Coronavirus testing indicates transmission risk increases along wildlife supply chains for human consumption in Viet Nam, 2013-2014

AbstractOutbreaks of emerging coronaviruses in the past two decades and the current pandemic of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in China highlight the importance of this viral family as a zoonotic public health threat. To gain a better understanding of coronavirus presence and diversity in wildlife at wildlife-human interfaces in three southern provinces in Viet Nam 2013-2014, we used consensus Polymerase Chain Reactions to detect coronavirus sequences. In comparison to previous studies, we observed high proportions of positive samples among field rats (34.0%, 239/702) destined for human consumption and insectivorous bats in guano farms (74.8%, 234/313) adjacent to human dwellings. Most notably among field rats, the odds of coronavirus RNA detection significantly increased along the supply chain from field rats sold by traders (reference group; 20.7% positivity, 39/188) by a factor of 2.2 for field rats sold in large markets (32.0%, 116/363) and 10.0 for field rats sold and served in restaurants (55.6%, 84/151). Coronaviruses were detected in the majority of wildlife farms (60.7%, 17/28) and in the Malayan porcupines (6.0%, 20/331) and bamboo rats (6.3%, 6/96) that are farmed. We identified six known coronaviruses in bats and rodents, clustered in three Coronaviridae genera, including the Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammacoronaviruses. Our analysis also suggested either mixing of animal excreta in the environment or interspecies transmission of coronaviruses, as both bat and avian coronaviruses were detected in rodent feces in the trade. The mixing of multiple coronaviruses, and their apparent amplification along the wildlife supply chain into restaurants, suggests maximal risk for end consumers and likely underpins the mechanisms of zoonotic spillover to people.

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Agricultural and food systems in the Mekong region: Drivers of transformation and pathways of change

Emerald Open Research ◽

10.12688/emeraldopenres.13104.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Richard M. Friend ◽

Samarthia Thankappan ◽

Bob Doherty ◽

Nay Aung ◽

Astrud L. Beringer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Supply Chains ◽

Food Systems ◽

Social Economic ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Environmental Drivers ◽

Small Scale ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Substantial Part ◽

Mekong Region ◽

Transformation Processes

Agricultural and food systems in the Mekong Region are undergoing transformations because of increasing engagement in international trade, alongside economic growth, dietary change and urbanisation. Food systems approaches are often used to understand these kinds of transformation processes, with particular strengths in linking social, economic and environmental dimensions of food at multiple scales. We argue that while the food systems approach strives to provide a comprehensive understanding of food production, consumption and environmental drivers, it is less well equipped to shed light on the role of actors, knowledge and power in transformation processes and on the divergent impacts and outcomes of these processes for different actors. We suggest that an approach that uses food systems as heuristics but complements it with attention to actors, knowledge and power improves our understanding of transformations such as those underway in the Mekong Region. The key transformations in the region include the emergence of regional food markets and vertically integrated supply chains that control increasing share of the market, increase in contract farming particularly in the peripheries of the region, replacement of crops cultivated for human consumption with corn grown for animal feed. These transformations are increasingly marginalising small-scale farmers, while at the same time, many other farmers increasingly pursue non-agricultural livelihoods. Food consumption is also changing, with integrated supply chains controlling substantial part of the mass market. Our analysis highlights that theoretical innovations grounded in political economy, agrarian change, development studies and rural livelihoods can help to increase theoretical depth of inquiries to accommodate the increasingly global dimensions of food. As a result, we map out a future research agenda to unpack the dynamic food system interactions and to unveil the social, economic and environmental impacts of these rapid transformations. We identify policy and managerial implications coupled with sustainable pathways for change.

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Transmission risk of avian influenza virus along poultry supply chains in Guangdong, China

Journal of Infection ◽

10.1016/j.jinf.2019.05.006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

pp. 43-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jian-Yong Wu ◽

Eric HY Lau ◽

Jun Yuan ◽

Ming-Ling Lu ◽

Chao-Jun Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Virus ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Avian Influenza Virus ◽

Transmission Risk

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Modelling tuberculosis drug resistance amplification rates in high-burden settings

10.1101/2021.01.12.426461 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Malancha Karmakar ◽

Romain Ragonnet ◽

David B. Ascher ◽

James M. Trauer ◽

Justin T. Denholm

Keyword(s):

Drug Resistance ◽

Treatment Failure ◽

Bacterial Genome ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Transmission Risk ◽

