| Adding a One Health approach to a research framework for minority health and health disparities | The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) has developed a framework to guide and orient research into health disparities and minority health. The framework depicts different domains of influence (such as biological and behavioral) and different levels of influence (such as individual and interper-sonal). Here, influenced by the “One Health” approach, we propose adding two new levels of influence – interspe-cies and planetary – to this framework to reflect the interconnected nature of human, animal, and environmental health. Extending the framework in this way will help researchers to create new avenues of inquiry and encourage multidisciplinary collaborations. We then use the One Health approach to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities, and show how the expanded framework can be applied to research into health disparities related to antimicrobial resistance and obesity. © 2022, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. | COVID-19; Humans; Minority Groups; Minority Health; Pandemics; United States; antibiotic resistance; Article; climate change; coronavirus disease 2019; decision making; diabetes mellitus; ecosystem; education; health care policy; health care system; health disparity; health literacy; human; Human ecosystem; immunization; liver cell carcinoma; lung disease; microbiome; minority health; obesity; One Health; pandemic; physical activity; prevalence; research; Research framework; risk factor; socioeconomics; vaccination; workplace; epidemiology; minority group; United States |
| Exploring Barriers to One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship in Sri Lanka: A Qualitative Study among Healthcare Professionals | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, but little is known about the perceptions regarding antimicrobials and AMR among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka. This research aimed to take a One Health approach to explore the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of antibiotic stewardship and AMR among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka. A qualitative study, using telephone interviews, allowing for an in-depth exploration of attitudes, beliefs and perspectives was conducted. Healthcare professionals from both the medical and veterinary sectors were included (n = 29). Interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer and were audio-recorded and transcribed. Conventional qualitative content analysis was undertaken. Four main categories were identified: (1) understanding of AMR and observing AMR, (2) barriers to antimicrobial stewardship, (3) personal factors in, and as a result of, inappropriate antibiotic usage and (4) how to tackle AMR. Healthcare professionals showed poor awareness regarding the spread of AMR and identified inappropriate prescribing behaviours by their inter- and intra-professional colleagues. Patient demands and the influence of pharmaceutical companies were factors contributing to poor prescribing behaviour. Suggestions for the future are stricter regulation of AMR control policy, effective government involvement, and awareness campaigns for healthcare professionals and the public. © 2022 by the authors. | antiinfective agent; ciprofloxacin; pesticide; agricultural worker; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; bird disease; demographics; drug industry; ecosystem; health care personnel; human; human experiment; immunity; infectious bursal disease; livestock; mastitis; nurse; One Health; pharmacist; physician; pilot study; pneumonia; qualitative research; Sri Lanka; swine disease; telephone interview; urinary tract infection; veterinarian; wildlife | antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; health care professional; one health approach; Sri Lanka |
| Co-Circulation of Different Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 Subtypes in Pigs and Wild Boar in North-East Germany, 2019 | Hepatitis E is a major cause of acute liver disease in humans worldwide. The infection is caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV) which is transmitted in Europe to humans primarily through zoonotic foodborne transmission from domestic pigs, wild boar, rabbits, and deer. HEV belongs to the family Hepeviridae, and possesses a positive-sense, single stranded RNA genome. This agent usually causes an acute self-limited infection in humans, but in people with low immunity, e.g., immunosuppressive therapy or underlying liver diseases, the infection can evolve to chronicity and is able to induce a variety of extrahepatic manifestations. Pig and wild boar have been identified as the primary animal reservoir in Europe, and consumption of raw and undercooked pork is known to pose a potential risk of foodborne HEV infection. In this study, we analysed pig and wild boar liver, faeces, and muscle samples collected in 2019 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, north-east Germany. A total of 393 animals of both species were investigated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), conventional nested RT-PCR and sequence analysis of amplification products. In 33 animals, HEV RNA was detected in liver and/or faeces. In one individual, viral RNA was detected in muscle tissue. Sequence analysis of a partial open reading frame 1 region demonstrated a broad variety of genotype 3 (HEV-3) subtypes. In conclusion, the study demonstrates a high, but varying prevalence of HEV RNA in swine populations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The associated risk of foodborne HEV infection needs the establishment of sustainable surveillance and treatment strategies at the interface between humans, animals, and the environment within a One Health framework. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | primer RNA; single stranded RNA; superscript; virus RNA; amplicon; animal experiment; animal tissue; Article; bioinformatics; centrifugation; circulation; Enterobacteria phage MS2; European wild boar; feces analysis; foodborne transmission; genotype; Hepatitis E virus; Hepeviridae; immunosuppressive treatment; muscle tissue; nonhuman; open reading frame; phylogenetic tree; phylogeny; pig; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; RNA isolation; sequence analysis; vastus intermedius muscle; virus transmission; zoonosis | genotype; Hepeviridae; HEV-3; One Health; reservoir; subtype; transmission |
| Seropositivity of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Owners and Their Dogs Living on Island and Mainland Seashore Areas of Southern Brazil | Although toxoplasmosis has been considered among the most neglected zoonoses worldwide, no study has focused on the frequency and associated risk factors of owners and their dogs living on an island and mainland seashore areas. Accordingly, anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were screened by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in owners and dogs from three oceanic islands and two nearby mainland harbor areas, with associated risk factors for toxoplasmosis assessed by univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Overall, anti-T. gondii seropositivity was observed in 59/328 (18.0%) owners and 66/283 (23.3%) dogs, with no statistical difference between owners (p = 0.360) and dogs (p = 0.655) from islands and mainland areas. Consumption of local water springs (p = 0.016; OR = 2.11) was an associated risk factor for T. gondii seropositivity, and owners with the habit of spring water intake were twice more likely seropositive (p = 0.014; OR = 2.14). Presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in dogs was associated with seropositive owners (p = 0.008; OR = 2.81), household consumption of beef meat (p = 0.042; OR = 1.7) and chicken (p = 0.026; OR = 2.9). Despite being lower than the worldwide prevalence, toxoplasmosis seropositivity in owners and their dogs in southern Brazil was influenced by the positive owner, water source, and meat consumption, and not by inhabiting islands or seashore mainland areas, presence of dogs, cats, or both. In addition, drinking water quality should always be considered a critical risk factor for toxoplasmosis on islands. © 2022 by the authors. | drinking water; immunoglobulin G antibody; well water; adult; Article; beef; Brazil; cat; chicken; cross-sectional study; dog; female; fluid intake; household; human; indirect fluorescent antibody technique; major clinical study; male; meat; meat consumption; nonhuman; pet animal; prevalence; risk factor; seashore; spring; Toxoplasma gondii; toxoplasmosis; water supply | Brazil; One Health; pets and human health; serosurvey; toxoplasmosis; zoonosis |
| Animal Histoplasmosis in Europe: Review of the Literature and Molecular Typing of the Etiological Agents | Histoplasmosis has been previously diagnosed in animals from Europe. The aim of this study is to review the literature on these reports, to analyze cases diagnosed at our laboratory (2000–2022) and to improve molecular typing of Histoplasma capsulatum directly from tissue to study the molecular epidemiology of Histoplasma capsulatum causing animal infections in Europe. Including 15 cases studied in our laboratory, we identified 39 cases of animal histoplasmosis between 1968 and 2022. They were diagnosed mostly in superficial tissue biopsies from cats and badgers from Central Europe. Using phylogenetic analyses of six partial genes, we were able to classify eight of the etiological agents as belonging to a highly supported lineage within the Eurasian clade. This study confirms the occurrence of autochthonous histoplasmosis in animals in Central Europe and proposes the addition of new loci to the MLST scheme to study the molecular epidemiology of histoplasmosis using either formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and fresh or cadaveric biopsies. © 2022 by the authors. | animal; animals; cytochrome P450; ERG11; Europe; FFPE; Germany; Histoplasma capsulatum; Histoplasma farciminosum; histoplasmosis; human; MLST; molecular epidemiology; multilocus sequence typing; One Health; PRP |
| Assessment of socio-behavioural correlates and risk perceptions regarding anthrax disease in tribal communities of Odisha, Eastern India | Background: This study is a baseline survey to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices with regards to the anthrax disease among the communities before demonstrating a One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in an endemic district of Odisha. A total of 2670 respondents from 112 villages of 14 blocks were interviewed for the study using a structured questionnaire by multi-stage sampling method. Descriptive statistics were reported and logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between the variables and knowledge of anthrax. Result: Out of 2670 participants in the study, 76.25% were male and about half were illiterate. Most of the respondents (54.19%) were involved in agriculture as an occupation. 71% of the respondents had livestock in their houses and farming was the main purpose for keeping the livestock. Only one-fifth of the respondents (20.26%) knew about anthrax and a majority of them have come across the disease during community outbreaks. Almost 25.9% of livestock owners had knowledge about vaccination against anthrax disease although 83.4% of the livestock owners disposed the animal carcass by burial method. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that the community members had poor knowledge of cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax disease which may be improved by a One Health approach. © 2022, The Author(s). | Animals; Anthrax; Disease Outbreaks; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Livestock; Male; One Health; Vaccination; anthrax vaccine; adult; agricultural worker; agriculture; anthrax; Article; Bacillus anthracis; carcass; controlled study; cross-sectional study; disease transmission; endemic disease; female; human; India; livestock; logistic regression analysis; major clinical study; male; occupation; questionnaire; risk perception; social behavior; vaccination; animal; anthrax; attitude to health; epidemic; One Health; veterinary medicine | Anthrax; Endemic region; Knowledge-attitude-practices; Koraput; One Health |
| Surveillance of Tahyna Orthobunyavirus in Urban Areas in Croatia—The “One Health” Approach | Background: Tahyna orthobunyavirus (TAHV) is a neglected mosquito-borne bunyavirus. Although the virus is widespread in continental Europe, TAHV infections are rarely reported. We analyzed the prevalence of TAHV in humans and different animal species as well as mosquitoes collected in urban areas of Zagreb and its surroundings in the period from 2020 to 2022. Methods: The study included 32 patients with neuroinvasive disease (NID), 218 asymptomatic individuals, 98 horses, 94 pet animals (dogs and cats), and 4456 Aedes vexans mosquitoes. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and urine samples of patients with NID were tested for the TAHV RNA using a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Human and animal serum samples were tested for TAHV-neutralizing (NT) antibodies using a virus-neutralization test (VNT). Mosquito pools were tested for TAHV RNA using an RT-qPCR. Results: TAHV NT antibodies were detected in 3/9.4% of patients with NID, 8/3.7% of asymptomatic individuals, 29/29.6% of horses, and 11/11.7% of pet animals. There was no difference in the seroprevalence according to age, sex, and area of residence in asymptomatic individuals. In addition, TAHV seropositivity did not differ according to age and sex in pet animals. None of the tested mosquito pools was TAHV RNA-positive. Conclusions: The presented results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary surveillance (“One Health”) of this neglected viral zoonosis. © 2022 by the authors. | neutralizing antibody; adult; Aedes; Aedes vexans; aged; Article; asymptomatic disease; cat; cerebrospinal fluid; clinical article; Croatia; dog; female; headache; horse; human; male; meningitis; meningoencephalitis; mosquito; nonhuman; One Health; Orthobunyavirus; pet animal; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; seroprevalence; Tahyna orthobunyavirus; urban area; urine sampling; virus detection; virus neutralization test | Croatia; horses; humans; mosquitoes; One Health; pet animals; Tahyna orthobunyavirus |
| Relationship between Biofilm-Formation, Phenotypic Virulence Factors and Antibiotic Resistance in Environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa | The formation of a protective biofilm by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is one of the hallmarks of their survival both in vivo and in harsh environmental conditions, thus, biofilm-eradication has relevance from therapeutic perspectives and for infection control. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible relationship between antibiotic resistance, biofilm-forming capacity and virulence factors in n = 166 PA isolates of environmental origin. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the phenotypic detection of resistance determinants were carried out using standard protocols. The biofilm-forming capacity of PA was tested using a standardized crystal violet microtiter plate-based method. Motility (swimming, swarming, and twitching) and siderophore production of the isolates were also assessed. Resistance rates were highest for ciprofloxacin (46.98%), levofloxacin (45.18%), ceftazidime (31.92%) and cefepime (30.12%); 19.28% of isolates met the criteria to be classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Efflux pump overexpression, AmpC overexpression, and modified Hodge-test positivity were noted in 28.31%, 18.07% and 3.61%, respectively. 22.89% of isolates were weak/non-biofilm producers, while 27.71% and 49.40% were moderate and strong biofilm producers, respectively. Based on MDR status of the isolates, no significant differences in biofilm-production were shown among environmental PA (non-MDR OD570 [mean ± SD]: 0.416 ± 0.167 vs. MDR OD570: 0.399 ± 0.192; p > 0.05). No significant association was observed between either motility types in the context of drug resistance or biofilm-forming capacity (p > 0.05). 83.13% of isolates tested were positive for siderophore production. The importance of PA as a pathogen in chronic and healthcare-associated infections has been described extensively, while there is increasing awareness of PA as an environmental agent in agriculture and aquaculture. Additional studies in this field would be an important undertaking to understand the interrelated nature of biofilm production and antimicrobial resistance, as these insights may become relevant bases for developing novel therapeutics and eradication strategies against PA. © 2022 by the authors. | antimicrobial resistance; biofilm; crystal violet; environmental; MDR; motility; non-fermenting; One Health; phenotypic assay; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; siderophores |
| Occurrence of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli in Marine Mammals of the North and Baltic Seas: Sentinels for Human Health | Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat that involves complex, opaque transmission processes in the environment. In particular, wildlife appears to function as a reservoir and vector for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria as well as resistance genes. In the present study, the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli was determined in marine mammals and various fish species of the North and Baltic Seas. Rectal or faecal swabs were collected from 66 live-caught or stranded marine mammals and 40 fish specimens. The antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and genotypes of isolated E. coli were determined using disk diffusion tests and PCR assays. Furthermore, isolates were assigned to the four major phylogenetic groups of E. coli. Additionally, post mortem examinations were performed on 41 of the sampled marine mammals. The investigations revealed resistant E. coli in 39.4% of the marine mammal samples, while no resistant isolates were obtained from any of the fish samples. The obtained isolates most frequently exhibited resistance against aminoglycosides, followed by β-lactams. Of the isolates, 37.2% showed multidrug resistance. Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) mainly carried E. coli isolates belonging to the phylogenetic group B1, while seal isolates were most frequently assigned to group B2. Regarding antimicrobial resistance, no significant differences were seen between the two sampling areas or different health parameters, but multidrug-resistant isolates were more frequent in harbour porpoises than in the sampled seals. The presented results provide information on the distribution of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the North and Baltic Seas, and highlight the role of these resident marine mammal species as sentinels from a One Health perspective. © 2022 by the authors. | algorithm; antibiotic resistance; Article; autopsy; bacterial gene; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; colony forming unit; disk diffusion; Enterobacteriaceae; Escherichia coli; fish; genotype; health; marine mammal; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; One Health; phenotype; Phocoena phocoena; phylogeny; Pinnipedia; polymerase chain reaction; pulsed field gel electrophoresis; rectal swab; sentinel species; swabbing; wildlife | cetaceans; Enterobacteriaceae; multidrug resistance; One Health; pinnipeds; wildlife |
| Insights into Circular Horticulture: Knowledge Diffusion, Resource Circulation, One Health Approach, and Greenhouse Technologies | The integration of the circular economy in agriculture has promoted sustainable innovation in food production systems such as horticulture. The present paper illustrates how horticulture is transitioning to the circular economy. This research field’s performance approaches and trends were assessed through a bibliometric and text-mining analysis of the literature. Our findings revealed that circular horticulture is a recent research field that is constantly growing. Its approach has been neither systemic nor integrative but fragmented. Bioeconomy, urban agriculture, recycled nutrients, biochar, fertigation, and desalination have been positioned as research hotspots. Vegetables and fruits are the most studied crops. Resource circulation has focused primarily on biowaste recovery to provide benefits such as biofertilizers and linear-substrate substitutes, and on water reuse for the establishment of hydroponic systems. The One Health approach is scarcely explored and, therefore, weakly articulated, wherein the absence of assessment methodologies encompassing the health of ecosystems, animals, and people is a notable limitation. Science-policy interfaces between One Health and food systems need to be improved. Lastly, greenhouse technologies are aligned with bioenergy, sustainable materials, and sensing technologies. Challenges and directions for future research have been raised to promote the redesign of horticultural production systems, integrating long-term circularity. © 2022 by the authors. | Agriculture; Animals; Ecosystem; Horticulture; One Health; Water; charcoal; fertilizer; water; environmental economics; food production; future prospect; horticulture; hydroponics; innovation; integrated approach; performance assessment; research work; sustainability; urban agriculture; agriculture; Article; bibliometrics; biomass; circular economy; controlled study; data mining; desalination; economic aspect; environmental policy; environmental sustainability; fertigation; food; fruit; greenhouse; horticulture; knowledge; natural resource; nonhuman; nutrient; One Health; recycling; resource circulation; urban area; vegetable; animal; ecosystem; horticulture; procedures | bibliometrics; biomass; circular economy; food systems; greenhouse structure; One Health; sustainability |
| Integrated approaches to howler monkey (Alouatta spp.) medicine in professional care and conservation | Howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.) are threatened by anthropogenic pressures such as habitat fragmentation and deforestation, while conservation efforts are challenging to coordinate as natural geographic distribution ranges are the largest of any New World primate. On a One Health front, howler monkeys represent a great model to investigate the infectious disease dynamics between wild primates and humans as several infectious diseases affecting howlers have a demonstrated zoonotic potential. Howler monkey populations in professional care offer a window to investigate susceptibility to diseases in this species such as yellow fever (YF) and malaria, plus a myriad of endoparasite phyla, as well as vector-borne diseases such as Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. More studies are urgently needed to provide species-specific, medically relevant information as well as clinical descriptions of animals considered medically healthy. Moreover, howler monkeys are a challenging species to breed and maintain in professional care; additionally, reproductive parameters have been published only for a handful of species in this genus. On a One Health approach communication and collaborative health surveillance involving wildlife and zoo experts will ease the identification of factors that contribute to disease emergence facilitating the integration of human, animal, and environmental health. The One Welfare concept is based on the inextricable connection among animal welfare, human welfare, and environmental conservation. Integrating One Health and One Welfare into actions both in-situ and ex-situ will promote the sustainability of the forests and restoration of the ecosystems that those species inhabit, transitioning to a comprehensive One Conservation approach. Copyright © 2022 Yarto-Jaramillo, Çitaku, Rodríguez, Lewy Sánchez-Aldana, Morales and Moresco. | Alouatta; animal welfare; Article; breed; Chagas disease; deforestation; ecosystem; endangered species; endoparasite; environmental health; environmental protection; forest; geographic distribution; habitat fragmentation; health survey; leishmaniasis; malaria; nonhuman; vector borne disease; wildlife; yellow fever | Alouatta; howler monkey; One Conservation; One Health; threatened species |
| Understanding and strengthening wildlife and zoonotic disease policy processes: A research imperative | The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgency and importance of monitoring, managing and addressing zoonotic diseases, and the acute challenges of doing so with sufficient inter-jurisdictional coordination in a dynamic global context. Although wildlife pathogens are well-studied clinically and ecologically, there is very little systematic scholarship on their management or on policy implications. The current global pandemic therefore presents a unique social science research imperative: to understand how decisions are made about preventing and responding to wildlife diseases, especially zoonoses, and how those policy processes can be improved as part of early warning systems, preparedness and rapid response. To meet these challenges, we recommend intensified research efforts towards: (i) generating functional insights about wildlife and zoonotic disease policy processes, (ii) enabling social and organizational learning to mobilize those insights, (iii) understanding epistemic instability to address populist anti-science and (iv) anticipating evolving and new zoonotic emergences, especially their human dimensions. Since policy processes for zoonoses can be acutely challenged during the early stages of an epidemic or pandemic, such insights can provide a pragmatic, empirically-based roadmap for enhancing their robustness and efficacy, and benefiting long-term decision-making efforts. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Animals, Wild; COVID-19; Humans; Pandemics; Policy; Zoonoses; Article; epidemic; health care policy; human; nonhuman; organization; pandemic; research; social aspect; wildlife; zoonosis; animal; pandemic; policy; veterinary medicine; wild animal; zoonosis | COVID-19; one health; pandemic policy; policy process; wildlife; zoonosis |
| Veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods: occurrence, veterinary legislation and perceived risk factors in Cameroon | The presence of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods (ADF) remains a public health concern in low-income countries. In Cameroon, safety standards do not exist and information on exposure levels in both livestock and humans remains scarce. Moreover, awareness among livestock keepers and ADF consumers is low. This paper provides an overview of the current status of antimicrobial (AM) residues in ADF, veterinary legislation on the use of AM, and perception of risk factors with emphasis on the need for sustainable management from a one health perspective. Results show that a wide range of antimicrobials is used with little or no attention to good veterinary practices. Residues of commonly used AM agents, including those banned for use in food animal production in high-income countries, were reported. The current legislation on the use of veterinary drugs is weak and does not make provision for key concepts such as Maximum Residue Limit. Veterinarians argue that the lack of disease diagnostic facilities and excessive use of AM has led to the presence of residues in ADFs. The government and relevant agencies need to enforce regulations for the use of veterinary drugs. Further, awareness creation through educational campaigns for users and consumers as well as the implementation of measures to restrict prescription and dispensation of AM agents to recognized veterinarians are necessary. More studies on AM residues in ADFs are needed to support veterinary drug surveillance policies. This paper strongly suggests collaboration between food safety experts, animal and human health professionals, as well as policymakers to help implement good surveillance of antimicrobial use and to safeguard potent AM suitable for disease control for forthcoming generations. © 2023 Multidisciplinary Science Journal. All rights reserved. | animal sourced-foods; antibiotics; contaminants; one health; risk perception |
