USD per DALY averted. Discounted at 3%, the DALYs averted equate to 16,587 at a cost of 40 USD per DALY averted. Both cases make it a very cost-effective intervention, in relation to the threshold of investing one year’s gross domestic product (GDP) per DALY averted (1981 USD in 2016/17). The monetary benefit from fewer dog bites and clinical human rabies cases requiring treatment amounted to 5.62 million USD after discounting, which, if attributed to Help in Suffering, yields a monetary benefit-cost ratio of 8.5. Thus, the potential monetary benefits greatly outweigh the programme costs, even without considering the DALYs averted. If a modest notional monetary value of one year’s GDP is assigned to represent the human capital or production value of DALYs averted, the discounted societal economic benefit reaches 38.48 million USD and implies a benefit-cost ratio of 58.4. These economic analyses demonstrate that ABC activities in combination with additional vaccination efforts can be a cost-effective control measure for dog-mediated human rabies. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. | Animals; Bites and Stings; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Dog Diseases; Dogs; India; Mass Vaccination; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Rabies; Retrospective Studies; animal welfare; Article; cost effectiveness analysis; disability-adjusted life year; dog bite; economic aspect; human; India; nonhuman; priority journal; rabies; vaccination; animal; bites and stings; cost benefit analysis; dog; dog disease; economics; mass immunization; quality adjusted life year; rabies; retrospective study; veterinary medicine |
| Antibiotic use in chicken farms in northwestern China | Background : Misuse of antibiotics in food animals contributes to an increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria transmitting to humans. China is the largest producer and user of antibiotics in the world, of which animals share more than half of the total consumption. This study aimed to explore Chinese farmer’s practice of antibiotic use and the factors associated with their use. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, we interviewed farmers from 88 chicken farms in northwestern China. We defined two kinds of misuse: 1) using antibiotics in the Chinese prohibited list, and 2) using antibiotics within the recommended withdrawal period. Factor analysis was used to select farmers’ knowledge variables and multinomial logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with antibiotic misuse. Results: All the participating farmers used antibiotics on their farms. Amoxicillin was the most common antibiotic used (76.5%), followed by norfloxacin, ofloxacin, ceftriaxone and oxytetracycline. 75% of farmers used antibiotics in the prohibited list while 14.8% continued to use antibiotics during the withdrawal period. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three patterns of antibiotic use: 1) excessive use of non-prohibited and prohibited antibiotics or an excessive user, 2) low use of a few types of non-prohibited and moderate use of prohibited antibiotics or a low user, 3) multiple use of a variety (≥ 7 types) of non-prohibited and prohibited antibiotics or a moderate user. Farmers from medium size, family-based farms, those with a low education level and low income were more likely to misuse antibiotics. Prior formal agricultural training was associated with reducing multiple types of antibiotic use. There was a huge gap between policy and reinforcement causing antibiotic misuse in the study community. Conclusion: Antibiotics are commonly used on chicken farms; misuse of antibiotics is high; improvement in farm sanitation, education on antibiotic use for farmers and veterinarians/pharmacists and enforcement of the regulations may reduce antibiotic use on chicken farms in China. © 2020 The Author(s). | Adult; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ceftriaxone; Chickens; China; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Misuse; Farms; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Policy; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Norfloxacin; Ofloxacin; One Health; Oxytetracycline; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; amoxicillin; antibiotic agent; ceftriaxone; norfloxacin; ofloxacin; oxytetracycline; antiinfective agent; ceftriaxone; norfloxacin; ofloxacin; oxytetracycline; adult; agricultural worker; Article; China; continuing education; controlled study; cross-sectional study; drug misuse; drug use; educational status; female; human; legal aspect; lowest income group; male; pharmacist; policy; poultry farming; priority journal; sanitation; veterinarian; agricultural land; animal; attitude to health; chicken; drug misuse; health care policy; middle aged; One Health; questionnaire; socioeconomics; statistical model; young adult |
| Opportunistic mapping of strongyloides stercoralis and hookworm in dogs in remote Australian communities | Both Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworms are common soil-transmitted helminths in remote Australian communities. In addition to infecting humans, S. stercoralis and some species of hookworms infect canids and therefore present both environmental and zoonotic sources of transmission to humans. Currently, there is limited information available on the prevalence of hookworms and S. stercoralis infections in dogs living in communities across the Northern Territory in Australia. In this study, 274 dog faecal samples and 11 faecal samples of unknown origin were collected from the environment and directly from animals across 27 remote communities in Northern and Central Australia. Samples were examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for the presence of S. stercoralis and four hookworm species: Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, Ancylostoma braziliense and Uncinaria stenocephala. The prevalence of S. stercoralis in dogs was found to be 21.9% (60/274). A. caninum was the only hookworm detected in the dog samples, with a prevalence of 31.4% (86/274). This study provides an insight into the prevalence of S. stercoralis and hookworms in dogs and informs future intervention and prevention strategies aimed at controlling these parasites in both dogs and humans. A “One Health” approach is crucial for the prevention of these diseases in Australia. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | internal transcribed spacer; mitochondrial DNA; Ancylostoma braziliense; Ancylostoma caninum; Ancylostoma ceylanicum; Article; Australia; controlled study; dingo; disease association; DNA extraction; dog; environment; feces analysis; gene mapping; hookworm; hookworm infection; human; multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; prevalence; real time polymerase chain reaction; statistical analysis; Strongyloides stercoralis; Uncinaria stenocephala |
| Prevalence and distribution of schistosomiasis in human, livestock, and snail populations in northern Senegal: a One Health epidemiological study of a multi-host system | Background: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease of global medical and veterinary importance. As efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis as a public health problem and interrupt transmission gather momentum, the potential zoonotic risk posed by livestock Schistosoma species via viable hybridisation in sub-Saharan Africa have been largely overlooked. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and multi-host, multiparasite transmission cycle of Haematobium group schistosomiasis in Senegal, West Africa. Methods: In this epidemiological study, we carried out systematic surveys in definitive hosts (humans, cattle, sheep, and goats) and snail intermediate hosts, in 2016–18, in two areas of Northern Senegal: Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers, where transmission is perennial; and Barkedji and Linguère, where transmission is seasonal. The occurrence and distribution of Schistosoma species and hybrids were assessed by molecular analyses of parasitological specimens obtained from the different hosts. Children in the study villages aged 5–17 years and enrolled in school were selected from school registers. Adults (aged 18–78 years) were self-selecting volunteers. Livestock from the study villages in both areas were also randomly sampled, as were post-mortem samples from local abattoirs. Additionally, five malacological surveys of snail intermediate hosts were carried out at each site in open water sources used by the communities and their animals. Findings: In May to August, 2016, we surveyed 375 children and 20 adults from Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers, and 201 children and 107 adults from Barkedji and Linguère; in October, 2017, to January, 2018, we surveyed 386 children and 88 adults from Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers, and 323 children and 85 adults from Barkedji and Linguère. In Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in children was estimated to be 87% (95% CI 80–95) in 2016 and 88% (82–95) in 2017–18. An estimated 63% (in 2016) and 72% (in 2017–18) of infected children were shedding Schistosoma haematobium–Schistosoma bovis hybrids. In adults in Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers, the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis was estimated to be 79% (52–97) in 2016 and 41% (30–54) in 2017–18, with 88% of infected samples containing S haematobium–S bovis hybrids. In Barkedji and Linguère the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in children was estimated to be 30% (23–38) in 2016 and 42% (35–49) in 2017–18, with the proportion of infected children found to be shedding S haematobium–S bovis hybrid miracidia much lower than in Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers (11% in 2016 and 9% in 2017–18). In adults in Barkedji and Linguère, the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis was estimated to be 26% (17–36) in 2016 and 47% (34–60) in 2017–18, with 10% of infected samples containing S haematobium–S bovis hybrids. The prevalence of S bovis in the sympatric cattle population of Richard Toll and the Lac de Guiers was 92% (80–99), with S bovis also found in sheep (estimated prevalence 14% [5–31]) and goats (15% [5–33]). In Barkedji and Linguère the main schistosome species in livestock was Schistosoma curassoni, with an estimated prevalence of 73% (48–93) in sheep, 84% (61–98) in goats and 8% (2–24) in cattle. S haematobium–S bovis hybrids were not found in livestock. In Richard Toll and Lac de Guiers 35% of infected Bulinus spp snail intermediate hosts were found to be shedding S haematobium–S bovis hybrids (68% shedding S haematobium; 17% shedding S bovis); however, no snails were found to be shedding S haematobium hybrids in Barkedji and Linguère (29% shedding S haematobium; 71% shedding S curassoni). Interpretation: Our findings suggest that hybrids originate in humans via zoonotic spillover from livestock populations, where schistosomiasis is co-endemic. Introgressive hybridisation, evolving host ranges, and wider ecosystem contexts could affect the transmission dynamics of schistosomiasis and other pathogens, demonstrating the need to consider control measures within a One Health framework. Funding: Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems programme (UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK Department for International Development, UK Economic and Social Research Council, UK Medical Research Council, UK Natural Environment Research Council, and UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory). © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license | Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animal Distribution; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Child; Female; Goat Diseases; Goats; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; One Health; Prevalence; Schistosoma; Schistosoma haematobium; Schistosomiasis; Senegal; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Sheep, Domestic; Snails; Young Adult; adolescent; adult; aged; Article; bovine; child; disease transmission; epidemiological data; feces analysis; female; genotype; geographic distribution; goat; health care survey; human; livestock; major clinical study; male; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; parasite identification; population research; prevalence; schistosomiasis; seasonal variation; Senegal; sheep; snail; urinalysis; urogenital tract infection; animal; animal dispersal; cattle disease; domestic sheep; goat disease; middle aged; One Health; parasitology; physiology; prevalence; Schistosoma; Schistosoma haematobium; schistosomiasis; Senegal; sheep disease; veterinary medicine; young adult |
| Coronavirus disease 2019–COVID-19 | In recent decades, several new diseases have emerged in different geographical areas, with pathogens including Ebola virus, Zika virus, Nipah virus, and coronaviruses (CoVs). Recently, a new type of viral infection emerged in Wuhan City, China, and initial genomic sequencing data of this virus do not match with previously sequenced CoVs, suggesting a novel CoV strain (2019-nCoV), which has now been termed severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is suspected to originate from an animal host (zoonotic origin) followed by human-to-human transmission, the possibility of other routes should not be ruled out. Compared to diseases caused by previously known human CoVs, COVID-19 shows less severe pathogenesis but higher transmission competence, as is evident from the continuously increasing number of confirmed cases globally. Compared to other emerging viruses, such as Ebola virus, avian H7N9, SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2 has shown relatively low pathogenicity and moderate transmissibility. Codon usage studies suggest that this novel virus has been transferred from an animal source, such as bats. Early diagnosis by real-time PCR and next-generation sequencing has facilitated the identification of the pathogen at an early stage. Since no antiviral drug or vaccine exists to treat or prevent SARS-CoV-2, potential therapeutic strategies that are currently being evaluated pre-dominantly stem from previous experience with treating SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and other emerging viral diseases. In this review, we address epidemiological, diagnostic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects, including perspectives of vaccines and preventive measures that have already been globally recommended to counter this pandemic virus. © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. | Animals; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; alanine aminotransferase; alpha2b interferon; aspartate aminotransferase; bilirubin; C reactive protein; chloroquine; corticosteroid; D dimer; galidesivir; hydroxychloroquine; lactate dehydrogenase; lamivudine plus tenofovir disoproxil; lopinavir; lopinavir plus ritonavir; M protein; nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent; nucleocapsid protein; oseltamivir; remdesivir; ribavirin; small interfering RNA; tocilizumab; virus envelope protein; adult respiratory distress syndrome; airway epithelium cell; Article; artificial ventilation; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; computer assisted tomography; coronavirus disease 2019; cytotoxicity; disease transmission; dyspnea; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; epidemic; fatigue; fever; genotype; hemoptysis; human; leukocytosis; lymphocytopenia; molecular docking; nonhuman; oxygen therapy; Pholidota (animal); respiratory failure; reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; sequence homology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; signal transduction; virus load; virus nucleocapsid; virus pneumonia; virus replication; virus shedding; virus transmission; animal; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus infection; pandemic; physiology; virology; virus pneumonia |
| Recalibrating veterinary medicine through animal welfare science and ethics for the 2020s | This article emphasizes the importance of educating veterinarians and veterinary students in animal welfare science and veterinary ethics, so that they can ably advance pertinent scientific knowledge and promote ethical thinking as trusted animal advocates in the 2020s. In light of this public expectation, a number of challenges are raised for veterinarians and the veterinary profession. These challenges involve: (1) re-envisioning the nature of disease treatment that goes beyond traditional conceptions of health or clinical matters, and which include animal welfare; (2) re-imagining disease prevention at the intersection of animal-human-ecosystem health; (3) developing core competencies in animal welfare science and ethics in order to provide professional leadership in animal welfare; and (4) taking a more active role in the development of novel networked devices, monitoring technologies and automated animal welfare solutions, and understanding their effects on the welfare of animals, human-animal relationships, and the veterinary profession in general. What should leading discourses and innovation regarding animal welfare look like for the veterinary profession in the 2020s? This essay considers four main challenges into which veterinarians are increasingly being drawn, as they respond to increasing public expectation for them to be scientific and moral authorities in animal welfare in addition to their traditional role as trusted health experts. They include: (1) to go beyond traditional conceptions of health by adopting a holistic view that also considers animal welfare, not only disease treatment; (2) to reimagine their professional duties when it comes to disease prevention at the intersection of animal-human-ecosystem health; (3) to develop core competencies/proficiency in animal welfare science and ethics in order to navigate discourses concerning competing priorities and socio-political ideologies and to provide professional leadership in animal welfare; (4) to provide feedback on novel networked devices, monitoring technologies and automated animal welfare solutions and their impact on animals’ welfare. To competently navigate the intricacies of the socio-political and connected world as trusted authorities and conduits for innovation in and through animal welfare, veterinarians and veterinary students are encouraged to: (a) develop core competencies in veterinary ethics, animal welfare science and deliberative capacities that are well-informed by current multidisciplinary frameworks, such as One Health; (b) engage interested parties in more effective collaboration and ethical decision-making in order to address animal welfare related concerns within their immediate sphere of influence (e.g., in a given community); and (c) participate in the process of engineering and technological design that incorporates animals’ welfare data (such as their preferences) for real-time animal monitoring through adding animal scientific and values-aware evidence in information technology systems. In order to tackle these challenges, four pillars are suggested to help guide veterinarians and the veterinary profession. They are: Collaboration, Critical Engagement, Centeredness on Research, and Continuous Self-Critique. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | animal behavior; animal care; animal husbandry; animal welfare; Article; awareness; decision making; disease transmission; ecosystem health; food security; government; health care planning; health care policy; human; knowledge; livestock; medical education; nonhuman; prophylaxis; risk assessment; risk factor; training; United States; veterinary clinic; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Moving health to the heart of agri-food policies; mitigating risk from our food systems | Our food systems are progressively more industrialized and consolidated with many modern food value chains involving multiple countries and continents, and as such being associated with changes in risk profile and impacts of emerging and re-emerging diseases. Disease outbreaks that sweep through a single region can have massive impacts on food supply, while severe outbreaks of human pathogens can disrupt agricultural labor supply or demand for products perceived as ‘unsafe’. Market pressures have generally rewarded production of cash crops for fuel and energy dense, low nutrient processed foods over production of fruits and vegetables for local consumption. Climbing rates of food-related NCDs and pre-existing conditions leave the population increasingly susceptible to infectious diseases that are often driven by or arise from the food system. Therefore disease and diet from our food systems cause impacts on human health, and human health issues can impact on the functioning of the food system. The COVID-19 outbreak is the most recent example of food system driven disease emergence and of massive supply and demand shocks in the food system, experienced as a direct and indirect result of this disease. The effects of the food system on disease spread (and vice versa) must be addressed in future plans to prevent and mitigate large scale outbreaks. Health policies must acknowledge the food system as the base of our health system, as must agri-food policy recognize the pre-eminence of human health (directly and indirectly) in decision making. © 2020 |
| An assessment of knowledge regarding the risk of zoonoses and hygiene practices among females with livestock in South-West Delhi, India: A cross-sectional study | Introduction: Globally, India is the largest milk producer with highest population of cattle i.e., 134 million cows and 124 million buffalos, with women accounting for 93 per cent of total employment in dairy production. The Indian subcontinent is one of the four global hot-spots at increased risk for emergence of zoonotic diseases. Health hazards occurring due to lack of awareness about the causes and impact of zoonosis on the public health are significant. In addition, fewer efforts are seen in One-Health programs in India. Objective: To assess the knowledge level regarding the risk of zoonoses and hygiene practices among rural female population with livestock. And also to assess the actual status of practices adopted in the small holder dairy farm. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 female populations in peri-urban area of Najafgarh, New Delhi. A structured questionnaire and checklist for observing practicing gaps were used for data collection; Knowledge level was calculated with the help of knowledge scores. Snowball sampling was used. The analysis was done with SPSS-(22). Descriptive statistics, one sample t-test, cross tabulation and Chi-square test were used. Results: Out of total score (28), the respondents got a maximum mean score of 11. Majority of respondents (75%) had low knowledge of specific zoonotic diseases and there was an observed gap in practice. Conclusion: 75% of the respondents had low knowledge on specific zoonotic diseases, hence importance should be given on increasing knowledge about the correct handling of the livestock especially in female population through national-programs and strengthening One-Health efforts. © 2020 Indian Journal of Community Medicine | Published by Wolters Kluwer – Medknow. |
