Ungulate use of locally infectious zones in a re-emerging anthrax risk area

Environmentally mediated indirect pathogen transmission is linked to host movement and foraging in areas where pathogens are maintained in the environment. In the case of anthrax, spores of the causative bacterium Bacillus anthracis are released into the environment following host death and create locally infectious zones (LIZs) around carcass sites; by grazing at LIZs, herbivores are potentially exposed to spores. Here, we used camera traps to assess how ungulate species use carcass sites in southwestern Montana and evaluated how these behaviours may promote indirect anthrax transmission, thus providing, to our knowledge, the first detailed documentation and study of the fine-scale mechanisms underlying foraging-based disease transmission in this ecosystem. We found that carcasses at LIZs significantly increased aboveground biomass of vegetation and concentrations of sodium and phosphorus, potentially making these sites more appealing to grazers. Host behavioural responses to LIZs varied depending on species, sex, season and carcass age; but, overall, our results demonstrated that carcasses or carcass sites serve as an attractant to herbivores in this system. Attraction to LIZs probably represents an increased risk of exposure to B. anthracis and, consequently, increased anthrax transmission rates. Accordingly, continued anthrax surveillance and control strategies are critical in this system.

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Cattle trade between and within biomes in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1678-5150-pvb-5661 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 38 (11) ◽

pp. 2023-2028

Author(s):

Rísia L. Negreiros ◽

José H.H. Grisi-Filho ◽

Ricardo A. Dias ◽

Fernando Ferreira ◽

Valéria S.F. Homem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Animal Movement ◽

Control Strategies ◽

The State ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Movement Data ◽

Cattle Movements ◽

Increased Risk ◽

And Control

ABSTRACT: The analysis of animal movement patterns may help identify farm premises with a potentially high risk of infectious disease introduction. Farm herd sizes and bovine movement data from 2007 in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, were analyzed. There are three different biomes in Mato Grosso: the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal. The analysis of the animal trade between and within biomes would enable characterization of the connections between the biomes and the intensity of the internal trade within each biome. We conducted the following analyses: 1) the concentration of cattle on farm premises in the state and in each biome, 2) the number and relative frequency of cattle moved between biomes, and 3) the most frequent purposes for cattle movements. Twenty percent (20%) of the farm premises had 81.15% of the herd population. Those premises may be important not only for the spread of infectious diseases, but also for the implementation of surveillance and control strategies. Most of the cattle movement was intrastate (97.1%), and internal movements within each biome were predominant (88.6%). A high percentage of movement from the Pantanal was to the Cerrado (48.6%), the biome that received the most cattle for slaughter, fattening and reproduction (62.4%, 56.8%, and 49.1% of all movements for slaughter, fattening, and reproduction, respectively). The primary purposes for cattle trade were fattening (43.5%), slaughter (31.5%), and reproduction (22.7%). Presumably, movements for slaughter has a low risk of disease spread. In contrast, movements for fattening and reproduction purposes (66.2% of all movements) may contribute to an increased risk of the spread of infectious diseases.

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Advances in Cardiac Pacing: Arrhythmia Prediction, Prevention and Control Strategies

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.783241 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Mehrie Harshad Patel ◽

Shrikanth Sampath ◽

Anoushka Kapoor ◽

Devanshi Narendra Damani ◽

Nikitha Chellapuram ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Arrhythmias ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Clinical Intervention ◽

Cardiac Pacing ◽

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators ◽

Technological Advances ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Pacing Strategies ◽

And Control

Cardiac arrhythmias constitute a tremendous burden on healthcare and are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. An alarming number of people have been reported to manifest sudden cardiac death as the first symptom of cardiac arrhythmias, accounting for about 20% of all deaths annually. Furthermore, patients prone to atrial tachyarrhythmias such as atrial flutter and fibrillation often have associated comorbidities including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, valvular cardiomyopathy and increased risk of stroke. Technological advances in electrical stimulation and sensing modalities have led to the proliferation of medical devices including pacemakers and implantable defibrillators, aiming to restore normal cardiac rhythm. However, given the complex spatiotemporal dynamics and non-linearity of the human heart, predicting the onset of arrhythmias and preventing the transition from steady state to unstable rhythms has been an extremely challenging task. Defibrillatory shocks still remain the primary clinical intervention for lethal ventricular arrhythmias, yet patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators often suffer from inappropriate shocks due to false positives and reduced quality of life. Here, we aim to present a comprehensive review of the current advances in cardiac arrhythmia prediction, prevention and control strategies. We provide an overview of traditional clinical arrhythmia management methods and describe promising potential pacing techniques for predicting the onset of abnormal rhythms and effectively suppressing cardiac arrhythmias. We also offer a clinical perspective on bridging the gap between basic and clinical science that would aid in the assimilation of promising anti-arrhythmic pacing strategies.

