Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity最新文献

The emergence of advanced biotechnologies has intensified in recent years. The rapid development of these biotechnologies has had a wide and profound impact globally, with the majority on the frontier of biosecurity technologies. The global biosecurity situation is currently highly challenging, with the characteristics of internationalization, extremely serious harm, and complex development. The misuse and abuse of biotechnologies are common, which thereby endanger biosecurity. The international community and governments have attached great importance to cutting-edge biotechnologies and are implementing laws and regulations to control and prevent biosecurity-related influences. By tracking the frontier progress of the new technologies generated from gene editing, gene drives, synthetic biology, and related cross-disciplines as applied in the biosecurity field, we analyzed the development trends in biotechnologies and their potential influence. On the one hand, this paper proposes that there is an urgent need for global cooperation to formulate management, control strategies, and measures for cutting-edge technologies in biosecurity to jointly promote their sound development. On the other hand, the international community should jointly shoulder the responsibility for safeguarding biosecurity and restrict the biotechnologies to rational applications within legal and ethical frameworks. This paper aims to provide a reference for the prevention of misuse and abuse of biotechnologies and support global cooperation in biosecurity governance.

Bedaquiline resistance is increasingly observed in the treatment of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (TB), yet standardized regimens for managing bedaquiline-resistant TB are lacking. Studies indicate a high proportion of bedaquiline-resistant cases have previously been treated for TB, and often involve strains resistant to quinolones. Regular monitoring of the culture status in patients receiving bedaquiline resistance treatment is advised. Methods such as experimental evolution, protein modeling, genome sequencing, and phenotypic analysis have been instrumental in identifying the mechanisms of bedaquiline resistance. Specifically, variants in the Rv0678 transcriptional repressor of the MmpS5-MmpL5 efflux system are linked to this type of resistance. Bayesian probability estimates show promise in determining the genotypic–phenotypic association for bedaquiline resistance, suggesting potential utility in clinical practice. Future research should explore the practical application of Bayesian probabilities in managing bedaquiline resistance. Sequencing-based technologies are anticipated to play a vital role in the early detection and management of drug-resistant TB strains.

Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs), like malaria and mosquito-borne viruses (MBVs), have caused the deaths of millions of people. Their threat resides in the variety of transmission modes that they possess, along with the wide selection of favorable hosts, such as humans, cattle, and rodents. MBDs are increasingly gaining a reputation as one of the most dangerous threats to public health in recent years. Mosquito numbers have been increasing in recent years as a result of multiple factors such as climate change and deforestation. This situation highlights the urgent need for actions to mitigate mosquito and MBD pathogen distributions. In the Middle East, many outbreaks of MBDs have been reported in the region. However, there are no reports of any endemic episodes of MBDs. The Middle East has faced many challenges over the years; however, the Syrian refugee crisis may be strongly related to the spread of infectious diseases. As mass gatherings and high-density populations are common features in the region, it is possible to understand why MBDs can spread easily. This review summarizes the state of MBDs in the Middle East, highlighting the different types of MBDs that have been reported in the region and discussing how to move forward with controlling their spread and limiting the risks they pose. According to the data reported by the electronic State Parties Self-Assessment Annual Reporting Tool (e-SPAR), the capacity to anticipate MBVs varies among Middle East countries. Therefore, the Middle East is on the frontline in the challenge to control a potential public health crisis. Consequently, the countries of the Middle East should be encouraged to improve their health and research capacities to mitigate the threat posed by MBDs.

Purpose

This study evaluates the accessibility and availability of publicly accessible biosecurity resources in the Fall of 2021, as part of the IN-PREPared and Gearing Up for Safety program. The research into the quantity of material underscores the importance of these resources for disease threat awareness and highlights the need for improved biosecurity resource development for small-scale farming communities and overall biosecurity resources which impact global agricultural operations and food security.

Design/methodology/approach

This review consisted of resources on agricultural biosecurity literature, websites, and training materials, involving over 125 agencies and organizations. This analysis provides insights into the distribution of resources across different regions and their availability based on farm scale and production type.

