Pub Date : 2025-11-20eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101284
Monni P Rapeso, Wynand J Goosen, Carolina H Pohl, Olihile M Sebolai
Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans is a fungal pathogen of global significance. Its ecological niches are well-documented in soils contaminated with bird droppings and decaying vegetation; yet, the full scope of its persistence and transmission within agricultural settings remains underexplored. This perspective paper proposes a potential transmission route involving birds, soil, livestock, particularly cattle, and humans that could sustain the environmental burden of cryptococcal cells on farms. We also highlight the possibility of fungal adaptation after fungal cells cycle in cattle before infecting humans. Finally, we propose some mitigation strategies that might be essential to monitoring and breaking this transmission route.
{"title":"Towards understanding a potential <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> environmental-host transmission route in agricultural settings.","authors":"Monni P Rapeso, Wynand J Goosen, Carolina H Pohl, Olihile M Sebolai","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Cryptococcus</i> (<i>C.</i>) <i>neoformans</i> is a fungal pathogen of global significance. Its ecological niches are well-documented in soils contaminated with bird droppings and decaying vegetation; yet, the full scope of its persistence and transmission within agricultural settings remains underexplored. This perspective paper proposes a potential transmission route involving birds, soil, livestock, particularly cattle, and humans that could sustain the environmental burden of cryptococcal cells on farms. We also highlight the possibility of fungal adaptation after fungal cells cycle in cattle before infecting humans. Finally, we propose some mitigation strategies that might be essential to monitoring and breaking this transmission route.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101284"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12681518/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145708619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101283
Lydia Kasper, Balal Sadeghi, Paul Deutschmann, Franziska Stoek, Ute Ziegler, Anne Balkema-Buschmann, Martin H Groschup, Martin Eiden
Targeted wildlife surveillance enables early detection of emerging infections and facilitates prevention of wildlife-human spillover events. The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) serves as a valuable indicator species for wildlife surveillance due to its broad European distribution and its ability to adapt to diverse habitats. Wild boar and domestic pigs are the main reservoir for hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3, which can be transmitted to humans mainly through consumption of undercooked meat. Wild boar can also be infected by vector-borne pathogens like the mosquito-transmitted orthoflavivirus West Nile virus (WNV), and the related tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). To establish an efficient multi-pathogen serological screening system for wild boar surveillance, a multiplex bead-based serological assay was developed for the detection of antibodies against HEV, WNV, and TBEV. Screening of 960 wild boar sera collected in 2023/24 from eight districts in Saxony, Central/Eastern Germany, revealed moderate seropositivity for HEV (24.3 %) and TBEV (33.8 %), and low positivity for WNV (8.4 %). Molecular analysis identified HEV RNA in five individuals, and sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis showed close relationship to subtype HEV-3i. These findings demonstrate that wild boar in Saxony are exposed to HEV, WNV, and TBEV, highlighting the value of multiplex serological screening as an effective tool for wildlife-based surveillance of these viruses.
{"title":"Multiplex serological screening of wild boar as sentinels of emerging zoonoses: HEV, WNV, and TBEV distribution in Saxony, Germany.","authors":"Lydia Kasper, Balal Sadeghi, Paul Deutschmann, Franziska Stoek, Ute Ziegler, Anne Balkema-Buschmann, Martin H Groschup, Martin Eiden","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Targeted wildlife surveillance enables early detection of emerging infections and facilitates prevention of wildlife-human spillover events. The Eurasian wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) serves as a valuable indicator species for wildlife surveillance due to its broad European distribution and its ability to adapt to diverse habitats. Wild boar and domestic pigs are the main reservoir for hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3, which can be transmitted to humans mainly through consumption of undercooked meat. Wild boar can also be infected by vector-borne pathogens like the mosquito-transmitted orthoflavivirus West Nile virus (WNV), and the related tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). To establish an efficient multi-pathogen serological screening system for wild boar surveillance, a multiplex bead-based serological assay was developed for the detection of antibodies against HEV, WNV, and TBEV. Screening of 960 wild boar sera collected in 2023/24 from eight districts in Saxony, Central/Eastern Germany, revealed moderate seropositivity for HEV (24.3 %) and TBEV (33.8 %), and low positivity for WNV (8.4 %). Molecular analysis identified HEV RNA in five individuals, and sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis showed close relationship to subtype HEV-3i. These findings demonstrate that wild boar in Saxony are exposed to HEV, WNV, and TBEV, highlighting the value of multiplex serological screening as an effective tool for wildlife-based surveillance of these viruses.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101283"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12685552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145715295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101281
Nobuo Saito, Patricia T Lacanilao, Alyssa M Garcia, Karren L Inton, Jaira D Mauhay, Voltaire G Basinang, Lea G Fernando, Benedict T Bernardo, Roel G Dela Cruz, Arvin H Agapito, Arby B Banaag, Gladys M Bernardo, Jonarel M Andres, Geraldine M San Juan, Edwin P Tecson, Annie M Balingit, Joely T Ongtangco, Maria G Lagayana, Jeffrey L Cruz, Shella G Oridinario, Catalino S Demetria, Daria L Manalo, Beatriz P Quiambao, Kazunori Kimitsuki, Akira Nishizono
Background: Despite accumulating evidence supporting lateral flow devices (LFDs) in rabies diagnosis, their impacts of decentralizing diagnostic capacity on surveillance in endemic settings have not been systematically evaluated.