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Risk Factors for Infection or Colonization with CTX-M Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Positive Escherichia coli

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.01136-12 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 56 (11) ◽

pp. 5575-5580 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jennifer H. Han ◽

Kei Kasahara ◽

Paul H. Edelstein ◽

Warren B. Bilker ◽

Ebbing Lautenbach

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Escherichia Coli ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Content Type ◽

E Coli ◽

Extended Spectrum ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Urinary Culture ◽

Multivariable Analyses ◽

And Control

ABSTRACTThere has been a significant increase in the prevalence ofEnterobacteriaceaethat produce CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamases. The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for infection or colonization with CTX-M-positiveEscherichia coli. A case-control study was conducted within a university system from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2008. All patients with clinical cultures withE. colidemonstrating resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins were included. Case patients were designated as those with cultures positive for CTX-M-positiveE. coli, and control patients were designated as those with non-CTX-M-producingE. coli. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors for CTX-M-positive isolates. A total of 83 (56.8%) of a total of 146 patients had cultures with CTX-M-positiveE. coli. On multivariable analyses, there was a significant association between infection or colonization with CTX-M-type β-lactamase-positiveE. coliand receipt of piperacillin-tazobactam in the 30 days prior to the culture date (odds ratio [OR], 7.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61 to 33.8;P= 0.01) and a urinary culture source (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.77;P= 0.008). The rates of resistance to fluoroquinolones were significantly higher in isolates from case patients than in isolates from control patients (90.4 and 50.8%, respectively;P< 0.001). We found that nonurinary sources of clinical cultures and the recent use of piperacillin-tazobactam conferred an increased risk of colonization or infection with CTX-M-positiveE. coli. Future studies will need to focus on outcomes associated with infections due to CTX-M-positiveE. coli, as well as infection control strategies to limit the spread of these increasingly common organisms.

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Prevention and control strategies for ticks and pathogen transmission

Revue Scientifique et Technique de l OIE ◽

10.20506/rst.34.1.2357 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 249-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

FUENTE J. DE LA FUENTE ◽

K.M. KOCAN ◽

M. CONTRERAS

Keyword(s):

Prevention And Control ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

And Control

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Assessment of Risk Factors of African Swine Fever in India: Perspectives on Future Outbreaks and Control Strategies

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens9121044 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1044

Author(s):

Mousumi Bora ◽

Durlav Prasad Bora ◽

Mohan Manu ◽

Nagendra Nath Barman ◽

Lakshya Jyoti Dutta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Control Strategies ◽

African Swine Fever ◽

Small Scale ◽

Wild Pigs ◽

Wildlife Reservoirs ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

And Control ◽

Near Future

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important transboundary diseases of pigs. ASF has been identified in India for the first time in domestic pigs from outbreaks reported in two of the northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in 2020. A total of 11 ASF outbreaks in different regions killed over 3700 pigs and devastated the economy of small-scale livestock owners of both the states. Considering the first outbreak of ASF in India, a generic risk assessment framework was determined to identify potential risk factors that might favor future emergence of the disease. Based on the Indian scenario, we considered population density of host, farming practice, availability of biological vectors and wildlife reservoirs, epidemiological cycles, and international trade to analyze the possibility of future outbreaks of ASF and chances of establishment of endemism. On critical analysis of the identified risk factors associated with ASFV transmission, we observed that the risk factors are well preserved in the Indian geography and might participate in future outbreaks, further disseminating the disease to nearby countries. Since no vaccine is currently available against ASF, the domestic and the wild pigs (wild boars and the endangered pygmy hogs native to India) of this region are under constant threat of infection. For the near future, this region will have to continue to rely on the implementation of preventive measures to avoid the devastating losses that outbreaks can cause. The various adaptive control strategies to minimize the risks associated with the transmission of ASF, keeping our views to Indian settings, have been described. The risk-analysis framework presented in the study will give a further understanding of the dynamics of disease transmission and will help to design control strategies and corresponding measures to minimize the catastrophic consequences of ASF disease.