| Q fever: Evidence of a massive yet undetected cross-border outbreak, with ongoing risk of extra mortality, in a Dutch–German border region | Background: Following outbreaks in other parts of the Netherlands, the Dutch border region of South Limburg experienced a large-scale outbreak of human Q fever related to a single dairy goat farm in 2009, with surprisingly few cases reported from neighbouring German counties. Late chronic Q fever, with recent spikes of newly detected cases, is an ongoing public health concern in the Netherlands. We aimed to assess the scope and scale of any undetected cross-border transmission to neighbouring German counties, where individuals unknowingly exposed may carry extra risk of overlooked diagnosis. Methods: (A) Seroprevalence rates in the Dutch area were estimated fitting an exponential gradient to the geographical distribution of notified acute human Q fever cases, using seroprevalence in a sample of farm township inhabitants as baseline. (B) Seroprevalence rates in 122 neighbouring German postcode areas were estimated from a sample of blood donors living in these areas and attending the regional blood donation centre in January/February 2010 (n = 3,460). (C) Using multivariate linear regression, including goat and sheep densities, veterinary Q fever notifications and blood donor sampling densities as covariates, we assessed whether seroprevalence rates across the entire border region were associated with distance from the farm. Results: (A) Seroprevalence in the outbreak farm’s township was 16.1%. Overall seroprevalence in the Dutch area was 3.6%. (B) Overall seroprevalence in the German area was 0.9%. Estimated mean seroprevalence rates (per 100,000 population) declined with increasing distance from the outbreak farm (0–19 km = 2,302, 20–39 km = 1,122, 40–59 km = 432 and ≥60 km = 0). Decline was linear in multivariate regression using log-transformed seroprevalence rates (0–19 km = 2.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.6 to 3.2], 20 to 39 km = 1.9 [95% CI = 1.0 to 2.8], 40–59 km = 0.6 [95% CI = −0.2 to 1.3] and ≥60 km = 0.0 [95% CI = −0.3 to 0.3]). Conclusions: Our findings were suggestive of widespread cross-border transmission, with thousands of undetected infections, arguing for intensified cross-border collaboration and surveillance and screening of individuals susceptible to chronic Q fever in the affected area. © 2020 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH | Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Blood Specimen Collection; Communicable Diseases, Imported; Coxiella burnetii; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Disease Outbreaks; Germany; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Linear Models; Mass Screening; Netherlands; Q Fever; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sheep; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin M; bacterium antibody; Article; disease transmission; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; geographic distribution; household; human; livestock; major clinical study; mortality; public health; Q fever; risk factor; rural population; screening; seroprevalence; virus transmission; animal; blood; blood sampling; communicable disease; Coxiella burnetii; diagnostic test; epidemic; epidemiology; Germany; immunology; mass screening; mortality; Netherlands; pathogenicity; Q fever; real time polymerase chain reaction; seroepidemiology; sheep; statistical model; veterinary medicine |
| Accounting for One Health: Insights from the social sciences | This paper discusses the relationship between One Health (OH) and the social sciences. Using a comparison between three narratives of the history of OH, it is argued that OH can be studied as a social phenomenon. The narrative of OH by its promoters (folk narratives) emphasizes two dimensions: OH as a renewal of veterinary medicine and OH as an institutional response to global health crises. Narratives from empirical social science work explore similar dimensions, but make them more complex. For political sociology, OH is the result of negotiations between the three international organisations (WHO, OIE and FAO), in a context of a global health crisis, which led to the reconfiguration of their respective mandates and scope of action: OH is a response to an institutional crisis. For the sociology of science, OH testifies to the evolution of the profession and veterinary science, enabling it to position itself as a promoter of interdisciplinarity, in a context of convergence between research and policy. In the Discussion section, I propose an approach to OH as an “epistemic watchword”: a concept whose objective is to make several actors work together (watchword), in a particular direction, that of the production of knowledge (epistemic). © J. Michalon, published by EDP Sciences, 2020. | Animals; Global Health; Health Policy; Humans; One Health; Social Sciences; animal; global health; health care policy; human; One Health; sociology |
| Bioaerosol sampling at a live animal market in kunshan, china: A noninvasive approach for detecting emergent viruses | [No abstract available] | sialidase; aerosol; animal experiment; Article; avian influenza virus; carcinoma in situ; gene sequence; genotype; Influenza A virus (H9N2); Influenza B virus; Influenza C virus; Influenza D virus; livestock market; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; particle size; phylogeny; pilot study; poultry; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; virus detection; virus isolation |
| A one health study of the genetic relatedness of klebsiella pneumoniae and their mobile elements in the east of England | Background. Klebsiella pneumoniae is a human, animal, and environmental commensal and a leading cause of nosocomial infections, which are often caused by multiresistant strains. We evaluate putative sources of K. pneumoniae that are carried by and infect hospital patients. Methods. We conducted a 6-month survey on 2 hematology wards at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom, in 2015 to isolate K. pneumoniae from stool, blood, and the environment. We conducted cross-sectional surveys of K. pneumoniae from 29 livestock farms, 97 meat products, the hospital sewer, and 20 municipal wastewater treatment plants in the East of England between 2014 and 2015. Isolates were sequenced and their genomes compared. Results. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from stool of 17/149 (11%) patients and 18/922 swabs of their environment, together with 1 bloodstream infection during the study and 4 others over a 24-month period. Each patient carried 1 or more lineages that was unique to them, but 2 broad environmental contamination events and patient-environment transmission were identified. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from cattle, poultry, hospital sewage, and 12/20 wastewater treatment plants. There was low genetic relatedness between isolates from patients/their hospital environment vs isolates from elsewhere. Identical genes encoding cephalosporin resistance were carried by isolates from humans/environment and elsewhere but were carried on different plasmids. Conclusion. We identified no patient-to-patient transmission and no evidence for livestock as a source of K. pneumoniae infecting humans. However, our findings reaffirm the importance of the hospital environment as a source of K. pneumoniae associated with serious human infection. © The Author(s) 2019. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Cattle; Cross Infection; Cross-Sectional Studies; England; Humans; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; One Health; United Kingdom; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; Article; bacterial genome; bacterial transmission; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; bloodstream infection; bovine; cephalosporin resistance; England; feces; human; Klebsiella pneumoniae; livestock; longitudinal study; meat; molecular phylogeny; municipal wastewater; nonhuman; One Health; plasmid; poultry; priority journal; prospective study; sewer; waste water treatment plant; whole genome sequencing; animal; cross infection; cross-sectional study; England; genetics; Klebsiella infection; Klebsiella pneumoniae; microbial sensitivity test; One Health; United Kingdom |
| A cost-effectiveness assessment of dual-mobility bearings in revision hip arthroplasty | Aims The rate of dislocation when traditional single bearing implants are used in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been reported to be between 8% and 10%. The use of dual mobility bearings can reduce this risk to between 0.5% and 2%. Dual mobility bearings are more expensive, and it is not clear if the additional clinical benefits constitute value for money for the payers. We aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of dual mobility compared with single bearings for patients undergoing revision THA. Methods We developed a Markov model to estimate the expected cost and benefits of dual mobility compared with single bearing implants in patients undergoing revision THA. The rates of revision and further revision were calculated from the National Joint Registry of England and Wales, while rates of transition from one health state to another were estimated from the literature, and the data were stratified by sex and age. Implant and healthcare costs were estimated from local procurement prices and national tariffs. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated using published utility estimates for patients undergoing THA. Results At a minimum five-year follow-up, the use of dual mobility was cost-effective with an estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of between £3,006 and £18,745/QALY for patients aged < 55 years and between 64 and 75 years, respectively. For those aged > 75 years dual mobility was only cost-effective if the timeline was beyond seven years. The use of dual mobility bearings was cost-saving for patients aged < 75 years and cost-effective for those aged > 75 years if the time horizon was beyond ten years. Conclusion The use of dual mobility bearings is cost-effective compared with single bearings in patients undergoing revision THA. The younger the patient is, the more likely it is that a dual mobility bearing can be more cost-effective and even cost-saving. The results are affected by the time horizon and cost of bearings for those aged > 75 years. For patients aged > 75 years, the surgeon must decide whether the use of a dual mobility bearing is a viable economic and clinical option. © 2020 Author(s) et al. | Aged; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Female; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prosthesis Design; Reoperation; adult; aged; Article; clinical assessment; comparative study; cost control; cost effectiveness analysis; female; follow up; health care cost; health status; human; major clinical study; male; Markov chain; meta analysis (topic); middle aged; mortality rate; One Health; outcome assessment; priority journal; quality of life; revision arthroplasty; systematic review (topic); total hip replacement; treatment duration; very elderly; cost benefit analysis; economics; hip prosthesis; hip replacement; prosthesis design; reoperation |
| Enhancing Preparedness for Arbovirus Infections with a One Health Approach: The Development and Implementation of Multisectoral Risk Assessment Exercises | Background. One Health is receiving attention for arbovirus infection prevention and control and for defining national “intersectoral” priorities. Increasing awareness of intersectoral priorities through multisectorial risk assessments (MRA) is promising, where data are not systematically shared between sectors. Towards this aim, the MediLabSecure project organized three MRA exercises (hereby called exercises): One on West Nile virus, one on Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, and one on Rift Valley fever, assessing the added value of this approach. Methods. The exercises relied on RA methodologies of international organisations. Country representatives of the human and animal virology, medical entomology, and public health sectors (hereby called “sectors”) involved in the surveillance of vector-borne diseases participated in the exercises. Background documentation was provided before each exercise, and a guide was developed for the facilitators. All three exercises included technical and methodological presentations and a guided RA directed at bringing into play the different sectors involved. To assess the added value of the approach, each participant was asked to rank the level of perceived benefit of the multisectoral collaboration for each “risk question” included in the exercises. Results. In total, 195 participants from 19 non-EU countries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions took part in the exercises. The participants assessed the multisectoral approach as valuable in analysing comprehensively the situation by having access to information and knowledge provided by each of the sectors involved. Sharing of information and discussion facilitated reaching a consensus on the level of risk in each country. Conclusions. Increasing awareness of intersectoral priorities, including cross-border ones, through MRA is relevant to reduce gaps due to unavailability of shared data and information. Given that six out of the ten threats to global health listed by WHO are occurring at the human-animal-environmental interfaces, comprehensive regional RA with a One Health approach made by national authorities can be a relevant added value for the global health security. © 2020 Maria Grazia Dente et al. | Animals; Arbovirus Infections; Global Health; Humans; One Health; Risk Assessment; arbovirus infection; Article; Black Sea; Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever; entomology; European Union; exercise; human; international organization; knowledge; nonhuman; One Health; public health; Rift Valley fever; risk assessment; vector borne disease; virology; West Nile fever; World Health Organization; animal; clinical trial; global health; multicenter study; virus infection |
| Archaeology and contemporary emerging zoonosis: A framework for predicting future Rift Valley fever virus outbreaks | Modelling of emerging vector borne diseases serves as an important complement to clinical studies of modern zoonoses. This article presents an archaeo-historic epidemiological modelling study of Rift Valley fever (RVF), using data-driven neural network technology. RVF affects both human and animal populations, can rapidly decimate herds causing catastrophic economic hardship, and is identified as a Category A biodefense pathogen by the US Center for Disease Control. Despite recent origins circa the early 1900s, little is known about the circumstances of its inception nor the relationships between factors that affect transmission. This evidence could be vital as the disease continues to expand from its epicentre in Kenya to other parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. RVF is a relevant case for archaeological/palaeopathological investigations of disease as it intersects between numerous human, animal, spatial, temporal, and sociopolitical dimensions. By integrating landscape archaeology, historical evidence, and climatic data, with evidence of human behaviour gathered through ethnoarchaeological study, this article presents an applied framework for human–animal palaeopathology. This framework aligns with the One Health approach that observes disease to be intrinsically tied to ecological and societal factors. We provide a useable alternative way of thinking about disease modelling in the present and the past, ultimately seeking to support efforts to accurately predict future impacts. Tapping into longitudinal evidence from the last 50–300 years offers a powerful way to respond to the threat zoonoses will pose to human populations around the world as the climate warms. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
| A novel betacoronavirus characterised in collared peccaries from the rio de janeiro zoo (Brazil) killed by unknown disease | In an enclosure with nine collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) from the Rio de Janeiro city Zoo, Brazil, one specimen was found dead and two others developed prostration, apathy and dehydration, resulting on its death. Necropsy of two animals pointed to pulmonary and renal damage. Histological examination revealed vasculitis in spleen from both P. tajacu, suggesting a systemic viral infection. Lungs from one specimen showed fibrinoid vasculitis, alveolar damage with hyaline membrane, and interstitial lymphocytes infiltration. Virome analysis in anal wash samples from the latter two animals revealed a new type of Betacoronavirus, lineage A, provisionally named Ptajacu-CoV. © 2020, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz. All rights reserved. | Animals; Artiodactyla; Betacoronavirus; Brazil; Coronavirus Infections; animal; Artiodactyla; Betacoronavirus; Brazil; Coronavirus infection; genetics; isolation and purification; mortality; virology |
| Bacterial diversity and antibiotic susceptibility of Sparus aurata from aquaculture | In a world where the population continues to increase and the volume of fishing catches stagnates or even falls, the aquaculture sector has great growth potential. This study aimed to contribute to the depth of knowledge of the diversity of bacterial species found in Sparus aurata collected from a fish farm and to understand which profiles of diminished susceptibility to antibiotics would be found in these bacteria that might be disseminated in the environment. One hundred thirty-six bacterial strains were recovered from the S. aurata samples. These strains belonged to Bacillaceae, Bacillales Family XII. Incertae Sedis, Comamonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, Erwiniaceae, Micrococcaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Staphylococcaceae families. Enterobacter sp. was more frequently found in gills, intestine and skin groups than in muscle groups (p ≤ 0.01). Antibiotic susceptibility tests found that non-susceptibility to phenicols was significantly higher in gills, intestine and skin samples (45%) than in muscle samples (24%) (p ≤ 0.01) and was the most frequently found non-susceptibility in both groups of samples. The group of Enterobacteriaceae from muscles presented less decreased susceptibility to florfenicol (44%) than in the group of gills, intestine and skin samples (76%). We found decreased susceptibilities to β-lactams and glycopeptides in the Bacillaceae family, to quinolones and mupirocin in the Staphylococcaceae family, and mostly to β-lactams, phenicols and quinolones in the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae families. Seven Enterobacter spp. and five Pseudomonas spp. strains showed non-susceptibility to ertapenem and meropenem, respectively, which is of concern because they are antibiotics used as a last resort in serious clinical infections. To our knowledge, this is the first description of species Exiguobacterium acetylicum, Klebsiella michiganensis, Lelliottia sp. and Pantoea vagans associated with S. aurata (excluding cases where these bacteria are used as probiotics) and of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance qnrB19-producing Leclercia adecarboxylata strain. The non-synonymous G385T and C402A mutations at parC gene (within quinolone resistance-determining regions) were also identified in a Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. In this study, we found not only bacteria from the natural microbiota of fish but also pathogenic bacteria associated with fish and humans. Several antibiotics for which decreased susceptibility was found here are integrated into the World Health Organization list of “critically important antimicrobials” and “highly important antimicrobials” for human medicine. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance from Acinetobacter baylyi to Escherichia coli on Lettuce and Subsequent Antibiotic Resistance Transmission to the Gut Microbiome | Agricultural use of antibiotics is recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a major contributor to antibiotic-resistant infections. While most One Health attention has been on the potential for antibiotic resistance transmission from livestock and contaminated meat products to people, plant foods are fundamental to the food chain for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. We hypothesized that environmental bacteria that colonize plant foods may serve as platforms for the persistence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and for horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes. Donor Acinetobacter baylyi and recipient Escherichia coli were cocultured in vitro, in planta on lettuce, and in vivo in BALB/c mice. We showed that nonpathogenic, environmental A. baylyi is capable of transferring plasmids conferring antibiotic resistance to E. coli clinical isolates on lettuce leaf discs. Furthermore, transformant E. coli from the in planta assay could then colonize the mouse gut microbiome. The target antibiotic resistance plasmid was identified in mouse feces up to 5 days postinfection. We specifically identified in vivo transfer of the plasmid to resident Klebsiella pneumoniae in the mouse gut. Our findings highlight the potential for environmental bacteria exposed to antibiotics to transmit resistance genes to mammalian pathogens during ingestion of leafy greens. IMPORTANCE Previous efforts have correlated antibiotic-fed livestock and meat products with respective antibiotic resistance genes, but virtually no research has been conducted on the transmission of antibiotic resistance from plant foods to the mammalian gut (C. S. Holzel, J. L. Tetens, and K. Schwaiger, Pathog Dis 15:671-688, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2018.2501; C. M. Liu et al., mBio 9:e00470-19, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00470-18; B. Spellberg et al., NAM Perspectives, 2016, https://doi.org/10.31478/201606d; J. O’Neill, Antimicrobials in agriculture and the environment, 2015; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2019). Here, we sought to determine if horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance genes can occur between lettuce and the mammalian gut microbiome, using a mouse model. Furthermore, we have created a new model to study horizontal gene transfer on lettuce leaves using an antibiotic-resistant transformant of A. baylyi (AbzeoR). © 2020 Maeusli et al. T. All Rights Reserved. | Acinetobacter; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Feces; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Lettuce; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Plasmids; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; antibiotic agent; antiinfective agent; Acinetobacter baylyi; animal experiment; animal model; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterium isolation; controlled study; Escherichia coli; feces analysis; female; horizontal gene transfer; host microbe interaction; in vitro study; in vivo study; intestine flora; Klebsiella pneumoniae; lettuce; livestock; mouse; multidrug resistant bacterium; nonhuman; plant bacterium interaction; plant leaf; polymerase chain reaction; Acinetobacter; animal; antibiotic resistance; Bagg albino mouse; drug effect; Escherichia coli; feces; genetics; germfree animal; intestine flora; lettuce; microbiology; plasmid |
