Ecohealth最新文献

Zoonotic canine parasites and the vector-borne diseases they may carry can cause high morbidity and mortality in dogs and people. Many remote Indigenous communities in northern Australia have numerous free-roaming dogs, tropical climates favouring parasite development, and limited access to veterinary care, which can promote high prevalence of zoonotic parasites. To successfully combat parasites, treatment programs are needed, which are effective in reducing parasite burden and prevalence as well as being cost-effective and feasible. We compared canine parasite treatments in a Torres Strait Islander community setting, including oxibendazole/praziquantel tablets (OXI), moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on (MOX), off-label oral ivermectin (IVM), afoxolaner chews (AFO), and flumethrin/imidacloprid collars (FLU). Cost surveys estimated the total annual and per-dog cost of each program. Markov modelling determined the cost per dog free of infection for each program using a government payer perspective over six-month and four-year time horizons. The annual cost per dog treated was $54.53 for OXI, $95.44 for MOX, $22.85 for IVM, $219.79 for AFO and $133.95 for FLU. IVM was less costly and more effective than other treatments against hookworm. FLU dominated in ectoparasite treatment. Sensitivity analyses supported these results. This study contributes cost-effectiveness data to inform parasite treatment program policy with aims of significant reductions in zoonotic canine parasite prevalence and subsequent reductions in environmental contamination with infectious parasite stages.

Young adults increasingly report stress and concern over the erosion of their natural surroundings. We studied environmental distress and solastalgia in a representative sample of 1006 Dutch young adults aged 16-35 using an adapted version of the Environmental Distress Scale (EDS, Higginbotham ea., 2006). The role of 'place attachment', their sense of control, trust, and personality (BFI-10) was used to explore the psychological impact of environmental challenges close to home. Participants most often reported stress due to 'noise' (~ 22%), 'disappearance of nature' (~ 20%), and 'heat' (~ 18%). The latter two were described as most threatening. Environmental distress limited enjoyment of life in ~ 20% of youth and triggered worries about the future (~ 23%). A third of young adults reported worries that valued aspects in their home environment are being lost, with feelings of powerlessness (~ 27%) and limited trust in the Dutch government (~ 44%). A notable portion of surveyed young adults experienced environmental distress and solastalgia, but a substantial number appeared somewhat indifferent towards the state of their natural surroundings. To safeguard mental well-being and empowerment of the former group, as well as implement strategies to elevate environmental awareness and foster active engagement in the latter, more information on fundamental motivations and coping mechanisms is needed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to ensure the highest level of health for all populations. Despite progress, increased life expectancy has not translated into a proportional rise in healthy life years, as chronic diseases are on the rise. In this context, health ecology emerges as a new scientific discipline focused on preserving health rather than curing diseases. It seeks to calculate healthy life expectancy by analyzing individual, social, and systemic choices, offering a proactive and rigorous approach to making informed decisions and improving long-term well-being.

Ranavirosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians, fish, and reptiles caused by large dsDNA viruses of the genus Ranavirus associated with morbidity and mass mortalities worldwide. They are considered to be one of the major drivers of the ongoing amphibian biodiversity crisis. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of ranaviruses in native and invasive populations of water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) across Russia using the DNA sample collection established in 2006-2016. The collection included samples collected in the wild and samples from wild-caught water frogs that had been kept in laboratories for a period of time. Overall, 52 out of 590 (8.8%) of wild frogs from 18 out of 94 (19.1%) sampling sites tested positive, including samples from invasive populations. Among the captive frogs, 71 out of 263 (27.0%) were positive and they had a significantly higher relative viral load. We found six major capsid protein gene haplotypes from 22 positive samples, all belonging to the common midwife toad virus (CMTV-like) ranaviruses, at multiple sites within the basins of three of Europe's largest rivers (Volga, Dnieper, and Don). Combined with previously published data, this study provides evidence for a continent-wide distribution of CMTV-like ranaviruses in Europe and strengthens the hypothesis of their endemism on the continent. Our study also highlights that the water frogs are important hosts for ranaviruses and could potentially act as vectors for infection transmission.

Citizen science has long been applied to collect data on mosquito abundance and distribution and thereby provide critical information on the movements of invasive species and potentially associated human pathogens. This study, conducted in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, showed that citizen scientists can provide mosquito samples from remote locations in a very cost-effective manner, and, thereby, contribute to the development of a comprehensive spatial database on native and invasive species. However, there have been some concerns about the quality of such data, and the reliability and sustainability of such means of conducting surveillance. Virological screening allowed us to identify 6.2% (17/274) of the tested mosquito pools as positive for either snowshoe hare virus (SHV, 14 pools) or Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV)-like viruses (3 pools). Additionally, we found evidence of clear geographic patterns in SHV circulation and identified a novel and likely reassortant JCV-like virus. The detection of viruses in native species from remote rural locations clearly validated the importance of public participation in mosquito surveillance. Despite several potential issues, citizen science can become an indispensable means of enabling ecological research in the context of public and animal health.