| Health information system concept in health services in the national health insurance (JKN) era in Indonesia: An environment and one health approach | The health information system is a component of the healthcare system. The health information system in health services in Indonesia has experienced many problems in getting support for policy making, the implementation of the industrial revolution 4.0, and national health insurance (JKN). To answer the above problems, it is necessary to make a concept of health information systems in health services that based on environment and one health perspectives. This research was part of the thematic research of the 2019 JKN National Health Facilities Survey (Rifaskes) in Indonesia. The systems approach and cross-sectional research were carried out by collecting quantitative data. A structural equation model with Lisrel 88 software was used to model the health information system. The health information system produced a concept that included the following structured input components: governance, human resources, infrastructure, types of information system (IS) (program, JKN, management), and financing; process components: funding, technical guidance, and verification and validation; and output components: open access, standards and quality, utilization, bridging, and security. The concept for strengthening the health information system prioritizes improving the output components (standards, utilization, bridging, open access, and security) in the process components (funding, verification, technical guidance) while the input components (financing, human resources, governance, IS programs, infrastructure, IS JKN, IS management). Copyright © 2022 Herawati, Idaiani, Maryati, Fitriana, Lucitawati, Veruswati, Hoekstra and Asyary. | Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Information Systems; Health Services; Humans; Indonesia; National Health Programs; One Health; cross-sectional study; health service; human; Indonesia; medical information system; One Health; public health | health information system (HIS); health service; national health insurance; one health approach; public health |
| Zoonotic diseases risk perception and infection prevention and control practices among poultry farmers in the Buea Health District, Cameroon: A one health perspective | Background and Aim: Livestock are associated with pathogenic microbes and farm workers play a significant role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases (ZDs). Lack of awareness of exposure risk among farmers may influence their farm practices, thereby enhancing the spread of diseases on farms and to the community. This study was aimed at evaluating the knowledge, risk perception, and prevention and control practices of ZDs among poultry farmers to provide baseline data for establishing a “One Health” practical approach to reducing ZD transmission in poultry farms. Materials and Methods: Using the exponential discriminative snowball technique, a community-based cross-sectional study involving poultry farmers was carried out in the Buea Health District from April to July 2021. Six feed-producing mills were used as focal points to identify and recruit farmers who were also referred to other farmers. Questionnaires were used to collect data related to participants’ knowledge, risk perception, and prevention and control practices of ZDs. Descriptive analyses were performed for all variables while the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to determine associations at 95% confidence level. Results: In all, 183 poultry farms and 207 workers were enrolled in the study. Despite being aware that animal diseases can be transmitted to humans, most participants showed poor knowledge (54.6%), low-risk perception (51.7%), and poor prevention/control practices (54.1%) on ZDs. The majority did not consider coming in contact with birds’ body fluid (blood) or apparently healthy birds to be a risk of infection. More participants with small farms (<500 birds) had low-risk perception of ZDs than those with larger farms (>1000 birds) (p = 0.03). Furthermore, most participants reported practicing hand washing but they neither used protective devices such as gloves and face masks, and >50% would not invite veterinary professionals to their farms. There was a significant association between risk perception and knowledge (p = 0.007; CI = 1.257-4.200) as well as between risk perception and prevention/control practice (p = 0.002; CI = 1.451-4.867). Conclusion: Poultry farm workers in Buea had poor knowledge and perception of ZD risk and this might have contributed to their poor prevention/control practices on the farms. Enhanced informal education of poultry farmers through training workshops and seminars will improve their knowledge and skills on ZD transmission risk and prevention. Copyright: © Bissong, et al. Open Access. | antibiotic agent; adolescent; adult; agricultural worker; agriculture; animal food; Article; avian influenza (H5N1); avian tuberculosis; awareness; biosecurity; bivariate analysis; body fluid; bovine; broiler; Cameroon; carcass; chicken; coccidiosis; confidence interval; coughing; cross-sectional study; demography; diarrhea; disease transmission; education; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; female; hand washing; helminthiasis; human; information processing; knowledge; Leporidae; livestock; logistic regression analysis; loss of appetite; male; Newcastle disease; nonhuman; One Health; pig; poultry; quantitative study; questionnaire; risk perception; salmonellosis; sample size; sociodemographics; statistical model; training; tropical forest; veterinarian; zoonosis; zoonotic transmission | Cameroon; control practices; knowledge; poultry farmers; risk perception; Zoonotic diseases |
| One Health-One Biofilm | Bacterial biofilms are structured clusters of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced polymer matrix that are attached to a biotic or abiotic surface. This structure protects bacteria from hostile environmental conditions. There are also accumulating reports about bacterial aggregates associated but not directly adherent to surfaces. Interestingly, these bacterial aggregates exhibit many of the same phenotypes as surface-attached biofilms. Surface-attached biofilms as well as non-attached aggregates are ubiquitous and found in a wide variety of natural and clinical settings. This strongly suggests that biofilm/aggregate formation is important at some steps in the bacterial lifecycle. Biofilm/aggregate formation might therefore be important for some bacterial species for persistence within their host or their environment, while for other bacterial species it might be more important for persistence in the environment between infection of different individuals or even between infection of different hosts (humans or animals). This is strikingly similar to the One Health concept which recognizes that the health and well-being of humans, animals and the environment are intricately linked. We would like to propose that within this One Health concept, the One Biofilm concept also exists, where biofilm/aggregate formation in humans, animals and the environment are also intricately linked. Biofilm/aggregates could represent the unifying factor underneath the One Health concept. The One Biofilm concept would support that biofilm/aggregate formation might be important for persistence during infection but might as well be even more important for persistence in the environment and for transmission between different individuals/different hosts. © 2022. The Author(s). | bacterial aggregates; Biofilms; One Health |
| Occurrence, antimicrobial resistance, and potential zoonosis risk of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in Indonesia: A review | Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes avian colibacillosis or colibacillosis and is a major endemic disease of poultry worldwide, including in Indonesia. It is characterized by a black proventriculus and can damage other organs, leading to pericarditis, perihepatitis, water sacculitis, mesenteritis, and omphalitis. The APEC strain is one of the six main sub-pathotypes of the extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) pathotype. The relationship between APEC and infection in humans is questionable. The previous studies have suggested poultry products, including meat and eggs, as a potential source of infection for the transmission of ExPEC disease to humans. Due to the absence of reporting of disease incidents and the lack of literature updates on this disease, it seems as if APEC does not exist in Indonesia. Since bacterial resistance is a growing problem in Indonesia, and globally, the World Health Organization issued a statement regarding the importance of assessing related factors and their control strategies. Antimicrobial resistance, especially multidrug resistance, presents a challenge when treating infectious diseases. In Indonesia, the incidence of resistance to several antimicrobials in cases of avian colibacillosis is high. In addition, avian and human extraintestinal E. coli infections present a potential zoonotic risk. Furthermore, a relationship exists between antibiotic resistance to foodborne bacteria and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in humans, so the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry must be controlled. Therefore, the One Health strategy should be implemented to prevent the overuse or misuse of antibiotics in the poultry industry. This review aimed to increase awareness of people who are at risk of getting Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) from poultry by controlling the spread of APEC by maintaining a clean environment and hygienic personnel in poultry farms. © Wibisono, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. | antibiotic agent; hemagglutinin; Acinetobacter baumannii; antibiotic resistance; Article; avian colibacillosis; avian pathogenic Escherichia coli; Bacillus cereus; bacterial strain; egg; extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli; human; Indonesia; meat; mesenteritis; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; omphalitis; One Health; pathotype; pericarditis; perihepatitis; poultry; poultry product; risk factor; Salmonella; zoonosis | Antimicrobial resistance; Avian pathogenic escherichia coli; Extraintestinal pathogenic escherichia coli; Human health; Zoonosis |
| Pandemic origins and a One Health approach to preparedness and prevention: Solutions based on SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses | COVID-19 is the latest zoonotic RNA virus epidemic of concern. Learning how it began and spread will help to determine how to reduce the risk of future events. We review major RNA virus outbreaks since 1967 to identify common features and opportunities to prevent emergence, including ancestral viral origins in birds, bats, and other mammals; animal reservoirs and intermediate hosts; and pathways for zoonotic spillover and community spread, leading to local, regional, or international outbreaks. The increasing scientific evidence concerning the origins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is most consistent with a zoonotic origin and a spillover pathway from wildlife to people via wildlife farming and the wildlife trade. We apply what we know about these outbreaks to identify relevant, feasible, and implementable interventions. We identify three primary targets for pandemic prevention and preparedness: first, smart surveillance coupled with epidemiological risk assessment across wildlife–livestock–human (One Health) spillover interfaces; second, research to enhance pandemic preparedness and expedite development of vaccines and therapeutics; and third, strategies to reduce underlying drivers of spillover risk and spread and reduce the influence of misinformation. For all three, continued efforts to improve and integrate biosafety and biosecurity with the implementation of a One Health approach are essential. We discuss new models to address the challenges of creating an inclusive and effective governance structure, with the necessary stable funding for cross-disciplinary collaborative research. Finally, we offer recommendations for feasible actions to close the knowledge gaps across the One Health continuum and improve preparedness and response in the future. Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). | Animals; Animals, Wild; Chiroptera; COVID-19; Humans; One Health; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Zoonoses; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; active surveillance; Article; biosecurity; economic development; human; immune evasion; infection prevention; knowledge; land use; leadership; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; misinformation; One Health; pandemic; proof of concept; public health; risk assessment; risk factor; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; vaccination; virulence; virus transmission; wildlife; animal; bat; pandemic; prevention and control; wild animal; zoonosis | pandemic preparedness j COVID-19 origins and spread j Drivers of emerging infectious diseases j spillover and spillback j One Health solutions |
| One Health Requires a Theory of Agency | One health suggests that human and animal health are comparable, but in practice, the concept aligns with the principles of public health ethics. One health ethics, as such, appears to eschew connotations of equality for the natural world. A theory of agency revises that anthropocentric assumption. This article begins with a critique of environmental dualism: the idea that human culture and nature are separate social realms, thus justifying public health as a (unifying) purpose. In response, this article argues that, first, a neuroethics of one health might equally regard humans and (some) animals, which have comparable mental states, as rational agents. Second, rational agency should ground our moral connections to nature in terms of the egalitarian interests we have (as coinhabitants) in the health of the planet. While this article makes a moderate case for interspecific rights (as the first argument asserts), neuroscience is unlikely for now to change how most public institutions regard nonhuman animals in practice. However, the second argument asserts that rational agency is also grounds for philosophical environmentalism. One health ethics, therefore, is a theory of equality and connects culture to nature, and, as such, is a separate, but coextensive approach to that of public health. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Cambridge University Press. | Animals; Confidentiality; Humans; Morals; Neurosciences; One Health; Public Health; animal health; article; environmentalism; ethics; human; human experiment; mental health; morality; neuroscience; One Health; planetary health; public health; theoretical study; animal; confidentiality; neuroscience; public health | agency; anthropocentric; environmentalism; neuroethics; one health; public health; rights |
| Institutional one health and animal-human health connections in Nthongoni, Eastern Kenya | In recent years, there has been increased global advocacy for the use of a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach: a One Health approach, with the goal to achieve optimal health outcomes for people, animals and their shared environment. This study explored One Health implementation and practice in Kenya. Further, I used a case study of Nthongoni, a remote rural area in Eastern Kenya, to help us to understand and think about implementation of One Health in an area where mainstream biomedical system runs parallel to or is in conflict with, a deeply entrenched indigenous health system. I used a qualitative research approach including participant observation, and key informant and general respondents’ in-depth interviews. Data was transcribed verbatim, translated, checked for consistency and coded for content and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that although Kenya’s One Health approach was hailed as a key strategy and a model for other countries in the region, the approach faced significant challenges including insufficient funding, competing priorities and concerns over its sustainability. But while the formal One Health is embroiled in structural and politico-economic influences that curtail its operationalization and success, this study illuminates a lay one health that is part of lived realities in Nthongoni, inviting us to reflect on the place for and status of traditional healers, and meaning of health for people and animals. The study further provokes our thoughts over whether One Health should integrate or do away with traditional health systems, or be abandoned altogether. I argue that incorporating traditional health knowledge and practitioners in One Health might help to make health care more robust and culturally responsive. The work contributes to debates on anthropology of health in general and to anthropological understanding of both the lay one health and the institutional One Health agenda. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Kenya; One Health; Qualitative Research; Kenya; anthropology; health belief; health policy; health status; nature-society relations; traditional knowledge; adult; anthropology; article; attitude to health; funding; genetic transcription; human; human-animal interaction; interview; Kenya; One Health; physician; qualitative research; rural area; thematic analysis; traditional healer; animal; health care delivery; Kenya; One Health | Anthropology of health; Human-animal interactions; One health; Traditional health knowledge |
| Presence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Feces of the Small Indian Mongooses (Urva auropunctata) on Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies | Although, historically, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was restricted to humans, since 2005 these strains emerged in livestock and wildlife. Therefore, a One Health approach was applied to analyze the diversity and characteristics of S. aureus strains isolated from the invasive species of mongoose (Urva auropunctata) in St. Kitts. Fecal samples collected from these animals (n = 81) were cultured on selective agar. The isolated S. aureus strains were identified using MALDI-TOF and further characterized by whole genome sequence analysis. The fecal microbiome study identified the presence of S. aureus in 5 animals. Both MSSA (n = 3) and MRSA (n = 2) strains were identified. The two MRSA isolated were nearly identical ST5 SCCmec IVa (2B) strains. The two MSSA isolated were a new ST7434, pertaining to clonal complex 30, and the other belonged to ST5, but unrelated to the MRSA ST5. The SCCmec IVa (2B) is, however, the main SCCmec in human MRSA of different STs identified in St Kitts, indicating potential horizontal transmission events. In conclusion, a new type of MSSA, ST7434, was found and MRSA ST5 t002 SCCmec IVa (2B) found its way into wildlife on a small Caribbean Island. Further One Health studies are necessary to determine the role of MRSA in wildlife. © 2022 by the authors. | animal cell; animal experiment; animal tissue; article; bacterial strain; bacterium culture; Caribbean Islands; feces; human; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; microbiome; mongoose; nonhuman; One Health; Saint Kitts and Nevis; sequence analysis; Staphylococcus aureus; whole genome sequencing; wildlife | MRSA; One Health; Staphylococcus aureus; whole genome sequencing; wildlife |
| Spatial and temporal overlap of domestic cats (Felis catus) and native urban wildlife | Free-roaming domestic cats (Felis catus) are known to pose threats to ecosystem health via transmission of zoonotic diseases and predation of native wildlife. Likewise, free-roaming cats are also susceptible to predation or disease transmission from native wildlife. Physical interactions are required for many of these risks to be manifested, necessitating spatial and temporal overlap between cats and wildlife species. Therefore, knowledge of the location and extent of shared habitat and activity periods would benefit management programs. We used data from a 3-year camera trap survey to model species-specific occupancy and identify landscape variables that contribute to the distribution of free-roaming domestic cats and eight native mammal species in Washington, DC. (USA). Our analysis includes five species that are common prey items of domestic cats, and three species that are potential disease vectors or are otherwise known to be a risk to cats. We then predicted the probability of occupancy and estimated the probability of spatial overlap between cats and each native wildlife species at multiple scales. We also used kernel density estimations to calculate temporal overlap between cats and each native wildlife species. Across spatial scales, occupancy for potential disease vector species was generally positively correlated with canopy cover and open water. Prey species were also generally positively correlated with canopy cover, but displayed negative associations with human population density and inconsistent associations with average per capita income. Domestic cat occupancy was negatively correlated with natural habitat characteristics and positively correlated with human population density. Predicted spatial overlap between domestic cats and native wildlife was greatest for potential disease vector species. Temporal overlap was high (>0.50) between cats and all but two native wildlife species, indicating that temporal overlap is probable wherever species overlap spatially. Our findings indicate that the risk to and from domestic cats varies across urban landscapes, but primarily arises from human activities. As such, humans are implicated in the negative outcomes that result from cats interacting with wildlife. Data-driven management to reduce such interactions can aid in cat population management, biodiversity conservation, and public health campaigns. Copyright © 2022 Herrera, Cove, McShea, Decker, Flockhart, Moore and Gallo. | activity; feral cats; management; occupancy; one health; predation; public health; zoonotic disease |
| Retrospective Analysis of Leishmaniasis in Sicily (Italy) from 2013 to 2021: One-Health Impact and Future Control Strategies | Leishmaniasis is an important vector-borne disease that represents a serious public health problem, including in Sicily (Italy), which is considered an endemic area. We collected canine, feline and human data from 2013 to 2021 in Sicily, while entomological surveys were conducted only in 2013 and 2021. Overall, 23,794/74,349 (34.4%) of dogs and 274/4774 (11.8%) of cats were positive in one or more diagnostic tests. A total of 467 cases of human Leishmaniasis were reported, with 71% showing cutaneous and 29% visceral involvement. The provinces with the largest number of patients were Agrigento (45.4%) and Palermo (37%). In 2013, Phlebotomus perfiliewi was the dominant sandfly species in Sicily (68.7%), followed by Phlebotomus perniciosus (17.2%) and Sergentomya minuta (14%). In 2021, Phlebotomus perfiliewi was confirmed as the most common species (61.6%), followed by Phlebotomus perniciosus (33.1%) and Sergentomya minuta (4.7%). Of particular interest was the identification of Phlebotomus papatasi (0.41%) in Agrigento. Our retrospective study can inform health authorities for the development of appropriate screening, treatment and control strategies to reduce Leishmania incidence rate. This study examined the present state of Leishmaniasis control, surveillance, and prevention in Sicily, but also highlighted deficiencies that could be addressed through the application of One-Health principles. © 2022 by the authors. | canine Leishmaniasis; diagnosis; feline Leishmaniasis; human Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis epidemiology; One-Health; sandflies |
| First Finding of a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) t304/ST6 from Bovine Clinical Mastitis | The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) comprises a global threat to humans and animals. Here, we report and characterize the MRSA t304/ST6 variant which, to our knowledge, represents the first case found in bovine clinical mastitis. In general, the MRSA t304/ST6 variant is rarely described in livestock, contrary to humans where it is widely recognized. Phenotypic and genotypic resistance profiling showed that the bovine-MRSA t304/ST6 isolate expressed low susceptibility toward cefoxitin (MICcefoxitin = 16 µg/mL) and carried the mecA resistance gene in the SCCmec IVa. The bovine-MRSA t304/ST6 isolate carried a plasmid similar to that which has been frequently observed among human-MRSA t304/ST6 isolates in Denmark (GenBank accession no. NZ_CP047022). In addition, a Staphylococcus prophage 3 (ϕSA3) was detected, encoding an immune evasion cluster (IEC) of putative virulence genes associated with human host-specificity (sea, sak, and scn). Taken together, these findings suggest that the MRSA t304/ST6 found in this study represents a recent host-jump event, with human to cow transmission. This study emphasizes the importance of and the need for performance of antimicrobial resistance surveillance among bovine mastitis pathogens, including S. aureus and MRSA. © 2022 by the authors. | beta hemolysin; cefoxitin; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; erythromycin; florfenicol; gentamicin; hemolysin; penicillin derivative; penicillin G; spectinomycin; streptomycin; sulfamethoxazole; tetracycline; tiamulin; trimethoprim; unclassified drug; von Willebrand factor; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; bioinformatics; bovine mastitis; controlled study; disease transmission; DNA extraction; DNA purification; genotype; host range; immune evasion; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; minimum inhibitory concentration; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; One Health; phenotype; prophage; protein expression; Staphylococcus; whole genome sequencing | antimicrobial resistance (AMR); antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST); bovine mastitis; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC); Staphylococcus aureus; whole-genome sequencing (WGS) |
| Risk assessment and preventive health behaviours toward COVID-19 amongst bushmeat handlers in Nigerian wildlife markets: Drivers and One Health challenge | Over 70% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and 72% of them have wildlife reservoirs with consequent global health impacts. Both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 emerged certainly through wildlife market routes. We assessed wildlife handlers’ zoonotic risk perceptions and preventive health behaviour measures toward COVID-19 during pandemic waves, and its drivers at wildlife markets using Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs. A cross-sectional study was conducted at purposively selected wildlife markets in Nigeria between November 2020 and October 2021. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariable logistic regressions analyses were performed at 95% confidence interval. Of the 600 targeted handlers in 97 wildlife markets, 97.2% (n = 583) participated. Consumers were the majority (65.3%), followed by hunters (18.4) and vendors (16.3%). Only 10.3% hunters, 24.3% vendors and 21.0% consumers associated COVID-19 with high zoonotic risk. Also, only few handlers practiced social/physical distancing at markets. Avoidance of handshaking or hugging and vaccination was significantly (p = 0.001) practiced by few handlers as preventive health behaviours at the markets. All the socio-demographic variables were significantly (p<0.05) associated with their knowledge, risk perceptions, and practice of preventive health behaviours toward COVID-19 at univariate analysis. Poor markets sanitation, hygiene, and biosecurity (OR=3.35, 95% CI: 2.33, 4.82); and poor butchering practices and exchange of wildlife species between shops [(OR=1.87; 95% CI: 1.34, 2.60) and (OR=2.03; 95% CI: 1.43, 2.88), respectively] were more likely to significantly influence COVID-19 emergence and spread at the markets. To tackle the highlighted gaps, collaborations between the public health, anthropologists, and veterinary and wildlife authorities through the One Health approach are advocated to intensify awareness and health education programmes that will improve perceptions and behaviours toward the disease and other emerging diseases control and prevention. © 2022 Elsevier B.V. | Animals; Animals, Wild; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Behavior; Health Education; Humans; Nigeria; One Health; Risk Assessment; SARS-CoV-2; Nigeria; SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; bushmeat; COVID-19; food market; health impact; public health; risk assessment; adult; aged; Article; awareness; biosecurity; bushmeat handler; butcher; confidence interval; consumer; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cross-sectional study; female; health behavior; Health Belief Model; health education; human; hunter; hygiene; infection prevention; knowledge; logistic regression analysis; male; market; Nigeria; Nigerian; nonmedical occupations; odds ratio; One Health; risk assessment; risk perception; sanitation; social distancing; sociodemographics; univariate analysis; vaccination; vendor; wild meat; wildlife market; animal; epidemiology; health behavior; One Health; prevention and control; risk assessment; wild animal | Bushmeat handlers; COVID-19; Health belief model; One Health; Preventive health behaviours; Wildlife market |