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New Issues in Developing Effective Approaches for the Prevention and Control of Vitamin A Deficiency

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/156482659801900208 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 137-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Martin W. Bloem ◽

Saskia de Pee ◽

Ian Darnton-Hill

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Life Cycle Approach ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

Increased Risk ◽

To Come ◽

And Control

Even mild to moderate vitamin A deficiency is now recognized as an important factor in child health and survival. This has given increased emphasis to the goal of virtually eliminating vitamin A deficiency and its consequences, including blindness, by the end of the decade. The implications of vitamin A deficiency, however, vary according to the group at risk, and this needs to be addressed when looking at ways to achieve the goal. In pre-school children, vitamin A deficiency can lead to increased risk of mortality and morbidity and to blindness. In pregnant and lactating women, it can lead to night-blindness and appears to have implications for maternal morbidity and mortality. Although the immediate health consequences for schoolchildren and adolescents are not completely known, they are probably less dramatic. Nevertheless, it is clear that there is a cross-generational cycle leading to and perpetuating vitamin A deficiency in affected communities. This also has implications when addressing prevention and control strategies. The existing, somewhat successful approach has been to target children aged six months to six years; it is implicit that this criterion is used to measure progress towards the end-of-decade goals. A broader, complementary, life-cycle approach to vitamin A deficiency is now appropriate in many countries. There is increasing emphasis on such approaches, i.e., fortifying foods with vitamin A and improving the diet, which address the whole population at risk. A mix of interventions will give governments the chance to shift from a subsidized vitamin A capsule programme to more sustainable, non-subsidized, consumer-funded vitamin A interventions, although in an appreciable number of countries, supplementation with vitamin A will be a necessity for some years to come. Guidelines to assist governments in such transitions are a high priority.

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The Possible Risk of Reverse Zoonosis in COVID-19: An Epidemiological Driving Approach for the One Health Future Challenges: A Review

Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research ◽

10.18805/ajdfr.dr-1543 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

R. Vijayaraghavan ◽

Viswanathan Naveenkumar ◽

B. S. Pradeep Nag ◽

K. Porteen

Keyword(s):

Disease Transmission ◽

One Health ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Human Interface ◽

Source Of Infection ◽

Animal Infection ◽

The Future ◽

Future Challenges ◽

The One ◽

And Control

The emerging coronaviral infection named as COVID-19 was officially declared as pandemic on 11, March 2020 by WHO. It has so far been reported from 215 countries or territories affecting about twenty seven million people infected globally. The novel attributes on COVID-19 with sporadic reports on animal, alarms the future chances of animal mediated COVID-19 transmission. Despite lockdown in two-third of the global population, health officials are worried about the risky nature of animal infection in the current pandemic situation. The reverse zoonotic index cases in the current epidemic reported sporadically in animals through infected humans. Reported evidence suggests that bat as the major reservoir involved in COVID-19. However, still, the role of intermediate host involvement in the human COVID-19 transmission from the bat is not yet understood. It is clear that humans play a potent source of infection to transmit the disease to other humans and animals. A literature survey was conducted to a) understand the level of animal’s involvement in COVID19 pandemic and b) to measure the amount of risk of reverse zoonoses in pet animals, exposed animals etc. The epidemiological investigation suggested the need for strong surveillance on the human-animal interface area with strict advisory measures to combat this dangerous disease transmission to humans and other animals. Hence understanding animal’s role in the current pandemic is of prime importance in devising preparedness and control strategies through unique one health approach. In implementing suitable research protocol at animal-human interface along with environment by devising appropriate control strategies will reduce the future reverse zoonosis risk in the current pandemic through a holistic one health drive.

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Influenza outbreak in a Canadian correctional facility

Journal of Infection Prevention ◽

10.1177/1757177416689725 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 193-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jonathan Besney ◽

Danusia Moreau ◽

Angela Jacobs ◽

Dan Woods ◽

Diane Pyne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Transmission ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Correctional Facility ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Control Measures ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Correctional Facilities ◽

Influenza Outbreak ◽

Increased Risk ◽

And Control

Correctional facilities face increased risk of communicable disease transmission and outbreaks. We describe the progression of an influenza outbreak in a Canadian remand facility and suggest strategies for preventing, identifying and responding to outbreaks in this setting. In total, six inmates had laboratory-confirmed influenza resulting in 144 exposed contacts. Control measures included enhanced isolation precautions, restricting admissions to affected living units, targeted vaccination and antiviral prophylaxis. This report highlights the importance of setting specific outbreak guidelines in addressing population and environmental challenges, as well as implementation of effective infection prevention and control (IPAC) and public health measures when managing influenza and other communicable disease outbreaks.