| Operationalization of One Health and tripartite collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region | One Health refers to the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment. The One Health approach is increasingly popular in the context of growing threats from emerging zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Organisation for Animal Health and World Health Organization have been working together in the wake of the avian influenza crisis in the Asia-Pacific region to provide strong leadership to endorse the One Health concept and promote interagency and intersectoral collaboration. The programme on highly pathogenic emerging diseases in Asia (2009-2014) led to the establishment of a regional tripartite coordination mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region to support collaboration between the animal and human health sectors. The remit of this mechanism has expanded to include other priority One Health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and food safety. The mechanism has helped to organize eight Asia-Pacific workshops on multisectoral collaboration for the prevention and control of zoonoses since 2010, facilitating advocacy and operationalization of One Health at regional and country levels. The tripartite group and international partners have developed several One Health tools, which are useful for operationalization of One Health at the country level. Member States are encouraged to develop a One Health strategic framework taking into account the country’s context and priorities. | Animals; Asia; Cooperative Behavior; Health Care Sector; Humans; One Health; Pacific Islands; United Nations; Veterinary Medicine; World Health Organization; Zoonoses; animal; Asia; cooperation; health care cost; human; One Health; organization and management; Pacific islands; United Nations; veterinary medicine; World Health Organization; zoonosis |
| Brucellosis: A rapid risk assessment by a regional outbreak team and its coordinated response with the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary, North region of Portugal, 2019 | We report a Brucella outbreak with seven cases in the Northern Region of Portugal in 2018–2019, associated with the consumption of fresh cheese. This outbreak has implications for risk assessment in Portuguese migrants related to this area, and it is an example of cooperation between public institutions, in a One Health based approach. © 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH | Animals; Brucella; Brucellosis; Cheese; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Food Microbiology; Goats; Humans; Middle Aged; Portugal; Risk Factors; Zoonoses; adult; animal tissue; Article; Brucella; brucellosis; cheese; clinical article; epidemic; female; goat; human; incidence; middle aged; migrant; nonhuman; One Health; Portugal; priority journal; risk assessment; veterinary medicine; animal; brucellosis; epidemic; food control; isolation and purification; microbiology; risk factor; zoonosis |
| From people to panthera: Natural sars-cov-2 infection in tigers and lions at the bronx zoo | Despite numerous barriers to transmission, zoonoses are the major cause of emerging infectious diseases in humans. Among these, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and ebolaviruses have killed thousands; the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has killed millions. Zoonoses and human-to-animal cross-species transmission are driven by human actions and have important management, conservation, and public health implications. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which presumably originated from an animal reservoir, has killed more than half a million people around the world and cases continue to rise. In March 2020, New York City was a global epicenter for SARS-CoV-2 infections. During this time, four tigers and three lions at the Bronx Zoo, NY, developed mild, abnormal respiratory signs. We detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in respiratory secretions and/or feces from all seven animals, live virus in three, and colocalized viral RNA with cellular damage in one. We produced nine whole SARS-CoV-2 genomes from the animals and keepers and identified different SARS-CoV-2 genotypes in the tigers and lions. Epidemiologic and genomic data indicated human-to-tiger transmission. These were the first confirmed cases of natural SARS-CoV-2 animal infections in the United States and the first in nondomestic species in the world. We highlight disease transmission at a nontraditional interface and provide information that con-tributes to understanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission across species. IMPORTANCE The human-animal-environment interface of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an important aspect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that requires robust One Health-based investigations. Despite this, few reports describe natural infections in animals or directly link them to human infections using genomic data. In the present study, we describe the first cases of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in tigers and lions in the United States and provide epidemiological and genetic evidence for human-to-animal transmission of the virus. Our data show that tigers and lions were infected with different geno-types of SARS-CoV-2, indicating two independent transmission events to the animals. Importantly, infected animals shed infectious virus in respiratory secretions and feces. A better understanding of the susceptibility of animal species to SARS-CoV-2 may help to elucidate transmission mechanisms and identify potential reservoirs and sources of infection that are important in both animal and human health. © 2020 McAloose et al. | Animals; Animals, Zoo; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Genome, Viral; Haplotypes; Humans; New York City; One Health; Pandemics; Panthera; Phylogeny; Pneumonia, Viral; Zoonoses; virus RNA; animal cell; animal tissue; Article; cell damage; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; disease carrier; epidemiological data; feces; female; gene identification; genotype; haplotype; in situ hybridization; infection sensitivity; lion; mucus secretion; New York; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; pandemic; phylogeny; priority journal; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; tiger; virus detection; virus genome; virus isolation; virus shedding; virus transmission; whole genome sequencing; zoonosis; animal; Betacoronavirus; classification; Coronavirus infection; genetics; human; isolation and purification; Panthera; physiology; veterinary medicine; virology; virus pneumonia; zoo animal; zoonosis |
| Antimicrobial resistance preparedness in sub-Saharan African countries | Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is of growing concern globally and AMR status in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is undefined due to a lack of real-time data recording, surveillance and regulation. World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation (JEE) reports are voluntary, collaborative processes to assess country capacities and preparedness to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health risks, including AMR. The data from SSA JEE reports were analysed to gain an overview of how SSA is working towards AMR preparedness and where strengths and weaknesses lie. Methods: SSA country JEE AMR preparedness scores were analysed. A cumulative mean of all the SSA country AMR preparedness scores was calculated and compared to the overall mean SSA JEE score. AMR preparedness indicators were analysed, and data were weighted by region. Findings: The mean SSA AMR preparedness score was 53% less than the overall mean SSA JEE score. East Africa had the highest percentage of countries reporting having AMR National Action Plans in place, as well as human and animal pathogen AMR surveillance programmes. Southern Africa reported the highest percentage of countries with training programmes and antimicrobial stewardship. Conclusions: The low mean AMR preparedness score compared to overall JEE score, along with the majority of countries lacking implemented National Action Plans, suggests that until now AMR has not been a priority for most SSA countries. By identifying regional and One Health strengths, AMR preparedness can be fortified across SSA with a multisectoral approach. © 2020 The Author(s). | Africa South of the Sahara; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Humans; One Health; Public Health; World Health Organization; Africa south of the Sahara; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; article; human; One Health; training; multidrug resistance; procedures; public health; World Health Organization |
| First report of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus in Oman: The need for a One Health approach | Following the detection of the first human case of avian influenza A subtype H9N2 in 1998, more than 40 cases were diagnosed worldwide. However, the spread of the virus has been more remarkable and significant in global poultry populations, causing notable economic losses despite its low pathogenicity. Many surveillance studies and activities conducted in several countries have shown the predominance of this virus subtype. We present the case of a 14-month-old female in Oman with an A(H9N2) virus infection. This is the first human case of A(H9N2) reported from Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Countries, and Oman is the second country outside of southern and eastern Asia to report a case (cases have also been detected in Egypt). The patient had bronchial asthma and presented with a high-grade temperature and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection that necessitated admission to a high dependency unit in a tertiary care hospital. It is of urgency that a multisector One Health approach be established to combat the threat of avian influenza at the animal–human interface. In addition to enhancements of surveillance and control in poultry, there is a need to develop screening and preventive programs for high-risk occupations. © 2019 The Author(s) | Animals; Female; Humans; Infant; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype; Influenza in Birds; Influenza, Human; Oman; One Health; Phylogeny; Poultry; aminophylline; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; baloxavir; ipratropium bromide; magnesium sulfate; oseltamivir; prednisolone; salbutamol; Article; asthma; avian influenza; case report; child; clinical article; disease surveillance; female; high dependency unit; human; Influenza A virus (H9N2); lower respiratory tract infection; medical history; nebulization; nonhuman; noninvasive ventilation; Oman; Omani; One Health; pediatric ward; population; preschool child; screening test; tertiary care center; treatment duration; animal; avian influenza; classification; genetics; infant; influenza; Influenza A virus (H9N2); isolation and purification; One Health; phylogeny; poultry; virology |
| The ‘one health’ approach to an epidemic response | The concept of ‘one health’ recognizes that there is an inextricable link between the health of people, animals, and the shared environment. With the rapid growth in population and the destruction of natural habitats, humans are coming into closer contact with wild and domesticated animals. This, in turn, creates ripe conditions for the movement of viruses and diseases between animals and people. The world is seeing frequent occurrences of epidemics caused by new pathogens, to which humans have little immunity, owing to this phenomenon. ‘One Health’ assumes global significance today when the world is in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. The response of the state of Kerala to the COVID-19 crisis is guided by its prior experience with curbing the Nipah virus epidemic in 2018. The same core philosophy of ‘one health’ that was at the heart of the campaign to rein in the Nipah outbreak has spearheaded the state response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of available literature in Pubmed/Medline & Google scholar databases was carried out to study the impact of ‘one health’ on the epidemic response of Kerala state to the Nipah virus, and how it has been extrapolated in managing the current COVID-19 pandemic. The articles obtained were screened by title, abstract and full text to obtain the most relevant papers. Recommendations have also been proposed regarding the incorporation of ‘one health’ in public health strategy. © 2020, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine. All rights reserved. |
| Prevalence of, and Factors Associated with Intestinal Parasites in Multinational Expatriate Workers in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates: An Occupational Cross-Sectional Study | To estimate the prevalence of, and identify factors associated with intestinal parasites (IPs) in expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). All expatriate workers (N = 115) in a conveniently selected workplace in the industrial district of Al Ain city were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study. Consenting workers completed an interviewer-led questionnaire and self-collected stool samples. Stool samples were microscopically and molecularly screened for the presence of IPs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Overall, 102 (88.7%) workers participated in the survey and 84.3% provided stool samples. Over three-quarters (79.4%) of workers were living in labour accommodation, 76.0% were sharing a bedroom with ≥ 4 workers, 80.2% were sharing a toilet with > 5 other people. Fifteen species of IPs were identified. Microscopically, 17.4% of the screened stool samples were positive for at least one parasite. Entamoeba species was the most common (8.1%) followed by Cryptosporidium species (3.5%). Thirty-six (41.8%) of the tested stool samples were positive for at least one parasite by molecular testing. The most prevalent parasite was Cryptosporidium species (16.3%) followed by Enterobius vermicularis (14.0%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (5.8%). Overall, 47.8% of the tested expatriate workers were positive for at least one IP, microscopically or molecularly. Educational attainment was negatively associated with being positive for at least one IP. IPs were very common amongst expatriate workers in Al Ain city. Efficacious and cost-effective public health interventions are required to reduce the burden of, and prevent the onward transmission of IPs in the UAE. © 2019, The Author(s). | Animals; Communicable Diseases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Surveys; Humans; Intestines; Multivariate Analysis; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases; Prevalence; United Arab Emirates; animal; communicable disease; cross-sectional study; health survey; human; intestine; multivariate analysis; parasite; parasitology; parasitosis; prevalence; United Arab Emirates |
| Inclusion of Veterinary Services in national emergency management plans | With human population growth, rapid urbanisation, increasing globalisation, and climate change, the interdependency of human health and animal health is mounting. Therefore, the importance of national emergency management plans (NEMPs) for the mitigation of, and preparedness for, all hazards, including disease epidemics, both zoonotic and zootic, is ever increasing. The authors decided to take a One Health approach by assessing the inclusion of Veterinary Services and animal health in NEMPs, based on geographical region, the date of the NEMP, national income status, and the proportion of the agricultural sector in national gross domestic product (GDP). To carry out the assessment, the authors analysed the publicly available NEMPs of 86 Members of the World Organisation for Animal Health. Of the 86 NEMPs reviewed, only a third expressly mentioned Veterinary Services, almost 60% mentioned zoonotic and/or zootic diseases, and about two-thirds mentioned animals to some extent. The highest correlating factor to the inclusion of animal health in NEMPs was the level of the agricultural sector’s contributions to the national GDP. Fisheries and aquaculture were not a major consideration in any of the reviewed NEMPs, especially not in relation to diseases. Based on region, Latin America and the Caribbean exhibited the lowest inclusion rate of animal health in NEMPs. The results demonstrate that the omission of animal health is still a problem. A multi-disciplinary approach that includes veterinary medicine as well as human medicine is vital in the construction and/or revision of NEMPs. Future studies should consider whether or not there is a connection between countries’ veterinary capacities and the inclusion of Veterinary Services in their NEMPs and whether or not they have the infrastructure and human resources to put into operation the roles of Veterinary Services as identified in their NEMPs.; La croissance démographique humaine, l’urbanisation accélérée, la mondialisation accrue et le changement climatique sont autant de facteurs qui intensifient l’interdépendance de la santé humaine et de la santé animale. De ce fait, les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences jouent un rôle de plus en plus important pour atténuer les dangers, quels qu’ils soient, et pour se préparer à leur survenue, y compris les dangers liés aux épidémies zoonotiques ou zootiques. Les auteurs ont entrepris d’évaluer le niveau d’intégration des Services vétérinaires et de la santé animale dans les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences dans une perspective Une seule santé, en se basant sur les critères suivants : la région géographique, la date du plan national de gestion des urgences, le niveau de revenu du pays et la part du secteur agricole dans le produit intérieur brut (PIB). Pour les besoins de cette évaluation, les auteurs ont analysé les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences publiés par 86 Membres de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé animale. Parmi ces 86 plans nationaux, un tiers seulement mentionnait expressément les Services vétérinaires, près de 60 % mentionnaient les maladies zoonotiques ou les épizooties et environ deux tiers prenaient en compte les animaux pour une raison ou pour une autre. Le facteur présentant la corrélation la plus élevée avec la prise en compte de la santé animale dans les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences était le niveau de contribution du secteur agricole dans le PIB national. Aucun des plans nationaux de gestion des urgences examinés ne prenait en compte la pêche et l’aquaculture en tant qu’aspect important, en particulier en lien avec des maladies. À l’échelle régionale, c’est en Amérique latine et aux Caraïbes que l’intégration de la santé animale dans les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences était la plus faible. Ces résultats montrent que le problème de l’omission de la santé animale est toujours d’actualité. Il est d’une importance capitale qu’une approche pluridisciplinaire intégrant la médecine vétérinaire et la médecine humaine soit adoptée lors de la conception et/ou de la révision des plans nationaux de gestion des urgences. Il conviendrait que de nouvelles études déterminent à l’avenir s’il existe ou non un lien entre les capacités vétérinaires des pays et la prise en compte des Services vétérinaires dans les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences, et si les pays disposent ou non des infrastructures et des ressources humaines permettant à leurs Services vétérinaires de mener à bien les interventions prévues dans les plans nationaux de gestion des urgences.; El crecimiento demográfico, la rápida urbanización, la creciente mundialización y el cambio climático son otros tantos factores que traen consigo una dependencia recíproca cada vez más acusada entre la salud humana y la sanidad animal. De ahí la creciente importancia que van adquiriendo los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias destinados a prepararse para todo tipo de peligros, incluidas las enfermedades epidémicas, tanto zoonóticas como epizoóticas, y, llegado el caso, a mitigar sus consecuencias. Los autores, partiendo de las premisas de Una sola salud, decidieron evaluar la integración de los Servicios Veterinarios y la sanidad animal en los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias, utilizando como criterios de evaluación la región geográfica, la fecha del plan nacional en cuestión, el nivel de renta del país y el porcentaje del producto interno bruto (PIB) que representa el sector agrícola. Para llevar a cabo la evaluación los autores analizaron los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias que están a disposición pública de 86 Miembros de la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal. De esos 86 planes nacionales examinados, solo en un tercio se mencionaban explícitamente los Servicios Veterinarios, en casi un 60% se aludía a enfermedades zoonóticas y/o epizoóticas y en cerca de dos tercios se hablaba en alguna medida de los animales. El factor que mayor correlación presentaba con la integración de la sanidad animal en los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias era la aportación del sector agrícola al PIB. En ninguno de los planes examinados ocupaban un lugar relevante ni la pesca ni la acuicultura, especialmente en relación con las enfermedades. Por regiones, América Latina y el Caribe presentaba el menor porcentaje de integración de la sanidad animal en los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias. Los resultados demuestran que la omisión de la sanidad animal sigue suponiendo un problema. A la hora de elaborar o revisar los planes nacionales de gestión de emergencias es crucial hacerlo desde planteamientos multidisciplinares que incluyan tanto la medicina veterinaria como la humana. En estudios ulteriores convendría determinar si existe una correlación entre la capacidad veterinaria de los países y la integración de los Servicios Veterinarios en su plan nacional de gestión de emergencias y si los países disponen de la infraestructura y el personal requeridos para que los Servicios Veterinarios cumplan las funciones que se les asignan en el plan nacional de gestión de emergencias. | Animals; Caribbean Region; Global Health; Humans; Internationality; Latin America; One Health; animal; Caribbean; global health; human; international cooperation; One Health; South and Central America |
| Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of MRSA across different pig age groups in an intensive pig production system in Australia | This observational study aimed to determine MRSA prevalence using strain-specific real-time PCR at the pig level, stratified by age groupings, within a pig enterprise. A total of 658 samples were collected from individual pigs (n = 618) and the piggery environment (n = 40), distributed amongst five different pig age groups. Presumptive MRSA isolates were confirmed by the presence of mecA, and MALDI-TOF was performed for species verification. All isolates were tested against 18 different antimicrobials. MRSA was isolated from 75.2% (95% CI 71.8–78.6) of samples collected from pigs, and 71% of the MRSA isolates from this source were identified as community-associated (CA)-MRSA ST93, while the remainder were livestock-associated (LA)-MRSA ST398. Amongst environmental isolates, 80% (CI 64.3–95.7) were ST93 and the remainder ST398. All MRSA isolates from pigs and the environment were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, linezolid, mupirocin, rifampicin, sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim, teicoplanin and vancomycin. Phenotypic rates of resistance were penicillin (100%), clindamycin (97.6%), erythromycin (96.3%), ceftiofur (93.7%), chloramphenicol (81.2%), tetracycline (63.1%) and amoxicillin–clavulanate (63.9%). A low prevalence of resistance (9.2%) was observed against neomycin and quinupristin–dalfopristin. The probability of MRSA carriage in dry sows (42.2%) was found to be significantly lower (p <.001) when compared to other age groups: farrowing sows (76.8%, RR1.82), weaners (97.8%, RR 2.32), growers (94.2%, RR 2.23) and finishers (98.3%, RR 2.33). Amongst different production age groups, a significant difference was also found in antimicrobial resistance for amoxicillin–clavulanate, neomycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline. Using the RT-PCR assay adopted in this study, filtering of highly prevalent ST93 and non-ST93 isolates was performed at high throughput and low cost. In conclusion, this study found that weaner pigs presented a higher risk for CA-MRSA and antimicrobial resistance compared to other age groups. These findings have major implications for how investigations of MRSA outbreaks should be approached under the One-Health context. © 2020 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH | Aging; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Australia; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Female; Male; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Swine; Swine Diseases; amoxicillin; antibiotic agent; ceftiofur; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; clindamycin; cotrimoxazole; dalfopristin plus quinupristin; erythromycin; gentamicin; linezolid; neomycin; penicillin derivative; pseudomonic acid; rifampicin; teicoplanin; tetracycline; vancomycin; antiinfective agent; age; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; Australia; bacterium isolate; controlled study; high risk population; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; nonhuman; observational study; phenotype; pig; pig farming; prevalence; priority journal; real time polymerase chain reaction; sow (swine); weaner; aging; animal; animal husbandry; classification; drug effect; female; isolation and purification; male; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; microbiology; multidrug resistance; swine disease |
| Contribution of Veterinary Sector to Control COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal | Nepal has been identified in a high-risk zone by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Nepal’s first official reported case was confirmed on 13 January 2020 and so far, 24,000 cases have tested positive with 91 deaths. The imposition of lockdown has begun since March 24 and it was extended until 22 July. Reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction and rapid diagnostic tests are used by the Government of Nepal to identify COVID-19. Among the worst-hit sectors are tourism as well as travel and the farming industries, the later contributes to the employment of around 65% of the population and a significant share of the national economy. The loss of commercial sectors, such as dairy, feed, and poultry industries are estimated to be in billions of rupees. One shortcoming of resource poorly managed countries, such as Nepal is the lack of interdisciplinary coordination. Over half a decade long professional existence and crucial contributions in Nepal’s overall development, veterinarians are just beginning to be recognized as essential service providers. Since veterinarians of Nepal have the experience of eradicating cattle plague dealing with Avian Influenza and Swine Flu among others, they study and seem to be mentally prepared to handle pandemics. Currently, five veterinary diseases diagnostic laboratories with RT-PCR facilities are serving as COVID-19 diagnosis labs. Veterinarians from Nepal are serving in innovating newer tools as well as performing, supervising, evaluating, reporting diagnosis, and actively in pursuit of establishing the One Health (OH) approach. The sincere and patriotic role played by veterinarians has pressurized the government of Nepal to recognize veterinary service as an essential commodity. In this regard, universities should take the lead and bring veterinarians in policy and planning as well as decision making. The Tribhuvan University is responsible to have the initiative and Agriculture and Forestry University to deliver the missed opportunities. The 17 sustainable development goals that are to be achieved by 2030 are not possible without a multi-sectoral approach and veterinarians are best suited in this regard. It also needs to be realized that veterinarians are better positioned to handle emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases and capable of combating the present situation of COVID19 pandemics. Reiterating the fact that OH approach should not only be in paper and there is no alternative but combined utilization of scarce resources for healthy animals, humans, and the environment with the veterinary profession at its core. © 2020 All Rights Reserved | ivermectin; SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; animal health; Article; coronavirus disease 2019; domestic waste; economic recession; home quarantine; hospital waste; human; infection control; lockdown; Nepal; nonhuman; pandemic; plastic waste; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; sea pollution; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; social distancing; vaccine production; veterinarian; veterinary clinic; waste management |
| Non-monetary numeraires: Varying the payment vehicle in a choice experiment for health interventions in Uganda | Schistosomiasis is a serious health problem in many parts of Africa which is linked to poor water quality and limited sanitation resources. We administered a discrete choice experiment on water access and health education in rural Uganda, focussing on interventions designed to reduce cases of the disease. Unlike previous studies, we included a payment vehicle of both labour hours supplied per week and money paid per month within each choice set. We were thus able to elicit both willingness to pay and willingness to work for alternative interventions. Respondents exhibit high demand for new water sources. From the random parameter model, only households with knowledge about water-borne parasites are price sensitive and exhibit willingness to pay values. Through a latent class model specification, higher income respondents exhibit higher willingness to pay values for all programme attributes; however, lower income participants have higher willingness to work values for certain new water sources. We found a shadow wage rate of labour that is between 15 and 55% of the market wage rate. © 2019 The Authors | Uganda; Schistosoma mansoni; discrete choice analysis; disease incidence; health education; hemoparasite; household survey; public health; sanitation; wage determination; water quality |
| Integrating epidemiological and economic models to identify the cost of foodborne diseases | Despite food technology advancements, food safety policies and alert systems, foodborne diseases are still a relevant concern for consumers and public health authorities, with great impacts on the economy and the society. Evaluating the cost of foodborne diseases may support the design and the implementation of policy interventions. This paper proposes a simple method for cost identification of foodborne diseases, accessible to researchers and practitioners who are not specialist in economics. The method is based on the assumption that epidemiological and economic models can be integrated to understand how the burden of disease determines costs in a wider socio-economic perspective. Systems thinking and interdisciplinary approach are the pivotal conceptual tools of the method. Systems thinking allows for the understanding of the complex relationships working among the elementary units of a system (e.g. wildlife, bred animals, consumers, environment, agro-food industry) in the occurrence of a health problem such foodborne diseases. Complex systemic relationships usually cross the traditional boundaries of scientific knowledge (human medicine, veterinary science, economics) and sectoral institutional responsibilities (e.g. ministry of health, ministry of agriculture). For these reasons more scientific disciplines, institutional competences and social bodies need to work together to face complex health problems, in an interdisciplinary framework. The first step of the proposed method is the identification of the potential cost of the disease. To this aim, the authors first focus on the links between epidemiological and economic models, based on the fact that foodborne diseases, likewise other diseases, hit people’s and animals’ aptitude to produce utility and goods for the society (e.g. wellbeing, revenue, safe food). These utility losses are real economic costs. Then they show how simple economic models, such as the food supply chain, can help understand the way costs spread across the economic sectors and the society. It should be underlined that the authors adopt already existing and well rooted scientific tools, focusing in particular that their integration in an interdisciplinary framework can effectively contribute to increase the understanding of complex health problems in a viable way. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. | Animals; Cost of Illness; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Food Safety; Food Supply; Food Technology; Foodborne Diseases; Humans; Interdisciplinary Research; Models, Biological; Models, Economic; One Health; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Systems Analysis; Article; catering service; clinical effectiveness; clinical evaluation; clinical practice; disease burden; food handling; food intake; food poisoning; health care cost; health care personnel; health care system; human; priority journal; socioeconomics; thinking; animal; biological model; cost benefit analysis; cost of illness; economic model; economics; food poisoning; food safety; interdisciplinary research; One Health; quality adjusted life year; system analysis |
| Antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use in Timor-Leste: building surveillance capacity with a One Health approach | [No abstract available] | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; One Health; Timor-Leste; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; epidemiology; human; One Health; Timor-Leste |
| One health strategies for rabies outbreak control in Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia: Recommendations for emergency response | Objective: Almost 1,315 cases of rabid animal bites and 9 fatal cases of human rabies were declared in February 2019 due to the outbreak of rabies in Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara (WNT), Indonesia, and this outbreak has affected more than 240,000 people. We report a recommendation for emergency response of one health strategies for rabies outbreak control in Dompu, WNT, Indonesia. Methods: We implemented the OH approach to expedite the management of outbreaks in Dompu. A meeting with the local government of Dompu district (GoD) was held after an outbreak report was released in February 2019. Furthermore, we encouraged the GoD to adopt OH to manage and control the outbreak. Results: In Indonesia, the concept is not clear but gradually developing. The burgeoning issues are tackled by GoD through some initiatives, but implementing OH is itself a challenge. We encourage GoD to focus on these gaps and prioritize the health issues for which the best suitable results can be achieved by OH approach. Conclusion: The OH approach accelerated the prevention of rabies outbreaks in Dompu. To effectively implement the OH approach, it is important to design a legal and institutional framework. In addition, it is essential to raise awareness among policy-makers, including political leadership and enhance the government’s regular budget for the OH approach. © 2020 The Authors. | rabies vaccine; Article; awareness; budget; curriculum; dog; emergency response time; environment; fatality; government; health care cost; health care planning; health practitioner; human; Indonesia; leadership; livestock; nonhuman; pharmacist; post exposure prophylaxis; public health; public health service; questionnaire; rabies; training; vaccination |
| Antimicrobial Resistance of Commensal Escherichia coli Isolated from Food Animals in Qatar | Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of 18 clinically relevant antibiotics in food animals in Qatar. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples from camels, cattle, and pigeons (300) were collected from different slaughterhouses and farms. Escherichia coli isolates were recovered on selective media, confirmed biochemically, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility using a disk diffusion assay. Any isolate that showed resistance to colistin was confirmed using the E-test and polymerase chain reaction for mcr genes. Results: Overall, a total of 88.7% (n = 266/300) recovery rate was achieved from all samples. Resistance to at least one antibiotic was recorded in 70.7% of pigeons, 37.2% of cattle, and only 20.8% of camel samples. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was highest in isolates from pigeons, 50% (n = 44). Moreover, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections) resistance was present in 22.2% (n = 59) of all E. coli isolates. Only one E. coli isolate from a pigeon showed resistance to colistin (mcr-1 gene encoded), a drug of last resort in human medicine against gram-negative bacterial infection. Conclusions: We previously reported high multidrug resistance of E. coli in chickens, with significant resistance to colistin. We observed a lower AMR profile in ruminants. The high resistance profile observed in pigeons (70.7%), including high multidrug resistance (50%), is alarming as these animals could rapidly disseminate resistant bacteria to various locations. Continuous monitoring of AMR in livestock in Qatar is necessary toward introducing an antimicrobial stewardship program and control of antibiotic usage in the veterinary sector. © Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Camelus; Cattle; Chickens; Colistin; Columbidae; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Escherichia coli Proteins; Farms; Feces; Livestock; Qatar; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; amikacin; ampicillin; cefalotin; cefepime; ceftriaxone; cefuroxime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; cotrimoxazole; fosfomycin; gentamicin; nitrofurantoin; piperacillin plus tazobactam; tetracycline; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; colistin; cotrimoxazole; Escherichia coli protein; MCR-1 protein, E coli; animal product; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterium isolation; bovine; camel; Columbidae; commensal Escherichia coli; controlled study; dairy cattle; disk diffusion; epsilometer test; Escherichia coli; evidence based practice; feces analysis; food; gene; mcr 1 gene; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; priority journal; Qatar; slaughterhouse; agricultural land; animal; antibiotic resistance; chicken; drug effect; Escherichia coli infection; feces; genetics; isolation and purification; livestock; microbiology |
| Antimicrobial stewardship: Fighting antimicrobial resistance and protecting global public health | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health. It increases morbidity and mortality, and is associated with high economic costs due to its health care burden. Infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria also have substantial implications on clinical and economic outcomes. Moreover, increased indiscriminate use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic will heighten bacterial resistance and ultimately lead to more deaths. This review highlights AMR’s scale and consequences, the importance, and implications of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) to fight resistance and protect global health. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), an organizational or system-wide health-care strategy, is designed to promote, improve, monitor, and evaluate the rational use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness, along with the promotion and protection of public health. ASP has been very successful in promoting antimicrobials’ appropriate use by implementing evidence-based interventions. The “One Health” approach, a holistic and multisectoral approach, is also needed to address AMR’s rising threat. AMS practices, principles, and interventions are critical steps towards containing and mitigating AMR. Evidence-based policies must guide the “One Health” approach, vaccination protocols, health professionals’ education, and the public’s awareness about AMR. © 2020 Majumder et al. | antibiotic agent; animal health; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; antimicrobial therapy; Article; awareness; bacterial infection; drug efficacy; evidence based medicine; genetic engineering; health care; health care policy; health promotion; history; holistic care; human; monitoring; nonhuman; One Health; patient; planning; practice guideline; prescription; public health; responsibility; staff training; vaccination |
| Media coverage of drug regulatory agencies’ safety advisories: A case study of citalopram and denosumab | Aims: Drug regulators issue safety advisories to warn clinicians and the public about new evidence of harmful effects of medicines. It is unclear how often these messages are covered by the media. Our aim was to analyse the extent of media coverage of two medicines that were subject to safety advisories from 2007 to 2016 in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Methods: Two medicines widely used to treat mental health or physical conditions were selected: citalopram and denosumab. Media reports were identified by searching LexisNexis and Factiva. Reports were included if they stated at least one health benefit or harm. A content analysis of the reports was conducted. Results: In total, 195 media reports on citalopram and 239 on denosumab were included. For citalopram, 43.1% (84/195) of the reports mentioned benefits, 85.6% (167/195) mentioned harms and 9.7% (19/195) mentioned the harm described in the advisories (cardiac arrhythmia). For denosumab, 94.1% (225/239) of the reports mentioned benefits and 39.7% (95/239) mentioned harms. The harms described in the advisories were rarely mentioned: 10.9% (26/239) of the reports mentioned osteonecrosis and ≤5% mentioned any of the other harms (atypical fractures, hypocalcaemia, serious infections and dermatologic reactions). Conclusions: We found limited media coverage of the harms highlighted in safety advisories. Almost two-thirds of the media stories on denosumab did not include any information about harms, despite the many advisories during this time frame. Citalopram coverage covered harms more often but rarely mentioned cardiac arrhythmias. These findings raise questions about how to better ensure that regulatory risk communications reach the general public. © 2020 The British Pharmacological Society | Australia; Canada; Citalopram; Denosumab; Humans; Pharmaceutical Preparations; United Kingdom; United States; citalopram; denosumab; escitalopram; citalopram; denosumab; drug; abnormal thinking; anxiety disorder; Article; Australia; bone metastasis; bone necrosis; bone tumor; breast cancer; Canada; cancer prevention; case study; cerebrovascular accident; clinical outcome; comparative study; congenital malformation; content analysis; controlled study; depression; diarrhea; drug control; drug indication; drug safety; fracture; giant cell tumor; health care personnel; heart arrhythmia; heart infarction; homicide; hot flush; human; hypocalcemia; infection; kidney disease; major clinical study; mental health; nausea; One Health; osteoporosis; patient harm; priority journal; psychopharmacotherapy; QT prolongation; seizure; sexual dysfunction; skin manifestation; social media; suicidal ideation; suicide; United Kingdom; United States; unspecified side effect; withdrawal syndrome |
| Susceptibility to SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 from animal health perspective | Viruses are having great time as they seem to have bogged humans down. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are the three major coronaviruses of present-day global human and animal health concern. COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is identified as the newest disease, presumably of bat origin. Different theories on the evolution of viruses are in circulation, yet there is no denying the fact that the animal source is the skeleton. The whole world is witnessing the terror of the COVID-19 pandemic that is following the same path of SARS and MERS, and seems to be more severe. In addition to humans, several species of animals are reported to have been infected with these life-threatening viruses. The possible routes of transmission and their zoonotic potentialities are the subjects of intense research. This review article aims to overview the link of all these three deadly coronaviruses among animals along with their phylogenic evolution and cross-species transmission. This is essential since animals as pets or food are said to pose some risk, and their better understanding is a must in order to prepare a possible plan for future havoc in both human and animal health. Although COVID-19 is causing a human health hazard globally, its reporting in animals are limited compared to SARS and MERS. Non-human primates and carnivores are most susceptible to SARS-coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2, respectively, whereas the dromedary camel is susceptible to MERS-coronavirus. Phylogenetically, the trio viruses are reported to have originated from bats and have special capacity to undergo mutation and genomic recombination in order to infect humans through its reservoir or replication host. However, it is difficult to analyze how the genomic pattern of coronaviruses occurs. Thus, increased possibility of new virus-variants infecting humans and animals in the upcoming days seems to be the biggest challenge for the future of the world. One health approach is portrayed as our best way ahead, and understanding the animal dimension will go a long way in formulating such preparedness plans. © 2020, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli. All rights reserved. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Betacoronavirus; Camelids, New World; Camelus; Cats; Chiroptera; Coronavirus Infections; Disease Susceptibility; Dogs; Eutheria; Ferrets; Humans; Lions; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; Pandemics; Phylogeny; Pneumonia, Viral; Primates; Raccoon Dogs; SARS Virus; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Snakes; Tigers; Viverridae; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; animal health; Article; bat; case fatality rate; convergent evolution; coronavirus disease 2019; dromedary; Ebolavirus; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; evolution; fever; genetic recombination; genetic variability; human; infection sensitivity; loss of appetite; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; nonhuman; Pholidota (animal); phylogeny; Pomeranian dog; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; respiratory distress; rhinorrhea; SARS coronavirus; sequence homology; severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; sneezing; virus entry; virus transmission; animal; Betacoronavirus; camel; cat; classification; Coronavirus infection; disease predisposition; dog; genetics; immunology; lion; Mustela putorius furo; New World camelid; pandemic; placental mammal; primate; raccoon dog; severe acute respiratory syndrome; snake; tiger; veterinary medicine; virology; virus pneumonia; Viverridae; wild animal |