Methods: We established low-resource decentralized rabies diagnostic laboratories in a target area of the Philippines, where rabies testing was previously unavailable, and evaluated both the diagnostic performance of LFD and their impacts on surveillance.
Results: Using DFAT (direct fluorescent antibody test) as reference, LFDs performed at the decentralized laboratories showed a sensitivity of 97.0 % and a specificity of 98.2 %. After implementation, the monthly number of confirmed animal rabies cases in the target area increased from 2.09 to 8.65 cases, representing a 4.14-fold increase (p < 0.001), a change not observed in neighboring provinces without LFD implementation. Interrupted time series analysis further supported a significantly increasing trend in case detection after the implementation (coefficient = 0.565, p < 0.001), which was not observed in non-implementation provinces. Through 69 outbreak investigations triggered by LFD-positive cases, 22 unvaccinated human bite victims and 66 exposed animals were additionally identified. However, while case investigations were performed in 54.8 % of cases, integrated One Health investigations involving coordinated actions by local health and veterinary offices were conducted in only 5.6 %.
Conclusion: LFD-based decentralization markedly improved case detection and enabled critical outbreak responses at the local level, demonstrating its value for rabies control in endemic settings though sustained One Health approach remains a challenge following the detection of rabid animals using LFD.
{"title":"LFD implementation uncovers hidden rabies burden: Pre- and post-implementation analysis and comparison with non-implementation sites in the Philippines.","authors":"Nobuo Saito, Patricia T Lacanilao, Alyssa M Garcia, Karren L Inton, Jaira D Mauhay, Voltaire G Basinang, Lea G Fernando, Benedict T Bernardo, Roel G Dela Cruz, Arvin H Agapito, Arby B Banaag, Gladys M Bernardo, Jonarel M Andres, Geraldine M San Juan, Edwin P Tecson, Annie M Balingit, Joely T Ongtangco, Maria G Lagayana, Jeffrey L Cruz, Shella G Oridinario, Catalino S Demetria, Daria L Manalo, Beatriz P Quiambao, Kazunori Kimitsuki, Akira Nishizono","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101281","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite accumulating evidence supporting lateral flow devices (LFDs) in rabies diagnosis, their impacts of decentralizing diagnostic capacity on surveillance in endemic settings have not been systematically evaluated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We established low-resource decentralized rabies diagnostic laboratories in a target area of the Philippines, where rabies testing was previously unavailable, and evaluated both the diagnostic performance of LFD and their impacts on surveillance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Using DFAT (direct fluorescent antibody test) as reference, LFDs performed at the decentralized laboratories showed a sensitivity of 97.0 % and a specificity of 98.2 %. After implementation, the monthly number of confirmed animal rabies cases in the target area increased from 2.09 to 8.65 cases, representing a 4.14-fold increase (<i>p</i> < 0.001), a change not observed in neighboring provinces without LFD implementation. Interrupted time series analysis further supported a significantly increasing trend in case detection after the implementation (coefficient = 0.565, p < 0.001), which was not observed in non-implementation provinces. Through 69 outbreak investigations triggered by LFD-positive cases, 22 unvaccinated human bite victims and 66 exposed animals were additionally identified. However, while case investigations were performed in 54.8 % of cases, integrated One Health investigations involving coordinated actions by local health and veterinary offices were conducted in only 5.6 %.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>LFD-based decentralization markedly improved case detection and enabled critical outbreak responses at the local level, demonstrating its value for rabies control in endemic settings though sustained One Health approach remains a challenge following the detection of rabid animals using LFD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101281"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12681732/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145708663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-16eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101275
Jill-Léa Ramassamy, Chanceline Bilounga Ndongo, Patrick Nnuka, Richard Njouom, Antoine Gessain
Zoonotic disease emergence is a major concern within the One Health framework, driven by close human-wildlife interactions. We surveyed 3400 individuals in East Cameroon, revealing widespread bushmeat consumption and frequent animal contacts with rodents, non-human primates and bats. Women were highly exposed, not only through butchering but also by accompanying hunters or during prolonged forest stays. Conducted in a region with known zoonotic virus circulation and past spillover events, this study provides valuable epidemiological data. Our findings underscore the persistent human-wildlife interface and the urgent need for targeted surveillance and prevention strategies to mitigate future spillover events.