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Inter-provincial disparity of COVID-19 transmission and control in Nepal

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-92253-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Buddhi Pantha ◽

Subas Acharya ◽

Hem Raj Joshi ◽

Naveen K. Vaidya

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Reproduction Number ◽

Control Strategies ◽

National Level ◽

Effective Control ◽

Data Set ◽

Control Policies ◽

Local Spread ◽

And Control

AbstractDespite the global efforts to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the disease transmission and the effective controls still remain uncertain as the outcome of the epidemic varies from place to place. In this regard, the province-wise data from Nepal provides a unique opportunity to study the effective control strategies. This is because (a) some provinces of Nepal share an open-border with India, resulting in a significantly high inflow of COVID-19 cases from India; (b) despite the inflow of a considerable number of cases, the local spread was quite controlled until mid-June of 2020, presumably due to control policies implemented; and (c) the relaxation of policies caused a rapid surge of the COVID-19 cases, providing a multi-phasic trend of disease dynamics. In this study, we used this unique data set to explore the inter-provincial disparities of the important indicators, such as epidemic trend, epidemic growth rate, and reproduction numbers. Furthermore, we extended our analysis to identify prevention and control policies that are effective in altering these indicators. Our analysis identified a noticeable inter-province variation in the epidemic trend (3 per day to 104 per day linear increase during third surge period), the median daily growth rate (1 to 4% per day exponential growth), the basic reproduction number (0.71 to 1.21), and the effective reproduction number (maximum values ranging from 1.20 to 2.86). Importantly, results from our modeling show that the type and number of control strategies that are effective in altering the indicators vary among provinces, underscoring the need for province-focused strategies along with the national-level strategy in order to ensure the control of a local spread.

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Feeding Ecology and Host Preferences of Mosquitoes in two Zoological Gardens in the United Kingdom

10.21203/rs.3.rs-117765/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Arturo Hernandez-Colina ◽

Merit Gonzalez-Olvera ◽

Emily Lomax ◽

Freya Townsend ◽

Amber Maddox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Mosquito Control ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Host Preferences ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Generalized Linear Modelling ◽

Zoo Animals

Abstract Background: Zoological gardens contain unique configurations of exotic and endemic animals and plants that create a diverse range of developing sites and potential sources of blood meals for local mosquitoes. This may imply unusual interspecific pathogen transmission risks involving zoo animals, like avian malaria to captive penguins. Understanding mosquito ecology and host preferences is necessary to improve mosquito control and disease prevention measures in these environments. Methods: Mosquito sampling took place in Chester Zoo for three years (2017 to 2019) and for one year in Flamingo Land (2017) using different trapping methods. Blood-fed mosquitoes were identified and their bloodmeal was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and blasted for host species identification.Results: In total, 640 blood-fed mosquitoes were collected (Culex pipiens (n = 497), Culiseta annulata (n = 81), Anopheles maculipennis s.l. (n = 7), An. claviger (n = 1) and unidentifiable (n = 55)). Successful identification of the host species was achieved from 159 of the 640 blood-fed mosquitoes. Mosquitoes fed on birds (n = 74), non-human mammals (n = 20) and humans (n = 71). There were mixed bloodmeals from two hosts (n = 6). The proportions of blood-fed mosquitoes varied across sampling seasons and sites within the zoos. The use of resting traps and aspiration of vegetation were more efficient techniques for capturing blood-fed mosquitoes than traps for host-seeking or gravid mosquitoes. By relating the locations of zoo animals to where fed mosquitoes were trapped, the minimum travelling distances were calculated (13.7 to 366.7 meters). Temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, proximity to zoo animal exhibits and vegetation level were found to be significantly associated with the proportion of captured blood-fed mosquitoes by generalized linear modelling.Conclusions: Mosquito feeding behaviour in zoos is influenced by environmental variables and host availability, which highlights the value of mosquito monitoring in complex settings to plan control strategies and potentially reduce inherent disease transmission risks for humans and threatened zoo animals.

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