| Contribution to the improvement of health care services for the elderly in Mali through the Internet of Medical Things; [Contribution à l’amélioration des prestations des soins de santé aux personnes âgées au Mali à travers l’Internet des objets médicaux] | Research on Geriatrics and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has recently attracted the attention of many researchers. That is due to the fact that IoMT can, among other things, contribute to the care of the rapidly increasing chronic diseases resulting from demographic changes, in particular the increase in the elderly population, and compensate for insufficiently qualified personnel in the health sector. However, the implementation and use of the IoMT needs to be framed and guided by national eHealth strategies so that it can respond to the challenges posed, such as, for example, the improvement of healthcare services to elderly people. It is in this context that this article analyzed Mali’s eHealth strategy in order to explore the measures in place for the socio-health care of the elderly via IoMT. The relevant documents were collected and analyzed using the Policy Triangle Framework. Thus, the context, content, actors and the process of the development of this strategy were identified and assessed. The results revealed that Mali’s eHealth strategy does not specifically take either IoMT or the healthcare provision for the elderly into account. The recommendation of this study is that more research should be conducted on geriatrics and eHealth (IoMT). The results will enable decision-makers to take into account the question of the elderly and IoMT on the basis of scientific data as recommended by international organizations. © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS; La recherche sur la gériatrie et l’Internet des objets médicaux – Internet of Medical Things – (IoMT) a récemment attiré l’attention de nombreux universitaires et chercheurs. En effet, l’IoMT peut, entre autres, aider à la prise en soin des maladies chroniques qui augmentent avec le vieillissement démographique et pallier l’insuffisance de personnel qualifié dans le secteur de la santé. Toutefois, l’implémentation et l’utilisation de l’IoMT doivent être encadrées et guidées par des stratégies nationales de cybersanté afin qu’il puisse répondre aux défis qui lui sont posés, comme, par exemple, l’amélioration des prestations des soins de santé aux personnes âgées. C’est dans ce cadre que nous avons analysé la stratégie de cybersanté du Mali afin d’y extraire les mesures en place pour la prise en charge socio-sanitaire des personnes âgées par l’IoMT. Les documents sur ce sujet ont été collectés et analysés en utilisant le Policy Triangle Framework. Ainsi, le contexte, le contenu, les acteurs et le processus d’élaboration de cette stratégie ont été relevés et évalués. Les résultats ont montré que la stratégie de cybersanté du Mali ne prend en compte ni l’IoMT, ni la prise en charge socio-sanitaire des personnes âgées. En guise de recommandation, l’étude préconise la réalisation de plus de recherche dans le domaine de la gériatrie, de la cybersanté (IoMT) et de stratégies spécifiques. Les résultats de ces recherches permettront aux décideurs de prendre en compte sur la base de données scientifiques la question des personnes âgées et de l’IoMT tels que recommandés par les organisations internationales. © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS | aged; aging; Article; cerebrovascular accident; chronic disease; decision making; developed country; diabetes mellitus; elderly care; health care; health care delivery; health care personnel; health service; heart disease; human; international organization; internet of things; Mali; medical informatics; One Health; patient monitoring; problem identification; qualitative research; social behavior; telediagnosis; telehealth; World Health Organization |
| The world rabies day 2020: Collaborate and vaccinate | Rabies constantly kills 59,000 people annually, mostly in Asia and Africa. Rabies, which is responsible for 99% of human rabies cases, is totally preventable by standard vaccinations. In 2015, a global call for action was made by the WHO, OIE, FAO, and GARC to join forces toward the elimination of dog-transmitted human rabies by the year 2030. All the tools and protocols to reach that target are readily available, and the feasibility of dog rabies elimination has been proven. Countries should drive the changes needed to engage into this global movement. Certainly, countries in the EMR require taking more critical steps to reach the rabies elimination target by 2030. The international awareness campaign of the WRD is an excellent occasion to assess challenges and opportunities toward rabies elimination. © 2020, Pasteur Institute of Iran. All rights reserved. | Animals; Cooperative Behavior; Humans; Internationality; Rabies; Vaccination; rabies vaccine; Africa; Article; Asia; awareness; dog; health education; human; infection control; mass immunization; nonhuman; One Health; rabies; vaccination; virus transmission; animal; cooperation; immunology; international cooperation; rabies |
| Herbicide treatment alters the effects of water hyacinth on larval mosquito abundance | Invasive aquatic weeds are managed with herbicides to reduce their negative impacts on waterways in many areas, including the California Delta Region. Herbicides create a dynamic environment of living and decomposing plant matter that could affect larval mosquitoes and other invertebrates, such as their predators and competitors. Our objective was to compare the number of larval mosquitoes in water or water hyacinth, before and after an herbicide treatment. We created replicated pond mesocosms with water hyacinth, water hyacinth treated with glyphosate and an oil adjuvant, open water, and water with glyphosate plus adjuvant. We sampled for larval mosquitoes and other aquatic invertebrates. Before herbicide addition, there was a trend for more larval mosquitoes in open water tanks than in tanks with water hyacinth. Herbicide application resulted in an immediate decrease of larval mosquitoes. As decay progressed, larval mosquitoes became most abundant in mesocosms with herbicide-treated hyacinth and very few larval mosquitoes were found in other habitat treatments. Although the numbers of predatory and competitor insects had some variation between treatments, no clear pattern emerged. This information on how invasive weed management with herbicides affects larval mosquitoes will allow control practices for larval mosquitoes and invasive weeds to be better integrated. © 2020 The Society for Vector Ecology | Animals; Culicidae; Ecosystem; Eichhornia; Glycine; Herbicides; Larva; glycine; glyphosate; herbicide; animal; drug effect; ecosystem; Eichhornia; larva; mosquito |
| Integration of shared-pathogen networks and machine learning reveals the key aspects of zoonoses and predicts mammalian reservoirs | Diseases that spread to humans from animals, zoonoses, pose major threats to human health. Identifying animal reservoirs of zoonoses and predicting future outbreaks are increasingly important to human health and well-being and economic stability, particularly where research and resources are limited. Here, we integrate complex networks and machine learning approaches to develop a new approach to identifying reservoirs. An exhaustive dataset of mammal-pathogen interactions was transformed into networks where hosts are linked via their shared pathogens. We present a methodology for identifying important and influential hosts in these networks. Ensemble models linking network characteristics with phylogeny and life-history traits are then employed to predict those key hosts and quantify the roles they undertake in pathogen transmission. Our models reveal drivers explaining host importance and demonstrate how these drivers vary by pathogen taxa. Host importance is further integrated into ensemble models to predict reservoirs of zoonoses of various pathogen taxa and quantify the extent of pathogen sharing between humans and mammals. We establish predictors of reservoirs of zoonoses, showcasing host influence to be a key factor in determining these reservoirs. Finally, we provide new insight into the determinants of zoonosis-sharing, and contrast these determinants across major pathogen taxa. © 2020 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited. | Animals; Disease Outbreaks; Disease Reservoirs; Machine Learning; Mammals; Zoonoses; Animalia; Mammalia; data set; disease incidence; disease transmission; historical record; host-pathogen interaction; machine learning; phylogeny; prediction; animal; disease carrier; epidemic; machine learning; mammal; zoonosis |
| Anthropogenic landscapes increase Campylobacter jejuni infections in urbanizing banded mongoose (Mungos mungo): A one health approach | Background Campylobacter is a common, but neglected foodborne-zoonotic pathogen, identified as a growing cause of foodborne disease worldwide. Wildlife and domestic animals are considered important reservoirs, but little is known about pathogen infection dynamics in free-rang-ing mammalian wildlife particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In countries like Botswana, there is significant overlap between humans and wildlife, with the human population having one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, increasing vulnerability to infection. Methodology/Principal findings We investigated Campylobacter occurrence in archived human fecal samples (children and adults, n = 122, 2011), feces from free-ranging banded mongooses (Mungos mungo, n = 201), surface water (n = 70), and river sediment samples (n = 81) collected in 2017 from the Chobe District, northern Botswana. Campylobacter spp. was widespread in humans (23.0%, 95% CI 13.9–35.4%), with infections dominantly associated with C. jejuni (82.1%, n = 28, 95% CI 55.1–94.5%). A small number of patients presented with asymptomatic infections (n = 6). While Campylobacter spp. was rare or absent in environmental samples, over half of sampled mongooses tested positive (56%, 95% CI 45.6–65.4%). Across the urban-wilderness continuum, we found significant differences in Campylobacter spp. detection associated with the type of den used by study mongooses. Mongooses utilizing man-made structures as den sites had significantly higher levels of C. jejuni infection (p = 0.019) than mongooses using natural dens. Conversely, mongooses using natural dens had overall higher levels of detection of Campylobacter at the genus level (p = 0.001). Conclusions These results suggest that landscape features may have important influences on Campylo-bacter species exposure and transmission dynamics in wildlife. In particular, data suggest that human-modified landscapes may increase C. jejuni infection, a primarily human patho-gen, in banded mongooses. Pathogen circulation and transmission in urbanizing wildlife reservoirs may increase human vulnerability to infection, findings that may have critical implications for both public and animal health in regions where people live in close proximity to wildlife. © 2020 Medley et al. | Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Botswana; Campylobacter Infections; Campylobacter jejuni; Child; Child, Preschool; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Feces; Female; Herpestidae; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; One Health; Rivers; Young Adult; surface water; animal care; Article; Campylobacter coli; Campylobacter enteritis; Campylobacter fetus; Campylobacter hyointestinalis; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter lari; Campylobacter upsaliensis; Campylobacter ureolyticus; child; disease association; DNA extraction; enzyme denaturation; feces analysis; geographic distribution; health service; human; infection control; major clinical study; mongoose; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; public health; sedimentation rate; ultrafiltration; urbanization; adolescent; adult; animal; Botswana; Campylobacter jejuni; campylobacteriosis; disease transmission; feces; female; infant; isolation and purification; male; microbiology; middle aged; mongoose; One Health; preschool child; river; veterinary medicine; young adult |
| Farm dust resistomes and bacterial microbiomes in European poultry and pig farms | Background: Livestock farms are a reservoir of antimicrobial resistant bacteria from feces. Airborne dust-bound bacteria can spread across the barn and to the outdoor environment. Therefore, exposure to farm dust may be of concern for animals, farmers and neighboring residents. Although dust is a potential route of transmission, little is known about the resistome and bacterial microbiome of farm dust. Objectives: We describe the resistome and bacterial microbiome of pig and poultry farm dust and their relation with animal feces resistomes and bacterial microbiomes, and on-farm antimicrobial usage (AMU). In addition, the relation between dust and farmers’ stool resistomes was explored. Methods: In the EFFORT-study, resistomes and bacterial microbiomes of indoor farm dust collected on Electrostatic Dust fall Collectors (EDCs), and animal feces of 35 conventional broiler and 44 farrow-to-finish pig farms from nine European countries were determined by shotgun metagenomic analysis. The analysis also included 79 stool samples from farmers working or living at 12 broiler and 19 pig farms and 46 human controls. Relative abundance of and variation in resistome and bacterial composition of farm dust was described and compared to animal feces and farmers’ stool. Results: The farm dust resistome contained a large variety of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs); more than the animal fecal resistome. For both poultry and pigs, composition of dust resistomes finds (partly) its origin in animal feces as dust resistomes correlated significantly with fecal resistomes. The dust bacterial microbiome also correlated significantly with the dust resistome composition. A positive association between AMU in animals on the farm and the total abundance of the dust resistome was found. Occupational exposure to pig farm dust or animal feces may contribute to farmers’ resistomes, however no major shifts in farmers resistome towards feces or dust resistomes were found in this study. Conclusion: Poultry and pig farm dust resistomes are rich and abundant and associated with the fecal resistome of the animals and the dust bacterial microbiome. © 2020 The Author(s) | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Chickens; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Dust; Europe; Farms; Microbiota; Poultry; Swine; Europe; Animalia; Bacteria (microorganisms); Suidae; Agriculture; Bacteria; Mammals; antiinfective agent; antiinfective agent; Antimicrobial resistances; Bacterial composition; European Countries; Metagenomic analysis; Occupational exposure; Outdoor environment; Relative abundance; Resistant bacteria; agricultural worker; bacterium; dust; feces; gene; indoor air; livestock farming; pig; poultry; adult; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial genetics; bacterial microbiome; bacterial virulence; controlled study; correlational study; cross-sectional study; disease association; dust; dust exposure; environmental monitoring; European; feces analysis; genetic analysis; genetic variation; health hazard; human; indoor environment; longitudinal study; metagenomics; microbial activity; nonhuman; occupational exposure; pig farming; poultry; priority journal; agricultural land; animal; antibiotic resistance; bacterium; chicken; Europe; genetics; microflora; pig; poultry; Dust |
| Citizens’ juries give verdict on whether private practice veterinarians should attend unvaccinated Hendra virus suspect horses | Background: Hendra virus (HeV) is endemic in Australian flying foxes, posing a threat to equine and human health. Equine vaccination remains the most effective risk mitigation strategy. Many horses remain unvaccinated – even in higher-risk regions. Debate surrounding the vaccine’s use is characterised by conflicting perspectives, misunderstanding and mistrust. Private veterinary practitioners are critical to early identification of public health risk through recognition, sampling and management of suspect-equine-HeV-cases. However, managing such cases can be burdensome, with some veterinarians opting not to attend unvaccinated horses or to abandon equine practice because of risk posed by HeV disease and liability. Objective: Ascertain the perspectives of informed citizens on what obligations (if any) private veterinarians have to attend unvaccinated horses with HeV or HeV-like disease. Methods: Three citizens’ juries were tasked with considering approaches to managing HeV risk in Australia, including (reported here) roles and obligations of private veterinarians in responding to HeV-suspect-cases. Results: Jurors acknowledged that HeV management posed an important challenge for private veterinarians. A clear majority (27 of 31 jurors) voted that veterinarians should not be obliged to attend unvaccinated horses. All recognised that greater support for veterinarians should be a priority. Conclusions: When informed of HeV risks and strategies for control and management, citizens appreciated the need to support veterinarians performing this critical ‘One Health’ role for public benefit. The current governance framework within which zoonotic disease recognition and response operates limits the contingency and scope for increasing support and efficacy of these important veterinary public health practices. © 2020 Australian Veterinary Association | Animals; Australia; Hendra Virus; Henipavirus Infections; Horse Diseases; Horses; Humans; Private Practice; Veterinarians; Zoonoses; animal welfare; Article; Australia; decision making; disease control; disease surveillance; Hendra virus; Hendra virus infection; horse; human; infection risk; occupational exposure; private practice; public health service; risk management; vaccination; veterinarian; veterinary clinic; animal; Hendra virus; Henipavirus infection; horse disease; veterinarian; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Global one health case competition: Building capacity for addressing infectious threats | Extracurricular inter-professional activities advance pre-service student skills and confidence before joining the workforce. This article describes an extracurricular model, whereby students engaged in experiential learning, and had the opportunity to challenge themselves in interprofessional groups guided by faculty and inspired by professionals in their respective fields. The Global One Health Case Competition involved students from the University of Rwanda in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, and required students in teams to address an Ebola outbreak containment and response scenario. Forty students, seven faculty coaches, and five judges participated in this event. Students gained collaborative teamwork skills as they developed comprehensive strategies for managing a response to a zoonotic disease outbreak, considering political, financial, logistical, and other factors. Faculty strengthened skills in writing complex case studies for a competition model, and in mentoring of multidisciplinary student groups. Case competition is an effective educational mechanism for building the outbreak response capacity of our future workforce before they are in their real-world professional roles responding to actual zoonotic and other infectious disease threats. © 2020, Sciedu Press. All rights reserved. |
| Schistosoma japonicum infections in cattle and water buffaloes of farming communities of Koronadal City, Philippines | Background and Aim: Schistosomiasis is one of the seven neglected tropical diseases that are of public health concern in the Philippines. The disease is prevalent in few of the barangays (communities) in Koronadal City, Philippines. Status of the Schistosoma japonicum infections in domestic animal reservoir host has yet to be explored in these endemic communities. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and infection intensity of the disease in cattle and water buffaloes of endemic communities of Koronadal City. Materials and Methods: Schistosomiasis was investigated in 70 cattle and 38 water buffaloes from three endemic communities in Koronadal City. The copro-parasitological technique used was the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation method. Results: S. japonicum infection was observed in 48.6% of cattle and 60.5% in water buffaloes. The bovine contamination index indicated that all infected animals released 3,505,500 eggs/day. On average, infected cattle released 1,674,500 eggs daily, while infected water buffaloes liberated 1,932,000 eggs in the environment daily. Conclusion: Cattle and water buffaloes in these endemic areas are infected with S. japonicum. These animals release large numbers of eggs in the environment daily; hence, played an important role in disease transmission. Those living and working in endemic areas should be aware of the inherent dangers of the disease. © 2020 Veterinary World. | acetic acid ethyl ester; formaldehyde; age; animal husbandry; Article; bovine; community; cross-sectional study; endemic disease; fecal egg count; feces analysis; microbial contamination; nonhuman; parasite prevalence; parasite transmission; Philippines; Schistosoma japonicum; schistosomiasis japonica; sedimentation; sex; water buffalo |
| Addressing Learning Needs on the Use of Metagenomics in Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance | One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) depends on a harmonized method for detection of AMR. Metagenomics-based surveillance offers the possibility to compare resistomes within and between different target populations. Its potential to be embedded into policy in the future calls for a timely and integrated knowledge dissemination strategy. We developed a blended training (e-learning and a workshop) on the use of metagenomics in surveillance of pathogens and AMR. The objectives were to highlight the potential of metagenomics in the context of integrated surveillance, to demonstrate its applicability through hands-on training and to raise awareness to bias factors1. The target participants included staff of competent authorities responsible for AMR monitoring and academic staff. The training was organized in modules covering the workflow, requirements, benefits and challenges of surveillance by metagenomics. The training had 41 participants. The face-to-face workshop was essential to understand the expectations of the participants about the transition to metagenomics-based surveillance. After revision of the e-learning, we released it as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), now available at https://www.coursera.org/learn/metagenomics. This course has run in more than 20 sessions, with more than 3,000 learners enrolled, from more than 120 countries. Blended learning and MOOCs are useful tools to deliver knowledge globally and across disciplines. The released MOOC can be a reference knowledge source for international players in the application of metagenomics in surveillance. © 2020 Duarte, Stärk, Munk, Leekitcharoenphon, Bossers, Luiken, Sarrazin, Lukjancenko, Pamp, Bortolaia, Nissen, Kirstahler, Van Gompel, Poulsen, Kaas, Hellmér, Hansen, Gomez and Hald. |