| Signalling and responding to zoonotic threats using a One Health approach: a decade of the Zoonoses Structure in the Netherlands, 2011 to 2021 | In the Netherlands, the avian influenza outbreak in poultry in 2003 and the Q fever outbreak in dairy goats between 2007 and 2010 had severe consequences for public health. These outbreaks led to the establishment of an integrated human-veterinary risk analysis system for zoonoses, the Zoonoses Structure. The aim of the Zoonoses Structure is to signal, assess and control emerging zoonoses that may pose a risk to animal and/or human health in an integrated One Health approach. The Signalling Forum Zoonoses (SOZ), the first step of the Zoonoses Structure, is a multidisciplinary committee composed of experts from the medical, veterinary, entomology and wildlife domains. The SO-Z shares relevant signals with professionals and has monthly meetings. Over the past 10 years (June 2011 to December 2021), 390 different signals of various zoonotic pathogens in animal reservoirs and humans have been assessed. Here, we describe the Zoonoses Structure with examples from signals and responses for four zoonotic events in the Netherlands (tularaemia, Brucella canis, West Nile virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2)). This may serve as an example for other countries on how to collaborate in a One Health approach to signal and control emerging zoonoses. © 2022 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved. | Animals; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; COVID-19; Humans; Netherlands; One Health; SARS-CoV-2; Zoonoses; animal reservoir; Article; attitude to illness; avian influenza; Brucella canis; dairy goat; epidemic; health service; infection control; Netherlands; nonhuman; public health; Q fever; risk assessment; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; structure analysis; tularemia; virus virulence; West Nile virus; zoonosis; animal; communicable disease; human; One Health; zoonosis |
| First reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets in São Paulo, Brazil | Background and Aim: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in humans in 2019. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is primarily asymptomatic and transitory in companion animals, the role of these animals in the life cycle of the virus remains unclear. This study aimed to survey the first SARS-CoV-2 infection cases in pets, including a dog and three cats in São Paulo, Brazil. Materials and Methods: We invited COVID-19-positive pet owners to participate in the survey and obtained nasal, oropharyngeal, and rectal swab samples from their pets. These samples were placed in vials and subjected to a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the owners answered an epidemiological questionnaire, and the pets underwent clinical examination and monitoring. Results: Out of 49 sampled pets, 3/19 (15.8%) cats and 1/30 (3.3%) dogs tested positive, with wide variations in viral loads. Despite the limitations of size and non-randomized sampling, our results showed that cats are more susceptible than dogs to SARS-CoV-2 infection, presenting a cat: dog ratio of 4.8: 1. Only one cat presented mild and transitory respiratory symptoms. Conclusion: Although SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in pets in the largest South American city and the COVID-19 epicenter at the time, these first detected pet cases displayed either none or mild clinical signs. Copyright: © Agopian, et al. Open Access. | Article; cat; clinical examination; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; dog; human; nonhuman; oropharyngeal swab; pet animal; prospective study; questionnaire; real time polymerase chain reaction; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; virus load | novel coronavirus; One Health; veterinary medicine; zoonoses |
| One Health Consensus Report Annotation Checklist (OH-CRAC): A cross-sector checklist to support harmonized annotation of surveillance data in reports | To facilitate cross-sector integration of surveillance data it is necessary to improve and harmonize the meta-information provided in surveillance data reports. Cross-sector integration of surveillance results in sector-specific reports is frequently difficult as reports with a focus on a single sector often lack aspects of the relevant meta-information necessary to clarify the surveillance context. Such reporting deficiencies reduce the value of surveillance reports to the One Health community. The One Health Consensus Report Annotation Checklist (OH-CRAC), described in this paper along with potential application scenarios, was developed to improve the current practice of annotating data presented in surveillance data reports. It aims to provide guidance to researchers and reporting officers on what meta-information should be collected and provided to improve the completeness and transparency of surveillance data reports. The OH-CRAC can be adopted by all One Health-related sectors and due to its cross-sector design, it supports the mutual mapping of surveillance meta-information from sector-specific surveillance reports on federal, national and international levels. To facilitate the checklist completion, OH-CRAC is also available as an online resource that allows the collection of surveillance meta-information in an easy and user-friendly manner. Completed OH-CRAC checklists can be attached as annexes to the corresponding surveillance data reports or even to individual data files regardless of the data source. In this way, reports and data become better interpretable, usable and comparable to information from other sectors, improving their value for all surveillance actors and providing a better foundation for advice to risk managers. © 2022 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Checklist; Consensus; One Health; Research Report; article; checklist; consensus; health survey; human; manager; One Health; animal; consensus; research | dissemination; harmonization; meta-information; one health surveillance; reporting checklist |
| One Health risk challenges and preparedness regarding bovine tuberculosis at abattoirs in North-central Nigeria: Associated drivers and health belief | Background Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a serious public health and neglected zoonotic disease responsible for 147,000 human cases and 12,500 deaths annually. This study assessed knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices regarding bTB among occupationally exposed abattoir workers and drivers for transmission in slaughterhouses. Methods Using a pre-tested questionnaire, we surveyed a cross-section of workers in five main abattoirs in North-central Nigeria between 2018 and 2019. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and univariable/multivariable logistic regression analyses at a 95% confidence level. Results All recruited respondents (n = 422: 77.7% meat processors and 22.3% meat and sanitary inspectors) participated and 10.4% had no formal education. About 44.0% and 27.0% of workers knew about bTB occurrence at the abattoirs and its transmission to humans, respectively. Less than one-third use personal protective equipment (PPE) during meat handling, only a few workers correctly practised routine handwashing, and 21.8% sterilized meat handling tools. A few participants (6.4%) had BCG vaccination against tuberculosis. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, occupation, and formal education) significantly influenced the perception and practices about bTB. A few workers perceived raw meat and milk, direct contact with infected carcasses, organs and contaminated fomites, contaminated environment through infected blood, dirty slaughtering floor, and aerosols of contaminated faeces as high-risk bTB transmission routes. Perceived drivers that influenced bTB transmission at abattoirs include unhygienic meat processing (OR = 5.4, 95%CI = 3.1–9.4, p < 0.001) and non-enforcement of abattoir standard operating systems (OR = 10.4, 95%CI = 6.0–18.5, p = 0.001). Conclusion The workers have low knowledge levels, perceptions, and practices toward bTB emergence. These demand the workers’ education on hygienic meat handling to mitigate the menace of the disease. Surveillance and preventive preparedness considering the identified drivers through the ’One Health’ approach are recommended. © 2022 Odetokun et al. | Abattoirs; Animals; BCG Vaccine; Cattle; Humans; Meat; Nigeria; Tuberculosis, Bovine; BCG vaccine; abattoir worker; adult; aerosols of contaminated feces; aged; Article; BCG vaccination; bovine tuberculosis; contaminated environment through infected blood; cross-sectional study; direct contact with contaminated fomites; direct contact with infected carcasses; direct contact with organs; dirty slaughtering floor; disease transmission; education; female; formal education; hand washing; health belief; health care concepts; human; human experiment; inadequate or absence of antemortem examinations; knowledge; lack of training or retraining on proper meat handling; male; meat and sanitary inspectors; meat processors; named groups by occupation; non enforcement of abattoir standard operating systems; non use of personal protective equipment; One Health; one health risk challenges and preparedness; preventive practices; questionnaire; risk perception; slaughterhouse; social status; sterilized meat handling tools; unhygienic meat processing; unsanitary environmental conditions; animal; bovine; bovine tuberculosis; meat; Nigeria |
| Human and animal botulism surveillance in France from 2008 to 2019 | Botulism is a human and animal neurological disease caused by the action of bacterial neurotoxins (botulinum toxins) produced by bacteria from the genus Clostridium. This disease induces flaccid paralysis that can result in respiratory paralysis and heart failure. Due to its serious potential impact on public health, botulism is a closely monitored notifiable disease in France through a case-based passive surveillance system. In humans, this disease is rare, with an average of 10 outbreaks reported each year, mainly due to the consumption of contaminated foods. Type B and to a lesser extend type A are responsible for the majority of cases of foodborne botulism. Each year, an average of 30 outbreaks are recorded on poultry farms, about 20 cases in wild birds and about 10 outbreaks in cattle, involving a large number of animals. Mosaic forms C/D and D/C in birds and cattle, respectively, are the predominant types in animals in France. Types C and D have also been observed to a lesser extent in animals. With the exception of botulinum toxin E, which was exceptionally detected throughout the period in wild birds, the types of botulism found in animal outbreaks are different from those identified in human outbreaks over the last ten years in France and no human botulism outbreaks investigated have been linked to animal botulism. In line with the One Health concept, we present the first integrative approach to the routine surveillance of botulism in humans and animals in France. Copyright © 2022 Le Bouquin, Lucas, Souillard, Le Maréchal, Petit, Kooh, Jourdan-Da Silva, Meurens, Guillier and Mazuet. | Animals; Cattle; Disease Outbreaks; France; Humans; One Health; Public Health; animal; bovine; epidemic; epidemiology; France; human; One Health; public health; veterinary medicine | botulism; bovine; One Health; poultry; surveillance; wild bird |
| Low serological rate of SARS-CoV-2 in cats from military bases in Israel | Domestic cats are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and can transmit the virus to other felines. A high number of COVID-19 human cases within the military personnel and a high density of stray cats living close to soldiers raised the need to perform active animal surveillance. We validated a novel quantitative serological microarray for use in cats, that enables simultaneous detection of IgG and IgM responses; in addition, molecular genetic SARS-CoV-2 detection was performed. Three out of 131 cats analyzed, showed IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD and S2P (2.3 %). None of cats were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR. SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in soldiers ranged from 4.7 % to 16 % (average rate=8.9 %). Further investigations on a larger cohort are necessary, in the light of the emerging new viral variants in other animal species and in humans. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Cat Diseases; Cats; COVID-19; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Israel; Military Facilities; Military Personnel; RNA, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; amoxicillin; butorphanol; dipyrone; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin M; ketamine; xylazine; immunoglobulin G; virus antibody; virus RNA; adult; animal experiment; Article; cat; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; disease surveillance; DNA microarray; domestic cat; female; infection rate; Israel; male; microarray analysis; nonhuman; oropharyngeal swab; polymerase chain reaction; real time polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; scientific literature; seroconversion; serology; seroprevalence; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; stray cat; vaccination; virus detection; virus replication; virus strain; virus transmission; animal; cat; cat disease; genetics; human; military personnel; military phenomena; veterinary medicine | COVID-19; Military; One health; SARS-CoV-2; Stray cats |
| Determinants of Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Drop-Out in the Region of San-Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire | Abstract: Despite the fact that death from rabies is 100% preventable with a course of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment, canine rabies still causes about 59,000 human deaths worldwide annually, half of which are occurring in Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, rabies remains a threat partly due to the high drop-out rate of the life-saving human PEP treatment among people exposed to dog bites. Each year, half of the victims starting treatment, do not complete the course. The current study therefore assessed the determinants for drop-out of the life-saving treatment among people exposed to rabies in the department of San-Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used, including questionnaires, observation, individual interviews and focus group discussions, to gather socio-demographic and economic data from 235 participants about possible reasons for abandoning treatment. The study population consisted of patients and medical and veterinary health professionals who were selected using stratified sampling and purposive selection from a database available at the Rabies Center of San Pedro. Result: The drop-out of PEP treatment was related to perception bias and a habit of low attendance of health care and vaccination centers in the population. Quantitative analysis shows differences between rural and urban areas and an association with age when it comes to treatment completion. The dropout rate was most significant among patients who, in case of other illness, did not routinely see a doctor or go to vaccination centers. The rate of abandonment was higher among those who believed that dog-related injuries could be easily treated at home, and who believed that a person with rabies could be cured without completing the preventive treatment. Insufficient provision of health information on rabies and logistic constraints related to the practical organization of treatment, including the long distance to the anti-rabies center and weaknesses in the patient follow-up procedure, did not contribute to the completion of PEP. Conclusion: Established determinants for drop-out provide a framework for effective design and implementation of rabies control strategies to accelerate rabies deaths elimination efforts. In particular, access to PEP and community knowledge about rabies need to be improved and integrated in the health system and education system, respectively. Copyright © 2022 N’Guessan, Heitz-Tokpa, Amalaman, Tetchi, Kallo, Ndjoug Ndour, Nicodem, Koné, Kreppel and Bonfoh. | rabies vaccine; adolescent; adult; age; Article; child; clinical observation; Cote d’Ivoire; cross-sectional study; dog bite; economic evaluation; female; follow up; habit; health care access; health care cost; health practitioner; home care; human; infant; information asymmetry; interview; knowledge; major clinical study; male; medical information; newborn; patient abandonment; patient attendance; patient dropout; post exposure prophylaxis; pre-exposure prophylaxis; quantitative analysis; questionnaire; rabies; residence characteristics; rural area; school child; social determinants of health; sociodemographics; traffic and transport; treatment refusal; urban area; urban rural difference; vaccination; veterinarian | Côte d’Ivoire; One Health; post-exposure prophylaxis; rabies; treatment completion |
| Vaccine Preventable Zoonotic Diseases: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Health Progress | Zoonotic diseases represent a heavy global burden, causing important economic losses,impacting animal health and production and costing millions of human lives. The vaccination of animals and humans to prevent inter-species zoonotic disease transmission is an important intervention. However, efforts to develop and implement vaccine interventions to reduce zoonotic disease impacts are often limited to the veterinary and agricultural sectors and do not reflect the shared burden of disease. Multisectoral collaboration, including co-development opportunities for human and animal vaccines, expanding vaccine use to include animal reservoirs such as wildlife, and strategically using vaccines to interrupt complex transmission cycles is needed. Addressing zoonoses requires a multi-faceted One Health approach, wherein vaccinating people and animals plays a critical role. © 2022 by the authors | vaccine; anthrax; Article; Brucella abortus; brucellosis; chronic infection; Ebola hemorrhagic fever; global disease burden; immunogenicity; influenza; Lyssavirus; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; needlestick injury; plague; post exposure prophylaxis; program cost effectiveness; public health; rabies; Rift Valley fever virus; salmonellosis; SARS coronavirus; underdiagnosis; West Nile fever; zoonosis; zoonotic transmission | animal; emerging; One Health; vaccine; zoonotic |
| A Chlamydia psittaci Outbreak in Psittacine Birds in Sardinia, Italy | Chlamydia psittaci is an intracellular bacterium belonging to the Chlamydiaceae family. It is the ethiologic agent of psittacosis, an occupational zoonotic disease that mainly concerns people who work in close contact with birds that represent the main infection route for human transmission. In Italy, information about this disease is lacking. This study is the first case of avian chlamydiosis reported from a pet shop in Sardinia, Italy. Chlamydia psittaci detected in psittacine birds by molecular analysis, direct immunofluorescence test together with anatomo-pathological observed lesions, highlighted the importance of focusing the attention over this underestimated zoonosis in a “One Health” prospective. © 2022 by the authors. | Animals; Bird Diseases; Birds; Chlamydophila psittaci; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Prospective Studies; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Italy; Sardinia; bacterial disease; detection method; disease incidence; disease transmission; disease vector; health risk; health status; occupational exposure; pathology; adult; Agapornis roseicollis; animal tissue; Article; autopsy; carcass; Chlamydia psittaci; cloaca; death; epidemic; female; hepatomegaly; histopathology; liver; liver congestion; lung congestion; lung edema; nonhuman; ornithosis; petechia; Pionites leucogaster; Pionites melanocephalus; psittacine; Psittacus erithacus; Psittacus krameri; Sardinia; animal; bird; bird disease; case report; genetics; human; microbiology; ornithosis; prospective study; veterinary medicine | Avian psittacosis; Chlamydia psittaci; Chlamydiales; Italy; One Health; zoonoses |
| Molecular survey of porcine respiratory disease complex pathogens in Brazilian wild boars | Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an exotic invasive species in Brazil and may be a reservoir for several pathogens, including those related to the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), a critical infectious disease in pig production. The objective of this study was to investigate viral and bacterial pathogens related to PRDC in free-living wild boars from Brazil. Eighty animals were examined in search of genomes of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), Torque teno Sus virus 1a (TTSuV1a) and 1b (TTSuV1b), Influenza A virus (IAV), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Glaesserella parasuis, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. The results demonstrated that 57.5% (46/80) of the animals had at least one detected pathogen, and 11.3% of them (9/80) were co-infected. TTSuV1a was the most prevalent genome, for which risk factors were associated with increased contact between wild boars and other animals. The other pathogens were detected at much lower frequencies or not detected (M. hyopneumoniae and IAV). An additional IAV serology search identified H1N1pdm09 antibodies in 35.5% (16/45) of the wild boars, bringing concern related to public health. In conclusion, wild boars are infected with pathogens that cause swine diseases, so their eventual contact with domestic pigs might risk animal production in Brazil. © 2022 Elsevier B.V. | Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Brazil; Circovirus; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae; Sus scrofa; Swine; Swine Diseases; virus antibody; Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae; adult; animal experiment; animal tissue; Article; autopsy; bacterium; Brazil; coinfection; controlled study; domestic pig; European wild boar; female; Glaesserella parasuis; histopathology; infection risk; infectious agent; Influenza A virus; male; molecular diagnosis; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae; nonhuman; Pasteurella multocida; Porcine circovirus 2; prevalence; real time polymerase chain reaction; respiratory tract disease; serology; swine disease; Torque teno sus virus 1a; Torque teno sus virus 1b; Torque teno virus 1; animal; Brazil; Circovirus; epidemiology; microbiology; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae; pig | Influenza A virus; One health; PCR; Porcine circovirus 2; Torque teno Sus virus |
| Ecosystem health and one health at the University of Guelph – A comment | [No abstract available] | Animals; Ecosystem; One Health; animal; ecosystem; One Health |
| Genomic Analysis of a mcr-9.1-Harbouring IncHI2-ST1 Plasmid from Enterobacter ludwigii Isolated in Fish Farming | This study analyzed the resistome, virulome and mobilome of an MCR-9-producing Enterobacter sp. identified in a muscle sample of seabream (Sparus aurata), collected in a land tank from multitrophic fish farming production. Average Nucleotide Identity analysis identified INSAq77 at the species level as an Enterobacter ludwigii INSAq77 strain that was resistant to chloramphenicol, florfenicol and fosfomycin and was susceptible to all other antibiotics tested. In silico antimicrobial resistance analyses revealed genes conferring in silico resistance to β-lactams (blaACT-88), chloramphenicol (catA4-type), fosfomycin (fosA2-type) and colistin (mcr-9.1), as well as several efflux pumps (e.g., oqxAB-type and mar operon). Further bioinformatics analysis revealed five plasmid replicon types, including the IncHI2/HI2A, which are linked to the worldwide dissemination of the mcr-9 gene in different antibiotic resistance reservoirs. The conserved nickel/copper operon rcnR-rcnA-pcoE-ISSgsp1-pcoS-IS903-mcr-9-wbuC was present, which may play a key role in copper tolerance under anaerobic growth and nickel homeostasis. These results highlight that antibiotic resistance in aquaculture are spreading through food, the environment and humans, which places this research in a One Health context. In fact, colistin is used as a last resort for the treatment of serious infections in clinical settings, thus mcr genes may represent a serious threat to human health. © 2022 by the authors. | amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; aztreonam; beta lactamase; cefepime; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; ceftazidime; ciprofloxacin; colistin; cotrimoxazole; ertapenem; florfenicol; fosfomycin; gentamicin; imipenem; meropenem; piperacillin plus tazobactam; RNA 16S; anaerobic growth; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistome; antibiotic sensitivity; aquaculture; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial growth; bacterial virulence; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; beta-lactam resistance; broth dilution; chloramphenicol resistance; colistin resistance; disk diffusion; Enterobacter; Enterobacter ludwigii; epsilometer test; gene; gene amplification; gene sequence; genetic analysis; genetic susceptibility; genome analysis; homeostasis; Klebsiella pneumoniae; minimum inhibitory concentration; multidrug resistance; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; operon; paired end sequencing; phylogenetic tree; phylogenomics; phylogeny; pisciculture; plasmid; plasmid mediated colistin resistance; replicon; sequence alignment; single nucleotide polymorphism; Sparus aurata; whole genome sequencing | aquaculture; mcr-9 gene; One Health; seabream |
| High overlap of zoonotic helminths between wild mammalian predators and rural dogs-an emerging One Health concern? | The concept of One Health emphasizes the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health and is of growing significance, in part owing to the problems related to emerging infectious diseases of wildlife origin. Wild mammalian predators are a potential risk factor for transmission of zoonotic pathogens to domesticated animals and humans. This is especially relevant in rural areas, where transmission of zoonotic pathogens can occur particularly efficiently when free-ranging dogs are present. The main aim of this study was to determine helminth infections among wild mammalian predators and evaluate the overlap between helminth faunas of wild mammals and dogs. Scat samples of predators were collected in coastal areas of Western Estonia and genetic methodology applied for the correct identification of predator species from their scat. Parasitic helminths of mammalian predators in the scat samples were analysed and compared with dog data from a previous study. High helminth prevalence (~90%) was found in dominant predator species in the area, namely the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and golden jackal (Canis aureus). Moreover, the helminth fauna of both wild species, including potentially zoonotic helminths, overlapped largely with that of rural dogs in the same area. The results, together with the ones from earlier parasitological studies among humans in Estonia, emphasize the potential risk of pathogen transmission from wild mammalian predators to dogs and from dogs to humans, making parasitic diseases of wildlife a One Health concern. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Cambridge University Press. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Feces; Foxes; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; One Health; Prevalence; genomic DNA; mitochondrial DNA; Article; bird; coinfection; dependent variable; disease transmission; DNA isolation; dog; domestic animal; Echinococcus granulosus; Echinococcus multilocularis; endemic species; Estonia; Eucoleus; fauna; feces analysis; fish; genetic analysis; genetic identification; golden jackal; helminthiasis; independent variable; mammal; nonhuman; One Health; parasite identification; parasitic zoonosis; pathogen transmission; polymerase chain reaction; predator; prevalence; reptile; risk factor; rural area; sampling; seashore; Taeniidae; Toxocara canis; Toxocara cati; Trichuris; Uncinaria stenocephala; Vulpes vulpes; wild species; zoonotic transmission; animal; dog; dog disease; feces; fox; genetics; helminth; human; intestine infection; parasitology; veterinary medicine; wild animal | Canis aureus; Canis familiaris; Eucoleus; genetic identification; Taeniidae; Toxocara canis; Toxocara cati; Trichuris; Uncinaria stenocephala; Vulpes vulpes; zoonotic parasites |