Understanding how the urbanization process affects the lives of animals that live in these environments is relevant to conservation and management. In fact, the urbanization process has a direct impact on animals and can influence their health state. Thus, our objective was to investigate the immunological response of birds to the urbanization process. We recorded the H/L ratio of 723 birds of 10 species captured in Brasília (a large city in central Brazil), as a measure of chronic stress in birds. The H/L ratio was positively associated with the intensity of urbanization and negatively associated with body condition. However, body condition was not associated with intensity of urbanization. We confirmed our hypothesis that birds living in areas with greater urban intensity are more stressed. In addition, we demonstrated that the H/L ratio is negatively associated with body condition, and that this variable should be considered in studies that aim to assess the health of animals. These findings are relevant because they confirm that the urbanization process, along with all its environmental changes (increased artificial light, increased noise, suppression of vegetation, increased built-up areas, etc.), has a negative direct impact on wild populations, which have to deal with major urban changes.

Anthropogenic pollution may disrupt wildlife immune function and increase susceptibility to, and ability to withstand, infection. Of particular concern is avian influenza virus (AIV), which in its low-pathogenic form is endemic in many wild bird populations, notably waterfowl and shorebirds, and in its high-pathogenic form poses a threat to wildlife, livestock and people. Many pollutants have immunomodulative properties, yet little is known about how these pollutants affect AIV infection risk specifically. We examined concentrations of known immunomodulatory compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and assessed their influence on AIV infection in three reservoir species, red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis, n = 121), pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa, n = 57) and grey teal (Anas gracilis, n = 62). Using data on viral prevalence (cloacal/oropharyngeal swabs) and seroprevalence (AIV anti-nucleoprotein antibodies), we found no significant effect of PFASs pollution (total PFASs < 0.01-470 ng/g in red-necked stint, < 0.01-600 ng/g in pacific black duck and 0.3-200 ng/g in grey teal) on infection status in our three species. This may be due to relatively low pollutant concentrations, but we cannot rule out possible population culling through a synergy of pollution and infection stressors. We therefore recommend further studies on infection incidence in more polluted populations or species.

Antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) is a growing global health concern, particularly in hospital environments, where cockroaches act as vectors for resistant strains. This study aimed to analyze antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation in GNB isolated from cockroaches collected in the hospital environment. Cockroaches were collected, and bacterial isolation was performed from their gut contents and external surfaces. GNB strains were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using the disk diffusion method and examined for Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemases production. Molecular characterization of ESBLs and carbapenemases in GNB involved PCR amplification of antibiotic resistance genes, while biofilm formation was studied using a microplate assay. Seventy-five cockroaches were collected from which 165 GNB were isolated. The prevalence of ESBL-producing and carbapenemase-producing GNB was 6.7 and 1.8%, respectively. The predominant ESBL gene was bla_CTX-M-28, while bla_NDM-1 was the only carbapenemase gene detected. The qnrS1 gene was found in one NDM-1-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and three ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The qacΔE1 gene was detected in an NDM-1-producing Citrobacter freundii and a CTX-M-28-producing E. coli, whereas one NDM-1-producing Enterobacter cloacae carried both qacΔE1 and acrA genes. Strains harboring qacΔE1 and/or acrA genes exhibited biofilm-forming capabilities, with biofilm formation observed in 81.81% of ESBL-producing isolates and 100% of carbapenemase-producing isolates. The study underscores the role of cockroaches in carrying and disseminating ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing GNB in hospital settings. The coexistence of disinfectant resistance genes and antibiotic resistance suggests co-selection mechanisms, while biofilm formation enhances bacterial survival. These findings underline the urgent need for infection control strategies.

An association between extractivism, food insecurity, and mental health problems has been described in Indigenous peoples. The Brief Solastalgia Scale [BSS] has been proposed as a test to determine the negative emotional experience caused by environmental modification. The aim of the present study was to carry out the translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the brief solastalgia scale in two Colombian Indigenous communities with a history of extractivism. Also, to determine the association between spiritual disharmonies and solastalgia in these communities, and to describe the explanation of environmental suffering from the voice of some leaders of these communities. The model used in the validation of BSS was used, after a process of written and oral translation, and cultural adaptation to two Colombian Indigenous communities subjected to extractivism by coal mines [Pueblo Wayuú] and by mercury mines [Embera Dobidá], during 2023 and 2024. Bivariate correlations were also made between suicide risk, emotional problems and food insecurity. The results found an excellent model fit, as well as adequate internal consistency. Positive and statistically significant correlations were found between the variables. The current study helps to understand the relationship between well-being and extractivism, and also seeks to provide input to researchers, decision-makers and practitioners in communities affected by changes in their environments.