scholarly journals Seroconversion in Romanian Small Ruminant Populations Exposed at Chlamydophila Abortus and the Risk to Public Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 200
Author(s):  
Stelian BARAITAREANU ◽  
Doina DANES ◽  
Marius DAN ◽  
Mihai DANES
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Chlamydophila Abortus ◽  
Immunological Status ◽  
Wild Strains ◽  
Zoonotic Bacteria ◽  
Breeding Farms ◽  
Traditional Breeding

Chlamydophila abortus is an important pathogen of small ruminants, causing reproductive failure manifested through abortion during the last 2-3 weeks of gestation, stillbirth, or delivery of weak lambs or kids, and orchitis and seminal vesiculitis in males. Also, C. abortus is a zoonotic bacteria, involved in influenza-like illness, pneumonia and abortions sometimes with severe complications in humans. The aim of this article is to evaluate the immunological status to C. abortus of Romanian small ruminant populations, geographically isolated, whose spontaneous uncontrolled contact is excluded. This paper is also assessing the risk of humans exposure to contaminated animals and food. The immunological status of the investigatet small ruminants was evaluated using an ELISA commercial kit and the results were analysed in correlation with the history of vaccination and type of animal breeding (traditional/professional farms). According to these results, the exposure of C. abortus is still to consider in traditional breeding farms, but in professional herds the serological tools are useless to uncover the circulation of wild strains, once the immunoprofilactic programs has been implemented. The public health risk relate to the close contact with the infected sheep and goats, common event in the traditional breeding.

scholarly journals Prevalence and zoonotic aspects of small ruminant mange in the lateritic and waterlogged zones, southern Benin

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahidou Salifou ◽  
Sabbas Attindéhou ◽  
Chakirath Folakè Arikè Salifou ◽  
Louis-Joseph Pangui
Keyword(s):  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Epidemiological Survey ◽  
Sarcoptes Scabiei ◽  
West African ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
West African Dwarf ◽  
Very High ◽  
Southern Benin

An epidemiological survey was undertaken from March to September 2010 to assess the prevalence and zoonotic aspects of scabies in small ruminants in two agro-ecological zones in southern Benin. Small ruminant (n = 444) smallholders and 1,807 of their animals (1,233 West African dwarf goats and 574 West African dwarf sheep) were included in the study. The animals underwent physical examination and, when scabies-like lesions were found, crusts and integument scrapings were collected for microscopic parasitological tests. The samples collected in each survey were coded in accordance with the owner-animal pairings in order to assess the degree of correlation between mange cases in humans (smallholders) and their animals. The overall prevalence of scabies was 28.33% and 9.5% in animals and smallholders (human cases) respectively. Infestations were significantly (p < 0.001) more frequent in goats (39.6%) than in sheep. The uniqueness of the etiological agent (Sarcoptes scabiei), the very high predictive value of human scabies in infected farms (83.67%) and a very high odds ratio (OR = 2,019.25) indicate that small ruminant scabies has been transmitted to smallholders by their animals. Close contact between these smallholders and their animals was a determining factor in this interspecies communicability of sarcoptic mange.

A brief review of diagnosis of small ruminants brucellosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingjing Ren ◽  
Qisheng Peng
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
False Positive ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Immunological Tests

: Brucellosis caused by bacteria of the genus of Brucella remains a major zoonosis in the widely world, which is an infectious disease with a severe economic impact on animal husbandry and public health. The genus of Brucella includes ten species and the most prevalent is Brucella melitensis. The diagnosis of Brucella melitensis ruminant brucellosis is based on bacteriological and immunological tests. The use of vaccines and the false-positive serological reactions (FPSR) caused by other cross-reacting bacteria represent the immunological contexts. This complex context results in the development of the large number of diagnosis of Brucella melitensis brucellosis. The aim of this article is to briefly review the detection methods and compare the superiorities of different tests.

scholarly journals Host Diversity and Potential Transmission Pathways of SARS-CoV-2 at the Human-Animal Interface

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayden D. Hedman ◽  
Eric Krawczyk ◽  
Yosra A. Helmy ◽  
Lixin Zhang ◽  
Csaba Varga
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Host Diversity ◽  
Transmission Pathways

Emerging infectious diseases present great risks to public health. The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become an urgent public health issue of global concern. It is speculated that the virus first emerged through a zoonotic spillover. Basic research studies have suggested that bats are likely the ancestral reservoir host. Nonetheless, the evolutionary history and host susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear as a multitude of animals has been proposed as potential intermediate or dead-end hosts. SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated from domestic animals, both companion and livestock, as well as in captive wildlife that were in close contact with human COVID-19 cases. Currently, domestic mink is the only known animal that is susceptible to a natural infection, develop severe illness, and can also transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other minks and humans. To improve foundational knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, we are conducting a synthesis review of its host diversity and transmission pathways. To mitigate this COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly advocate for a systems-oriented scientific approach that comprehensively evaluates the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the human and animal interface.

scholarly journals The role of the European small ruminant dairy sector in stabilising global temperatures: lessons from GWP* warming-equivalent emission metrics