| Adaptation of a Human Diagnostic Kit to Detect Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya Viruses in Mosquito Samples (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus): A Contribution to Public Health in the International Triple Border (Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina) | Objective: The objective of this work was to adapt a diagnostic kit developed for humans to identify Dengue (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, DENV4), Zika (ZIKV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in females of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus and to verify if the occurrence of mosquitoes infected with these three arboviruses are being found in regions with high occurrence of these diseases in humans. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, live mosquitoes were captured between January and June 2020 using 3,476 traps permanently installed in the field were used. After capture, the species were identified, then the females were placed in a pool of 2 to 10 specimens and sent to the laboratory for detection of DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, DENV4, ZIKV and CHIKV by RT-PCR using a commercial human kit for arboviruses. Results: Of the 76 mosquito pools collected, six (7.9%) pools tested positive for the DENV2 virus. The DENV-positive mosquitoes were collected in regions with a high incidence of reported cases of Dengue or in adjacent areas. Conclusion: The absence of kits for the detection of these arboviruses in Aedes is a limiting factor and the adequacy of commercial kits, already used for the diagnosis of arboviruses in humans, the results presented demonstrate that it is possible to identify the presence of DENV2 in mosquitoes with the respective kit, reinforcing the use of RT-qPCR as a robust diagnostic tool for epidemiological surveillance allowing managers to receive timely results for decision-making regarding prevention and control actions. © 2022 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. | Aedes; Animals; Arboviruses; Argentina; Brazil; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Dengue; Dengue Virus; Female; Humans; Mosquito Vectors; Paraguay; Public Health; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection; adult; Aedes; Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus; Arbovirus; Argentina; Article; Brazil; Chikungunya virus; controlled study; decision making; dengue; Dengue virus; Dengue virus 1; Dengue virus 2; Dengue virus 3; Dengue virus 4; epidemiological surveillance; female; incidence; molecular diagnosis; nonhuman; Paraguay; RNA extraction; urban area; Zika virus; Aedes; animal; Arbovirus; chikungunya; dengue; Dengue virus; genetics; human; mosquito vector; Paraguay; public health; veterinary medicine; Zika fever; Zika virus | arboviruses; epidemiological surveillance; mosquitoes; one health; RT-qPCR |
| Zoonoses as Important Causes of Hospital Admissions: A 15-Year Study in Portugal | Introduction: Zoonoses represent 75% of emerging diseases. These diseases pose a permanent threat to human health and well-being and have the potential to become increasingly frequent due to habitat degradation; land-use changes; and increased global mobility of humans, animals, and animal products. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact ten zoonoses (brucellosis, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, rabies, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, and West Nile fever) had on human hospitalizations between 2002 and 2016 in Portuguese National Health Service hospitals. Material and Methods: A retrospective nationwide study was conducted using hospitalization records gathered by Administração Central do Sistema de Saúde from all Portuguese public hospitals. Results: Between 2002 and 2016, zoonoses caused 181,741 hospitalizations, a total number of hospitalization days of 2,033,125, and 10,611 deaths. The ten studied zoonoses caused 5,183 hospitalizations, 71,548 hospitalization days, and 176 deaths. All, except Lyme disease, showed a trend of decreasing numbers of hospitalizations. Discussion and Conclusion: The impact of each zoonosis in hospitalized patients regarding their age, sex, the severity of disease, and region can be attributed to the specific characteristics of each disease, regarding means of infection, pathogenicity, and geographic distribution. Hospitalizations caused by zoonoses have declined since the beginning of the century in Portugal. They still represent, however, relevant impacts on Public Health. The promotion of trans professional cooperation guided by One Health principles will further aid in the control of these important diseases. © 2022 S. Karger AG. All rights reserved. | adolescent; adult; aged; Article; brucellosis; child; controlled study; cysticercosis; descriptive research; echinococcosis; female; geographic distribution; hospital admission; hospitalization; human; infant; leishmaniasis; leptospirosis; Lyme disease; major clinical study; male; national health service; One Health; pathogenicity; Portugal; rabies; retrospective study; toxoplasmosis; trichinosis; very elderly; West Nile fever; zoonosis | Hospitalization; National Health Service; One Health; Retrospective study; Zoonoses |
| Accounting for Dilution of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater Samples Using Physico-Chemical Markers | Most sewer networks collect domestic wastewater and a variable proportion of extraneous water, such as rainwater, through surface runoff and industrial discharges. Accounting for wastewater dilution is essential to properly quantify wastewater particle loads, whether these are molecular fragments of SARS-CoV-2, or other substances of interest such as illicit drugs or microplastics. This paper presents a novel method for obtaining real-time estimates of wastewater dilution and total daily volume through wastewater treatment works, namely when flow data is not available or unreliable. The approach considers the levels of several physico-chemical markers (ammonia, electrical conductivity, and orthophosphate) in the wastewater against their dry-weather levels. Using high-resolution data from the national Wastewater Surveillance Programme of Wales, we illustrate how the method is robust to spikes in markers and can recover peaks in wastewater flow measurements that may have been capped by hydraulic relief valves. We show the method proves effective in normalising SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in wastewater samples and discuss other applications for this method, looking at wastewater surveillance as a vital tool to monitor both human and environmental health. © 2022 by the authors. | Dilution; Wastewater treatment; Chemical markers; Domestic wastewater; Flow normalization; Normalisation; One health; Physico-chemicals; Sewer networks; Wastewater dilution; Wastewater samples; Wastewater-based epidemiology; epidemiology; physicochemical property; plastic; runoff; sampling; severe acute respiratory syndrome; wastewater; wastewater treatment; Coronavirus | flow normalisation; One Health; SARS-CoV-2; wastewater; wastewater dilution; wastewater-based epidemiology |
| Acinetobacter baylyi Strain BD413 Can Acquire an Antibiotic Resistance Gene by Natural Transformation on Lettuce Phylloplane and Enter the Endosphere | Antibiotic resistance spread must be considered in a holistic framework which comprises the agri-food ecosystems, where plants can be considered a bridge connecting water and soil habitats with the human microbiome. However, the study of horizontal gene transfer events within the plant microbiome is still overlooked. Here, the environmental strain Acinetobacter baylyi BD413 was used to study the acquisition of extracellular DNA (exDNA) carrying an antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) on lettuce phylloplane, performing experiments at conditions (i.e., plasmid quantities) mimicking those that can be found in a water reuse scenario. Moreover, we assessed how the presence of a surfactant, a co-formulant widely used in agriculture, affected exDNA entry in bacteria and plant tissues, besides the penetration and survival of bacteria into the leaf endosphere. Natural transformation frequency in planta was comparable to that occurring under optimal conditions (i.e., temperature, nutrient provision, and absence of microbial competitors), representing an entrance pathway of ARGs into an epiphytic bacterium able to penetrate the endosphere of a leafy vegetable. The presence of the surfactant determined a higher presence of culturable transformant cells in the leaf tissues but did not significantly increase exDNA entry in A. baylyi BD413 cells and lettuce leaves. More research on HGT (Horizontal Gene Transfer) mechanisms in planta should be performed to obtain experimental data on produce safety in terms of antibiotic resistance. © 2022 by the authors. | genomic DNA; green fluorescent protein; kanamycin; rifampicin; surfactant; Acinetobacter baylyi; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterial survival; bacterium colony; bacterium culture; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; bacterium transformation; cell suspension; colony forming unit; controlled study; DNA extraction; epifluorescence microscopy; Escherichia coli; gene transfer; leaf surface; lettuce; microbiome; nonhuman; phenotype; plant growth; plant tissue; plasmid; ultraviolet spectrophotometry | emerging organic contaminants; horizontal gene transfer; one-health; phyllosphere; plant microbiome; surfactants; water reuse |
| Antimicrobial resistance—Do we share more than companionship with our dogs? | Aims: To investigate and compare antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in faeces from cohabiting dogs and owners. Methods and Results: DNA from faecal samples from 35 dogs and 35 owners was screened for the presence of 34 clinically relevant ARGs using high throughput qPCR. In total, 24 and 25 different ARGs were present in the dog and owner groups, respectively. The households had a mean of 9.9 ARGs present, with dogs and owners sharing on average 3.3 ARGs. ARGs were shared significantly more in households with dogs over 6 years old (3.5, interquartile range 2.75–5.0) than in households with younger dogs (2.5, interquartile range 2.0–3.0) (p = 0.02). Dogs possessed significantly more mecA and aminoglycoside resistance genes than owners. Conclusions: Dogs and owners can act as reservoirs for a broad range of ARGs belonging to several antimicrobial resistance classes. A modest proportion of the same resistance genes were present in both dogs and owners simultaneously, indicating that ARG transmission between the dog and human gut is of minor concern in the absence of antimicrobial selection. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides insight into the common dog and human gut resistomes, contributing to an improved knowledge base in risk assessments regarding ARG transmission between dogs and humans. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for Applied Microbiology. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Child; Dogs; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Feces; Humans; aminoglycoside; beta lactam; colistin; dihydrofolate reductase; DNA; genomic DNA; glycopeptide; lincosamide; macrolide; mikamycin B; quinolone derivative; RNA 16S; sulfonamide; tetracycline derivative; antiinfective agent; antimicrobial activity; canid; digestive system; DNA; feces; gene; polymerase chain reaction; adult; aminoglycoside resistance; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; Article; class 1 integron; controlled study; cycle threshold value; DNA extraction; dog; feces; feces analysis; female; gene; high throughput analysis; household; human; male; middle aged; nonhuman; pet animal; real time polymerase chain reaction; animal; antibiotic resistance; child; dog; genetics | antimicrobial resistance genes; dog; faecal resistome; high throughput qPCR; human; one health |
| Integration of surveillance of priority zoonotic diseases into the existing polio eradication program in Ethiopia: processes, opportunities, successes, and challenges | Zoonoses are a major public health concern. The Ethiopia CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP) integrated active surveillance of the Priority Zoonotic Diseases (PZDs) using the existing polio infrastructure. The purpose of this review was to explore the processes, opportunities, successes and challenges of the integration of PZDs surveillance and response into the polio program. It document reviews of reports, minutes, desk review of CGPP secretariat staff and interview of field-level coordinators. The project started with development of integrated plan of Polio and Global Health Security (GHS) project. The project team assembled technical experts from the CGPP Secretariat and partner to develop a revised and harmonized training guide and manual for the frontline community volunteers. The project trained 168 government surveillance staff from both human and livestock health sectors using a one health approach training of trainers. In 2020, the trained professionals further trained 5,481 community members, 2,808 frontline human health workers, and 1,589 animal health assistants (AHAs). Following the training, the project launched field activities and monitoring. In 2021, the project volunteers reported 263 PZDs alerts through the Open Data Kit system. In addition, 70 one health task force teams were established at Woreda, zonal and regional levels. The project community volunteers visited 683,479 households and reaching 1,765,584 people in financial year (FY) 2021 alone. Major opportunities for integration included budget integration, the existence of trained community surveillance volunteers, established linkages between frontline workers and community volunteers, and the existence of mapped cross-border activities. On the other hand, problem of delayed in an integrated monitoring mechanism was the challenge for the implementation of one health approach. © Muluken Asres Alemu et al. | community-based surveillance; global health security; Integration; one health; polio; priority zoonotic diseases; success |
| “When a dog bites someone”: Community and service provider dynamics influencing access to integrated bite case management in Chad | This study aims to identify factors on the community, the human health and the animal health provider level that determine access to Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and animal rabies diagnosis in the light of a future integrated bite case management (IBCM) approach for rabies control in Chad. The study was embedded in an overall project conducted from 2016 to 2018, to determine rabies burden and vaccine demand in West and Central Africa. Data collection took place during the projects closing workshops with stakeholders organized between August and September 2018 in the three study zones in Chad covering Logone Occidental and Ouaddaï province and parts of Hadjer Lamis and Chari Baguirmi province. A qualitative approach based on focus group discussion and in-depth interviews was used to get insights on access to care and animal investigation after suspected rabies exposure. A total of 96 participants, including 39 from the community (bite victims, dog owners) and 57 human and animal health providers (health center managers, chief veterinary officers, chief district medical officers, chiefs of livestock sectors) contributed to the study. Based on an existing conceptual framework of access to health care, several points of dissatisfaction were identified, in particular the unaffordability of human rabies vaccine for PEP (affordability) and the distance to travel to a health facility in case of a bite (accessibility). In addition, there are unfavorable attitudes observed highlighted by the importance given to traditional or local rabies care practices to the detriment of PEP (acceptability) and a low level of knowledge among Chadian communities regarding bite prevention, coupled with a very inadequate information and awareness system regarding the disease (adequacy). As for human and veterinary health services, both sectors suffer from insufficient resources for PEP on the human health and rabies diagnosis on the veterinary side impacting negatively on availability and accessibility of both these services. Action to improving provision of rabies health services and increasing knowledge about risk and prevention of the disease among the population need to be undertaken to implement IBCM, improve access to PEP and achieve the goal of eliminating dog mediated human rabies by 2030 in Chad. Copyright © 2022 Madjadinan, Mbaipago, Sougou, Diongue, Zinsstag, Heitz-Tokpa and Lechenne. | rabies vaccine; accident prevention; adult; Article; case management; Central Africa; Chad; clinical article; community dynamics; conceptual framework; disease burden; dog bite; female; health care access; health care facility; health care personnel; health care policy; health practitioner; health service; human; knowledge; livestock; male; medical personnel; Muslim; nonhuman; patient attitude; patient referral; post exposure prophylaxis; primary education; qualitative analysis; qualitative research; quantitative study; rabies; rainy season; rearing; secondary education; stakeholder engagement; tertiary education; veterinarian; veterinary clinic; veterinary medicine; West African; workshop | Chad; integrated bite case management (or alternatively IBCM); One Health; PEP access; rabies |
| An Interdisciplinary Approach to One Health: Course Design, Development, and Delivery | One Health is an approach to studying health by recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This article describes the process of designing a new course on One Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). We brought together faculty and students from across campus to develop a multidisciplinary course dedicated to One Health and infectious diseases. This group met over 9 months to brainstorm course goals, objectives, and ideas. The group also organized a workshop to explore One Health’s existing knowledge and ongoing work on the UIUC campus. We solicited the help of experts throughout the university to co-teach the course. The course curriculum and course materials included 13 unique case studies. The course was offered in fall 2019, and its goals were to add to the existing training and coursework on One Health at the University of Illinois campus, offer a course that would be suitable for students from all fields of study, and develop helpful case studies to be made available to other educators. Student feedback highlights the course’s successes as well as areas for future improvement. This article describes this entire process of course development, provides recommendations to guide improvements in the next offering of the course, and details our contributions to the field of One Health education. | Animals; Curriculum; Education, Veterinary; Humans; One Health; Students; Universities; animal; case report; curriculum; education; human; One Health; student; university | curriculum; graduate education; interdisciplinary/inter-professional education; One Health |
| Whole-genome sequencing links Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile in a single hospital to diverse environmental sources in the community | Aims: To investigate if Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile infection (CDI), traditionally thought of as hospital-acquired, can be genomically linked to hospital or community environmental sources, and to define possible importation routes from the community to the hospital. Methods and Results: In 2019, C. difficile was isolated from 89/300 (29.7%) floor and 96/300 (32.0%) shoe sole samples at a tertiary hospital in Western Australia. Non-toxigenic C. difficile ribotype (RT) 010 predominated among floor (96.6%) and shoe sole (73.2%) isolates, while toxigenic RT 014/020 was most prevalent among contemporaneous clinical cases (33.0%) at the hospital. Whole-genome sequencing and high-resolution core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (cgSNP) analysis on C. difficile strains from hospital and community sources showed no clinical C. difficile RT 014/020 strains were genetically related, and evidence of frequent long-distance, multi-directional spread between humans, animals and the environment. In addition, cgSNP analysis of environmental RT 010 strains suggested transportation of C. difficile via shoe soles. Conclusions: While C. difficile RT 014/020 appears to spread via routes outside the healthcare system, RT 010 displayed a pattern of possible importation from the community into the hospital. Significance and Impact of Study: These findings suggest developing community-based infection prevention and control strategies could significantly lower rates of CDI in the hospital setting. © 2021 The Society for Applied Microbiology. | Australia; Western Australia; disease transmission; environmental modeling; epidemiology; health care; phylogenetics; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterial transmission; bacterium culture; bacterium isolate; building; Clostridioides difficile; Clostridium difficile infection; community; community acquired infection; controlled study; core genome; genetic variability; genetic variation; hospital infection; nonhuman; phylogenomics; single nucleotide polymorphism; tertiary care center; Western Australia; whole genome sequencing | CDI; environmental; epidemiology; One Health; phylogenetics; transmission; zoonosis |
| A One Health Genomic Investigation of Gentamicin Resistance in Escherichia coli from Human and Chicken Sources in Canada, 2014 to 2017 | We investigated whether gentamicin resistance (Genr) in Escherichia coli isolates from human infections was related to Genr E. coli in chicken and whether resistance may be due to coselection from use of lincomycin-spectinomycin in chickens on farms. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 483 Genr E. coli isolates isolated between 2014 and 2017. These included 205 human-source isolates collected by the Canadian Ward (CANWARD) program and 278 chicken-source isolates: 167 from live/recently slaughtered chickens (animals) and 111 from retail chicken meat collected by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS). The predominant Genr gene was different in human and chicken sources; however, both sources carried aac(3)-IId, aac(3)-VIa, and aac(3)-IVa. Forty-one percent of human clinical isolates of Genr E. coli contained a blaCTX-M extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gene (84/205), and 53% of these were sequence type 131 (ST131). Phylogenomic analysis revealed a high diversity of Genr isolates; however, there were three small clusters of closely related isolates from human and chicken sources. Genr and spectinomycin resistance (Specr) genes were colocated in 148/167 (89%) chicken animal isolates, 94/111 (85%) chicken retail meat isolates, and 137/205 (67%) human-source isolates. Long-read sequencing of 23 isolates showed linkage of the Genr and Specr genes on the same plasmid in 14/15 (93%) isolates from chicken(s) and 6/8 (75%) isolates from humans. The use of lincomycin-spectinomycin on farms may be coselecting for gentamicin-resistant plasmids in E. coli in broiler chickens; however, Genr isolates and plasmids were mostly different in chickens and humans. © Crown copyright 2022. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Canada; Chickens; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Genomics; Gentamicins; Humans; Lincomycin; One Health; Plasmids; Spectinomycin; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; cefoxitin; ceftriaxone; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; extended spectrum beta lactamase; gentamicin; lincomycin; R factor; RNA 16S; spectinomycin; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; gentamicin; spectinomycin; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; Canada; chicken; core genome; Escherichia coli; genomics; gentamicin resistance; human; meat; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; pangenome; phylogenomics; single nucleotide polymorphism; whole genome sequencing; animal; epidemiology; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; genetics; genomics; One Health; plasmid; veterinary medicine | aminoglycosides; antimicrobial resistance; genomics; gentamicin; poultry; whole-genome sequencing |
| Low Ciprofloxacin Concentrations Select Multidrug-Resistant Mutants Overproducing Efflux Pumps in Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Low antibiotic concentrations present in natural environments are a severe and often neglected threat to public health. Even if they are present below their MICs, they may select for antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Notably, the minimal subinhibitory concentrations that select resistant bacteria, and define the respective sub-MIC selective windows, differ between antibiotics. The establishment of these selective concentrations is needed for risk-assessment studies regarding the presence of antibiotics in different habitats. Using short-term evolution experiments in a set of 12 Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates (including high-risk clones with ubiquitous distribution), we have determined that ciprofloxacin sub-MIC selective windows are strain specific and resistome dependent. Nonetheless, in all cases, clinically relevant multidrug-resistant (MDR) mutants emerged upon exposure to low ciprofloxacin concentrations, with these concentrations being below the levels reported in ciprofloxacin-polluted natural habitats where P. aeruginosa can be present. This feature expands the conditions and habitats where clinically relevant quinolone-resistant mutants can emerge. In addition, we established the lowest concentration threshold beyond which P. aeruginosa, regardless of the strain, becomes resistant to ciprofloxacin. Three days of exposure under this sub-MIC “risk concentration” led to the selection of MDR mutants that displayed resistance mechanisms usually ascribed to high selective pressures, i.e., the overproduction of the efflux pumps MexCD-OprJ and MexEF-OprN. From a One-Health viewpoint, these data stress the transcendent role of low drug concentrations, which can be encountered in natural ecosystems, in aggravating the antibiotic resistance problem, especially when it comes to pathogens of environmental origin. IMPORTANCE It has been established that antibiotic concentrations below MICs can select antibiotic-resistant pathogens, a feature of relevance for analyzing the role of nonclinical ecosystems in antibiotic resistance evolution. The range of concentrations where this selection occurs defines the sub-MIC selective window, whose width depends on the antibiotic. Herein, we have determined the ciprofloxacin sub-MIC selective windows of a set of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates (including high-risk clones with worldwide distribution) and established the lowest concentration threshold, notably an amount reported to be present in natural ecosystems, beyond which this pathogen acquires resistance. Importantly, our results show that this ciprofloxacin sub-MIC selects for multidrug-resistant mutants overproducing clinically relevant efflux pumps. From a One-Health angle, this information supports that low antimicrobial concentrations, present in natural environments, may have a relevant role in worsening the antibiotic resistance crisis, particularly regarding pathogens with environmental niches, such as P. aeruginosa. Copyright © 2022 Sanz-García et al. | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ciprofloxacin; Ecosystem; Membrane Transport Proteins; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; amikacin; aztreonam; ceftazidime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; erythromycin; fosfomycin; imipenem; levofloxacin; meropenem; tetracycline; tigecycline; antiinfective agent; carrier protein; ciprofloxacin; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistome; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium isolate; controlled study; gene expression; mexCD oprJ gene; mexEF oprN gene; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; risk assessment; single nucleotide polymorphism; species habitat; ecosystem; genetics; microbial sensitivity test | ciprofloxacin; clinical isolates; cross-resistance; MDR efflux pumps; One-Health; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; sub-MIC selective window |
