scholarly journals Persistent pathogens and wildlife reservoirs

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 374 (6563) ◽  
pp. 35-36
Author(s):  
Katie Hampson ◽  
Daniel Haydon
Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
Myndi G. Holbrook ◽  
Simon J. Anthony ◽  
Isamara Navarrete-Macias ◽  
Theo Bestebroer ◽  
Vincent J. Munster ◽  
...  

Coronavirus (CoV) spillover events from wildlife reservoirs can result in mild to severe human respiratory illness. These spillover events underlie the importance of detecting known and novel CoVs circulating in reservoir host species and determining CoV prevalence and distribution, allowing improved prediction of spillover events or where a human–reservoir interface should be closely monitored. To increase the likelihood of detecting all circulating genera and strains, we have modified primers published by Watanabe et al. in 2010 to generate a semi-nested pan-CoV PCR assay. Representatives from the four coronavirus genera (α-CoVs, β-CoVs, γ-CoVs and δ-CoVs) were tested and all of the in-house CoVs were detected using this assay. After comparing both assays, we found that the updated assay reliably detected viruses in all genera of CoVs with high sensitivity, whereas the sensitivity of the original assay was lower. Our updated PCR assay is an important tool to detect, monitor and track CoVs to enhance viral surveillance in reservoir hosts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1256
Author(s):  
Teresa Letra Mateus ◽  
Maria João Gargaté ◽  
Anabela Vilares ◽  
Idalina Ferreira ◽  
Manuela Rodrigues ◽  
...  

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonosis that is prevalent worldwide. It is considered endemic in Portugal but few studies have been performed on Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and their hosts. In this study, CE cysts are reported for the first time in a free-living wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Portugal. The presence of the metacestodes in the liver of the wild boar was identified by morphological features, microscopic examination and molecular analysis. The sequencing of part of the DNA nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) region revealed a G5 genotype that presently corresponds to Echinococcus ortleppi. This is the first report of E. ortleppi in Portugal and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, in Europe. These results suggest that wild boar may be a host of CE, namely, crossing the livestock–wildlife interface, which has important public health implications. Wildlife reservoirs must be taken into account as CE hosts and surveillance of game as well as health education for hunters should be implemented using a One Health approach, with implementation of feasible and tailor-made control strategies, namely, proper elimination of byproducts in the field.


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Gracey ◽  
Robert D. Inman
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kingsley Uchenna Ozioko ◽  
Chris Ikem Okoye ◽  
Patience Obiageli Ubachukwu ◽  
Raymond Awudu Agbu ◽  
Bede Izuchukwu Ezewudo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Wildlife reservoirs not only act as a source of infection for vectors but also serve as hosts for the vectors themselves, supporting their populations. Their public health significance in developing countries is of growing importance as a result of zoonotic and enzootic diseases associated with the pathogens they transmit. Therefore, a study was carried out to determine the prevalence of ectoparasites of wild game in Nsukka, southeast Nigeria. Physical examinations were carried out on 143 wildlife, and laboratory identification was employed on the ectoparasites. The collected ectoparasites were identified in the laboratory using literature and with the help of a taxonomist. Results Out of the 143 game examined, 114 was infected with at least one parasite representing about 98.6% of an infestation. Among the parasites identified, Amblyomma spp. showed the highest prevalence of 24.5% at 95% confidential intervals of CI (1.45–3.19)–24.5% (p ≤ 0.05). No difference was observed in the prevalence of the ectoparasites according to sex, except for Ixodes holocyclus. Similarly, no difference was observed in prevalence with reference to age except for Rhipicephalus spp. and Polyplax spinulosa which showed differences. Conclusions The present study provides basic data about the most prevalent ectoparasitic arthropod among game in Nsukka, southeast Nigeria, which requires an evaluation of its zoonotic control measures. This work can elicit the risk of possible transmission of some zoonotic and enzootic diseases via game. Improving awareness among local people and bushmeat dealers about the risk of contracting a vector-borne disease through wildlife is crucial.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-393
Author(s):  
Leonardo Santos ◽  
Eugênia Terra-Granado ◽  
Luciana Conde ◽  
Ana Nardy ◽  
Alexandre Morrot

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana M. S. Guimaraes ◽  
Cristina K. Zimpel

Mycobacterium bovis is the main pathogen of bovine, zoonotic, and wildlife tuberculosis. Despite the existence of programs for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) control in many regions, the disease remains a challenge for the veterinary and public health sectors, especially in developing countries and in high-income nations with wildlife reservoirs. Current bTB control programs are mostly based on test-and-slaughter, movement restrictions, and post-mortem inspection measures. In certain settings, contact tracing and surveillance has benefited from M. bovis genotyping techniques. More recently, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has become the preferential technique to inform outbreak response through contact tracing and source identification for many infectious diseases. As the cost per genome decreases, the application of WGS to bTB control programs is inevitable moving forward. However, there are technical challenges in data analyses and interpretation that hinder the implementation of M. bovis WGS as a molecular epidemiology tool. Therefore, the aim of this review is to describe M. bovis genotyping techniques and discuss current standards and challenges of the use of M. bovis WGS for transmission investigation, surveillance, and global lineages distribution. We compiled a series of associated research gaps to be explored with the ultimate goal of implementing M. bovis WGS in a standardized manner in bTB control programs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Stebbins ◽  
G. A. Noppert ◽  
A. E. Aiello ◽  
E. Cordoba ◽  
J. B. Ward ◽  
...  

Abstract The disproportionate burden of prevalent, persistent pathogens among disadvantaged groups may contribute to socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in long-term health. We assessed if the social patterning of pathogen burden changed over 16 years in a U.S.-representative sample. Data came from 17 660 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants. Pathogen burden was quantified by summing the number of positive serologies for cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus-1, HSV-2, human papillomavirus and Toxoplasma gondii and dividing by the number of pathogens tested, giving a percent-seropositive for each participant. We examined sex- and age-adjusted mean pathogen burdens from 1999–2014, stratified by race/ethnicity and SES (poverty-to-income ratio (PIR); educational attainment). Those with a PIR < 1.3 had a mean pathogen burden 1.4–1.8 times those with a PIR > 3.5, with no change over time. Educational disparities were even greater and showed some evidence of increasing over time, with the mean pathogen burden among those with less than a high school education approximately twice that of those who completed more than high school. Non-Hispanic Black, Mexican American and other Hispanic participants had a mean pathogen burden 1.3–1.9 times non-Hispanic Whites. We demonstrate that socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in pathogen burden have persisted across 16 years, with little evidence that the gap is closing.


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