{"title":"High potential for zoonotic pathogen emergence through wildlife exposure in East Cameroon.","authors":"Jill-Léa Ramassamy, Chanceline Bilounga Ndongo, Patrick Nnuka, Richard Njouom, Antoine Gessain","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101275","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Zoonotic disease emergence is a major concern within the One Health framework, driven by close human-wildlife interactions. We surveyed 3400 individuals in East Cameroon, revealing widespread bushmeat consumption and frequent animal contacts with rodents, non-human primates and bats. Women were highly exposed, not only through butchering but also by accompanying hunters or during prolonged forest stays. Conducted in a region with known zoonotic virus circulation and past spillover events, this study provides valuable epidemiological data. Our findings underscore the persistent human-wildlife interface and the urgent need for targeted surveillance and prevention strategies to mitigate future spillover events.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101275"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12670444/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145669175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-15eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101274
Jun-Sik Lim, Kyung-Duk Min
Species biodiversity is considered to reduce infectious diseases spillover from wildlife to human. However, despite the potential role of predator biodiversity in this process through trophic cascade, few studies have addressed this issue. In this study, we investigated the association between predator biodiversity and spillover risk, using Nipah virus infection in Bangladesh as an example, where spillover from bats to human has been reported since 2021. We defined counties of Bangladesh as epidemiological units. From three Orders (Strigiformes, Accipitriformes, and Falconiformes) known as bat-preying predators, we extracted 39 species occurrences data and then built species distribution model using MaxEnt algorithm with climate and environmental predictors, also incorporating a bias grid to account for reporting bias. Species presence and richness were estimated under varying classification thresholds and species subsets reported to prey bats to allow sensitivity analyses, yielding 12 measures of species richness for each Order. We then used spatial model to identify the association between the species richness and the counties with spillover event, while adjusting for confounders. Results showed that greater biodiversity of owls (Strigiformes) is likely to reduce the risk of Nipah virus spillover. In contrast, the biodiversity of eagles (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) have a potential of positive association, but evidence was insufficient. This result can be explained by the differences in activity rhythms. Owls share a nocturnal activity rhythm with bats, providing more opportunities to prey on bats and reduce their activity, thereby lowering spillover risk. In contrast, eagles and falcons are diurnal, and thus less likely to suppress bat activity directly. Instead, they may suppress species that compete with bats for food, inadvertently facilitating bat activity and increasing spillover risk. These results suggest that biodiversity should be more explicitly considered in public health governance and spillover prevention strategies.