| Multi-approach investigation regarding the west Nile virus situation in Hungary, 2018 | The West Nile virus is endemic in multiple European countries and responsible for several epidemics throughout the European region. Its evolution into local or even widespread epidemics is driven by multiple factors from genetic diversification of the virus to environmental conditions. The year of 2018 was characterized by an extraordinary increase in human and animal cases in the Central-Eastern European region, including Hungary. In a collaborative effort, we summarized and analyzed the genetic and serologic data of WNV infections from multiple Hungarian public health institutions, universities, and private organizations. We compared human and veterinary serologic data, along with NS5 and NS3 gene sequence data through 2018. Wild birds were excellent indicator species for WNV circulation in each year. Our efforts resulted in documenting the presence of multiple phylogenetic subclades with Balkans and Western-European progenitor sequences of WNV circulating among human and animal populations in Hungary prior to and during the 2018 epidemic. Supported by our sequence and phylogenetic data, the epidemic of 2018 was not caused by recently introduced WNV strains. Unfortunately, Hungary has no country-wide integrated surveillance system which would enable the analysis of related conditions and provide a comprehensive epidemiological picture. The One Health approach, involving multiple institutions and experts, should be implemented in order to fully understand ecological background factors driving the evolution of future epidemics. © 2020 by the authors. | Animals; Antigens, Viral; Birds; Encephalitis; Epidemics; Genes, Viral; Hawks; Horses; Humans; Hungary; One Health; Pathology, Molecular; Phylogeny; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Viral Nonstructural Proteins; Viral Proteins; West Nile Fever; West Nile virus; NS5 protein, flavivirus; viral protein; virus antigen; Anopheles maculipennis; Article; Belgium; brain cortex; brain tissue; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; Culex pipiens; cytopathogenic effect; disease surveillance; environmental factor; epidemic; Flavivirus infection; food chain; gene amplification; gene sequence; geographic distribution; Hungary; incidence; molecular epidemiology; nested polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; persistent virus infection; phylogenetic tree; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; public health; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; sequence analysis; sequence homology; veterinary medicine; virus detection; virus genome; virus isolation; virus transmission; West Nile fever; West Nile virus; animal; bird; encephalitis; epidemiology; genetics; hawk; horse; human; immunology; isolation and purification; molecular pathology; One Health; phylogeny; seroepidemiology; virology; virus gene |
| Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): One health perspective approach to the bacterium epidemiology, virulence factors, antibiotic-resistance, and zoonotic impact | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major human pathogen and a historically emergent zoonotic pathogen with public health and veterinary importance. In humans, MRSA commonly causes severe infectious diseases, including food poisoning, pyogenic endocarditis, suppurative pneumonia, otitis media, osteomyelitis, and pyogenic infections of the skin, soft tissues. In the horse, MRSA could cause a localized purulent infection and botryomycosis; in cattle and ewe, localized pyogenic infection and severe acute mastitis with marked toxemia; in sheep, abscess disease resembles caseous lymphadenitis caused by anaerobic strains; in dogs and cats, pustular dermatitis and food poisoning; in pig, exudative epidermatitis “greasy pig disease; in birds, MRSA causes bumble-foot. The methicillin resistance could be determined by PCR-based detection of the mecA gene as well as resistance to cefoxitin. In Egypt, MRSA is one of the important occasions of subclinical and clinical bovine mastitis, and the prevalence of MRSA varies by geographical region. In this review, we are trying to illustrate variable data about the host susceptibility, diseases, epidemiology, virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, treatment, and control of MRSA infection. © 2020 Algammal et al. | amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; antibiotic agent; bacterial toxin; bevifimod; cefalexin; cefotaxime; clindamycin; coagulase; erythromycin; fibrinogen; hemolysin; hyaluronidase; nuclease; Panton Valentine leukocidin; polysaccharide; proteinase; serine proteinase; staphylococcal exfoliative toxin; Staphylococcus enterotoxin A; Staphylococcus enterotoxin B; Staphylococcus enterotoxin C; staphylokinase; sultamicillin; tetracycline; toxic shock syndrome toxin; unclassified drug; virulence factor; acne; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial strain; Egypt; endocarditis; food; food poisoning; healthcare associated infection; hospital infection; host susceptibility; human; infection control; mastitis; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection; nonhuman; osteomyelitis; otitis; pneumonia; prevalence; septicemia; slaughterhouse; urinary tract infection; wound |
| A one-health model for reversing honeybee (Apis mellifera l.) decline | Global insect decline impacts ecosystem resilience; pollinators such as honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) have suffered extensive losses over the last decade, threatening food security. Research has focused discretely on in-hive threats (e.g., Nosema and Varroa destructor) and broader external causes of decline (e.g., agrochemicals, habitat loss). This has notably failed to translate into successful reversal of bee declines. Working at the interdisciplinary nexus of entomological, social and ecological research, we posit that veterinary research needs to adopt a “One-Health” approach to address the scope of crises facing pollinators. We demonstrate that reversing declines will require integration of hive-specific solutions, a reappraisal of engagement with the many stakeholders whose actions affect bee health, and recontextualising both of these within landscape scale efforts. Other publications within this special issue explore novel technologies, emergent diseases and management approaches; our aim is to place these within the “One-Health” context as a pathway to securing honeybee health. Governmental policy reform offers a particularly timely pathway to achieving this goal. Acknowledging that healthy honeybees need an interdisciplinary approach to their management will enhance the contributions of veterinary research in delivering systemic improvements in bee health. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | animal health; Apis mellifera; Article; beekeeper; ecosystem resilience; environmental parameters; environmental policy; environmental protection; insect decline; landscape; nonhuman; One Health; organism colony; stakeholder engagement; United Kingdom; varroosis; veterinary medicine |
| Teaching wildlife disease outbreak response through a collaborative one health workshop | Issues in the fields of wildlife disease and One Health are often difficult to address by single research groups because of the many disciplines and areas of expertise required to effectively solve complex problems. Although collaborations are becoming increasingly prevalent in the professional realm, many undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are merely introduced to the idea of collaboration without fully understanding how team-based approaches function. In this report, we describe the framework for a one-day workshop hosted by the Colorado State University student chapter of the Wildlife Disease Association (CSU WDA), where we gathered students and professionals to collectively investigate a simulated wildlife disease outbreak. CSU WDA student members designed the workshop and recruited professionals who are experts in their respective fields to run an outbreak simulation during the event. Based on pre- and post-event evaluation responses, this workshop was effective in increasing participants’ knowledge of disease ecology, pathology, genetics, and microbiology, as well as the importance of collaboration among disciplines as it pertains to wildlife disease outbreaks. © 2020 University of Toronto Press Inc.. All rights reserved. | Animals; Colorado; Disease Outbreaks; Education, Veterinary; Humans; One Health; Students; Teaching; Article; collaborative learning; diagnostic test; disease association; electron microscopy; health care personnel; human; learning environment; Leishmania; molecular genetics; nonhuman; phylogeny; sequence analysis; teaching; wildlife; wildlife disease association; workshop; animal; Colorado; education; epidemic; epidemiology; One Health; student; teaching; veterinary medicine |
| ‘Preventing the next pandemic’ – A 2020 UNEP Frontiers Series Report on zoonotic diseases with reflections for South Africa | [No abstract available] | South Africa; disease severity; frontier region; infectious disease; United Nations Environment Program |
| An Evolutionary Point of View of Animal Ethics | [No abstract available] |
| Climate change and other risk drivers of animal health and zoonotic disease emergencies: the need for a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach to disaster risk management | In recent times, there has been an increased focus on animal health and zoonotic diseases that have the potential to trigger epidemics or pandemics that disproportionately affect the poor and most vulnerable. The recent Ebola, Zika and COVID-19 outbreaks demonstrate the devastating human, social and economic impacts of such diseases if they are not prevented or controlled, ideally at source. The risk drivers for zoonoses, which are complex and often interdependent, include climate change and related disasters, antimicrobial resistance, and anthropogenic drivers such as land-use changes and animal production practices. Understanding these drivers requires a better understanding of the ecology of zoonotic diseases at the human-animal-environment interface. Biosecurity and biosafety are critical for reducing the risk of accidental or deliberate release and should be included in risk management strategies. International frameworks for sustainable development, climate change, and disaster risk reduction have all integrated health as one of the core areas of work, calling for better preparedness and response to biological hazards and increased health system resilience. To improve their ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emerging and re-emerging threats, countries should address these risk drivers, taking a multidisciplinary One Health approach that involves the animal and human health and environment sectors. Cross-border cooperation is also vital, as diseases know no boundaries.; Depuis quelque temps, les maladies animales et zoonotiques font l’objet d’une attention croissante du fait de leur potentiel épidémique ou pandémique qui affecte de manière disproportionnée les populations les plus pauvres et vulnérables. Les récents foyers de maladie d’Ebola, d’infection à virus Zika et de COVID-19 démontrent les conséquences humaines, sociales et économiques dévastatrices de ces maladies en l’absence d’une prévention ou d’un contrôle idéalement exercés à leur source. Parmi les facteurs de risque de zoonoses, complexes par nature et souvent interdépendants, on peut citer le changement climatique et les catastrophes qu’il induit, la résistance aux agents antimicrobiens et les facteurs anthropiques tels que les changements dans l’utilisation des terres et les pratiques de production animale. Pour bien appréhender ces facteurs de risque il est nécessaire de mieux comprendre l’écologie des maladies zoonotiques à l’interface homme–animal– environnement. La biosûreté et la biosécurité jouent un rôle déterminant pour réduire le risque de dissémination accidentelle ou délibérée et devraient faire partie des stratégies de gestion du risque. Tous les cadres internationaux mis en place en matière de développement durable, de changement climatique et de réduction des risques de catastrophe ont mis la santé au cœur de leur champ d’action et plaident pour une meilleure préparation et intervention face aux menaces biologiques ainsi que pour une résilience accrue des systèmes de santé. Afin d’améliorer leurs capacités de prévention, de préparation et d’intervention face aux menaces émergentes et ré-émergentes, les pays doivent s’attaquer aux facteurs de risque à travers une approche multidisciplinaire Une seule santé qui associe les secteurs de la santé animale, de la santé publique et de la protection de l’environnement. La coopération transfrontalière est également vitale car les maladies ne connaissent pas les frontières.; En los últimos tiempos se viene prestando mayor atención a la sanidad animal y a enfermedades zoonóticas capaces de provocar epidemias o pandemias que afectan desproporcionadamente a las poblaciones pobres y más vulnerables. Los recientes brotes de enfermedad causados por los virus Ebola, Zika y SRASCoV-2 (la COVID-19) ponen de manifiesto las devastadoras consecuencias humanas, sociales y económicas de tales patologías si no se logra prevenirlas o controlarlas, de ser posible en su origen. Los factores de riesgo de zoonosis, complejos y a menudo interdependientes, son en particular el cambio climático y los desastres naturales que trae consigo, las resistencias a los antimicrobianos y factores antropogénicos como la evolución de los usos del suelo y los métodos de producción animal. Para desentrañar estos factores es preciso conocer mejor la ecología de las enfermedades zoonóticas en la interfaz de personas, animales y medio ambiente. La seguridad y la protección biológicas, esenciales para reducir el riesgo de liberación accidental o deliberada, deberían formar parte de toda estrategia de gestión del riesgo. En todos los textos de referencia internacionales relativos al desarrollo sostenible, el cambio climático y la reducción del riesgo de desastre la salud figura como uno de los ámbitos fundamentales de trabajo, que pasa por mejorar los niveles de preparación y respuesta ante los peligros biológicos y por conferir más resiliencia a los sistemas de salud. Para dotarse de mayor capacidad para prevenir amenazas emergentes y reemergentes, prepararse para ellas y darles respuesta, los países deben abordar los factores de riesgo desde una lógica multisectorial de Una sola salud que englobe los sectores de la sanidad animal, la salud humana y el medio ambiente. También es indispensable la cooperación transfronteriza, no en vano las enfermedades no conocen fronteras. | Animals; Betacoronavirus; Climate Change; Coronavirus Infections; Disasters; Emergencies; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Risk Management; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection; Zoonoses; animal; Betacoronavirus; climate change; Coronavirus infection; disaster; emergency; human; pandemic; risk management; veterinary medicine; virus pneumonia; Zika fever; Zika virus; zoonosis |
| Antibiotic resistance in enterobacteriaceae family members isolated from horses used for animal traction | Lately, bacterial drug resistance has become an important worldwide problem in one health, where bacteria have undergone mutation becoming increasingly resistant. The major problem of bacterial drug resistance is the difficulty with eliminating microorganisms from different wounds and infected patients, and the therapeutic option is most often ineffective as a result of the repeated and inappropriate use of antimicrobials. The objective of this work was to detect and identify enterobacteria, to evaluate their resistance profile and the production of extended-spectrum b-lactamases in draft horse isolates from the municipality of Umuarama, Parana, Brazil. A nasal, oral, and ear cavity swab was collected from 38 horses (used for animal traction) for isolation and bacterial identification, phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing, and the phenotypic test for the detection of extended-spectrum b-lactamasesproducing strains. In 12 swabs bacterial isolation was possible. Strains of Escherichia coli, Serratia rubidaea, Citrobacterdiversus, Kluyvera species, and Providenciaalcalifaciens were isolated. one hundred percent multidrug resistance was detected, and the antimicrobials that encountered the highest resistance were ertapenem (100%), cefotaxime (100%), cefoxitin (100%), ampicillin (100%), amoxicillin (100%), chloramphenicol (100%), and aztreonam (91.67%) and no extended-spectrum b-lactamases -producing strain was detected. The results of this work reveal the presence of strains of the Enterobacteriaceae family associated with high bacterial resistance in horses used for animal traction in the municipality of Umuarama, State of Parana, Brazil, and these results confirm that these horses can be considered reservoirs of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. This situation can be considered an important problem of one health. © The Author(s) 2020. | amoxicillin; ampicillin; aztreonam; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; chloramphenicol; ertapenem; extended spectrum beta lactamase; penicillinase; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; Citrobacter koseri; draft horse; Enterobacteriaceae; Escherichia coli; Kluyvera; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; Providencia; Providencia alcalifaciens; Serratia; Serratia rubidaea |
| Presence of pathogenic leptospira spp. In an urban slum of the colombian caribbean: A one health approach; [Presencia de Leptospira spp. Patógenas en un sector marginal urbano del Caribe colombiano: Un enfoque One-Health] | Objective: This study aims to describe the presence of pathogenic Leptospira and potential risk factors for leptospirosis in a marginal sector of the Colombian Caribbean, with a One Health approach. Methods: An exploratory study was carried out in a marginal sector of Soledad, a municipality located in the north coast of Colombia. Blood samples were taken from 83 subjects, who were also questioned about sociodemographic, clinical and ecological variables related to leptospirosis. The presence of IgM Anti-Leptospira antibodies in human serum was performed by ELISA. A total 53 synanthropic rodents were also captured using Sherman traps. Renal tissue samples were taken from rodents to identify pathogen Leptospira spp. by conventional PCR using specific primers. Results: IgM-anti-Leptospira was present in 30.12% of study subjects and pathogenic Leptospira spp. was identified in 7.55% of captured rodents. In the selected sample we found an association of positive cases with being a merchant, housewife and being in contact with pigs. Suboptimal hygienic-sanitary conditions were also evident in the study area. Conclusions: Our results show the circulation of pathogenic Leptospira spp. and exposure to human and ecological risk factors in a marginal sector (slum) of the Colombian Caribbean. We suggest to direct interventions in the human-animal-environment interface according to the One Health paradigm, considering extreme poverty as a determining factor for Leptospirosis occurrence. © 2020, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved. |
| Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) in free-ranging bats from Southern Brazil | Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are bacteria distributed worldwide and affect domestic and wildlife animals and human beings. Hemoplasmas have been described infecting hematophagous and non-hematophagous bats; however, transmission risk and zoonotic potential in vampire bats remain to be fully established. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of hemotropic mycoplasma species in free-ranging bats from this area using a universal PCR protocol for hemoplasmas. Accordingly, ten blood samples were collected from six male common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), two male hairy-legged vampire bats (Diphylla ecaudata), and two female non-hematophagous Pallas’s mastiff bats (Molossus sp.) from the Curitiba’s region, Paraná State, Southern Brazil. A total of eight (8/10) blood samples were positive byconventional PCR; five (5/6) Desmodus rotundus, two (2/2) Diphylla ecaudata, and one (1/2) Molossus sp. bats. The analyses of the partial sequence of the 16S rDNA gene suggest that the hemoplasma detected in Desmodus rotundus in South Brazil has a high identity compared to the hemoplasma circulating in vampire bats from Central and South America. © 2020 | Animal Diseases; Animals; Brazil; Chiroptera; Disease Reservoirs; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Male; Mycoplasma; Mycoplasma Infections; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; DNA 16S; RNA 16S; animal cell; Article; bacterium detection; blood sampling; Brazil; Central America; controlled study; Desmodus rotundus; Diphylla ecaudata; eperythrozoonosis; female; male; Molossus; Mycoplasma; nonhuman; Pallas mastiff bat; polymerase chain reaction; South America; vampire bat; animal; animal disease; bat; classification; disease carrier; genetics; high throughput sequencing; microbiology; Mycoplasma; mycoplasmosis; phylogeny; veterinary medicine |
| Outbreak of Amazonian Toxoplasmosis: A One Health Investigation in a Remote Amerindian Community | Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite of worldwide importance but its burden in indigenous communities remains unclear. In French Guiana, atypical strains of T. gondii originating from a complex rainforest cycle involving wild felids have been linked to severe infections in humans. These cases of Amazonian toxoplasmosis are sporadic and outbreaks are rarely described. We report on the investigation of an outbreak of acute toxoplasmosis in a remote Amerindian village. We discuss the causes and consequences of this emergence. Methods: In May 2017, during the rainy season and following an episode of flooding, four simultaneous cases of acute toxoplasmosis were serologically confirmed in two families living the village. Other non-diagnosed cases were then actively screened by a medical team along with epidemiological investigations. Inhabitants from nine households were tested for T. gondii antibodies and parasite DNA by PCR when appropriate. Samples of water, cat feces and cat rectal swabs, soil, and meat were tested for T. gondii DNA by PCR. Positive PCR samples with sufficient DNA amounts were genotyped using 15 microsatellite markers. Results: Between early May and early July 2017, out of 54 tested inhabitants, 20 cases were serologically confirmed. A fetus infected at gestational week 10 died but other cases were mild. Four patients tested positive for parasite DNA and two identical strains belonging to an atypical genotype could be isolated from unrelated patients. While domestic cats had recently appeared in the vicinity, most families drank water from unsafe sources. Parasite DNA was recovered from one water sample and nine soil samples. Three meat samples tested positive, including wild and industrial meat. Conclusions: The emergence of toxoplasmosis in such a community living in close contact with the Amazon rainforest is probably multifactorial. Sedentary settlements have been built in the last few decades without providing safe water sources, increasing the risk of parasite circulation in cases of dangerous new habits such as cat domestication. Public health actions should be implemented in these communities such as safe water supply, health recommendations, and epidemiological surveillance of acute toxoplasmosis. A “One Health” strategy of research involving medical anthropology, veterinary medicine, and public health needs to be pursued for a better understanding of the transmission routes and the emergence of this zoonosis. © Copyright © 2020 Blaizot, Nabet, Laghoe, Faivre, Escotte-Binet, Djossou, Mosnier, Henaff, Blanchet, Mercier, Dardé, Villena and Demar. | Disease Outbreaks; French Guiana; Humans; One Health; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; C reactive protein; creatine kinase; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin M; lactate dehydrogenase; spiramycin; adolescent; adult; Article; biological accident; blood sampling; cat; child; clinical article; clinical outcome; coughing; cytolysis; diarrhea; disease burden; disease re-emergence; DNA extraction; echography; enzyme immunoassay; eosinophilia; feces analysis; female; fetus; fetus death; fever; flooding; genotype; headache; human; human tissue; hyponatremia; lymphadenopathy; male; meat; microbial community; molecular epidemiology; parasite identification; parasitemia; pneumonia; polymerase chain reaction; public health; pulse wave; questionnaire; rain forest; rainy season; rectal swab; risk factor; screening; seroconversion; serology; soil; Toxoplasma gondii; toxoplasmosis; vomiting; water sampling; zoonosis; epidemic; French Guiana; genetics; One Health; Toxoplasma; toxoplasmosis |