| Association of hoarding case identification and animal protection programs to socioeconomic indicators in a major metropolitan area of Brazil | The present study assessed the identification of animal and object hoarding disorder cases by contact and mapping and the presence of animal protection programs in association with seven social–economic indicators of the metropolitan area of the ninth-biggest metropolitan area of Brazil. City Secretaries of Health and Environment provided demographic information and responded to a questionnaire. Overall, a very high level of hoarding case identification per municipality was associated with a higher Human Development Index, population, density, and income and related to distance from Curitiba, the capital of Parana State. Low and very low levels of hoarding case identification were related to greater area, higher Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), inequality, illiteracy, and rural areas. Very high identification level of animal protection programs was also associated with higher HDI, density and population, urban area, and high income, and geographical area. Similarly, low and very low levels of animal protection programs identification were major explained by low income, illiteracy, and distance related to higher population, urbanization, and higher HDI. In summary, better identification of hoarding cases and animal protection programs have shown an association with better socioeconomic indicators and higher population, density, and urban area. Whether municipalities with better human socioeconomic indicators may stimulate society’s demands for identification of cases of individuals with hoarding disorder and animal programs should be further established. Regardless, animal health and welfare have been associated with improving human quality of life in a major Brazilian metropolitan area. Copyright © 2022 de Moura, de Castro, Farinhas, da Cunha, Pegoraro, Kmetiuk, dos Santos and Biondo. | adolescent; adult; animal abuse; animal experiment; animal health; animal welfare; Article; Brazil; child; controlled study; correspondence analysis; domestic animal; female; hoarding; hoarding disorder; human; illiteracy; lowest income group; male; nonhuman; One Health; population density; primary school; urban area; urbanization; waste; water supply | animal health; animals hoarders; hoarding behavior; human health; One Health; pet welfare |
| Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment: Towards Elucidating the Roles of Bioaerosols in Transmission and Detection of Antibacterial Resistance Genes | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is continuing to grow across the world. Though often thought of as a mostly public health issue, AMR is also a major agricultural and environmental problem. As such, many researchers refer to it as the preeminent One Health issue. Aerial transport of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria via bioaerosols is still poorly understood. Recent work has highlighted the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in bioaerosols. Emissions of AMR bacteria and genes have been detected from various sources, including wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, and agricultural practices; however, their impacts on the broader environment are poorly understood. Contextualizing the roles of bioaerosols in the dissemination of AMR necessitates a multidisciplinary approach. Environmental factors, industrial and medical practices, as well as ecological principles influence the aerial dissemination of resistant bacteria. This article introduces an ongoing project assessing the presence and fate of AMR in bioaerosols across Canada. Its various sub-studies include the assessment of the emissions of antibiotic resistance genes from many agricultural practices, their long-distance transport, new integrative methods of assessment, and the creation of dissemination models over short and long distances. Results from sub-studies are beginning to be published. Consequently, this paper explains the background behind the development of the various sub-studies and highlight their shared aspects. © 2022 by the authors. | RNA 16S; sulfanilamide; aerosol transmission; agricultural procedures; air sampling; aminoglycoside resistance; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterium identification; beta-lactam resistance; colistin resistance; DNA sequencing; environmental factor; environmental health; fluoroquinolone resistance; geographic distribution; limit of detection; limit of quantitation; livestock; macrolide resistance; microbial community; microbial viability; microorganism detection; mobile genetic element; nonhuman; particulate matter; public health; real time polymerase chain reaction; respiratory droplets and aerosols; risk assessment; tetracycline resistance; vancomycin resistance; waste water management | antibiotic resistance genes; bioaerosols; culturomics; DNA sequencing; large-scale monitoring; one Health; quantitative PCR |
| Epidemiology of Rickettsia spp. in Atlantic rainforest areas of island and seashore mainland, southern Brazil | Non-fatal cases of rickettsial infection with different clinical features than the classic BSF (Brazilian Spotted Fever) have been reported in seashore areas of Paraná state, southern Brazil. In addition, Amblyomma ovale tick infected by Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest has been also described in this area. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies in human and dog populations, and Rickettsia spp. infection in ticks from oceanic islands and seashore mainland cities of southern Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 328 persons and their 282 dogs from three islands and two seashore mainland cities. A total of 211 ticks were collected from dogs, identified as A. ovale and R. sanguineus. In overall, 40 of 328 (12.2%) human samples were seropositive for Rickettsia spp., including 21 of 190 (11.1%) on islands and 19 of 138 (13.7%) on seashore mainland, and 62 of 282 (22.0%) dog samples, including 31 of 153 (20.3%) on islands and 31 of 129 (24.0%) in seashore mainland areas. In overall, nine of 82 (11.0%) ticks were positive to real-time PCR assay targeting a fragment of the rickettsial gltA gene, including two of 64 (3.1%) Rickettsia sanguineus and seven of 18 (38.9%) A. ovale, of which four were infected with the R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest. Despite no association between risk factors and Rickettsia spp. seropositivity was found in human beings, access to natural areas (p =.011) and tick infestation (p =.004) was significantly associated to dog seropositivity. The serological and molecular findings herein have confirmed previous tick and clinical case reports and enlarged the geographical occurrence of A. ovale infected by R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in oceanic islands and seashore mainland cities of Paraná State, indicating a new likely transmission area of this new rickettsial infection in human beings and dogs of southern Brazil. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Brazil; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Humans; Ixodidae; Rainforest; Rickettsia Infections; Ticks; citrate synthase; fluorescein isothiocyanate; immunoglobulin G; outer membrane protein A; Amblyomma; animal hunting; Article; Atlantic islands; Brazil; clinical feature; dog; education; female; homologous recombination; household income; human; major clinical study; male; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; occupation; organization and management; questionnaire; rain forest; real time polymerase chain reaction; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Rickettsia; Rickettsia parkeri; seashore; serology; spotted fever rickettsiosis; tick; vector borne disease; virus transmission; animal; dog disease; Ixodidae; microbiology; Rickettsiaceae infection; tick; veterinary medicine | One Health; spotted fever; vector-borne diseases |
| Cluster of human Puumala orthohantavirus infections due to indoor exposure?—An interdisciplinary outbreak investigation | Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is the most important hantavirus species in Europe, causing the majority of human hantavirus disease cases. In central and western Europe, the occurrence of human infections is mainly driven by bank vole population dynamics influenced by beech mast. In Germany, hantavirus epidemic years are observed in 2- to 5-year intervals. Many of the human infections are recorded in summer and early autumn, coinciding with peaks in bank vole populations. Here, we describe a molecular epidemiological investigation in a small company with eight employees of whom five contracted hantavirus infections in late 2017. Standardized interviews with employees were conducted to assess the circumstances under which the disease cluster occurred, how the employees were exposed and which counteractive measures were taken. Initially, two employees were admitted to hospital and serologically diagnosed with hantavirus infection. Subsequently, further investigations were conducted. By means of a self-administered questionnaire, three additional symptomatic cases could be identified. The hospital patients’ sera were investigated and revealed in one patient a partial PUUV L segment sequence, which was identical to PUUV sequences from several bank voles collected in close proximity to company buildings. This investigation highlights the importance of a One Health approach that combines efforts from human and veterinary medicine, ecology and public health to reveal the origin of hantavirus disease clusters. © 2022 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Arvicolinae; Disease Outbreaks; Hantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome; Humans; Puumala virus; Rodent Diseases; immunoglobulin G antibody; immunoglobulin M antibody; adult; Article; backache; controlled study; demographics; disease classification; dizziness; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; fever; headache; human; major clinical study; male; myalgia; nephropathia epidemica; questionnaire; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; virus load; animal; Arvicolinae; epidemic; genetics; Hantavirus; Hantavirus infection; hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome; Puumala virus; rodent disease; veterinary medicine | Clethrionomys glareolus; hantavirus outbreak; occupational exposure; One Health initiative; Puumala orthohantavirus |
| Innovate to eliminate: a prerequisite in NTD programmes | Innovation plays a critical role in progress towards achievement of the World Health Organization’s road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030. As disease prevalence decreases, the cost to identify and treat remaining cases goes up. Additionally, as programmes move to the surveillance phase, diagnostic tests need to be highly sensitive and affordable. Until the early end to the Ascend West and Central Africa programme, the Ascend Learning and Innovation Fund supported five projects from 2019 to 2021. Designed for innovation, the fund encompassed a range of activities, including operational research, product development and social behavioural change. This flexibility allowed innovation to bridge the gap between strategic policy and practical implementation, piloting and proving business models to respond to information found through Ascend. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. | Humans; Neglected Diseases; Policy; human; neglected disease; policy | adaptation; collaboration; COVID-19; innovation; One Health; research and development |
| SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in infected mink farms | Animals like mink, cats and dogs are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the Netherlands, 69 out of 127 mink farms were infected with SARS-CoV-2 between April and November 2020 and all mink on infected farms were culled after SARS-CoV-2 infection to prevent further spread of the virus. On some farms, (feral) cats and dogs were present. This study provides insight into the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-positive cats and dogs in 10 infected mink farms and their possible role in transmission of the virus. Throat and rectal swabs of 101 cats (12 domestic and 89 feral cats) and 13 dogs of 10 farms were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using PCR. Serological assays were performed on serum samples from 62 adult cats and all 13 dogs. Whole Genome Sequencing was performed on one cat sample. Cat-to-mink transmission parameters were estimated using data from all 10 farms. This study shows evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 12 feral cats and 2 dogs. Eleven cats (18%) and two dogs (15%) tested serologically positive. Three feral cats (3%) and one dog (8%) tested PCR-positive. The sequence generated from the cat throat swab clustered with mink sequences from the same farm. The calculated rate of mink-to-cat transmission showed that cats on average had a chance of 12% (95%CI 10%–18%) of becoming infected by mink, assuming no cat-to-cat transmission. As only feral cats were infected it is most likely that infections in cats were initiated by mink, not by humans. Whether both dogs were infected by mink or humans remains inconclusive. This study presents one of the first reports of interspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2 that does not involve humans, namely mink-to-cat transmission, which should also be considered as a potential risk for spread of SARS-CoV-2. © 2021 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Cat Diseases; Cats; COVID-19; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Farms; Humans; Mink; SARS-CoV-2; agricultural land; animal; cat; cat disease; dog; dog disease; human; Neovison vison; veterinary medicine; wild animal | cats; dogs; epidemiology; mink; one health; SARS-CoV-2 |
| Mental Health and Substance Use of Farmers in Canada during COVID-19 | Farmers in Canada faced higher levels of mental distress than the general public prior to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and are generally less likely than the public to seek help. However, the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on farmers in Canada remain unexplored. Our objective was to investigate mental health outcomes among farmers in Canada by gender and within the context of COVID-19. We conducted a national, online, cross-sectional survey of farmers in Canada (February–May 2021). The survey included validated scales of anxiety, depression, perceived stress, burnout (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, professional efficacy), alcohol use, resilience, and questions regarding participants’ perceived changes in these outcomes during the pandemic. Data were also collected on the impact of COVID-19 specific social and economic factors on mental health, help-seeking, and sense of community belonging through the pandemic. Descriptive statistics were summarized, and Chi-square analyses and t-tests were conducted to compare survey results between genders and to data collected in our similar 2016 survey and normative population data. A total of 1167 farmers participated in the survey. Participants scored more severely across scales than scale norms and the general Canadian population during COVID-19. Scale means were consistent between the 2016 and 2021 samples. Most participants with moderate to severe scores for any outcome reported worsening symptoms since the pandemic began. Women fared significantly worse than men across measures. Over twice as many women reported seeking mental health or substance use support during the pandemic than men. Participants rated the mental health impacts of all social and economic factors related to COVID-19 examined significantly (p < 0.05) differently than the Canadian public. The pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of farmers in Canada and in ways that differ from the general population. National level and gender-specific mental health supports are needed to help improve the mental health of farmers in Canada. © 2022 by the authors. | Anxiety; Canada; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Farmers; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Substance-Related Disorders; Canada; agriculture; COVID-19; drug user; farmers attitude; health impact; mental disorder; mental health; resilience; adult; agricultural worker; agriculture; alcohol consumption; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; anxiety disorder; Article; burnout; Canada; chi square test; clinical outcome; Connor Davidson resilience scale; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cross-sectional study; cynicism; depression; disease severity; economics; emotional stress; female; gender; Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; health survey; help seeking behavior; human; information processing; major clinical study; male; Maslach Burnout Inventory; mental health; mental stress; middle aged; online system; pandemic; Patient Health Questionnaire 9; Perceived Stress Scale; professional efficacy; psychological resilience; rating scale; scoring system; self concept; sex difference; social aspect; statistics; Student t test; substance use; agricultural worker; anxiety; Canada; depression; drug dependence; mental health; psychology | agriculture; anxiety; burnout; depression; one health; perceived stress; resilience |
| The One Health vision requires veterinarians and physicians to collaborate to prevent bioethical challenges created by restricted access to ketamine in low- and middle-income countries | The One Health approach asserts that the health of animals and people is closely connected. Under this approach, the CDC and AVMA work globally to attain optimal health outcomes for both animals and humans. One facet of optimal health involves access to safe and effective anesthetics and analgesics. The anesthetic and analgesic drug ketamine possesses unique properties that make it particularly important for both veterinary and human patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These properties include its portability and stability, low cost, ease of administration, and wide therapeutic margin. China advocates regularly to the United Nations for global scheduling of ketamine as a controlled substance. However, this would disproportionately restrict access to ketamine in LMICs, imposing bioethical challenges related to animal patients, human patients, and communities. In alignment with the One Health vision, opposing global scheduling of ketamine in LMICs creates a unique opportunity for collaboration between veterinarians and physicians in LMICs and high-income countries to prevent these bioethical challenges. © 2022 American Veterinary Medical Association. All rights reserved. | Analgesics; Anesthetics; Animals; Developing Countries; Humans; Ketamine; One Health; Physicians; Veterinarians; ketamine; analgesic agent; anesthetic agent; ketamine; anesthesia; Article; bioethics; China; collaborative care team; drug regulation; health care access; high income country; human; low income country; middle income country; nonhuman; One Health; pain; physician; public health service; treatment outcome; United Nations; veterinarian; animal; developing country |
| Clonal Complexes 23, 10, 131 and 38 as Genetic Markers of the Environmental Spread of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing E. coli | In accordance with the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2015, there is a need to develop surveillance programs for antimicrobial resistant bacteria. In this context, we have analyzed the clonal diversity of Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from aquatic environments and human and food samples in Spain, with the aim of determining possible clonal complexes (CCs) that act as markers of the potential risk of transmission of these resistant bacteria. The phylogenetic groups, sequence types (STs) and CCs were determined by different Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) techniques. Phylogroup A was prevalent and was mainly present in food and water strains, while human strains were mostly associated with phylogroup B2. According to the observed prevalence in the different niches, CC23 and CC10 are proposed as markers of phylogroups A and C, related with the spread of blaCTX-M1 and blaCTX-M15 genes. Similarly, CC131 and CC38 could be associated to the dissemination of pathogenic strains (phylogroups B2 and D) carrying mainly blaCTX-M14 and blaCTX-M15 genes. Some strains isolated from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) showed identical profiles to those isolated from other environments, highlighting the importance that water acquires in the dissemination of bacterial resistance. In conclusion, the detection of these genetic markers in different environments could be considered as an alert in the spread of ESBL. © 2022 by the authors. | colistin; DNA topoisomerase (ATP hydrolysing); extended spectrum beta lactamase; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; aquatic environment; Article; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; DNA extraction; enzyme synthesis; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli; gene; gene amplification; genetic marker; genotype; missense mutation; multidrug resistance; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; One Health; phenotype; phylogenetic tree; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; sequence analysis; sequence homology; waste water management; waste water treatment plant; wastewater | antimicrobial resistance; CCs; One Health; phylogroups; STs |
| One planet: one health. A call to support the initiative on a global science–policy body on chemicals and waste | The chemical pollution crisis severely threatens human and environmental health globally. To tackle this challenge the establishment of an overarching international science–policy body has recently been suggested. We strongly support this initiative based on the awareness that humanity has already likely left the safe operating space within planetary boundaries for novel entities including chemical pollution. Immediate action is essential and needs to be informed by sound scientific knowledge and data compiled and critically evaluated by an overarching science–policy interface body. Major challenges for such a body are (i) to foster global knowledge production on exposure, impacts and governance going beyond data-rich regions (e.g., Europe and North America), (ii) to cover the entirety of hazardous chemicals, mixtures and wastes, (iii) to follow a one-health perspective considering the risks posed by chemicals and waste on ecosystem and human health, and (iv) to strive for solution-oriented assessments based on systems thinking. Based on multiple evidence on urgent action on a global scale, we call scientists and practitioners to mobilize their scientific networks and to intensify science–policy interaction with national governments to support the negotiations on the establishment of an intergovernmental body based on scientific knowledge explaining the anticipated benefit for human and environmental health. © 2022, The Author(s). | Europe; North America; chemical pollutant; ecosystem dynamics; health risk; public health | Chemical pollution; One-health perspective; Planetary boundaries; Science–policy body on chemicals; Systems thinking |
| Screening for hepatitis E virus genotype 3 in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama), Portugal, 2018–2020 | Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is the most prevalent HEV genotype in Europe causing mostly asymptomatic infections in humans, but can also sporadically cause severe acute hepatitis, chronic liver disease, chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised patients and extra-hepatic manifestations. Although much is today known about the swine reservoir, no information is available on the occurrence of HEV from widely distributed deer species in Portugal. Here, we investigated the presence and characterized HEV in free-living deer in Portugal by screening stools from red deer (Cervus elaphus) (n = 95) and fallow deer (Dama dama) (n = 35) for HEV by a broad-spectrum nested RT-PCR, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Two red deer females, sampled in central Portugal, showed to be shedding HEV (2.1%; 95% confidence interval: 0.58–7.35). Sequencing and genetic characterization showed that these two deer HEV sequences were 98.96% identical to each other, being both of HEV genotype 3 subgenotype 3e. The increasing numbers and distribution of deer in Portugal and the zoonotic features of the circulating HEV genotype 3 subgenotype 3e highlights the importance of continued surveillance directed to food-borne diseases, especially those involving wild animals and deer in particular. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Deer; Female; Genotype; Hepatitis E; Hepatitis E virus; Humans; Phylogeny; Portugal; Swine; Swine Diseases; Article; controlled study; fallow deer; feces analysis; female; Hepatitis E virus; hepatitis E virus genotype 3; major clinical study; male; nested polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; phylogeny; red deer; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; screening; sequence analysis; virus genome; virus shedding; wildlife; animal; deer; genetics; genotype; hepatitis E; human; pig; Portugal; swine disease; veterinary medicine | HEV; One Health; wild ungulates; wildlife; zoonotic |
| Detection of Endosymbiont Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and Tickborne Pathogens in Humans Exposed to Tick Bites, Italy | During 2021, we collected blood and serum samples from 135 persons exposed to tick bites in southern Italy. We serologically and molecularly screened for zoonotic tickborne pathogens and only molecularly screened for Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii. Overall, 62 (45.9%) persons tested positive for tickborne pathogens. Coxiella burnetii was detected most frequently (27.4%), along with Rickettsia spp. (21.5%) and Borrelia spp. (10.4%). We detected Candidatus M. mitochondrii DNA in 46 (34.1%) participants who had statistically significant associations to tickborne pathogens (p<0.0001). Phylogenetic analysis of Candidatus M. mitochondrii sequences revealed 5 clades and 8 human sequence types that correlated with vertebrates, Ixodes spp. ticks, and countries in Europe. These data demonstrated a high circulation of tickborne pathogens and Candidatus M. mitochondrii DNA in persons participating in outdoor activities in southern Italy. Our study shows how coordinated surveillance among patients, clinicians, and veterinarians could inform a One Health approach for monitoring and controlling the circulation of tickborne pathogens. © 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reserved. | Animals; Humans; Ixodes; Phylogeny; Rickettsia; Rickettsiales; Tick Bites; immunoglobulin G; RNA 16S; adult; aged; agricultural worker; Anaplasmataceae; animal hunting; Article; Babesia; bacterium isolation; BLAST; Borrelia; Borrelia burgdorferi; camping; candidatus midichloria mitochondrii; chemiluminescence immunoassay; Coxiella burnetii; data base; diagnostic test accuracy study; disease surveillance; DNA extraction; endosymbiont; Europe; female; forestry work; geographic distribution; hiking; human; human activities; infectious agent; Ixodes; major clinical study; male; One Health; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; predictive value; Rickettsia; Rickettsia raoultii; sensitivity and specificity; sequence analysis; serology; tick; tick bite; animal; genetics; Ixodes; microbiology; Rickettsia; Rickettsiales; tick bite |