{"title":"Association between bat-predator species richness and Nipah virus spillover risk in Bangladesh.","authors":"Jun-Sik Lim, Kyung-Duk Min","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Species biodiversity is considered to reduce infectious diseases spillover from wildlife to human. However, despite the potential role of predator biodiversity in this process through trophic cascade, few studies have addressed this issue. In this study, we investigated the association between predator biodiversity and spillover risk, using Nipah virus infection in Bangladesh as an example, where spillover from bats to human has been reported since 2021. We defined counties of Bangladesh as epidemiological units. From three Orders (Strigiformes, Accipitriformes, and Falconiformes) known as bat-preying predators, we extracted 39 species occurrences data and then built species distribution model using MaxEnt algorithm with climate and environmental predictors, also incorporating a bias grid to account for reporting bias. Species presence and richness were estimated under varying classification thresholds and species subsets reported to prey bats to allow sensitivity analyses, yielding 12 measures of species richness for each Order. We then used spatial model to identify the association between the species richness and the counties with spillover event, while adjusting for confounders. Results showed that greater biodiversity of owls (Strigiformes) is likely to reduce the risk of Nipah virus spillover. In contrast, the biodiversity of eagles (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) have a potential of positive association, but evidence was insufficient. This result can be explained by the differences in activity rhythms. Owls share a nocturnal activity rhythm with bats, providing more opportunities to prey on bats and reduce their activity, thereby lowering spillover risk. In contrast, eagles and falcons are diurnal, and thus less likely to suppress bat activity directly. Instead, they may suppress species that compete with bats for food, inadvertently facilitating bat activity and increasing spillover risk. These results suggest that biodiversity should be more explicitly considered in public health governance and spillover prevention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101274"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12666050/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145661859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-14eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101277
Fahad Ahmed, Lia Cavallo, Mariaelisa Marongiu, Antonella Marras, Muhammad Furqan Arshad, Francesca Nonnis, Claudia Tamponi, Antonio Varcasia, Antonio Scala
The increasing popularity of raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for companion animals has raised One Health concerns regarding their microbiological and parasitological safety, particularly when raw diets are used at home without following standard safety precautions. These diets may serve as a transmission route for zoonotic parasites, posing risks not only to animal health but also to human health and the environment. This study aimed to assess the parasitic risk of animal by-products (ABP's) from sheep and cattle slaughtered in Sardinia, with a focus on zoonotic parasites of veterinary and public health significance. A total of 672 sheep and 503 cattle were examined in seven slaughterhouses between March 2021 and July 2023. Organs were inspected macroscopically, with representative samples subjected to laboratory parasitological analysis. In sheep, Echinococcus granulosus was detected in 67.7 % of animals, with the liver being significantly more affected than the lungs (54.8 % vs. 49.1 %; P = 0.038). Fertile hydatid cysts were more prevalent in the lungs (9.5 %) than in the liver (5.5 %). Cysticercus tenuicollis and Dicrocoelium dendriticum were observed in 2.4 % and 14.7 % of sheep, respectively. Bronchopulmonary nematodes were detected in 44.8 % of cases, and macroscopic Sarcocystis gigantea cysts were identified in 27.7 % of examined oesophagi. In contrast, cattle showed a significantly lower parasitic burden, with E. granulosus detected in only 2.0 % of animals and fertile cysts being rare. Fasciola hepatica was found in 0.4 % of cattle livers, and no Dicrocoelium or bronchopulmonary nematodes were detected. The results demonstrate a high parasitological load in sheep-derived ABPs, reinforcing the need for strict sanitary controls before their inclusion in RMBDs. Given the zoonotic potential of the detected parasites, particularly in endemic regions, the adoption of targeted decontamination measures is essential. These findings underscore the importance of integrating a One Health approach into raw pet food safety, public health and ABP management strategies.