| Detection and Whole-Genome Analysis of a High-Risk Clone of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST340/CG258 Producing CTX-M-15 in a Companion Animal | The emergence and dissemination of high-risk clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) in animal infections is a critical issue. We report the detection and genomic features of a multidrug-resistant (MDR) ESBL (CTX-M-15)-producing K. pneumoniae infecting a domestic cat. Whole-genome sequencing analysis identified the international ST340 (clonal group CG258), and genes and mutations conferring resistance to ß-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, phenicols, fosfomycin, sulfonamides, tetracycline, trimethoprim, and fluoroquinolones. In addition, the presence of genes encoding resistance to disinfectant and heavy metals hazardous to humans was also confirmed. The MDR profile exhibited by the strain contributed to treatment failure and death of the companion animal. Therefore, active surveillance of critical priority lineages of K. pneumoniae should not only focus on human infections but also on veterinary infections. © Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2020. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Cats; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Genes, Bacterial; Genome-Wide Association Study; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pets; amikacin; aminoglycoside antibiotic agent; amoxicillin; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; aztreonam; beta lactamase CTX M; cefepime; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; ceftazidime; ceftiofur; ceftriaxone; chloramphenicol derivative; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; disinfectant agent; doxycycline; enrofloxacin; ertapenem; fosfomycin; genomic DNA; gentamicin; heavy metal; imipenem; macrolide; meropenem; quinolone derivative; sulfonamide; tetracycline; trimethoprim; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; beta-lactamase CTX-M-15; aadA2 gene; animal experiment; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial genome; bacterium culture; catA2 gene; dfrA12 gene; DNA extraction; domestic cat; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae; fosA gene; gene mutation; genetic background; male; mphA gene; nonhuman; oqxA gene; priority journal; qnrB19 gene; sul gene; sul2 gene; tetD gene; whole genome sequencing; animal; case report; cat; drug effect; genetics; genome-wide association study; Klebsiella pneumoniae; microbial sensitivity test; microbiology; multidrug resistance; pet animal |
| A Rapid Flow Cytometric Antimicrobial Susceptibility Assay (FASTvet) for Veterinary Use – Preliminary Data | A rapid flow cytometric antimicrobial susceptibility test for bacteria isolated from companion animals – the FASTvet assay, developed by FASTinov®, was evaluated. Bacterial strains isolated from different biological samples of companion animals with infectious diseases in progress were obtained from several veterinary clinical laboratories across the country. A total of 115 strains, comprising 65 Gram-negative and 50 Gram positive isolates, were incubated with 13 antimicrobial drugs (ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefpodoxime, imipenem, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, amikacin for Gram-negative; penicillin, cefoxitin, enrofloxacin, vancomycin and ampicillin for Gram-positive) at breakpoint concentrations following CLSI protocol (CLSI Vet 01, 2018) for 1 h and analyzed by flow cytometry. The overall categorical agreement was 95.6% in case of Gram-negative and of 96.7% in Gram-positive isolates when compared to microdilution. FASTvet kits contribute to reduce the turnaround time (2 vs. 24 h) with early determination of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile. The correct and rapid choice of the target antibiotic therapy, will have a positive impact on animal care, contributing for preventing antimicrobial resistance. In conclusion, FASTinov® vet kits showed an excellent performance, both for Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates encouraging us to enlarge the sample size and planning multicentric studies. © Copyright © 2020 Andrade, Gomes, Martins-Oliveira, Dias, Rodrigues and Pina-Vaz. | amikacin; amoxicillin; ampicillin; antibiotic agent; carbapenem; cefoxitin; cefpodoxime; cephalosporin; ciprofloxacin; clavulanic acid; enrofloxacin; gentamicin; imipenem; meropenem; penicillin derivative; piperacillin; piperacillin plus tazobactam; tetracycline; vancomycin; algorithm; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; Bacillus subtilis; broth dilution; cell suspension; centrifugation; controlled study; depolarization; disk diffusion; Enterobacter aerogenes; Escherichia coli; flow cytometry; fluorescence intensity; Listeria monocytogenes; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; phenotype; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; receiver operating characteristic; reproducibility; Staphylococcus aureus; veterinary medicine |
| Forty Years of University of New England’s Research and Scholarship and its Impact in Maine, New England, and Beyond | The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) was founded by a group of osteopathic physicians who wanted to ensure that the practice of Osteopathic Medicine would endure in northern New England and that patients in the region would continue to receive the best health care possible. UNECOM merged with St. Francis College in 1978 to form the University of New England (UNE).1 UNE has grown and developed over the years, building on the shared Franciscan and osteopathic traditions of integrating philosophy and intellect. Following the 1996 merger with Westbrook College in Portland, Maine, UNE now comprises 3 campuses, 13 additional health profession programs, 6 Centers of Excellence in Research, and strong undergraduate programs that link the environ-ment, people, and community in a “One Health” concept. © 2020 American Osteopathic Association. | adult; article; controlled study; human; intellect; Maine; medical school; occupation; One Health; osteopathic physician; philosophy |
| Putative protein biomarkers of escherichia coli antibiotic multiresistance identified by maldi mass spectrometry | The commensal bacteria Escherichia coli causes several intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases, since it has virulence factors that interfere in important cellular processes. These bacteria also have a great capacity to spread the resistance genes, sometimes to phylogenetically distant bacteria, which poses an additional threat to public health worldwide. Here, we aimed to use the analytical potential of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) to characterize E. coli isolates and identify proteins associated closely with antibiotic resistance. Thirty strains of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli were sampled from various animals. The phenotypes of antibiotic resistance were determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods, and they showed that all bacterial isolates were multi-resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and ampicillin. To identify peptides characteristic of resistance to particular antibiotics, each strain was grown in the presence or absence of the different antibiotics, and then proteins were extracted from the cells. The protein fingerprints of the samples were determined by MALDI-TOF MS in linear mode over a mass range of 2 to 20 kDa. The spectra obtained were compared by using the ClinProTools bioinformatics software, using three machine learning classification algorithms. A putative species biomarker was also detected at a peak m/z of 4528.00. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| Origin and evolution of the neuroendocrine control of reproduction in vertebrates, with special focus on genome and gene duplications | In humans, as in the other mammals, the neuroendocrine control of reproduction is ensured by the brain-pituitary gonadotropic axis. Multiple internal and environmental cues are integrated via brain neuronal networks, ultimately leading to the modulation of the activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. The decapeptide GnRH is released into the hypothalamic-hypophysial portal blood system and stimulates the production of pituitary glycoprotein hormones, the two gonadotropins luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. A novel actor, the neuropeptide kisspeptin, acting upstream of GnRH, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Other neuropeptides, such as gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone/RF-amide related peptide, and other members of the RF-amide peptide superfamily, as well as various nonpeptidic neuromediators such as dopamine and serotonin also provide a large panel of stimulatory or inhibitory regulators. This paper addresses the origin and evolution of the vertebrate gonadotropic axis. Brain-pituitary neuroendocrine axes are typical of vertebrates, the pituitary gland, mediator and amplifier of brain control on peripheral organs, being a vertebrate innovation. The paper reviews, from molecular and functional perspectives, the evolution across vertebrate radiation of some key actors of the vertebrate neuroendocrine control of reproduction and traces back their origin along the vertebrate lineage and in other metazoa before the emergence of vertebrates. A focus is given on how gene duplications, resulting from either local events or from whole genome duplication events, and followed by paralogous gene loss or conservation, might have shaped the evolutionary scenarios of current families of key actors of the gonadotropic axis. © 2020 the American Physiological Society. | Animals; Evolution, Molecular; Gene Duplication; Genome, Human; Gonadotropins; Gonads; Humans; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Neuroendocrine Cells; Phylogeny; Reproduction; Species Specificity; 4 aminobutyric acid; adipokinetic hormone; amino acid decarboxylase; brain peptide; chorionic gonadotropin alpha subunit; corazonin related peptide; czr peptide; dopamine; dopamine 2 receptor; dopamine receptor; farp 1 peptide; farp 5 peptide; follitropin; follitropin beta subunit; G protein coupled receptor; galanin; gonadorelin; gonadorelin associated peptide; gonadotropin; growth hormone releasing factor; heterodimer; histamine; kisspeptin; ligand gated ion channel; luteinizing hormone; luteinizing hormone beta subunit; monomer; neuropeptide FF; neurotransmitter receptor; noradrenalin; peptide; prolactin releasing factor; serotonin; tyrosine 3 monooxygenase; unclassified drug; gonadotropin; animal; Article; biosynthesis; bird; Chordata; crystal structure; dopamine metabolism; evolution; gene duplication; genome; goldfish; gonad function; gonadotropin release; hormone structure; human; hypophysis; mammal; mollusc; neuroendocrine regulation; neuroendocrine system; nonhuman; One Health; phylogeny; priority journal; Protostomia; receptor gene; reproduction; species difference; teleost; vertebrate; genetics; gonad; human genome; hypothalamus hypophysis system; metabolism; molecular evolution; neurosecretory cell; physiology; reproduction |
| Novel IncFII plasmid harbouring blaNDM-4 in a carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli of pig origin, Italy | Objectives: To the best of our knowledge, we describe the first evidence in Europe of an MDR, blaNDM-4-positive Escherichia coli isolated from a food-producing animal, harboured by a novel IncFII plasmid of which we report the complete sequence. Methods: One blaNDM-4-positive E. coli isolated in 2019 from the caecal contents of a fattening pig in Italy was in-depth characterized by combined bioinformatic analysis of Oxford Nanopore long reads and Illumina short reads, for in silico typing, determination of the blaNDM-4 genetic context and full reconstruction of the blaNDM-4-carrying plasmid. Results: The isolate belonged to ST641 and to the genoserotype O108:H23 and tested positive for different virulence genes and plasmid replicons. The MDR phenotype of resistance to all b-lactams, carbapenems, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim was mediated by blaTEM-1B, blaNDM-4, sul1/sul3 and dfrA12, respectively. The blaNDM-4 gene was harboured by a novel 53 043 bp IncFII plasmid (pMOL412_FII) composed of four main genetic regions, including an MDR region (MRR-NDM-4) of 16 kb carrying blaNDM-4 and several antimicrobial resistance genes located in a class 1 integron. pMOL412_FII was closely related to another ~0.3 kb plasmid (pM109_FII) harbouring blaNDM-4 in an E. coli isolated from a human patient in Myanmar. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, we have identified for the first time in Europe an NDM-producing Enterobacterales in livestock and resolved the complete sequence of the novel pMOL412_FII plasmid harbouring blaNDM-4 in an MRR. A global One Health approach, comparing genomic data from different sources and geographical areas, may help to trace back and control possible plasmid-borne carbapenemase gene transmission between animals and humans and along the food chain at international level. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Carbapenems; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Europe; Humans; Italy; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Plasmids; Swine; ampicillin; beta lactam antibiotic; carbapenem derivative; cefotaxime; ceftazidime; cotrimoxazole; ertapenem; imipenem; meropenem; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; carbapenem derivative; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial virulence; bacterium isolation; carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli; cecum content; class 1 integron; controlled study; DNA barcoding; gene sequence; human; illumina sequencing; Italy; Myanmar; nonhuman; One Health; phenotype; pig; plasmid; replicon; sequence analysis; serotype; animal; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; Europe; genetics; microbial sensitivity test; plasmid; veterinary medicine |
| Missed Opportunities? Covid-19, Biosecurity and One Health in the United Kingdom | Whatever we read about Covid-19, the word unprecedented is not far away: whether in describing policy choices, the daily death tolls, the scale of upheaval, or the challenges that await a readjusting world. This paper takes an alternative view: if not unpredictable, the crisis unfolding in the United Kingdom (UK) is not unprecedented. Rather, it is foretold in accounts of successive animal health crises. Social studies of biosecurity and animal disease management provide an “anticipatory logic” – a mirror to the unfolding human catastrophe of Covid-19, providing few surprises. And yet, these accounts appear to be routinely ignored in the narrative of Covid-19. Do social studies of animal disease really have no value when it comes to guiding and assessing responses to Covid-19? To answer this question, we describe the narrative arc of the UK’s approach to managing Covid-19. We then overlay findings from social studies of animal disease to reveal the warnings they provided for a pandemic like Covid-19. We conclude by reflecting on the reasons why these studies have been paid minimal attention and the extent to which the failure to learn from these lessons of animal health management signals a failure of the One Health agenda. © Copyright © 2020 Enticott and Maye. | animal health; Article; coronavirus disease 2019; human; infection control; lockdown; nonhuman; One Health; United Kingdom |
| Immunoinformatic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein as a strategy to assess cross-protection against COVID-19 | Envelope protein of coronaviruses is a structural protein existing in both monomeric and homo-pentameric form. It has been related to a multitude of roles including virus infection, replication, dissemination and immune response stimulation. In the present study, we employed an immunoinformatic approach to investigate the major immunogenic domains of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein and map them among the homologue proteins of coronaviruses with tropism for animal species that are closely inter-related with the human beings population all over the world. Also, when not available, we predicted the envelope protein structural folding and mapped SARS-CoV-2 epitopes. Envelope sequences alignment provides evidence of high sequence homology for some of the investigated virus specimens; while the structural mapping of epitopes resulted in the interesting maintenance of the structural folding and epitope sequence localization also in the envelope proteins scoring a lower alignment score. In line with the One-Health approach, our evidences provide a molecular structural rationale for a potential role of taxonomically related coronaviruses in conferring protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection and identifying potential candidates for the development of diagnostic tools and prophylactic-oriented strategies. © 2020 Institut Pasteur | Animals; Betacoronavirus; Computational Biology; Coronavirus Infections; Epitope Mapping; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Humans; Models, Molecular; One Health; Pandemics; Phylogeny; Pneumonia, Viral; Protein Conformation; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, Protein; Viral Envelope Proteins; envelope protein; epitope; structural protein; envelope protein, SARS-CoV-2; virus envelope protein; amino acid sequence; antigenicity; Article; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cross protection; epitope mapping; nonhuman; priority journal; protein analysis; protein folding; protein localization; sequence homology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viral tropism; animal; Betacoronavirus; biology; classification; Coronavirus infection; gene expression regulation; genetics; human; immunology; metabolism; molecular model; One Health; pandemic; phylogeny; procedures; protein conformation; sequence alignment; sequence analysis; virology; virus pneumonia |
| Veterinary antimicrobial resistance containment in Bangladesh: Evaluating the national action plan and scoping the evidence on implementation | Objectives: In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its global action plan (GAP) on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a blueprint for the design of national action plans for AMR containment. Bangladesh, with 80% rural household ownership of at least one livestock, introduced its national action plan in May 2017. The objective of this study was two-fold: (i) to perform a policy content evaluation of the Bangladesh National Action Plan (BNAP) against the GAP with a focus on veterinary AMR containment strategies; and (ii) to assess the evidence on the implementation of veterinary AMR containment strategies of the BNAP. Methods: The BNAP was evaluated against the GAP to identify commonalities and policy gaps. A scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was performed to identity evidence of policy implementation and practice gaps. Results: The BNAP is strongly aligned with the GAP. However, the study identified policy gaps, including an explicit financing modality, specifications for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in the veterinary sector, and rigorous operational and monitoring & evaluation frameworks. More evidence on implementation is needed in terms of incorporation of AMR in the curriculum of veterinarians, AMS plans throughout the veterinary sector, and infection prevention and control protocols and implementation. Conclusion: Closing the identified gaps is essential for successful veterinary AMR containment in Bangladesh but will require sustained and significant investment in institutional and human resource development in the coming years. © 2019 International Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Bangladesh; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Education, Veterinary; Gray Literature; Health Policy; Humans; Legislation, Veterinary; One Health; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; article; Bangladesh; controlled study; curriculum; grey literature; human; infection prevention; investment; practice gap; veterinarian; animal; Bangladesh; education; health care policy; law; legislation and jurisprudence; One Health |
| Power, participation and their problems: A consideration of power dynamics in the use of participatory epidemiology for one health and zoonoses research | The use of Participatory Epidemiology in veterinary research intends to include livestock keepers and other local stakeholders in research processes and the development of solutions to animal health problems, including potentially zoonotic diseases. It can also be an attempt to bring some of the methods and insights of social science into a discipline largely shaped by natural science methods and ways of seeing the world. The introduction of participatory methodologies to veterinary epidemiology and disease surveillance follows a wider movement in development thinking, questioning the top-down nature of much post-second world war development efforts directed from the Global North towards the Global South. In the best cases, participatory methods can help to empower the poor and marginalised to participate in and have some control over research and interventions which affect them. Compiled from experience in multi-disciplinary One Health projects, this paper briefly traces the rise of participatory epidemiology before examining some of the limitations observed in its implementation and steps that might be taken to alleviate the problems observed. The three areas in which the operationalisation of Participatory Epidemiology in veterinary and One Health research could be improved are identified as: broadening the focus of engagement with communities beyond quantitative data extraction; taking note of the wider power structures in which research takes place, and questioning who speaks for a community when participatory methods are used. In particular, the focus falls on how researchers from different disciplines, including veterinary medicine and the social sciences, can work together to ensure that participatory epidemiology is employed in such a way that it improves the quality of life of both people and animals around the world. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. | Animals; Community-Based Participatory Research; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiology; One Health; Power, Psychological; Zoonoses; Article; decision making; disease surveillance; ecosystem; human; interdisciplinary research; livestock; nonhuman; One Health; priority journal; veterinary medicine; zoonosis; animal; epidemiology; One Health; participatory research; psychology; veterinary medicine; zoonosis |