| Novel Insights into blaGES Mobilome Reveal Extensive Genetic Variation in Hospital Effluents | Mobile genetic elements contribute to the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria by enabling the horizontal transfer of acquired antibiotic resistance among different bacterial species and genera. This study characterizes the genetic backbone of blaGES in Aeromonas spp. and Klebsiella spp. isolated from untreated hospital effluents. Plasmids ranging in size from 9 to 244 kb, sequenced using Illumina and Nanopore platforms, revealed representatives of plasmid incompatibility groups IncP6, IncQ1, IncL/M1, IncFII, and IncFII-FIA. Different GES enzymes (GES-1, GES-7, and GES-16) were located in novel class 1 integrons in Aeromonas spp. and GES-5 in previously reported class 1 integrons in Klebsiella spp. Furthermore, in Klebsiella quasipneumoniae, blaGES-5 was found in tandem as a coding sequence that disrupted the 39 conserved segment (CS). In Klebsiella grimontii, blaGES-5 was observed in two different plasmids, and one of them carried multiple IncF replicons. Three Aeromonas caviae isolates presented blaGES-1, one Aeromonas veronii isolate presented blaGES-7, and another A. veronii isolate presented blaGES-16. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis revealed novel sequence types for Aeromonas and Klebsiella species. The current findings highlight the large genetic diversity of these species, emphasizing their great adaptability to the environment. The results also indicate a public health risk because these antimicrobial-resistant genes have the potential to reach wastewater treatment plants and larger water bodies. Considering that they are major interfaces between humans and the environment, they could spread throughout the community to clinical settings. © 2022 Conte et al. | beta lactamase; carbapenemase; extended spectrum beta lactamase; GES 1 protein; GES 16 protein; GES 5 protein; GES 7 protein; unclassified drug; Aeromonas; Aeromonas caviae; Aeromonas veronii; antibiotic resistance; aquatic environment; Article; bacterial gene; bacterium isolation; blaGES gene; controlled study; czcD gene; dfrA22b gene; effluent; environmental health; gene cassette; genetic variability; genetic variation; health hazard; hospital effluent; human; IncFII FIA plasmid; IncFII plasmid; IncL M1 plasmid; IncP6 plasmid; IncQ1 plasmid; integron; Klebsiella; Klebsiella grimontii; Klebsiella quasipneumoniae; KOX60 gene; KPN47 gene; mobile genetic element; mobilizable plasmid; multidrug resistance; multilocus sequence typing; nanopore sequencing; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; public health; replicon; species identification; waste water treatment plant; whole genome sequencing | carbapenemase; ESBL; integrons; MLST; multireplicons |
| Is There Always a Negative Causality between Human Health and Environmental Degradation? Current Evidence from Rural China | This study explores the incidence and trend of zoonoses in China and its relationship with environmental health and proposes suggestions for promoting the long-term sustainable development of human, animal, and environmental systems. The incidence of malaria was selected as the dependent variable, and the consumption of agricultural diesel oil and pesticides and investment in lavatory sanitation improvement in rural areas were selected as independent variables according to the characteristics of nonpoint source pollution and domestic pollution in China’s rural areas. By employing a fixed effects regression model, the results indicated that the use of pesticides was negatively associated with the incidence of malaria, continuous investment in rural toilet improvement, and an increase in economic income can play a positive role in the prevention and control of malaria incidence. Guided by the theory of One Health, this study verifies human, animal, and environmental health as a combination of mutual restriction and influence, discusses the complex causal relationship among the three, and provides evidence for sustainable development and integrated governance. © 2022 by the authors. | China; diesel fuel; pesticide; diesel; disease control; domestic waste; environmental degradation; infectious disease; malaria; nonpoint source pollution; pesticide; public health; rural development; sanitation; sustainable development; Article; bioremediation; chemical oxygen demand; dependent variable; environmental factor; environmental health; epidemic; fever; human; independent variable; malaria; nonpoint source pollution; particulate matter; pollution; prevalence; regression model; sanitation; scientific literature; sewage; sustainable development; theoretical study; time series analysis; zoonosis | environmental health; integrated governance; One Health; sustainable development; zoonosis |
| A One Health Clinic for People Experiencing Homelessness and Their Animals: Treating the Human-Animal Unit | [No abstract available] | Ambulatory Care Facilities; Animals; Homeless Persons; Humans; One Health; animal; homeless person; human; One Health; outpatient department | homelessness; One Health; primary care issues: access to care/barriers to access; primary care issues: collaborative/interdisciplinary care; primary care issues: patient-centered care; special population: adolescents; special population: homeless |
| Cross-sectional survey of SARS-CoV-2 testing at US airports and one health department’s proactive management of travelers | Background: Many health departments and private enterprises began offering SARS-CoV-2 testing to travelers at US airports in 2020. Persons with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results who have planned upcoming travel may be subject to US federal public health travel restrictions. We assessed availability of testing for SARS-CoV-2 at major US airports. We then describe the management of cases and close contacts at Denver International Airport’s testing site. Methods: We selected 100 US airports. Online surveys were conducted during November–December 2020 and assessed availability of testing for air travelers, flight crew, and airport employees. Respondents included health department (HD) staff or airport directors. We analyzed testing data and management practices for persons who tested positive and their close contacts at one airport (Denver International) from 12/21/2020 to 3/31/2021. Results: Among the 100 selected airports, we received information on 77 airports; 38 (49%) had a testing site and several more planned to offer one (N = 7; 9%). Most sites began testing in the fall of 2020. The most frequently offered tests were RT-PCR or other NAAT tests (N = 28). Denver International Airport offered voluntary SARS-CoV-2 testing. Fifty-four people had positive results among 5724 tests conducted from 12/21/2020 to 3/31/2021 for a total positivity of < 1%. Of these, 15 were travelers with imminent flights. The Denver HD issued an order requiring the testing site to immediately report cases and notify airlines to cancel upcoming flight itineraries for infected travelers and their traveling close contacts, minimizing the use of federal travel restrictions. Conclusions: As of December 2020, nearly half of surveyed US airports had SARS-CoV-2 testing sites. Such large-scale adoption of airport testing for a communicable disease is unprecedented and presents new challenges for travelers, airlines, airports, and public health authorities. This assessment was completed before the US and other countries began enforcing entry testing requirements; testing at airports will likely increase as travel demand returns and test requirements for travel evolve. Lessons from Denver demonstrate how HDs can play a key role in engaging airport testing sites to ensure people who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 immediately before travel do not travel on commercial aircraft. © 2022, The Author(s). | airplane crew; airport; Article; contact examination; coronavirus disease 2019; COVID-19 testing; cross-sectional study; flight; health survey; human; medical information; One Health; public health service; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; travel | Air travel; Airports; COVID-19; Management; SARS-CoV-2 |
| Epidemiology and genetic characteristics of tick-borne bacteria in dromedary camels of the world | This review presents updated knowledge on the main tick-borne bacteria infecting one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) around the world. Camels are increasingly the subject of several scientific investigations, showing that they are receptive and carriers of several zoonotic bacteria. An appraisal is also given of the relative public health importance of these bacterial infections according to One Health concept. Microscopic, serologic and molecular findings are appropriately generated in order to exploit epidemiological data, and phylogeographic specificities associated to each vector-borne bacterium. Indeed, camels and their ticks harbour similar species and genotypes of pathogenic bacteria commonly identified in other animals, e.g., Anaplasma spp.,Ehrlichia spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella spp. and hemotrophic mycoplasmas. This evidence suggests an epidemiological role of camels in the spread of these pathogens in their natural habitats. However, these infections are commonly asymptomatic in camels resulting in underestimation of the impact of these infections. Furthermore, camels have recently been proven to have their own specific unclassified strains, such as Candidatus Anaplasma camelii and Candidatus Bartonella camelii, implying that possible interactions may lead to the emergence of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria. In camel-rearing areas of the world, spatial and temporal spread of these infections, due to climatic and ecological changes and human activities such as development projects and urbanization, is expected. Hence the data presented herein provides a basis for strategic frameworks for the research and the development of novel diagnosis and control strategies worldwide, which are needed to protect camels, other livestock, and people in contact with dromedaries from threats that arthropod-borne pathogens can pose. © 2022 | Anaplasma; Animals; Bartonella; Camelus; Ehrlichia; Humans; Rickettsia; Tick-Borne Diseases; Ticks; Anaplasma; arthropod; article; bacterial strain; Bartonella; Borrelia; control strategy; controlled study; Coxiella burnetii; dromedary; Ehrlichia; genetic trait; genotype; habitat; human; infectious agent; livestock; Mycoplasma; nonhuman; One Health; rearing; Rickettsia; risk factor; tick; urbanization; animal; Bartonella; camel; genetics; microbiology; Rickettsia; tick borne disease; veterinary medicine | Associated risk factors; Dromedaries; Epidemiology; Genetic characteristics; One Health; Tick-borne bacteria |
| Policies to prevent zoonotic spillover: protocol for a systematic scoping review of evaluative evidence | Introduction The increasing incidence of pathogen transmission from animals to humans (zoonotic spillover events) has been attributed to behavioural practices and ecological and socioeconomic change. As these events sometimes involve pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential, they pose a serious threat to population health. Public policies may play a key role in preventing these events. The aim of this review is to identify evaluations of public policies that target the determinants of zoonotic spillover, examining approaches taken to evaluation, choice of outcomes measures and evidence of effectiveness. Our approach to identifying and analysing this literature will be informed by a One Health lens, acknowledging the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. Methods and analysis A systematic scoping review methodology will be used. To identify articles, we will search Medline, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Global Health in May 2021 using search terms combining animal health and the animal-human interface, public policy, prevention and zoonoses. We will screen titles and abstracts and extract data according to published guidelines for scoping reviews. All evaluations of public policies aiming to prevent zoonotic spillover events will be eligible for inclusion. We will summarise key data from each study, mapping policies along the spillover pathway and outlining the range of policies, approaches to evaluation and outcome measures. Review findings will provide a useful reference for researchers and practitioners, outlining the state of the evaluative evidence around policies to prevent zoonotic spillover. Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required, because the study does not involve primary data collection. The findings of this study will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, presentations and summaries for key stakeholders. © 2022 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved. | Animals; Health Policy; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Research Design; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Zoonoses; animal health; Article; environmental health; global health; human; infection prevention; nonhuman; One Health; public health; public policy; zoonosis; animal; health care policy; methodology | Health policy; Public health; PUBLIC HEALTH |
| Surveillance for multidrug resistant Escherichia coli carriage in cattle, dogs and humans reveals predominance of CMY-2, CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-9 groups of β-lactamases | Global spread of antimicrobial multidrug resistance (MDR) in human and veterinary medicine relies upon diagnostics, surveillance and stewardship to guide mitigation. Utilizing surveillance of fecal samples from our service area for detecting MDR Escherichia coli carriage in humans (2143), dogs (627), and cattle (130), we found isolates resistant to third/fourth generation cephems present in 3.7 %, 13.1 %, and 51.5 %, respectively. CMY-2, CTX-M-15-like and CTX-M9 group genes in descending order were predominant in all hosts and accounted for 83.3 % of non-wild-type gene targets. MDR carriage mirrored cephem non-susceptibility rates as published in annual antibiograms for humans and dogs; notably, no carbapenem-resistant carriage isolates were detected. Given the scale of MDR E. coli carriage in cattle (14X) and dogs (3.5X) compared to humans, bench-marking of the resistance gene pool by host species utilizing regional One Health surveillance may aid in assessing occupational and geographic risks for acquiring resistance and for monitoring of mitigation strategies. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; beta-Lactamases; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; aminoglycoside; beta lactamase; carbapenem derivative; carbapenemase; cefepime; cefotaximase munich; cefotaxime; ceftazidime; cephalosporin derivative; cephalosporinase; cephem; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; enzyme; extended spectrum beta lactamase; gentamicin; imipenem; meropenem; penicillin derivative; piperacillin plus tazobactam; unclassified drug; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterium culture; bacterium isolate; bovine; carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae; Citrobacter; data analysis; DNA microarray; dog; Enterobacter; Escherichia coli; feces analysis; fluoroquinolone resistance; human; Klebsiella pneumoniae; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; minimum inhibitory concentration; mitigation; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; animal; bovine; cattle disease; dog; dog disease; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; genetics; microbial sensitivity test; veterinary medicine | AmpC; CRE; DNA microarray; E. coli, ESBL; One Health; Surveillance |
| Influence of Parity on the Colostrum Bacterial Community Composition in Holstein Cows | The colostrum bacteriome of primiparous (P) and multiparous (M) Holstein cows was analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The species richness (Chao 1), diversity (Shannon and Simpson), and beta diversity did not differ between cow groups. The phyla Firmicutes, Tenericutes, Kiritimatiellaeota, and Fibrobacteres were more abundant in M cows, while Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cloacimonetes, and Fusobacteria were more abundant in P cows. At the genus level, no significant differences were observed between groups (P < 0.05), and Prevotella_1 was the most abundant taxon. P and M cows shared 1030 taxonomic operational units (OTUs), with Acinetobacter showing greater abundance. In conclusion, parity did not affect the colostrum bacteriome of P and M cows and a healthy mammary gland could represent a reservoir of Acinetobacter in dairy farms. © 2022, Association of Microbiologists of India. | antibiotic agent; RNA 16S; Acinetobacter; Acinetobacter baumannii; Actinobacteria; Actinomarinales; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial microbiome; Bacteroidetes; Betaproteobacteria; Burkholderiaceae; Chloroflexi; Chritensenellaceae; Chryseobacterium; Cloacimonetes; colostrum; controlled study; Enterobacteriaceae; female; Fibrobacteres; Firmicutes; Flavobacteriaceae; Fusobacteria; Gemmatimonadetes (class); high throughput sequencing; Holstein cattle; intestine flora; Kiritimatiellaeota; Lachnospiraceae; lactation; mammary gland; Membranicola; microbial community; microbial diversity; microflora; milk yield; Mollicutes; Moraxellaceae; multipara; nonhuman; One Health; operational taxonomic unit; parity; Patescibacteria; Planctomycetes; Prevotella; Prevotellaceae; primipara; Proteobacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Rikenellaceae; RNA sequencing; ruminant; Ruminococcaceae; Saprospiraceae; species richness; spirochete; Verrucomicrobia; Weeksellaceae | 16S rRNA sequencing; Colostrum; Microbiota; Multiparous; Primiparous |
| Effects of selected condensed tannins on Cryptosporidium parvum growth and proliferation in HCT-8 cell cultures | Infections with Cryptosporidium spp. constitute a substantial public health burden and are responsible for widespread production losses in cattle herds. Reducing disease and shedding of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts is an important One Health goal. There are very few therapeutic options available to treat cryptosporidiosis. Interest in plant bioactive compounds to mitigate the spread of anthelmintic resistance in ruminants has led to investigation of these phytocompounds against other parasitic taxa. Condensed tannins (CTs) are plant secondary metabolites that have shown potential against nematodes in vitro and in vivo but their applicability to Cryptosporidium spp. is comparatively under-explored. Cryptosporidium parvum infected human ileocecal colorectal adenocarcinoma (HCT)-8 cell cultures were treated with escalating doses of highly purified and well-characterized CTs from five plant species, big trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus), black currant (Ribes nigrum), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), white clover (Trifolium repens) and grapeseed (Vitis vinifera) for 44 h. Quantitative-PCR (qPCR) analysis revealed that none of the CTs examined demonstrated inhibitory potential against the parasite. Substantial inhibition of C. parvum by paromomycin was observed in positive controls in all assays (76.94–90.72% inhibition), proving the validity of the assay. Despite the lack of inhibition, these results represent an important step towards identifying alternative treatment options against this parasite. © 2022 | Animals; Cattle; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Proliferation; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Cryptosporidium parvum; Feces; Humans; Proanthocyanidins; black currant extract; condensed tannin; Lotus pedunculatus extract; Onobrychis viciifolia extract; paromomycin; plant extract; tannin; unclassified drug; Vitis vinifera extract; white clover extract; proanthocyanidin; Article; black currant; cancer inhibition; cell culture; cell proliferation; cell viability assay; controlled study; cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium parvum; DNA extraction; drug use; grape; growth; growth inhibition; HCT 8 cell line; human; human cell; in vitro study; in vivo study; Lotus pedunculatus; nonhuman; One Health; Onobrychis viciifolia; oocyst; parasite; plant; protein purification; real time polymerase chain reaction; statistical analysis; white clover; animal; bovine; cell culture technique; cell proliferation; cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; feces; parasitology | Cell culture; condensed tannins; Cryptosporidium parvum; One health; qPCR |
| A one health approach versus Acanthamoeba castellanii, a potential host for Morganella morganii | Acanthamoeba castellanii, known as the “Trojan horse of the microbial world,” is known to host a variety of microorganisms including viruses, yeasts, protists, and bacteria. Acanthamoeba can act as a vector and may aid in the transmission of various bacterial pathogens to potential hosts and are found in a variety of places, thus impacting the health of humans, animals, and the environment. These are interconnected in a system known as “one health.” With the global threat of antibiotic resistance, bacteria may avoid harsh conditions, antibiotics, and disinfectants by sheltering within Acanthamoeba. In this study, Acanthamoeba castellanii interaction with Morganella morganii, a Gram-negative bacterium was studied. Escherichia coli K1 interaction with Acanthamoeba was carried out as a control. Association, invasion, and survival assays were accomplished. Morganella morganii was found to associate, invade, and survive within Acanthamoeba castellanii. Additionally, Escherichia coli K1 was also found to associate, invade, and survive within the Acanthamoeba at a higher number in comparison to Morganella morganii. For the first time, we have shown that Morganella morganii interact, invade, and survive within Acanthamoeba castellanii, suggesting that Acanthamoeba may be a potential vector in the transmission of Morganella morganii to susceptible hosts. Taking a one health approach to tackle and develop disinfectants to target Acanthamoeba is warranted, as the amoebae may be hosting various microbes such as multiple drug-resistant bacteria and even viruses such as the novel coronavirus. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. | Acanthamoeba castellanii; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; COVID-19; Disinfectants; Escherichia coli; Humans; Morganella morganii; One Health; antiinfective agent; disinfectant agent; Acanthamoeba castellanii; animal; bacterium; Escherichia coli; human; Morganella morganii; One Health | Acanthamoeba; Interaction; Morganella morganii; Survival; Trojan horse; One health |
| Characterizing Antimicrobial Resistance in Clinically Relevant Bacteria Isolated at the Human/Animal/Environment Interface Using Whole-Genome Sequencing in Austria | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health issue attributed to the misuse of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine. Since AMR surveillance requires a One Health approach, we sampled nine interconnected compartments at a hydrological open-air lab (HOAL) in Austria to obtain six bacterial species included in the WHO priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Whole genome sequencing-based typing included core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Genetic and phenotypic characterization of AMR was performed for all isolates. Eighty-nine clinically-relevant bacteria were obtained from eight compartments including 49 E. coli, 27 E. faecalis, 7 K. pneumoniae and 6 E. faecium. Clusters of isolates from the same species obtained in different sample collection dates were detected. Of the isolates, 29.2% were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. E. coli and E. faecalis isolates from different compartments had acquired antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) associated with veterinary drugs such as aminoglycosides and tetracyclines, some of which were carried in conjugative and mobilizable plasmids. Three multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli isolates were found in samples from field drainage and wastewater. Early detection of ARGs and ARB in natural and farm-related environments can identify hotspots of AMR and help prevent its emergence and dissemination along the food/feed chain. © 2022 by the authors. | Aminoglycosides; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Austria; Bacteria; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Tetracyclines; Veterinary Drugs; Waste Water; Whole Genome Sequencing; amikacin; aminoglycoside; amoxicillin; ampicillin; cefepime; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; ciprofloxacin; clavulanic acid; clindamycin; colistin; ertapenem; erythromycin; fertilizer; fosfomycin; gentamicin; ground water; kanamycin; moxifloxacin; streptomycin; tetracycline; tetracycline derivative; angiotensin receptor antagonist; antiinfective agent; dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase inhibitor; veterinary drug; ampicillin resistance; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterium isolate; controlled study; core genome; Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus faecium; Escherichia coli; genetic resistance; Klebsiella pneumoniae; mobilizable plasmid; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; phenotype; phylogeny; species diversity; waste water treatment plant; water flow; whole genome sequencing; winter wheat; animal; antibiotic resistance; Austria; bacterium; genetics; human; microbial sensitivity test; multidrug resistance; wastewater; whole genome sequencing | antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial resistance genes; One Health; whole genome sequencing |
| A One Health real-time surveillance system for nowcasting Campylobacter gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, Norway, week 30 2010 to week 11 2022 | Background: Campylobacter is a leading cause of food and waterborne illness. Monitoring and modelling Campylobacter at chicken broiler farms, combined with weather pattern surveillance, can aid nowcasting of human gastrointestinal (GI) illness outbreaks. Near real-time sharing of data and model results with health authorities can help increase potential outbreak responsiveness. Aims: To leverage data on weather and Campylobacter on broiler farms to build a risk model for possible human Campylobacter outbreaks and to communicate risk assessments with health authorities. Methods: We developed a spatio-temporal random effects model for weekly GI illness consultations in Norwegian municipalities with Campylobacter monitoring and weather data from week 30 2010 to 11 2022 to give 1-week nowcasts of GI illness outbreaks. The approach combined a municipality random effects baseline model for seasonally-adjusted GI illness with a second model for peak deviations from that baseline. Model results are communicated to national and local stakeholders through an interactive website: Sykdomspulsen One Health. Results: Lagged temperature and precipitation covariates, as well as 2-week-lagged positive Campylobacter sampling in broilers, were associated with higher levels of GI consultations. Significant inter-municipality variability in outbreak nowcasts were observed. Conclusions: Campylobacter surveillance in broilers can be useful in GI illness outbreak nowcasting. Surveillance of Campylobacter along potential pathways from the environment to illness such as via water system monitoring may improve nowcasting. A One Health system that communicates near real-time surveillance data and nowcast changes in risk to health professionals facilitates the prevention of Campylobacter outbreaks and reduces impact on human health. © 2022 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved. | Animals; Campylobacter; Campylobacter Infections; Chickens; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; One Health; Article; broiler; Campylobacter; Campylobacter enteritis; consultation; disease surveillance; environmental factor; environmental temperature; epidemic; geographic distribution; human; infection control; infection prevention; nonhuman; Norway; One Health; poultry; risk assessment; risk factor; seasonal variation; time series analysis; water supply; weather; animal; Campylobacter; campylobacteriosis; chicken; epidemic; veterinary medicine |