{"title":"Parasitic risks and One Health implications of valorising slaughterhouse animal by-products in raw meat-based diets for pets.","authors":"Fahad Ahmed, Lia Cavallo, Mariaelisa Marongiu, Antonella Marras, Muhammad Furqan Arshad, Francesca Nonnis, Claudia Tamponi, Antonio Varcasia, Antonio Scala","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101277","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing popularity of raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for companion animals has raised One Health concerns regarding their microbiological and parasitological safety, particularly when raw diets are used at home without following standard safety precautions. These diets may serve as a transmission route for zoonotic parasites, posing risks not only to animal health but also to human health and the environment. This study aimed to assess the parasitic risk of animal by-products (ABP's) from sheep and cattle slaughtered in Sardinia, with a focus on zoonotic parasites of veterinary and public health significance. A total of 672 sheep and 503 cattle were examined in seven slaughterhouses between March 2021 and July 2023. Organs were inspected macroscopically, with representative samples subjected to laboratory parasitological analysis. In sheep, <i>Echinococcus granulosus</i> was detected in 67.7 % of animals, with the liver being significantly more affected than the lungs (54.8 % vs. 49.1 %; <i>P</i> = 0.038). Fertile hydatid cysts were more prevalent in the lungs (9.5 %) than in the liver (5.5 %). <i>Cysticercus tenuicollis</i> and <i>Dicrocoelium dendriticum</i> were observed in 2.4 % and 14.7 % of sheep, respectively. Bronchopulmonary nematodes were detected in 44.8 % of cases, and macroscopic <i>Sarcocystis gigantea</i> cysts were identified in 27.7 % of examined oesophagi. In contrast, cattle showed a significantly lower parasitic burden, with <i>E. granulosus</i> detected in only 2.0 % of animals and fertile cysts being rare. <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> was found in 0.4 % of cattle livers, and no <i>Dicrocoelium</i> or bronchopulmonary nematodes were detected. The results demonstrate a high parasitological load in sheep-derived ABPs, reinforcing the need for strict sanitary controls before their inclusion in RMBDs. Given the zoonotic potential of the detected parasites, particularly in endemic regions, the adoption of targeted decontamination measures is essential. These findings underscore the importance of integrating a One Health approach into raw pet food safety, public health and ABP management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101277"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12664793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145654985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rodents are major reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, presenting substantial public health threats in plague-endemic regions. Although chemical rodenticides have been widely used to control populations to reduce the risk of infectious diseases and epidemics, their long-term effectiveness and ecological impacts under diverse environmental conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a longitudinal field study across eight sites in Jianchuan and Yulong counties (Yunnan Province, China) from April 2023 to April 2024, to evaluate control effects and strategies by comparing rodent population dynamics in intervention and non-intervention areas. Our results showed that rodenticide effectively reduced rodent density in the short term, but population recovery exhibited strong spatial variation, driven by ecological conditions and intervention strategies. Statistical modelling further identified leaf area index (LAI) of low vegetation, soil temperature, and soil moisture content as key predictors of rodent population resurgence. These results emphasize the spatially heterogeneities effectiveness of rodenticides and highlight the influence of environmental conditions on post-intervention population recovery. Our study advocates for ecologically adaptive rodent management strategies to enhance the sustainability and precision of zoonotic disease control in endemic regions.
{"title":"Influence of human intervention on rodent population dynamics in Southwest China.","authors":"Wei Zhao, Yuqiong Li, Dongdong Lin, Jing Lu, Zhe Lou, Xiyang Li, Zhengxiang Liu, Siyu Li, Jian Wang, Rongji Cao, Zihou Gao, Zongti Shao, Ruiyun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101276","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rodents are major reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, presenting substantial public health threats in plague-endemic regions. Although chemical rodenticides have been widely used to control populations to reduce the risk of infectious diseases and epidemics, their long-term effectiveness and ecological impacts under diverse environmental conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a longitudinal field study across eight sites in Jianchuan and Yulong counties (Yunnan Province, China) from April 2023 to April 2024, to evaluate control effects and strategies by comparing rodent population dynamics in intervention and non-intervention areas. Our results showed that rodenticide effectively reduced rodent density in the short term, but population recovery exhibited strong spatial variation, driven by ecological conditions and intervention strategies. Statistical modelling further identified leaf area index (LAI) of low vegetation, soil temperature, and soil moisture content as key predictors of rodent population resurgence. These results emphasize the spatially heterogeneities effectiveness of rodenticides and highlight the influence of environmental conditions on post-intervention population recovery. Our study advocates for ecologically adaptive rodent management strategies to enhance the sustainability and precision of zoonotic disease control in endemic regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101276"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12670526/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145669103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-13eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101271
Heather Fowler, Grace Faulkner, Gustavo Donoso, Oscar Fuentes, Monique Pairis-Garcia, Sarah Rhea
With its compact size, resilience at high altitudes, and high feed efficiency, the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) is a sustainable and high-quality protein option for people in resource restrictive areas of South America's Andean region. Each year in Ecuador, 47 million guinea pigs, destined for sale or household consumption, are produced. Despite the reported presence and anticipated growth of guinea pig production in the region, husbandry standards in this industry have not been fully documented. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the thoughts, attitudes, and practices of guinea pig producers in three rural parishes of Pichincha, Ecuador regarding guinea pig production, health, and welfare. During October-December 2024, a focus group was held in each parish with discussion including the basic principles of animal production and husbandry (i.e., breeding, feeding, treatment, preventative activities, euthanasia). Focus group transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Inductive codes were identified via an iterative open coding process with two independent coders, until a unifying theme was identified. Nineteen guinea pig producers participated across the three focus groups. A One Health approach was identified as the primary domain under which the identified themes fell. The main unifying theme mapped back to the concepts of traditional and modern medicine. The rural Ecuadorian guinea pig producers included in this study implement a combination of traditional and modern medicine and production practices to ensure the humane production of this species. When developing and implementing future studies and educational programs, researchers, veterinarians, and agricultural educators should consider blending these two strategies to ensure the industry can improve in a One Health-One Welfare way.