Transmission Model ◽

Viet Nam ◽

Primary Resistance ◽

Mdr Tb ◽

Using Data

AbstractBackgroundAntimicrobial resistance develops following the accrual of mutations in the bacterial genome, and may variably impact organism fitness and hence, transmission risk. Classical representation of tuberculosis (TB) dynamics using a single or two strain (DS/MDR-TB) model typically does not capture elements of this important aspect of TB epidemiology. To understand and estimate the likelihood of resistance spreading in high drug-resistant TB incidence settings, we used molecular understanding to develop a compartmental epidemiological model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission.MethodsA four-strain (drug-susceptible (DS), isoniazid mono-resistant (INH-R), rifampicin mono-resistant (RIF-R) and multidrug-resistant (MDR)) compartmental deterministic Mtb transmission model was developed to explore the progression from DS-to MDR-TB. The model incorporated strain-specific fitness costs and was calibrated using data from national tuberculosis prevalence surveys and drug resistance surveys from Philippines and Viet Nam. Using an adaptive Metropolis algorithm, we estimated drug resistance amplification and transmission rates.ResultsThe posterior estimates for the proportion of isoniazid mono-resistant amplification among treatment failure was 0.75 (0.64 – 0.85) for Philippines and 0.55 (0.39 – 0.63) for Viet Nam. The proportion of rifampicin mono-resistant amplification among treatment failure was 0.05 (0.04 – 0.06) for Philippines and 0.011 (0.010 – 0.012) for Viet Nam. In Philippines, the estimated proportion of primary resistance resulting from transmission was 56% (42 – 68) for INH-R, 48% (34 – 62) for RIF-R and 42% (34 – 50) for MDR-TB. For Viet Nam, the estimated proportion of drug resistance due to transmission was 79% (70 – 86) for INH-R, 68% (58 – 75) for RIF-R and 50% (45 – 53) for MDR-TB.DiscussionRIF-R strains were more likely to be transmitted than acquired through amplification, while both mechanisms of acquisition were important contributors in the case of INH-R. These findings highlight the complexity of drug resistance dynamics in high-incidence settings, and emphasize the importance of prioritizing testing algorithms which also allow for early detection of INH-R.

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Asian snake farms: conservation curse or sustainable enterprise?

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s003060531600034x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 498-505 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Patrick W. Aust ◽

Ngo Van Tri ◽

Daniel J.D. Natusch ◽

Graham J. Alexander

Keyword(s):

Life Histories ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Viet Nam ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Early Maturity ◽

Naja Kaouthia ◽

Food Assimilation ◽

Ophiophagus Hannah ◽

Space Requirements ◽

The Impact

AbstractSnake farming in Asia has increased over the past decade, and conservationists have expressed concerns that farms may foster overexploitation of wild populations and create legal conduits for illegally harvested wild individuals. We conducted face-to-face interviews with snake farmers in Viet Nam and China, with the aim of describing the basic models under which snakes are farmed for meat. We synthesized this information to assess the feasibility of farming snakes for human consumption, drawing conclusions about the impact of this industry on the conservation of wild snake populations. The most commonly farmed snakes include the monocled cobra Naja kaouthia, the Chinese cobra Naja atra, the oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosus and the king cobra Ophiophagus hannah. These species have life histories that are compatible with the demands of intensive livestock production, including early maturity, rapid growth rates, high reproductive output, efficient food assimilation rates and undemanding space requirements. Snake farmers appear to be capitalizing on the unique energy-efficiency of snakes to produce meat for human consumption. We conclude that the ease and profitability of farming snakes in China and Viet Nam make farming a viable substitute for harvesting wild snakes, with apparently minimal threat to wild populations. Snake farming offers a range of novel agricultural opportunities and has the potential to play a pivotal role in sustainable development.

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Valorized Food Processing By-Products in the EU: Finding the Balance between Safety, Nutrition, and Sustainability

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084428 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4428

Author(s):

Madhura Rao ◽

Aalt Bast ◽

Alie de Boer

Keyword(s):

Food Safety ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Food Supply ◽

Food Processing ◽

Large Scale ◽

Human Consumption ◽

The European Union ◽

Food Supply Chains ◽

By Products ◽

The Eu

Food businesses in the European Union are preparing for a carbon-neutral future by gradually transitioning to a circular way of operating. Building upon results from the EU REFRESH project, we consider the most valuable food processing by-streams in Europe and discuss potential food safety risks that must be considered while valorizing them for human consumption. These risks are weighed against the nutritional benefits offered by these products and their potential applications in food supply chains. Broadly, we examine whether it is possible for spent grains, cheese whey, fruit and vegetable scraps, meat processing waste, and oilseed cakes and meals to be safe, sustainable, and nutritionally valuable at the same time. The discussion highlights that valorizing by-products obtained from food processing operations is feasible on a large scale only if consumers deem it to be a safe and acceptable practice. Extracting valuable compounds from by-products and using them in the preparation of functional foods could be a way to gain consumer acceptance. Furthermore, we find that current EU food safety legislation does not sufficiently accommodate food processing by-products. A way to bridge this regulatory gap could be through the adoption of private food safety standards that have shown proclivity for sustainability-related issues in food supply chains. Finally, by proposing a decision tree, we show that it is indeed feasible for some food processing by-products to be valorized while ensuring sustainability, food safety, and nutritional relevance.

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