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Agustin del Prado ◽  
Pablo Manzano ◽  
Guillermo Pardo
Keyword(s):  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Dairy Goat ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
Climate Neutrality

Abstract Recent calls advocate that a huge reduction in the consumption of animal products (including dairy) is essential to mitigate climate change and stabilise global warming below the 1.5 and 2°C targets. The Paris Agreement states that to stabilise temperatures we must reach a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the second half of this century. Consequently, many countries have adopted overall GHG reduction targets (e.g. EU, at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990). However, using conventional metric-equivalent emissions (CO2-e GWP100) as the basis to account for emissions does not result in capturing the effect on atmospheric warming of changing emission rates from short-lived GHG (e.g. methane: CH4), which are the main source of GHG emissions by small ruminants. This shortcoming could be solved by using warming-equivalent emissions (CO2-we, GWP*), which can accurately link annual GHG emission rates to its warming effect in the atmosphere. In our study, using this GWP* methodology and different modelling approaches, we first examined the historical (1990–2018) contribution of European dairy small ruminant systems to additional atmosphere warming levels and then studied different emission target scenarios for 2100. These scenarios allow us to envision the necessary reduction of GHG emissions from Europe's dairy small ruminants to achieve a stable impact on global temperatures, i.e. to be climatically neutral. Our analysis showed that, using this type of approach, the whole European sheep and goat dairy sector seems not to have contributed to additional warming in the period 1990–2018. Considering each subsector separately, increases in dairy goat production has led to some level of additional warming into the atmosphere, but these have been compensated by larger emission reductions in the dairy sheep sector. The estimations of warming for future scenarios suggest that to achieve climate neutrality, understood as not adding additional warming to the atmosphere, modest GHG reductions of sheep and goat GHG would be required (e.g. via feed additives). This reduction would be even lower if potential soil organic carbon (SOC) from associated pastures is considered.

scholarly journals “The Hoist of the Yellow Flag”: Vulnerable Port Cities and Public Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 153851322199871
Author(s):  
Dirk Schubert ◽  
Cor Wagenaar ◽  
Carola Hein
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Darwinism ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Port City ◽  
Port Cities ◽  
Slum Dwellers ◽  
Yellow Flag ◽  
Dutch City

Port cities have long played a key role in the development, discovery, and fight against diseases. They have been laboratories for policies to address public health issues. Diseases reached port cities through maritime exchanges, and the bubonic plague is a key example. Port city residents’ close contact with water further increased the chance for diseases such as cholera. Analyzing three European port cities, this article first explores the relevance of water quality for public health through the lens of the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It then examines plans and projects for London that were shaped by social Darwinism and stressed the moral failings of slum dwellers as a major cause for their misery. It finally explores the case of Hamburg as the perfect example of a city that cultivated ideals of purity and cleanliness by addressing all issues at stake in public health. This article on urban hygiene in three port cities shows how remarkably rich this field of study is; it also demonstrates that the multifaceted aspects of public health in port cities require further attention.

scholarly journals Worldwide Prevalence of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses in Sheep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 784
Author(s):  
Ricardo de Miguel ◽  
Marta Arrieta ◽  
Ana Rodríguez-Largo ◽  
Irache Echeverría ◽  
Raúl Resendiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
Small Ruminant Lentiviruses

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) are highly prevalent retroviruses with significant genetic diversity and antigenic heterogeneity that cause a progressive wasting disease of sheep called Maedi-visna. This work provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 40 years (1981–2020) of scientific publications on SRLV individual and flock prevalence. Fifty-eight publications and 314 studies were included. Most articles used a single diagnostic test to estimate prevalence (77.6%), whereas articles using three or more tests were scarce (6.9%). Serological tests are more frequently used than direct methods and ELISA has progressively replaced AGID over the last decades. SRLV infection in sheep is widespread across the world, with Europe showing the highest individual prevalence (40.9%) and being the geographical area in which most studies have been performed. Africa, Asia, and North America show values between 16.7% to 21.8% at the individual level. South and Central America show the lowest individual SRLV prevalence (1.7%). There was a strong positive correlation between individual and flock prevalence (ρ = 0.728; p ≤ 0.001). Despite the global importance of small ruminants, the coverage of knowledge on SRLV prevalence is patchy and inconsistent. There is a lack of a gold standard method and a defined sampling strategy among countries and continents.

scholarly journals Effect of COVID-19 on childhood Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Chengdu, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yijie Huang ◽  
Tao Ai ◽  
Jun Luo ◽  
Hanmin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mycoplasma Pneumoniae ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Serum Antibody ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Western China ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a change in the incidence and transmission of respiratory pathogens was observed. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the epidemiologic characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection among children in Chengdu, one of the largest cities of western China. Method M. pneumoniae infection was diagnosed in 33,345 pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms at the Chengdu Women’s & Children’s Central Hospital between January 2017 and December 2020, based on a serum antibody titer of ≥1:160 measured by the passive agglutination assay. Differences in infection rates were examined by sex, age, and temporal distribution. Results Two epidemic outbreaks occurred between October-December 2017 and April-December 2019, and two infection peaks were detected in the second and fourth quarters of 2017, 2018, and 2019. Due to the public health response to COVID-19, the number of positive M. pneumoniae cases significantly decreased in the second quarter of 2020. The number of M. pneumoniae infection among children aged 3–6 years was higher than that in other age groups. Conclusions Preschool children are more susceptible to M. pneumoniae infection and close contact appears to be the predominant factor favoring pathogen transmission. The public health response to COVID-19 can effectively control the transmission of M. pneumoniae.