| After-action review of rabies and anthrax outbreaks multisectoral response in Tanzania, challenges and lessons | After-action review uses experiences gained from past events to adopt best practices, thereby improving future interventions. In December 2016 and late 2018, the government of Tanzania with support from partners responded to anthrax and rabies outbreaks in Arusha and Morogoro regions respectively. The One Health Coordination Desk (OHCD) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) later coordinated after-action reviews to review the multi-sectoral preparedness and response to the outbreaks. To establish and describe actions undertaken by the multi-sectoral investigation and response teams during planning and deployment, execution of field activities, and outbreak investigation and response, system best practices and deficiencies. These were cross-sectional surveys. Semi-structured, open and closed-ended questionnaire and focus group discussions were administered to collect information from responders at the national and subnational levels. It was found that the surveillance and response systems were weak at community level, lack of enforcement of public health laws including vaccination of livestock and domestic animals and joint preparedness efforts were generally undermined by differential disease surveillance capacities among sectors. Lack of resources in particular funds for supplies, transport and deployment of response teams contributed to many shortfalls. The findings underpin the importance of after-action reviews in identifying critical areas for improvement in multi-sectoral prevention and control of disease outbreaks. Main sectors under the coordination of the OHCD should include after action reviews in their plans and budget it as a tool to continuously assess and improve multi-sectoral preparedness and response to public health emergencies. © the Author(s), 2022. | anthrax; Article; budget; controlled study; cross-sectional study; domestic animal; epidemic; fishery; government; health legislation; human; livestock; nonhuman; One Health; public health; rabies; structured questionnaire; Tanzania; vaccination | after-action review; Outbreaks; response |
| “How Are My Age and Cows Related?” Cognitive Interviewing as a Tool to Pretest Survey Questions in Two Limited Resource Settings | Antimicrobial resistance is a complex topic requiring interdisciplinary solutions embedded in One Health thinking. Currently, many surveys are underway in low- and middle-income countries to study how antimicrobial use in the livestock sector is driving resistance. In a survey, the respondents must understand and answer the questions correctly to produce accurate and valuable results. Pretesting survey questions is therefore important but sometimes not performed due to limited time and resources. Cognitive interviewing is a pretesting method to give insights into the respondent’s way of interpreting and mentally processing the survey questions to identify problems and finding ways to improve the questions. It has previously been suggested that cognitive interviews may be difficult to use in some cultural settings. This study aimed to use cognitive interviews in a respondent-adjusted way to study how survey questions related to antimicrobial use are understood and answered by 12 small-scale farmers in Kenya and Uganda. The results show that even a small number of interviews and using interviewers with limited knowledge of cognitive interviewing can identify many problems in survey questions and the survey tool. Cognitive interviews may provide a feasible and affordable way of pretesting questionnaires in situations where time and resources are limited, for example, during a disease outbreak. Copyright © 2022 Wenemark, Ngwili, Ndoboli, Wieland and Roesel. | animal experiment; animal health; Article; cognition; comparative study; conceptual framework; controlled study; female; health survey; household income; human; information processing; Kenya; livestock; nonhuman; One Health; practice guideline; questionnaire; socioeconomic background; Uganda; veterinarian | antimicrobial resistance; behavior; cognitive interview methods; cross-cultural; livestock; One Health; questionnaire; survey |
| One Health evaluation of brucellosis control in Kazakhstan | Brucellosis is one of the main livestock disease risks in Kazakhstan. It’s been endemic there since 1930, accounting for over 1300 human cases per annum. The economic loss was 45 million USD in 2015 alone. Since 1952, Kazakhstan has implemented various control strategies with little success. One Health approaches have been suggested to tackle brucellosis, however, there is a lack of evidence for best practices to operationalise One Health in the literature, and methods for implementation are not established. The intention of this study was to introduce the One Health approach during the evaluation phase of the policy cycle. A two-day workshop was organized by the authors to familiarize participants with the evaluation methodology. Twenty-one specialists representing veterinary and public health sector, together with researchers, took part in this study. For two weeks following the workshop, first author conducted individual interviews with workshop participants to obtain individual scorings to assess knowledge integration capacity (One Health-ness). The evaluation results show that there is a lack of knowledge about the perceived damage caused by brucellosis to animal owners and other stakeholders. There is insufficient data available about farmers’ practices, interests and motivations, and also data is missing for important transmission processes such as the amount of unsafe dairy consumption. The absence of such data illustrates the extent of the uncertainty to which decision-makers are exposed despite well-elaborated transmission models and supports the importance of co-producing solutions with participatory methods. The results suggest the need for broader involvement of stakeholders. Outputs of this study could help navigate the initial stages of One Health operationalization. © 2022 Charypkhan, Rüegg. 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; Brucellosis; Farmers; Humans; Kazakhstan; Livestock; One Health; agricultural worker; Article; brucellosis; controlled study; disease transmission; evaluation study; health care policy; human; infection control; interview; Kazakhstan; medical education; medical specialist; methodology; motivation; nonhuman; One Health; professional knowledge; public health; scientist; stakeholder engagement; veterinary medicine; animal; brucellosis; Kazakhstan; livestock |
| Honey-baited FTA cards in box gravid traps for the assessment of Usutu virus circulation in mosquito populations in Germany | Usutu virus (USUV) is becoming increasingly important to veterinary and human health in Germany. USUV has been implicated in mass die-off events of birds, especially of blackbirds (Turdus merula), and has experienced significant range expansion in the years since its first detection in 2010. Current detection methods rely primarily on dead bird surveillance or mass mosquito collection using CO2 as the main attractant. Dead bird surveillance can result in detection of disease circulation past the point at which control efforts would be most impactful. Vector surveillance offers the opportunity to detect disease circulation before significant outbreaks occur. However, current methods result in collections of extremely large numbers of predominantly nulliparous female mosquitoes who have not yet taken a blood meal. This study sought to test whether box gravid traps could successfully trap USUV infected gravid Culex mosquitoes, and if viral RNA could be successfully transferred and stabilised on an FTA card. During the month of August 2020, 18 Reiter-Cummings style box gravid traps with honey-baited FTA cards were set in a region of known USUV circulation around the southern border of Hesse, Germany. Four 48-hour trapping rounds were conducted. All mosquitoes and FTA cards were collected and stored during transport to the laboratory on dry ice. Samples and FTA cards were then transferred and stored in a freezer at -5 °C until identification. Identification was carried out on a chill plate before being sent with overnight courier in a styrofoam box with cooling elements for virus detection with a modified generic flavivirus RT-PCR. Mosquitoes were separated into pools by trap, date, species and feeding status. 2003 mosquitoes were caught in four rounds of trapping, 1834 or 88% of which were female Culex mosquitoes used for examination. 13 pools of mosquitoes and four FTA cards tested positive for USUV. No positive FTA cards were found in traps with positive mosquitoes and no positive mosquitoes were found in traps with positive FTA cards. Although fewer FTA cards than expected returned a positive result, this may have been a result of the extreme conditions experienced in the field and highlights the need to establish the temperature and humidity boundaries such a collection method can withstand. Box gravid traps however, provided a highly effective and targeted approach for capturing gravid female Culex mosquitoes, the most appropriate subpopulation for testing for USUV. Additionally, the simplicity and effectiveness of this trapping and surveillance method make it an attractive option for use as an early warning system, including for large scale surveillance programmes. © 2022 | Animals; Birds; Culex; Culicidae; Female; Flavivirus; Honey; Humans; Male; Mosquito Vectors; Germany; 2 propanol; virus RNA; assessment method; disease transmission; disease treatment; disease vector; mosquito; population dynamics; public health; animal experiment; animal tissue; Arbovirus; Article; contamination; controlled study; Culex; Culex pipiens; environmental factor; epidemiological surveillance; female; field experiment; Flavivirus; Germany; honey; humidity; mosquito; nonhuman; nullipara; One Health; polymerase chain reaction; public health; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; saliva; statistical analysis; sun exposure; temperature; Usutu virus; veterinary medicine; virus detection; animal; bird; Culex; Flavivirus; genetics; human; male; mosquito vector | Arbovirus; Culex; Culicidae; Flavivirus; One health; Public health; Saliva; Surveillance; Veterinary health |
| Long-term persistence and recycling of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis spores in wetlands sprayed for mosquito control | Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) is the main larvicide used to control mosquitoes worldwide. Although there is accumulating evidence of Bti having environmental effects on non-target fauna, relatively few field studies have documented the fate of Bti spores in the environment. Spore density was quantified over a 6-yr period (2012–2017) in Mediterranean marshes sprayed with Vectobac 12AS (32 ITU/ha) since 2006 to reduce the nuisance caused by Aedes caspius. Bti spores were naturally found in all habitat types. Spore density expressed as colony-forming units per gram of soil (CFU g−1) increased significantly at treated sites by a factor of 22 to 500 times relative to control sites, with mean values of 7730 CFU g−1 in halophilous scrubs, 38,000 in reed beds, 49,000 in bulrush beds and 50 000 in rush beds. Spore density varied little in the first months after the spraying season (April-October), but increased sharply in spring, just before the annual launch of mosquito control. Considering that Bti is an insect pathogen that cannot proliferate without a suitable insect host, this unexpected recrudescence in spring could be related to the warming of water that triggers activity and development of benthic organisms such as chironomids, which may contribute to Bti proliferation by ingesting accumulated spores at the surface of sediments. While spore density tends to decrease over time, presumably during the summer period as a result of increased UV exposure, three to four years were necessary for spore density to return to normal levels after mosquito-control interruption. This study is important because it demonstrates that environmental effects of mosquito-control using Bti can far exceed the short period of Bti efficacy against lentic mosquitoes. Considering that Bti is a microbial agent, these long-term effects should be addressed at multiple levels of ecosystem organization from a one-health perspective. © 2022 The Authors | Aedes; Animals; Bacillus thuringiensis; Ecosystem; Larva; Mosquito Control; Pest Control, Biological; Spores, Bacterial; Wetlands; Bacillus thuringiensis toxin; insecticide; organic matter; bacterium; ecosystem response; environmental impact; habitat type; insecticide; marsh; pest control; spore; wetland; Aedes; Article; Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis; bacterial spore; bacterium isolation; Bolboschoenus maritimus; colony forming unit; controlled study; ecosystem; environmental impact; fluorescence microscopy; France; infectious agent; Juncus maritimus; marsh; microbial activity; mosquito control; nonhuman; One Health; Phragmites australis; pond; Salicornia; scrub; succulent; wetland; Aedes; animal; Bacillus thuringiensis; bacterial spore; biological pest control; larva; mosquito control; wetland | Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis; Bioinsecticide persistence; Camargue wetlands; Environmental impacts; Mosquito control; Spore recycling |
| The Functional Characteristics of Goat Cheese Microbiota from a One-Health Perspective | Goat cheese is an important element of the Mediterranean diet, appreciated for its health-promoting features and unique taste. A pivotal role in the development of these characteristics is attributed to the microbiota and its continuous remodeling over space and time. Nevertheless, no thorough study of the cheese-associated microbiota using two metaomics approaches has previously been conducted. Here, we employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metaproteomics to explore the microbiota of a typical raw goat milk cheese at various ripening timepoints and depths of the cheese wheel. The 16S rRNA gene-sequencing and metaproteomics results described a stable microbiota ecology across the selected ripening timepoints, providing evidence for the microbiologically driven fermentation of goat milk products. The important features of the microbiota harbored on the surface and in the core of the cheese mass were highlighted in both compositional and functional terms. We observed the rind microbiota struggling to maintain the biosafety of the cheese through competition mechanisms and/or by preventing the colonization of the cheese by pathobionts of animal or environmental origin. The core microbiota was focused on other biochemical processes, supporting its role in the development of both the health benefits and the pleasant gustatory nuances of goat cheese. © 2022 by the authors. | Animals; Bacteria; Cheese; Goats; Microbiota; One Health; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; RNA 16S; animal; bacterium; cheese; genetics; goat; microflora; One Health | animal infectious disease; cheese microbiota; goat cheese microbiota; metaproteomics; one health; raw milk; targeted metagenomics |
| What Is in the Salad? Escherichia coli and Antibiotic Resistance in Lettuce Irrigated with Various Water Sources in Ghana | Introduction: Safety of the environment in which vegetables are grown, marketed and consumed is paramount as most are eaten raw. Irrigation sources include open drains and streams, which are often contaminated with human and animal waste due to poor sanitation infrastructure. In irrigated vegetable farms using such sources in Ghana, we assessed Escherichia coli counts, antibiotic resistance patterns and resistant genes on irrigated lettuce. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January–May 2022, involving five major vegetable farms in Ghana. Results: Escherichia coli was found in all 25 composite lettuce samples analyzed. Counts expressed in CFU/g ranged from 186 to 3000, with the highest counts found in lettuce irrigated from open drains (1670) and tap water using hose pipes (3000). Among all bacterial isolates, resistance ranged between 49% and 70% for the Watch group of antibiotics, 59% for the Reserved group and 82% were multidrug-resistant. Of 125 isolates, 60 (48%) were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing, of which five (8%) had the blaTEM-resistant gene. Conclusions: Lettuce was contaminated with Escherichia coli with high levels of antibiotic resistance. We call on the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Food and Drugs Authority and other stakeholders to support farmers to implement measures for improving vegetable safety. © 2022 by the authors. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Ghana; Humans; Lettuce; Salads; Vegetables; Water; Ghana; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; aztreonam; ceftazidime; ceftriaxone; cefuroxime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; ertapenem; extended spectrum beta lactamase; gentamicin; tap water; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; water; antibiotic resistance; bacterium; consumption behavior; farmers knowledge; food quality; food safety; health and safety; health risk; irrigation; leafy vegetable; sanitation; agricultural worker; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; cabbage; colony forming unit; cross-sectional study; DNA extraction; Escherichia coli; food safety; Ghana; lettuce; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; multidrug resistance; nonhuman; polymerase chain reaction; quality control; vegetable; water supply; animal; antibiotic resistance; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; genetics; human; lettuce; microbiology | antimicrobial resistance; Escherichia coli; extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL); Ghana; lettuce; one health; operational research; resistant genes; SORT IT; West Africa |
| High Prevalence of Beta-Lactam-Resistant Escherichia coli in South Australian Grey-Headed Flying Fox Pups (Pteropus poliocephalus) | The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in wildlife is concerning—especially resistance to clinically important beta-lactam antibiotics. Wildlife in closer proximity to humans, including in captivity and in rescue/rehabilitation centres, typically have a higher prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli compared to their free-living counterparts. Each year, several thousand Australian fruit bat pups, including the grey-headed flying fox (GHFF; Pteropus poliocephalus), require rescuing and are taken into care by wildlife rescue and rehabilitation groups. To determine the prevalence of beta-lactam-resistant E. coli in rescued GHFF pups from South Australia, faecal samples were collected from 53 pups in care. A combination of selective culture, PCR, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis was used to identify and genetically characterise beta-lactam-resistant E. coli isolates. The prevalence of amoxicillin-, amoxicillin-plus-clavulanic-acid-, and cephalosporin-resistant E. coli in the 53 pups was 77.4% (n = 41), 24.5% (n = 13), and 11.3% (n = 6), respectively. GHFF beta-lactam-resistant E. coli also carried resistance genes to aminoglycosides, trimethoprim plus sulphonamide, and tetracyclines in 37.7% (n = 20), 35.8% (n = 19), and 26.4% (n = 14) of the 53 GHFF pups, respectively, and 50.9% (n = 27) of pups carried multidrug-resistant E. coli. Twelve E. coli strain types were identified from the 53 pups, with six strains having extraintestinal pathogenic traits, indicating that they have the potential to cause blood, lung, or wound infections in GHFFs. Two lineages—E. coli ST963 and ST58 O8:H25—were associated with human extraintestinal infections. Phylogenetic analyses determined that all 12 strains were lineages associated with humans and/or domestic animals. This study demonstrates high transmission of anthropogenic-associated beta-lactam-resistant E. coli to GHFF pups entering care. Importantly, we identified potential health risks to GHFF pups and zoonotic risks for their carers, highlighting the need for improved antibiotic stewardship and biosafety measures for GHFF pups entering care. © 2022 by the authors. | antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; bacterial pathogens; bats; one health; wildlife rehabilitation; zoonoses |
| Within-Household Transmission and Bacterial Diversity of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius | Staphylococcus pseudintermedius can be transmitted between dogs and their owners and can cause opportunistic infections in humans. Whole genome sequencing was applied to identify the relatedness between isolates from human infections and isolates from dogs in the same households. Genome SNP diversity and distribution of plasmids and antimicrobial resistance genes identified related and unrelated isolates in both households. Our study shows that within-host bacterial diversity is present in S. pseudintermedius, demonstrating that multiple isolates from each host should preferably be sequenced to study transmission dynamics. © 2022 by the authors. | article; household; human; nonhuman; single nucleotide polymorphism; Staphylococcus pseudintermedius; whole genome sequencing | bacterial diversity; One health; S. pseudintermedius; transmission; whole genome sequencing; zoonotic |
| Sensory approaches in psychiatric units: Patterns and influences of use in one Australian health region | Background/aim: Australian guidelines and policies recommend the use of sensory approaches in mental health care. Nevertheless, many Australian psychiatric units report difficulty sustaining these approaches. To inform efforts to close the gap between recommendations and practice, the aim of this study was to understand the patterns of use of sensory approaches and what demographic and clinical factors influence their use, across one health region in Queensland, Australia. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, a custom-designed questionnaire was distributed via email and in paper form to health professionals and peer support workers working in acute, secure, and community care psychiatric units across one health region. Information on demographics and the use of various sensory interventions was gathered utilising both open-ended and Likert scale questions. Results: Useable questionnaires were collected from 183 participants from various disciplines (77% nursing). The majority reported using sensory approaches with a limited number of consumers, and almost 9% never used the approach. Activity-based sensory interventions and sensory equipment were most often used, whereas sensory assessments, sensory plans, and sensory groups were least used. Sensory interventions were mainly used to reduce consumer anxiety and agitation and to assist with emotional regulation. Factors positively correlated with frequency of use for all interventions were discipline (occupational therapy); working in an acute inpatient unit; and training in sensory approaches. Age was negatively correlated with frequency of use only for weighted modalities. Conclusions: This study revealed that sensory approaches were used by most staff though with a limited proportion of consumers in psychiatric units in one large metropolitan health service. It provides insights into the factors influencing frequency of use, highlighting the importance of training in sensory approaches and access to occupational therapists. With this knowledge, we can work towards closing the gap between recommendations and the practice of sensory approaches. © 2022 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Occupational Therapy Australia. | Australia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Inpatients; Occupational Therapy; One Health; Surveys and Questionnaires; adult; agitation; anxiety; article; Australia; community care; consumer; controlled study; demographics; e-mail; emotion regulation; female; hospital patient; human; Likert scale; major clinical study; male; mental health; nursing; occupational therapist; occupational therapy; peer group; psychiatric department; Queensland; questionnaire; worker; cross-sectional study; hospital patient; occupational therapy; One Health | inpatient care; mental health; patterns of use; sensory approaches |
| 21st century research—One Health, resilience, welfare, and disease | [No abstract available] | Animals; One Health; Social Welfare; animal disease; Article; artificial intelligence; bioinformatics; biometry; cognition; community resilience; coronavirus disease 2019; emotion; medical research; microflora; nonhuman; One Health; personalized medicine; prevalence; public health; questionnaire; veterinarian; veterinary medicine; welfare; animal; history; social welfare |
| Highly Virulent and Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Sequence Type 58 from a Sausage in Germany | Studies have previously described the occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli in human and veterinary medical settings, livestock, and, to a lesser extent, in the environment and food. While they mostly analyzed foodborne E. coli regarding phenotypic and sometimes genotypic antibiotic resistance and basic phylogenetic classification, we have limited understanding of the in vitro and in vivo virulence characteristics and global phylogenetic contexts of these bacteria. Here, we investigated in-depth an E. coli strain (PBIO3502) isolated from a pork sausage in Germany in 2021. Whole-genome sequence analysis revealed sequence type (ST)58, which has an internationally emerging high-risk clonal lineage. In addition to its MDR phenotype that mostly matched the genotype, PBIO3502 demonstrated pronounced virulence features, including in vitro biofilm formation, siderophore secretion, serum resilience, and in vivo mortality in Galleria mellonella larvae. Along with the genomic analysis indicating close phylogenetic relatedness of our strain with publicly available, clinically relevant representatives of the same ST, these results suggest the zoonotic and pathogenic character of PBIO3502 with the potential to cause infection in humans and animals. Additionally, our study highlights the necessity of the One Health approach while integrating human, animal, and environmental health, as well as the role of meat products and food chains in the putative transmission of MDR pathogens. © 2022 by the authors. | ampicillin; antiinfective agent; cefotaxime; gentamicin; meropenem; piperacillin; siderophore; streptomycin; sulbactam; tazobactam; tetracycline; virulence factor; animal product; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial growth; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; biofilm; Burkholderia pseudomallei; colony forming unit; controlled study; down regulation; Galleria mellonella; genetic susceptibility; genome analysis; genotype; immune response; Klebsiella pneumoniae; LD50; Listeria monocytogenes; livestock; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; meat; minimum bactericidal concentration; minimum inhibitory concentration; mortality rate; multidrug resistant Escherichia coli; nonhuman; optical density; phenotype; phylogeny; quality control; whole genome sequencing | antimicrobial resistance; CTX-M-1; Enterobacterales; Escherichia coli; food safety; IncI1; One Health |
| Disposable diaper waste accumulation at the human-livestock-wildlife interface: A one health approach | Improper management of disposable diaper waste is becoming a priority global health issue because it has resulted in environmental accumulation of fecal pathogens and non-biodegradable material. Concerns include drinking water safety, as well as chemical and physical contaminants that may harm human, animal (domestic and wildlife), and environmental health. In rural areas, especially those in low- and middle-income countries where municipal waste management infrastructure may be lacking, this issue is particularly challenging. Using a One Health approach, this study used spatial statistics to describe the location and proximity of disposable diaper waste sites to livestock grazing areas, human dwellings, rivers, and conservation areas in agro-pastoralist communities in South Africa. A total of 627 unique diaper waste sites were identified and plotted between May 2019 and March 2020. The mean distance of waste sites to rivers was 2,196 m (SD=1,799) and 5,523 m (SD=2,642) to protected areas. Most diaper waste sites were located along the perimeter of villages and dwellings, where livestock grazing areas are common. This description of waste sites is an important step in strategizing efficient and effective waste management programs and policies that prioritize those areas with greatest potential impact on human, animal, and environmental health for remediation. © 2022 | Conservation; Disposable diaper; One health; Sustainable development goals; WASH; Waste management |