{"title":"A qualitative study exploring concepts and attitudes of guinea pig producers in rural parishes of Pichincha, Ecuador: The need for a one health-one welfare approach to enhance production practices.","authors":"Heather Fowler, Grace Faulkner, Gustavo Donoso, Oscar Fuentes, Monique Pairis-Garcia, Sarah Rhea","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101271","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With its compact size, resilience at high altitudes, and high feed efficiency, the guinea pig (<i>Cavia porcellus</i>) is a sustainable and high-quality protein option for people in resource restrictive areas of South America's Andean region. Each year in Ecuador, 47 million guinea pigs, destined for sale or household consumption, are produced. Despite the reported presence and anticipated growth of guinea pig production in the region, husbandry standards in this industry have not been fully documented. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the thoughts, attitudes, and practices of guinea pig producers in three rural parishes of Pichincha, Ecuador regarding guinea pig production, health, and welfare. During October-December 2024, a focus group was held in each parish with discussion including the basic principles of animal production and husbandry (i.e., breeding, feeding, treatment, preventative activities, euthanasia). Focus group transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Inductive codes were identified via an iterative open coding process with two independent coders, until a unifying theme was identified. Nineteen guinea pig producers participated across the three focus groups. A One Health approach was identified as the primary domain under which the identified themes fell. The main unifying theme mapped back to the concepts of traditional and modern medicine. The rural Ecuadorian guinea pig producers included in this study implement a combination of traditional and modern medicine and production practices to ensure the humane production of this species. When developing and implementing future studies and educational programs, researchers, veterinarians, and agricultural educators should consider blending these two strategies to ensure the industry can improve in a One Health-One Welfare way.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101271"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12666129/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145661841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-12eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101270
Fumiue Harada, Morihito Takita, Kenji Shibuya
Climate change poses critical risks to humans and animals, particularly during outdoor events. The Soma Nomaoi Festival in Fukushima, Japan, with a thousand-year history involving horses and riders, has become vulnerable to rising summer temperatures. In 2023, during a record high of 35.2 °C, 83 heatstroke cases occurred, including 74 among spectators and nine among horse riders, with two horse fatalities and 111 horses requiring medical care. In response, organizers rescheduled the 2024 festival to May, resulting in a maximum temperature of 24 °C. Human heatstroke cases dropped by 83 % (to 18 cases), and equine cases fell from 111 to 38. Although injuries from heightened horse activity increased, overall welfare improved. This case illustrates how traditional festivals can adapt to climate change while preserving cultural integrity. The experience demonstrates the value of the One Health approach in balancing cultural tradition, human safety, and animal welfare.
{"title":"Balancing tradition and animal welfare: Adapting an animal-involving festival to climate change in Fukushima, Japan.","authors":"Fumiue Harada, Morihito Takita, Kenji Shibuya","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101270","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change poses critical risks to humans and animals, particularly during outdoor events. The Soma Nomaoi Festival in Fukushima, Japan, with a thousand-year history involving horses and riders, has become vulnerable to rising summer temperatures. In 2023, during a record high of 35.2 °C, 83 heatstroke cases occurred, including 74 among spectators and nine among horse riders, with two horse fatalities and 111 horses requiring medical care. In response, organizers rescheduled the 2024 festival to May, resulting in a maximum temperature of 24 °C. Human heatstroke cases dropped by 83 % (to 18 cases), and equine cases fell from 111 to 38. Although injuries from heightened horse activity increased, overall welfare improved. This case illustrates how traditional festivals can adapt to climate change while preserving cultural integrity. The experience demonstrates the value of the One Health approach in balancing cultural tradition, human safety, and animal welfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101270"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12688662/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145725174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-11eCollection Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101269
F O L Fernandes, S Crima, P Ferrinho
Background: Guinea-Bissau is a fragile state marked by political instability, weak governance, and fragmented institutions. Despite these challenges, recent international support and policy initiatives have promoted a growing interest in adopting a One Health (OH) approach to integrated human, animal, and environmental health surveillance.