A Survey of browse plants used in feeding small ruminants in the Komenda‐ Edina‐Eguafo‐Abrem district (K.E.E.A) of the Central Region of Ghana

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 196-203
Author(s):  
K. Agyeman ◽  
S. O. Apori
Keyword(s):  
Central Region ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Terminalia Catappa ◽  
Livestock Feeding ◽  
Browse Species ◽  
Livestock Farmers ◽  
Production Response ◽  
Selection Of

A study was carried out to identify species used as fodder by small ruminant farmers in the selected villages in the Komenda‐Edina‐Eguafo‐Abrem district of the Central Region of Ghana. Livestock farmers in fifteen communities were interviewed using questionnaires to obtain information on the personal background and livestock feeding and management practices. The main aim of the study was first to identify existing browse species and to determine problems associated with the use of those existing browse species. Some problems identified include harboring of insects, causing of abortion as well as causing bloat. The survey showed that Ficus exasperata, Ficus umbellate, Baphia nitida, Griffonia simplifolia, Antiaris africana, Terminalia catappa, Grewia carprinifolia, Pethecellobium dulceand Leucaena leucocephala were the main browse species that were used in the district to feed small ruminants. Other feedstuffs that were used in feeding animals such as Aspillia africana and Manihot esulentus tops (leaves and peels) were also identified. The level of browse usage showed that Ficus exasperata had the highest value of 66.7% and Terminalia catappa had the lowest value of 13.3%. Farmers in the district preferred Ficus exasperata which they perceived to promote the best production response in livestock. Various reasons were assigned for the selection of a particular browse plant. Farmers in the district may have to be helped to cultivate browse plant in order to sustain the availability and usage of  browse for livestock feeding due to the rateof destruction of browse (shrubs and trees) resulting from urbanization, use of stem of shrubs and trees for fuelwood and other livelihood activities and desertification arising from human related activities.

scholarly journals Global Distribution, Public Health and Clinical Impact of the Protozoan PathogenCryptosporidium

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenza Putignani ◽  
Donato Menichella
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Immunological Response ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Clinical Impact ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Underdeveloped Countries ◽  
Detection Systems ◽  
Immunological Status ◽  
Host Determinants ◽  
Key Indicators

Cryptosporidiumspp. are coccidians, oocysts-forming apicomplexan protozoa, which complete their life cycle both in humans and animals, through zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission, causing cryptosporidiosis. The global burden of this disease is still underascertained, due to a conundrum transmission modality, only partially unveiled, and on a plethora of detection systems still inadequate or only partially applied for worldwide surveillance. In children, cryptosporidiosis encumber is even less recorded and often misidentified due to physiological reasons such as early-age unpaired immunological response. Furthermore, malnutrition in underdeveloped countries or clinical underestimation of protozoan etiology in developed countries contribute to the underestimation of the worldwide burden. Principal key indicators of the parasite distribution were associated to environmental (e.g., geographic and temporal clusters, etc.) and host determinants of the infection (e.g., age, immunological status, travels, community behaviours). The distribution was geographically mapped to provide an updated picture of the global parasite ecosystems. The present paper aims to provide, by a critical analysis of existing literature, a link between observational epidemiological records and new insights on public health, and diagnostic and clinical impact of cryptosporidiosis.

scholarly journals The influence of risk perceptions on close contact frequency during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Wambua ◽  
Lisa Hermans ◽  
Pietro Coletti ◽  
Frederik Verelst ◽  
Lander Willem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Contact Behaviour ◽  
Contact Frequency ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Human behaviour is known to be crucial in the propagation of infectious diseases through respiratory or close-contact routes like the current SARS-CoV-2 virus. Intervention measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus mainly aim at limiting the number of close contacts, until vaccine roll-out is complete. Our main objective was to assess the relationships between SARS-CoV-2 perceptions and social contact behaviour in Belgium. Understanding these relationships is crucial to maximize interventions' effectiveness, e.g. by tailoring public health communication campaigns. In this study, we surveyed a representative sample of adults in Belgium in two longitudinal surveys (8 waves of survey 1 in April 2020 to August 2020, and 11 waves of survey 2 in November 2020 to April 2021). Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to analyse the two surveys. Participants with low and neutral perceptions on perceived severity made a significantly higher number of social contacts as compared to participants with high levels of perceived severity after controlling for other variables. Furthermore, participants with higher levels of perceived effectiveness of measures and perceived adherence to measures made fewer contacts. However, the differences were small. Our results highlight the key role of perceived severity on social contact behaviour during a pandemic. Nevertheless, additional research is required to investigate the impact of public health communication on severity of COVID-19 in terms of changes in social contact behaviour.

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