| One Health programs at Canadian universities with a veterinary college – 1. The University of Guelph | [No abstract available] | Animals; Canada; Curriculum; Education, Veterinary; Humans; One Health; Schools, Veterinary; Universities; animal; Canada; curriculum; education; human; One Health; school; university |
| Mainstreaming Gender-Responsive One Health: Now Is the Time | [No abstract available] | Health Policy; Health Status Disparities; One Health; health care policy; health disparity; One Health | diseases; equity; gender; NEOH; One Health; policy; research |
| Defining the Genes Required for Survival of Mycobacterium bovis in the Bovine Host Offers Novel Insights into the Genetic Basis of Survival of Pathogenic Mycobacteria | Tuberculosis has severe impacts on both humans and animals. Understanding the genetic basis of survival of both Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the human-adapted species, and Mycobacterium bovis, the animal-adapted species, is crucial to deciphering the biology of both pathogens. There are several studies that identify the genes required for survival of M. tuberculosis in vivo using mouse models; however, there are currently no studies probing the genetic basis of survival of M. bovis in vivo. In this study, we utilize transposon insertion sequencing in M. bovis AF2122/97 to determine the genes required for survival in cattle. We identify genes encoding established mycobacterial virulence functions such as the ESX-1 secretion system, phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) synthesis, mycobactin synthesis, and cholesterol catabolism that are required in vivo. We show that, as in M. tuberculosis H37Rv, phoPR is required by M. bovis AF2122/97 in vivo despite the known defect in signaling through this system. Comparison to studies performed in species that are able to use carbohydrates as an energy source, such as M. bovis BCG and M. tuberculosis, suggests that there are differences in the requirement for genes involved in cholesterol import (mce4 operon) and oxidation (hsd). We report a good correlation with existing mycobacterial virulence functions but also find several novel virulence factors, including genes involved in protein mannosylation, aspartate metabolism, and glycerol-phosphate metabolism. These findings further extend our knowledge of the genetic basis of survival in vivo in bacteria that cause tuberculosis and provide insight for the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics. IMPORTANCE This is the first report of the genetic requirements of an animal-adapted member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in a natural host. M. bovis has devastating impacts on cattle, and bovine tuberculosis is a considerable economic, animal welfare, and public health concern. The data highlight the importance of mycobacterial cholesterol catabolism and identify several new virulence factors. Additionally, the work informs the development of novel differential diagnostics and therapeutics for TB in both human and animal populations. Copyright © 2022 Gibson et al. | Animals; Cattle; Cholesterol; Humans; Mice; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Bovine; Virulence Factors; cholesterol; virulence factor; animal; bovine; bovine tuberculosis; genetics; human; metabolism; microbiology; mouse; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; tuberculosis | gene essentiality; KEYWORDS Tn-seq; One Health; tuberculosis; virulence factors |
| Environmental factors associated with the prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in wild boar (Sus scrofa) | Antimicrobial resistances (AMR) in bacteria, such as ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli, are a burden to human and animal health. This burden is mainly driven by the consumption and release of antimicrobial substances into the environment. The pollution and contamination of habitats by AMR in bacteria and antimicrobial substances can lead to the transmission of bacterial AMR to wildlife. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the transmission cycle of antibiotics and resistant bacteria between humans, and animals as well as their occurrences in the environment. Environmental factors associated with the occurrence of bacterial AMR in wildlife can lead to a better understanding of the distribution of bacterial AMR in humans and animals using One Health approaches. Here, we analyzed data gathered in the framework of the German zoonoses monitoring program in 2016 and 2020 using spatiotemporal statistics to identify relevant environmental factors (e.g., livestock density, climatic variables, and human density) in association with the spatial distribution of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli. For this purpose, we developed a generic data integration and analysis pipeline to link spatially explicit environmental factors to the monitoring data. Finally, we built a binomial generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to determine the factors associated with the spatial distribution of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli. In 2016 and 2020, 807 fecal samples from hunted wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) were randomly taken in 13 federal states and selectively analyzed for ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli. Forty-eight isolates were identified in 12 German federal states, with an overall prevalence of 6%. We observed an almost three times higher probability of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli isolates in wild boar in counties with high cattle densities (OR = 2.57, p ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, we identified a seasonal effect in areas with high precipitation during the off-hunting seasons (OR = 2.78, p = 0.025) and low precipitation throughout the years (OR = 0.42, p = 0.025). However, due to the low amount of identified isolates, confidence intervals were wide, indicating a high level of uncertainty. This suggests that further studies on smaller scales need to be conducted with multiannual data and improved metadata, e.g., on the location, the hunting procedure, and species characteristics to be collected during field sampling. Copyright © 2022 Günther, Kramer-Schadt, Fuhrmann and Belik. | antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bovine; broth dilution; confidence interval; data analysis; data integration; environmental factor; European wild boar; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli; gene; information processing; nonhuman; phenotype; population density; precipitation; predictor variable; prevalence; real time polymerase chain reaction; Sanger sequencing; season; uncertainty; wildlife; zoonosis | antimicrobial resistance; E. coli; One Health; spatial analysis; wildlife |
| The “One Health” approach in the face of Covid-19: how radical should it be? | Background: The 2020-2021 coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is just the latest epidemic event that requires us to rethink and change our understanding of health. Health should no longer be conceived only in relation to human beings, but in unitary terms, as a dimension that connects humans, animals, plants, and the environment (holistic view, One Health). In general, alterations occurring in this articulated chain of life trigger a domino effect. Methodology: In this paper, we review the One Health paradigm in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic and distinguish two approaches within it that might be dubbed the Prudent one and the Radical one. Each approach is structured in three levels – epistemological, medical, and ethical. Results: In this way, we show how we humans can better address the pandemic today and how, in the future, we can treat the whole living system better, by renouncing our anthropocentric perspective on health. Conclusion: We hold that the Prudent approach can be very helpful, and we discuss the medical and ethical issues related to it. We also consider the Radical view and the epistemological turn it requires compared to the Prudent one. © 2022, The Author(s). | COVID-19; Humans; Knowledge; One Health; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; human; knowledge; One Health; pandemic | Antibiotic resistance; Bioethics; Environment; Holistic view |
| Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta-analysis | Bats are the only flying mammalian animals and are distributed worldwide. Bats are well-known hosts of several zoonotic viruses and bacteria, including Leptospira sp. Here, we performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of evidence of Leptospira sp. infection in bats by examining studies published between 1964 and 2021. We reported the frequencies of various species and serogroups on all continents, several species and feeding habits of bats, and different diagnostic tools. Together, 33 papers from all continents with seven to 2077 individuals from one to 31 species were included. Molecular detection was conducted in most studies, followed by MAT (Microscopic Agglutination Test) and isolation and identification. Molecular characterization of Leptospira sp. revealed L. borgpetersenii as the most frequent species. Moreover, 179 positive samples for MAT contained the most likely infecting serogroups described, particularly the Australis serogroup. The percentage of positive tests in isolation and identification ranged between 0% and 0.5%. The highest frequency of Leptospira infection among the continents was observed in Asia, whereas South America had the lowest percentage. Finally, Nycteridae and Rhinonycteridae were the most frequently infected bat families. Our study provides valuable information about the epidemiology of Leptospira sp. infection in bats. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Agglutination Tests; Animals; Chiroptera; Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Serogroup; agglutination test; Article; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; bat; blood sampling; clinical outcome; descriptive research; DNA extraction; feeding; geographic distribution; kidney tissue; Leptospira; Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae; Leptospira kmetyi; Leptospira mayottensis; Leptospira noguchii; Leptospira santarosai; Leptospira weilii; Leptospiraceae; leptospirosis; meta analysis; molecular diagnosis; nonhuman; public health; quantitative analysis; risk assessment; screening; systematic review; urine sampling; animal; leptospirosis; microbiology; serotype; veterinary medicine | chiroptera; leptospirosis; MAT; One Health; public health; zoonosis |
| One health, monkeypox prevention, and treatment: The second online academic salon on monkeypox virus by the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (August 26, 2022, Beijing, China) | [No abstract available] | Animals; Beijing; China; Laboratory Animal Science; Monkeypox; Monkeypox virus; One Health; animal; China; laboratory; monkeypox; Monkeypox virus; One Health |
| Challenges and Lessons Learned in the Development of a Participatory Learning and Action Intervention to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance: Experiences From Northern Vietnam | Antibiotic use in the community for humans and animals is high in Vietnam, driven by easy access to over-the counter medicines and poor understanding of the role of antibiotics. This has contributed to antibiotic resistance levels that are amongst the highest in the world. To address this problem, we developed a participatory learning and action (PLA) intervention. Here we describe challenges and lessons learned while developing and testing this intervention in preparation for a large-scale One Health trial in northern Vietnam. We tested the PLA approach using community-led photography, and then reflected on how this approach worked in practice. We reviewed and discussed implementation documentation and developed and refined themes. Five main themes were identified related to challenges and lessons learned: understanding the local context, stakeholder relationship development, participant recruitment, building trust and motivation, and engagement with the topic of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Partnerships with national and local authorities provided an important foundation for building relationships with communities, and enhanced visibility and credibility of activities. Partnership development required managing relationships, clarifying roles, and accommodating different management styles. When recruiting participants, we had to balance preferences for top-down and bottom-up approaches. Building trust and motivation took time and was challenged by limited study team presence in the community. Open discussions around expectations and appropriate incentives were re-visited throughout the process. Financial incentives provided initial motivation to participate, while less tangible benefits like collective knowledge, social connections, desire to help the community, and new skills, sustained longer-term motivation. Lack of awareness and perceived importance of the problem of AMR, affected initial motivation. Developing mutual understanding through use of common and simplified language helped when discussing the complexities of this topic. A sense of ownership emerged as the study progressed and participants understood more about AMR, how it related to their own concerns, and incorporated their own ideas into activities. PLA can be a powerful way of stimulating community action and bringing people together to tackle a common problem. Understanding the nuances of local power structures, and allowing time for stakeholder relationship development and consensus-building are important considerations when designing engagement projects. Copyright © 2022 Cai, Tran, Nguyen, Vu, Tran, Bui, Nguyen, Pham, Lai, Van Nuil and Lewycka. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Humans; One Health; Polyesters; Vietnam; antiinfective agent; polyester; animal; antibiotic resistance; human; One Health; Viet Nam | AMR; community; engagement; participation; partnership; PLA; trust; Vietnam |
| Infection agents of Didelphidae (Didelphimorphia) of Brazil: An underestimated matter in zoonoses research | Zoonoses are diseases or infections naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans, and can be bacterial, viral or parasitic. The growth of urbanization, industrialization and the advance of agriculture and livestock facilitate the spread of infectious and parasitic agents from wild animals to the human population and to their domestic animals. Among the various reservoirs of zoonotic agents, we find that didelphid species, due to their high capacity for adaptation in urban environments, as an important study case. We reviewed the literature data on the pathogens, including with zoonotic potential of marsupial species occurring in Brazil, accounted for infections by agents that we categorized into Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, and Helminths. Aiming identifies possible knowledge gaps, we also surveyed the origin of studied samples and the institutions leading the researches on host didelphids. Among the hosts, the genus Didelphis in the cycles of these agents stands out. Moreover, we found that the majority of reported cases are in the Southeastern Brazil, mean the data from other Brazilian localities and didelphid species could be underestimated. Most studies took place in graduate programs of public research institutions, emphasizing the importance of the funding public research for the Brazilian scientific development. © 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston. | Brazil; adaptation; infectious disease; infectivity; knowledge; marsupial; research work; urbanization | Didelphis ; diseases; host; marsupials; One Health; opossum |
| A One Medicine Mission for an Effective Rabies Therapy | Despite the disease’s long history, little progress has been made toward a treatment for rabies. The prognosis for patient recovery remains dire. For any prospect of survival, patients require aggressive critical care, which physicians in rabies endemic areas may be reluctant or unable to provide given the cost, clinical expertise required, and uncertain outcome. Systematic clinical research into combination therapies is further hampered by sporadic occurrence of cases. In this Perspective, we examine the case for a One Medicine approach to accelerate development of an effective therapy for rabies through the veterinary care and investigational treatment of naturally infected dogs in appropriate circumstances. We review the pathogenesis of rabies virus in humans and dogs, including recent advances in our understanding of the molecular basis for the severe neurological dysfunction. We propose that four categories of disease process need to be managed in patients: viral propagation, neuronal degeneration, inflammation and systemic compromise. Compassionate critical care and investigational treatment of naturally infected dogs receiving supportive therapy that mimics the human clinical scenario could increase opportunities to study combination therapies that address these processes, and to identify biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic response. We discuss the safety and ethics of this approach, and introduce the Canine Rabies Treatment Initiative, a non-profit organization with the mission to apply a One Medicine approach to the investigation of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic options for rabies in naturally infected dogs, to accelerate transformation of rabies into a treatable disease for all patients. Copyright © 2022 Knobel, Jackson, Bingham, Ertl, Gibson, Hughes, Joubert, Mani, Mohr, Moore, Rivett-Carnac, Tordo, Yeates, Zambelli and Rupprecht. | biological marker; Article; dog; experimental therapy; human; inflammation; intensive care; medical ethics; nerve cell degeneration; neurologic disease; non profit organization; nonhuman; One Health; prognosis; rabies; treatment response; virus pathogenesis | blood-brain barrier; canine; immunotherapy; neurodegeneration; pathogenesis; prognosis; rabies; treatment |
| Bovine tuberculosis in Taiwan, 2008–2019 | Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis. The impact of bTB on global TB control has been underestimated. We adopted the One Health approach to human bTB surveillance in Taiwan. Of 20,972 human TB cases, 202 (1.0%) were bTB, 78.2% were in males, 85.1% were new cases, 83.2% were pulmonary TB, and most were in Central (52.5%) and Southern (24.8%) Taiwan. Only 18.8% of bTB patients had known animal contact. Of the 202 human M. bovis strains, 100% were resistant to pyrazinamide (PZA), 30.2% were concurrently resistant to isoniazid (INH) and 2.0% were multidrug resistant, defined as being resistant to at least INH and rifampin. Whereas, of the 22 animal M. bovis strains, 100% and 22.7% were resistant to PZA and INH, respectively. Seven spoligotypes and 25 mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit genotypes were identified. The predominant genotype, SB0265, was also prevalent in livestock. Notably, six animal-specific M. bovis genotypes were identified. bTB differential diagnosis and drug resistance detection are crucial for TB control. Comprehensive surveillance and human–animal interface investigations are needed. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. | Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Humans; Isoniazid; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Rifampin; Taiwan; Tuberculosis, Bovine; cysteine; isoniazid; oligonucleotide; primer DNA; pyrazinamide; sodium hydroxide; streptomycin; rifampicin; adult; aged; animal welfare; Article; biosafety; bladder cancer; bovine tuberculosis; capillary electrophoresis; DNA hybridization; DNA polymorphism; drug sensitivity; female; fluorescence; gene locus; genotype; human; immunotherapy; livestock; lung tuberculosis; major clinical study; male; monitoring; multidrug resistance; Mycobacterium bovis; phenotype; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; Sanger sequencing; screening; sequence analysis; zoonosis; animal; bovine; bovine tuberculosis; cattle disease; genetics; microbial sensitivity test; microbiology; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Taiwan; veterinary medicine | bovine tuberculosis; drug resistance; genotype; Mycobacterium bovis; One Health |
| United Against Rabies Forum: The One Health Concept at Work | Human deaths from rabies are preventable and can be eliminated by applying a systematic One Health approach. However, this ancient disease still threatens the lives of millions of people in up to 150 countries and kills an estimated 59, 000 people every year. Rabies today is largely a disease of poverty, almost always linked to dog bites, with most deaths occurring in neglected communities in Africa and Asia. The disease places an immense economic burden on its victims, a cost that far outweighs the investment needed to control it. A global framework for rabies elimination in humans is set out in Zero by 30: The Global Strategic Plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Despite the existence of proven control strategies and agreement on the path to eliminating human rabies deaths, mortality numbers from rabies remain high, and COVID-19 has set back efforts even further. But COVID-19 has also highlighted the value of a One Health approach to zoonotic disease and pandemic prevention. Rabies control programs offer a practical route to building One Health capacities that can also address other zoonotic threats, including those with pandemic potential. The United Against Rabies Forum aims to accelerate progress on rabies elimination while applying a One Health approach. The Forum promotes cross-sector collaboration among stakeholders and supports countries in their rabies elimination efforts. Increased political engagement and resource mobilization, both internationally and nationally, will be needed to achieve global rabies goals and can also make One Health implementation a reality. Copyright © 2022 Tidman, Thumbi, Wallace, de Balogh, Iwar, Dieuzy-Labaye, Song, Shadomy, Qiu, Torres, Hutchison, Abela-Ridder, Bote, Beeching, Cronin and Trees. | Animals; COVID-19; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Humans; One Health; Rabies; Zoonoses; animal; dog; dog disease; epidemiology; human; One Health; prevention and control; rabies; veterinary; zoonosis | COVID-19; neglected tropical diseases; One Health; rabies; rabies elimination; United Against Rabies; Zero by 30; zoonosis |
| Possible Cross-Reactivity of Feline and White-Tailed Deer Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain | In late 2019, a novel coronavirus began circulating within humans in central China. It was designated SARS-CoV-2 because of its genetic similarities to the 2003 SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Now that SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide, there is a risk of it establishing new animal reservoirs and recombination with native circulating coronaviruses. To screen local animal populations in the United States for exposure to SARS-like coronaviruses, we developed a serological assay using the receptor binding domain (RBD) from SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2’s RBD is antigenically distinct from common human and animal coronaviruses, allowing us to identify animals previously infected with SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. Using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for SARS-CoV-2’s RBD, we screened serum from wild and domestic animals for the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2’s RBD. Surprisingly prepandemic feline serum samples submitted to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital were;50% positive for anti-SARS RBD antibodies. Some of these samples were serologically negative for feline coronavirus (FCoV), raising the question of the etiological agent generating anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD cross-reactivity. We also identified several white-tailed deer from South Carolina with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. These results are intriguing, as cross-reactive antibodies toward SARS-CoV-2 RBD have not been reported to date. The etiological agent responsible for seropositivity was not readily apparent, but finding seropositive cats prior to the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlights our lack of information about circulating coronaviruses in other species. IMPORTANCE We report cross-reactive antibodies from prepandemic cats and postpandemic South Carolina white-tailed deer that are specific for that SARS-CoV RBD. There are several potential explanations for this cross-reactivity, each with important implications to coronavirus disease surveillance. Perhaps the most intriguing possibility is the existence and transmission of an etiological agent (such as another coronavirus) with similarity to SARS-CoV-2’s RBD region. However, we lack conclusive evidence of prepandemic transmission of a SARS-like virus. Our findings provide impetus for the adoption of a One Health Initiative focusing on infectious disease surveillance of multiple animal species to predict the next zoonotic transmission to humans and future pandemics. Copyright © 2022 Hancock et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. | Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Cats; COVID-19; Deer; SARS-CoV-2; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; cross reacting antibody; coronavirus spike glycoprotein; neutralizing antibody; spike protein, SARS-CoV-2; virus antibody; Article; cat; communicable disease; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cross reaction; domestic animal; Feline coronavirus; female; indirect ELISA; male; nonhuman; One Health; pandemic; receptor binding; SARS coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; South Carolina; Tennessee; United States; veterinary clinic; virus transmission; white tailed deer; zoonotic transmission; animal; cat; deer; genetics | antibodies; bovine; canine; coronavirus; cross-reactive; ELISA; feline; RBD; SARS-CoV-2; white-tailed deer |
| Serological survey of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in individuals with animal hoarding disorder and their dogs in a major city of Southern Brazil | Background: Individuals with hoarding disorder (HD) presented a persistent difficulty in detaching from objects and/or animals. Unhealthy conditions, frequently found in cases of animal HD (AHD), may favour environmental contamination and the spread of zoonotic pathogens. Despite that, only one study of zoonotic diseases in individuals with AHD and their companion animals has been conducted to date. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in individuals with AHD and their dogs in a major city of Southern Brazil. Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 264 dogs (21 households) and 19 individuals with AHD (11 households) and tested by microscopic agglutination test. Results: All human samples were seronegative. Seropositivity was found in 16/264 (6.1%; CI 95% 3.3–9.6%) dogs from 11/21 (52.38%) households, with titres ranging from 100 up to 400, and Copenhageni (10/16; 62.5%) was the most frequent serovar. Surprisingly, seropositivity of hoarded dogs found herein was among the lowest reportedly observed in other dog populations of Brazil. Two epidemiological variables were significantly associated with seropositivity in dogs: the presence of cat hoarding (p = 0.004) and the report of flood occurrence in the household (p = 0.031). Conclusions: No individuals with AHD were seropositive, and besides the lower seroprevalence of dogs, they probably had contact with Leptospira spp. at some point in their life. Since dogs can be considered potential sentinels in leptospirosis, public health programs must become aware of the risk of leptospirosis cases in households of individuals with AHD and nearby communities. © 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | Animals; Brazil; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Hoarding; Hoarding Disorder; Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Seroepidemiologic Studies; agglutination test; animal experiment; Article; blood sampling; feeding; hoarding disorder; household; Leptospira; Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni; leptospirosis; microscopy; nonhuman; public health; questionnaire; sensitivity and specificity; serology; seroprevalence; virus transmission; animal; Brazil; dog; dog disease; hoarding; hoarding disorder; leptospirosis; seroepidemiology; veterinary medicine | hoarding disorder; leptospirosis; One Health; sentinel surveillance |