Objectives: To explore the feasibility of developing a national One Health surveillance (OHS) system in Guinea-Bissau through stakeholder insights into governance, system integration, and technological and community factors.
Methods: A qualitative study, specifically a focus group discussion with seven purposively selected professionals from human, animal, and environmental health sectors, was conducted. Participants were experienced stakeholders from national institutions, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies. Discussions were guided by a pre-tested script, recorded in Creole, transcribed into Portuguese, and analyzed using inductive Thematic Analysis.
Results: Key barriers identified included: (1) political instability and lack of legal frameworks undermining long-term governance; (2) fragmented and uncoordinated health programs with limited territorial reach; (3) poor integration of surveillance systems and technological infrastructure; and (4) insufficient funding and training. However, participants highlighted opportunities, such as leveraging digital technologies (e.g., drones, artificial intelligence, big data), public-private partnerships, and increasing international engagement. Emphasis was placed on developing inclusive, interoperable platforms across different sectors and ensuring ethical data governance. Community involvement and tailored capacity building were deemed essential to system resilience and effectiveness.
Discussion: Findings align with regional and global evidence on the structural and operational barriers to OH implementation in fragile contexts. Despite major challenges, a phased, multisectoral strategy supported by legal reforms, sustainable financing, technological adaptation, and inclusive stakeholder engagement could enable Guinea-Bissau to build a functional OHS system.
Conclusion: Developing a OHS system in Guinea-Bissau is feasible if supported by institutional reforms, digital integration, sustained funding, capacity building, and strong community and civil society participation. Strategic coordination across sectors, grounded in ethical and equitable frameworks, is essential for long-term success.
{"title":"Is it feasible to develop a one health surveillance system in a fragile state? The case of Guinea-Bissau.","authors":"F O L Fernandes, S Crima, P Ferrinho","doi":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Guinea-Bissau is a fragile state marked by political instability, weak governance, and fragmented institutions. Despite these challenges, recent international support and policy initiatives have promoted a growing interest in adopting a One Health (OH) approach to integrated human, animal, and environmental health surveillance.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To explore the feasibility of developing a national One Health surveillance (OHS) system in Guinea-Bissau through stakeholder insights into governance, system integration, and technological and community factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative study, specifically a focus group discussion with seven purposively selected professionals from human, animal, and environmental health sectors, was conducted. Participants were experienced stakeholders from national institutions, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies. Discussions were guided by a pre-tested script, recorded in Creole, transcribed into Portuguese, and analyzed using inductive Thematic Analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Key barriers identified included: (1) political instability and lack of legal frameworks undermining long-term governance; (2) fragmented and uncoordinated health programs with limited territorial reach; (3) poor integration of surveillance systems and technological infrastructure; and (4) insufficient funding and training. However, participants highlighted opportunities, such as leveraging digital technologies (e.g., drones, artificial intelligence, big data), public-private partnerships, and increasing international engagement. Emphasis was placed on developing inclusive, interoperable platforms across different sectors and ensuring ethical data governance. Community involvement and tailored capacity building were deemed essential to system resilience and effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Findings align with regional and global evidence on the structural and operational barriers to OH implementation in fragile contexts. Despite major challenges, a phased, multisectoral strategy supported by legal reforms, sustainable financing, technological adaptation, and inclusive stakeholder engagement could enable Guinea-Bissau to build a functional OHS system.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Developing a OHS system in Guinea-Bissau is feasible if supported by institutional reforms, digital integration, sustained funding, capacity building, and strong community and civil society participation. Strategic coordination across sectors, grounded in ethical and equitable frameworks, is essential for long-term success.</p>","PeriodicalId":19577,"journal":{"name":"One Health","volume":"21 ","pages":"101269"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12663855/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145649209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}