| Human infection with Avian influenza A virus in Nepal: requisite for timely management and preparedness | Avian influenza virus infection in humans is an emerging zoonotic disease having high economic and public health impacts. Due to its capability for genetic re-assortment, this virus can emerge as novel influenza strains with pandemic potential. Even though the first Avian influenza incidence in humans in Nepal was reported in April 2019, the threat of the disease remains unmitigated. Limited resources for surveillance, disease tracking, and weak health care facilities in low and middle-income countries will increase the possibility of the outbreak. Therefore, timely management and preparedness by strengthening veterinary and medical services, operational capabilities of laboratories, and surveillance programs through the “One-Health” approach could be crucial for the control of possible outbreaks in Nepal. © 2020, Indian Virological Society. |
| Cannabis, one health, and veterinary medicine: Cannabinoids’ role in public health, food safety, and translational medicine | Public health is connected to cannabis with regard to food, animal feed (feed), and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the use of phytocannabinoids should be examined from a One Health perspective. Current knowledge on medical cannabis treatment (MCT) does not address sufficiently diseases which are of epidemiological and of zoonotic concern. The use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine is illegal in most countries, mostly due to lack of evidence-based medicine. To answer the growing need of scientific evidence-based applicable medicine in both human and veterinary medicine, a new approach for the investigation of the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids must be adopted. A model that offers direct study of a specific disease in human and veterinary patients may facilitate development of novel therapies. Therefore, we urge the regulatory authorities-the ministries of health and agriculture (in Israel and worldwide)-to publish guidelines for veterinary use due to its importance to public health, as well as to promote One Health-related preclinical translational medicine studies for the general public health. © 2020 Ritter et al. This is an open-access article. All its content, except where otherwise noted, is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Antimicrobial potential of pectis substriata essential oil (Asteraceae) against drug-resistant staphylococcus strains | Resistant bacterial infections represent one of the major threats in worldwide health services. In this scenario, plant essential oils are considered promising antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Pectis substriata essential oil alone and in combination with antibiotics, against clinical drug-resistant bacterial strains. The essential oil from the plant aerial parts was obtained by hydrodistillation. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against standard and clinical bacterial strains by broth microdilution method, and the synergistic effect was evaluated by checkerboard microtiter assay. The oil alone showed significant activity against clinical Staphylococcus warneri (62.5 µg.mL-1), and was moderately active on Staphylococcus aureus (standard strain) and clinical Staphylococcus intermedius (125 and 250 µg.mL-1, respectively). Synergism was achieved for the combinations of essential oil and ampicillin on S. warneri and of oil and kanamycin on S. intermedius. Additive effects were also observed. This is the first report of the chemical composition of P. substriata essential oil, and the results revealed the presence of compounds with proven antimicrobial activity. The oil proved active against resistant Gram-positive cocci, and showed synergism with antibiotics, revealing its potential use as adjuvant or in the development of new alternative treatments of drug-resistant antimicrobial infections. © 2020, Academia Brasileira de Ciencias. All rights reserved. | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Asteraceae; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oils, Volatile; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Staphylococcus; antiinfective agent; drug; essential oil; Asteraceae; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; microbial sensitivity test; Staphylococcus |
| Can the one health approach save us from the emergence and reemergence of infectious pathogens in the era of climate change: Implications for antimicrobial resistance? | Climate change has become a controversial topic in today’s media despite decades of warnings from climate scientists and has influenced human health significantly with the increasing prevalence of infectious pathogens and contribution to antimicrobial resistance. Elevated temperatures lead to rising sea and carbon dioxide levels, changing environments and interactions between humans and other species. These changes have led to the emergence and reemergence of infectious pathogens that have already developed significant antimicrobial resistance. Although these new infectious pathogens are alarming, we can still reduce the burden of infectious diseases in the era of climate change if we focus on One Health strategies. This approach aims at the simultaneous protection of humans, animals and environment from climate change and antimicrobial impacts. Once these relationships are better understood, these models can be created, but the support of our legislative and health system partnerships are critical to helping with strengthening education and awareness. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | carbapenem; ciprofloxacin; colistin; itraconazole; antibiotic resistance; Article; awareness; brucellosis; Campylobacter jejuni; Chagas disease; chikungunya; climate change; cryptosporidiosis; dengue; disease re-emergence; disease surveillance; disease transmission; ehrlichiosis; environmental health; epidemic; Escherichia coli; geographic distribution; greenhouse effect; health care; human; Klebsiella pneumoniae; leptospirosis; livestock; malaria; marine environment; nonhuman; One Health; piroplasmosis; prevalence; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; public health; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi; salt tolerance; sea surface temperature; Staphylococcus aureus; tick borne encephalitis; Trypanosoma cruzi; vaccination; vector control; veterinary medicine; visceral leishmaniasis; wildlife; Zika virus; zoonosis |
| Humoral responses to Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigens in domestic animals in Lindu Subdistrict, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia | Background and Aim: Schistosomiasis japonica, a disease caused by Schistosoma japonicum, is a public health problem in the Philippines, the Republic of Indonesia, and the People’s Republic of China. The disease is known as zoonotic, meaning other than humans, animals are involved as the reservoirs. In Indonesia, schistosomiasis surveillance in animals is not continuous. Thus, the study to determine the prevalence of the disease in animals is needed. The study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of S. japonicum infection among four species of domestic animals in the Lindu Sub-district, Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. Materials and Methods: Blood samples of domestic animals were collected and analyzed for the presence of anti-S. japonicum immunoglobulin G antibodies against S. japonicum soluble egg antigens using the indirect hemagglutination assay. Animal stool samples were collected, and the miracidia-hatching assay was used for the detection of S. japonicum infection. Additional data concerning the animal identity and the management practices were obtained through a questionnaire used in surveys and interviews. Results: A total of 146 sera from 13 cattle, 24 buffaloes, 54 pigs, and 55 dogs were collected. The overall schistosomiasis seroprevalence was 64.4%. The serology prevalence in cattle, buffalo, pig, and dog was 100.0%, 41.7%, 74.1%, and 56.4%, respectively. Domestic animals in all of five villages have previous exposure with S. japonicum as seropositive animals detected in every village. A total of 104 animal stool samples from 146 animals sampled were obtained. The overall schistosomiasis prevalence determined by the miracidia hatching assay was 16.35%. The sensitivity and specificity of indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) in the current study were 88.24% and 41.37%, respectively, with miracidia hatching assay as the gold-standard method. Conclusion: This study has shown a high seroprevalence of schistosomiasis japonica among domestic animals in the Lindu Subdistrict. IHA can be used as the screening method for the detection of S. japonicum infection in domestic animals. Chemotherapy and animal livestock grazing management programs to reduce the parasite burden and Schistosoma egg contamination in the environment must be implemented as part of one health approaches, in addition to other control measures. © Budiono, et al. | immunoglobulin G; parasite antigen; antibody detection; Article; blood sampling; bovine; buffalo; controlled study; diagnostic test accuracy study; dog; domestic animal; feces analysis; hatching; hemagglutination test; humoral immunity; Indonesia; interview; miracidium; nonhuman; pig; prevalence; questionnaire; Schistosoma japonicum; schistosomiasis japonica; sensitivity and specificity; seroprevalence |
| Impacts Of Intensive Poultry Farming On ‘One Health’ In Developing Countries: Challenges And Remedies | During the recent past, poultry sector has shown immense adaptations to meet the ever-increasing demand for safe meat and eggs. However, this growth has been accompanied by structural changes within the industry which has led to emergence of various environmental and public health concerns ranging from water, air and soil pollution to ecological imbalances, biodiversity losses and occupational health and safety hazards. This paper analyses the environmental and human health impacts of intensive poultry production and various technical strategies to mitigate these issues. © 2020, Exploratory Animal and Medical Research. All Rights Reserved. | article; developing country; environmental impact; human; occupational health; One Health; poultry farming |
| Improving adoption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for better health and conservation outcomes | Poverty, energy inequality and poor human health are interrelated issues. In India, around 625 million people do not have access to modern cooking fuels, and traditional fuels still provide 80–90% of the country’s rural energy needs. For villages in and around forest areas that are dependent on fuelwood, this dramatically increases anthropogenic pressure on the forests. Such dependency adversely affects the health of the individuals using these traditional fuels, due to indoor air pollution, as well as the health of the surrounding environment, via forest degradation; it also increases incidences of human–animal conflict. Subsidies for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have been pivotal in shifting household preferences towards cleaner sources of energy. An analysis of 3124 households conducted for this study in the Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, India, in February 2018 revealed that apart from the income level of a household, other factors such as improving the education of women and reducing their distance traveled to obtain LPG refills should be looked at to improve LPG adoption rates. Key policy insights Building an efficient distribution network for LPG that reduces the distance traveled for refills is a key requirement for enhancing adoption of LPG The health benefits and environmental benefits emphasize that LPG is a public good, justifying its targeted subsidization for the marginalized population Affordability is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for LPG adoption. Thus, increasing incomes does not lead to an autonomous switch to cleaner fuels. This underscores the need for promotion and awareness of using LPG Better education of women leads to higher adoption of LPG by the household. © 2020 Biodiversity Conservancy International. |
| One health approach in traditional milk production as a part of steps towards SDGs | The production of milk and cheese assumes activities in the field of agricultural production, veterinary health, and the use of milk and dairy products has public health significance, and can be viewed through the “one health” concept. The aim of the paper is to underline public health and sustainability significance of interconnection among agriculture, veterinary and technology. Production of hard cheese with added value from milk produced in organic and self-sustaining systems research the risks, advantages and possibilities of traditional cheese production and focused on creating conditions for organic milk and hard cheese with added value production, with precisely defined conditions: isolating land plots, livestock farms and processing facilities from possible sources of pollution, water quality, harmonized development of plant and animal production and the capability of producers for organic agriculture with the obligation to constantly innovate knowledge. The new products ensure the employment and livelihood of people in the countryside, the economic prosperity of small family farms, link the activities in the field of veterinary health and agricultural production, contribute to the development of risk-management technology, healthy chooses and compatible with SDGs. © 2020 The Authors. Journal Compilation. |
| Gender Roles and One Health Risk Factors at the Human–Livestock–Wildlife Interface, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa | Gender sensitivity in health promotion has been widely recommended, yet attention to gender roles and gender-disaggregated studies is often lacking in disease research and public health intervention planning. In the rural Mnisi community of Mpumalanga, South Africa, where zoonotic pathogens are known to contribute to acute febrile illness, community and household tasks may increase an individual’s risk of exposure, and these tasks are likely to be influenced by gender. This study described the roles and responsibilities of community residents, specifically those that have been identified as critical control points for infectious pathogen exposure, by gender. Male gender-typed tasks included those associated with livestock and poultry husbandry, hunting and slaughtering wildlife, and rodent control. Female gender-typed tasks included animal-sourced food preparation, domestic cleaning and maintenance, and caregiving to children and ill family members. Given the gender-specific nature of these tasks, potential pathogen exposure and transmission patterns of infectious diseases may be also gender specific. These data can inform the development and revision of health promotion strategies, such as the community-based One Health Training and Leadership program, prioritizing outcomes for male and female participants alike. Gender-disaggregated analysis is recommended for effective risk mitigation and community-wide health promotion using a One Health approach. © 2020, EcoHealth Alliance. | Animal Husbandry; Animals; Female; Gender Role; Humans; Livestock; Male; One Health; Risk Factors; South Africa; Zoonoses; animal; animal husbandry; epidemiology; female; human; livestock; male; One Health; risk factor; sex role; South Africa; zoonosis |
| Antimicrobial peptides to shape biobased chemical production | Microbes’ broad physiological activities are pillars of our planet’s ecological evolution. Balanced microbiomes are essential for all living organisms on the planet, including humans. The huge potential of microbe physiology has been used empirically by humankind for centuries for food and beverage processing and in many other industries. Due to environmental issues, energy and chemical production faces the challenge of shifting from an oil-based to a bio-based industry mobilizing microbial biotechnology. This requires the development of new technologies based on synthetic biology to control industrial microbiomes. Here we briefly describe natural microbiomes to draw parallels with industrial biobased production environments. We suggest that bacteriocins a.k.a. anti-microbial peptides can potentially become elements of an industrial genetic firewall to stabilise and protect these environments. © 2020 TeknoScienze. All rights reserved. |
| Spatial transmission risk during the 2007- 2010 Q fever epidemic in the Netherlands: Analysis of the farm-to-farm and farm-toresident transmission | Between 2007 and 2010 a Q fever epidemic in Dutch dairy goat farms caused a large Q fever outbreak in human residents in the southern part of the Netherlands. Here we characterize the transmission of Coxiella burnetii, the aetiological agent of Q fever, between infected and susceptible dairy goat farms by estimating a spatial transmission kernel. In addition, we characterize the zoonotic transmission of C. burnetii by estimating the spatial kernel for transmission from infected farms to neighbouring residents. Whereas the range of between-farm transmission is comparable to the scale of the Netherlands, likely due to longrange between-farm contacts such as animal transport, the transmission risk from farms to humans is more localized, although still extending to 10 km and beyond. Within a range of about 10 km, the transmission risk from an infected goat farm to a single resident is of the same order of magnitude as the farm-to-farm transmission risk per animal in a receiving farm. We illustrate how, based on the estimated kernels, spatial patterns of transmission risks between farms and from farms to residents can be calculated and visualized by means of risk maps, offering further insight relevant to policy making in a one-health context. © 2020 Koeijer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. | Animals; Basic Reproduction Number; Farms; Geography; Goat Diseases; Goats; Humans; Netherlands; Population Density; Q Fever; Risk Factors; agricultural land; Article; bacterial transmission; controlled study; Coxiella burnetii; dairy goat; epidemic; farm to farm transmission; farm to resident transmission; human; infection risk; kernel method; management; neighborhood; Netherlands; nonhuman; One Health; population; Q fever; agricultural land; animal; basic reproduction number; geography; goat; goat disease; microbiology; population density; Q fever; risk factor |
| A one health comparative assessment of antimicrobial resistance in generic and extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant escherichia coli from beef production, sewage and clinical settings | This study aimed to compare antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant and generic Escherichia coli from a One Health continuum of the beef production system in Alberta, Canada. A total of 705 extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (ESCr ) were obtained from: cattle feces (CFeces, n = 382), catch basins (CBasins, n = 137), surrounding streams (SStreams, n = 59), beef processing plants (BProcessing, n = 4), municipal sewage (MSewage; n = 98) and human clinical specimens (CHumans, n = 25). Generic isolates (663) included: CFeces (n = 142), CBasins (n = 185), SStreams (n = 81), BProcessing (n = 159) and MSewage (n = 96). All isolates were screened for antimicrobial susceptibility to 9 antimicrobials and two clavulanic acid combinations. In ESCr, oxytetracycline (87.7%), ampicillin (84.4%) and streptomycin (73.8%) resistance phenotypes were the most common, with source influencing AMR prevalence (p < 0.001). In generic E. coli, oxytetracycline (51.1%), streptomycin (22.6%), ampicillin (22.5%) and sulfisoxazole (14.3%) resistance were most common. Overall, 88.8% of ESCr, and 26.7% of generic isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance (MDR). MDR in ESCr was high from all sources: CFeces (97.1%), MSewage (96.9%), CHumans (96%), BProcessing (100%), CBasins (70.5%) and SStreams (61.4%). MDR in generic E. coli was lower with CFeces (45.1%), CBasins (34.6%), SStreams (23.5%), MSewage (13.6%) and BProcessing (10.7%). ESBL phenotypes were confirmed in 24.7% (n = 174) ESCr and 0.6% of generic E. coli. Prevalence of bla genes in ESCr were blaCTXM (30.1%), blaCTXM-1 (21.6%), blaTEM (20%), blaCTXM-9 (7.9%), blaOXA (3.0%), blaCTXM-2 (6.4%), blaSHV (1.4%) and AmpC β-lactamase blaCMY (81.3%). The lower AMR in ESCr from SStreams and BProcessing and higher AMR in CHumans and CFeces likely reflects antimicrobial use in these environments. Although MDR levels were higher in ESCr as compared to generic E. coli, AMR to the same antimicrobials ranked high in both ESCr and generic E. coli sub-populations. This suggests that both sub-populations reflect similar AMR trends and are equally useful for AMR surveillance. Considering that MDR ESCr MSewage isolates were obtained without enrichment, while those from CFeces were obtained with enrichment, MSewage may serve as a hot spot for MDR emergence and dissemination. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus and the Wildlife-Livestock Interface | Growing evidence suggests that multiple wildlife species can be infected with peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), with important consequences for the potential maintenance of PPRV in communities of susceptible hosts, and the threat that PPRV may pose to the conservation of wildlife populations and resilience of ecosystems. Significant knowledge gaps in the epidemiology of PPRV across the ruminant community (wildlife and domestic), and the understanding of infection in wildlife and other atypical host species groups (e.g., camelidae, suidae, and bovinae) hinder our ability to apply necessary integrated disease control and management interventions at the wildlife-livestock interface. Similarly, knowledge gaps limit the inclusion of wildlife in the FAO/OIE Global Strategy for the Control and Eradication of PPR, and the framework of activities in the PPR Global Eradication Programme that lays the foundation for eradicating PPR through national and regional efforts. This article reports on the first international meeting on, “Controlling PPR at the livestock-wildlife interface,” held in Rome, Italy, March 27–29, 2019. A large group representing national and international institutions discussed recent advances in our understanding of PPRV in wildlife, identified knowledge gaps and research priorities, and formulated recommendations. The need for a better understanding of PPRV epidemiology at the wildlife-livestock interface to support the integration of wildlife into PPR eradication efforts was highlighted by meeting participants along with the reminder that PPR eradication and wildlife conservation need not be viewed as competing priorities, but instead constitute two requisites of healthy socio-ecological systems. © Copyright © 2020 Fine, Pruvot, Benfield, Caron, Cattoli, Chardonnet, Dioli, Dulu, Gilbert, Kock, Lubroth, Mariner, Ostrowski, Parida, Fereidouni, Shiilegdamba, Sleeman, Schulz, Soula, Van der Stede, Tekola, Walzer, Zuther, Njeumi and Meeting Participants. | Africa; Article; camelid; diagnostic test; disease surveillance; ecology; ecosystem; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; epidemiological data; immunogenicity; immunoprecipitation; infection risk; Italy; livestock; molecular epidemiology; morbidity; mortality; nonhuman; peste des petits ruminants; Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; reinforcement; research priority; ruminant; social environment; suid; threat; veterinary medicine; viral clearance; virus neutralization; virus strain; wildlife; wildlife conservation |