Findings

Our research reveals both a geographic distribution trend of material that favors Midwestern states and significant disparities in available materials. Additionally, there are more resources that have content that focus on “general biosecurity’ and are focused on larger operations than that of small-farm biosecurity operations. International resources generally focus on overall importance of biosecurity and aspects of One Health.

Practical Implications

This review underscores the crucial role of biosecurity resources in enhancing disease threat awareness and safeguarding the food supply and global impact of international trade within agriculture. This emphasizes the need to address resource deficiencies for small-scale farms, particularly regarding specific livestock concentrations.

Theoretical Implications

The study confirms with previous research on limited resources, emphasizing the need for a more equitable approach to disseminating biosecurity information, especially for small-scale farming. Implications highlight the importance of resources, training, and informed decision-making for all farming communities, highlighting the significance of risk-based agricultural materials.

Originality/Value

The research adds value by shedding light on the unequal distribution of biosecurity resources, especially concerning small-scale farming operations. While the study primarily focuses on livestock and animal health, it acknowledges the importance of crop biosecurity, thus contributing to a broader understanding of agricultural protection. The significance of collaboration and information sharing in the global context of biosecurity extends beyond national borders and requires a coordinated effort.

This paper examines biosafety management in high-biosafety-risk workshops for vaccine production in China, focusing on the context of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine production. It addresses various aspects, including biosafety management, personnel, virus seed, facilities, and equipment, and compliance with relevant biosafety laws and regulations. The aim is to promote the use of high-level biosafety facilities when dealing with emerging infectious diseases.

West Nile virus (WNV) has afflicted various countries around the world, affecting not only humans but also non-human animals, such as horses and birds. WNV is an arbovirus that is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. The WNV epidemic was initially localized to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. An outbreak of WNV recently occurred in the United States (US), and is currently ongoing. This article aims to elucidate the trajectory of this ongoing outbreak in the US to inform efforts to control the recurring infection. As of November 15, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 913 cases of WNV in humans in the US, of which 639 (70%) were categorized as neuroinvasive and 274 (30%) were categorized as non-neuroinvasive disease. Health authorities should swiftly act before WNV reaches a severe level, to prevent aggravation of existing challenges amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 and monkeypox pandemics in the US. Decreasing breeding habitats, ongoing surveillance of mosquito larvae, biological and microbial larval control methods (fish and copepods), chemical control methods (larvicides), controlling adult mosquito vector populations (hot or cold aerosols), and active practice of community-based preventive measures may avoid widespread outbreaks of WNV in the US. This brief article discusses the ongoing outbreak of WNV in the US, and highlights epidemiological and preventive measures related to WNV infection.

Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) constitutes a significant global health concern characterized by its high infection rates and widespread distribution worldwide. While influenza viruses, primarily types A and B, are primary contributors to ILI cases, other respiratory viruses also play a role in its prevalence. Jakarta, Indonesia’s largest and densely populated city, has consistently reported a notable weekly number of ILI cases from 2016 to mid-2022. Intriguingly, this pattern of cases is irregular and does not exhibit a direct association with seasonal climate fluctuations. In response to this complex scenario, we have developed a SLIR mathematical model featuring a cumulative generating operator in the form of a multiple-terms sigmoid function, obtained from weekly cumulative data to derive model solutions. A total of 12 terms within the sigmoid function yielded a decent fit to the actual data spanning 339 weeks. Our correlation analysis unveiled distinct temporal relationships within the model, revealing an 8-week time lag between the dynamics of the infection rate and the latent compartment, along with a 2-week lag marking the incubation period between the latent and infected compartments. Furthermore, the effective reproduction number displayed recurrent fluctuations around a threshold of 1, indicating the endemic characteristics where infection persists within the population. This in-depth comprehension of ILI transmission dynamics and effective reproduction numbers plays a significant role in devising control measures and informed policy-making decisions.