A scoping review on bovine tuberculosis highlights the need for novel data streams and analytical approaches to curb zoonotic diseases.

Zoonotic diseases represent a significant societal challenge in terms of their health and economic impacts. One Health approaches to managing zoonotic diseases are becoming more prevalent, but require novel thinking, tools and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one example of a costly One Health challenge with a complex epidemiology involving humans, domestic animals, wildlife and environmental factors, which require sophisticated collaborative approaches. We undertook a scoping review of multi-host bTB epidemiology to identify trends in species publication focus, methodologies, and One Health approaches. We aimed to identify knowledge gaps where novel research could provide insights to inform control policy, for bTB and other zoonoses. The review included 532 articles. We found different levels of research attention across episystems, with a significant proportion of the literature focusing on the badger-cattle-TB episystem, with far less attention given to tropical multi-host episystems. We found a limited number of studies focusing on management solutions and their efficacy, with very few studies looking at modelling exit strategies. Only a small number of studies looked at the effect of human disturbances on the spread of bTB involving wildlife hosts. Most of the studies we reviewed focused on the effect of badger vaccination and culling on bTB dynamics with few looking at how roads, human perturbations and habitat change may affect wildlife movement and disease spread. Finally, we observed a lack of studies considering the effect of weather variables on bTB spread, which is particularly relevant when studying zoonoses under climate change scenarios. Significant technological and methodological advances have been applied to bTB episystems, providing explicit insights into its spread and maintenance across populations. We identified a prominent bias towards certain species and locations. Generating more high-quality empirical data on wildlife host distribution and abundance, high-resolution individual behaviours and greater use of mathematical models and simulations are key areas for future research. Integrating data sources across disciplines, and a "virtuous cycle" of well-designed empirical data collection linked with mathematical and simulation modelling could provide additional gains for policy-makers and managers, enabling optimised bTB management with broader insights for other zoonoses.

Eliminate all risks: A call to reexamine the link between canine scabies and rheumatic heart disease.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and acute rheumatic fever (ARF) disproportionately affect individuals in low-resource settings. ARF is attributed to an immune response to Group A Streptococcus (GAS) following GAS pharyngitis and potentially GAS impetigo in which infection can be initiated by scabies infestation. The burden of ARF and RHD in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia is among the highest globally. Following recent calls to include dog management programs in ARF and RHD prevention programs, we believe it is timely to assess the evidence for this, particularly since previous recommendations excluded resources to prevent zoonotic canine scabies. While phylogenetic analyses have suggested that the Sarcoptes mite is host specific, they have differed in interpretation of the strength of their findings regarding species cross-over and the need for canine scabies control to prevent human itch. Given that there is also indication from case reports that canine scabies leads to human itch, we propose that further investigation of the potential burden of zoonotic canine scabies and intervention trials of canine scabies prevention on the incidence of impetigo are warranted. Considering the devastating impacts of ARF and RHD, evidence is required to support policy to eliminate all risk factors.

Awareness of parasitic zoonotic diseases among pet owners in Cairo, Egypt.

Egyptians are becoming more interested in owning and raising pets; however, most of them lack essential awareness about the risk of zoonotic parasites that could be transmitted. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the degree of awareness Egyptian pet owners possess concerning zoonotic parasitic diseases, the risk of transmission, and preventative measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an e-survey. Among 246 pet owners, 64.2% (158) were females, and 67.9% (167) belonged to the 20-30 age group. The majority, 78.9% (194), were raising cats. Only 13.8% (34) visited the veterinarian regularly, with significantly higher results among dog owners (p < 0.05). Only 31.3% (77) participants were regularly deworming their pets, and 19.9% (49) were giving their pets prophylaxis against ectoparasites, with significantly higher results among those who visited the veterinarian regularly (p < 0.0001) and among dog owners (p < 0.05). Only 54.1% (133) had heard about the term "zoonoses" before, and about 8.9% (22) of participants showed a history of zoonotic parasitic diseases, with significantly higher results among those who allowed their animals to play with other animals of neighbors and friends (p < 0.05). The obtained results concluded that the surveyed group had a relatively good degree of knowledge regarding pets as a source of zoonotic illness; raising pet owners' awareness regarding the importance of routine medical examinations and minimizing the contact of pets with other stray animals is essential.

Transmission dynamics, complications and mitigation strategies of the current mpox outbreak: A comprehensive review with bibliometric study.

As the mankind counters the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), it simultaneously witnesses the emergence of mpox virus (MPXV) that signals at global spread and could potentially lead to another pandemic. Although MPXV has existed for more than 50 years now with most of the human cases being reported from the endemic West and Central African regions, the disease is recently being reported in non-endemic regions too that affect more than 50 countries. Controlling the spread of MPXV is important due to its potential danger of a global spread, causing severe morbidity and mortality. The article highlights the transmission dynamics, zoonosis potential, complication and mitigation strategies for MPXV infection, and concludes with suggested 'one health' approach for better management, control and prevention. Bibliometric analyses of the data extend the understanding and provide leads on the research trends, the global spread, and the need to revamp the critical research and healthcare interventions. Globally published mpox-related literature does not align well with endemic areas/regions of occurrence which should ideally have been the scenario. Such demographic and geographic gaps between the location of the research work and the endemic epicentres of the disease need to be bridged for greater and effective translation of the research outputs to pubic healthcare systems, it is suggested.

Knowledge-attitude and practice of Anthrax and brucellosis: Implications for zoonotic disease surveillance and control in pastoral communities of Afar and Somali region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Anthrax and brucellosis are endemic national priority zoonotic diseases in Ethiopia. This study assess the possible factors explaining the current limited information available on animal and human cases in pastoral communities. METHODS: Two questionnaire surveys gathered data from 509 pastoralists and 51 healthcare providers between February and April 2019 in five districts of Afar and the Somali region (SRS). RESULTS: Among the 51 healthcare providers, 25 (49%) and 38 (74.5%) had heard of brucellosis, and anthrax, respectively. Of those, only 3 (12%) and 14 (36.8%) knew the symptoms of brucellosis and Anthrax. None of the Health Extension Workers knew any disease symptoms. Healthcare providers recalled two human cases of brucellosis and 39 cases of Anthrax in the last 12 months, based on symptom-based diagnosis. Pastoralists had a moderate level of knowledge about diseases in their animals, with over half (52.4%; n = 267/509) understanding that animals can transmit diseases to people. Overall, 280 out of 508 (55.1%) and 333 out of 507 (65.7%) pastoralists had heard of brucellosis and Anthrax, respectively. Among the latter, 282 (51.3%) knew at least one preventive measure for Anthrax. However, disease knowledge among women was poor. Despite their knowledge, pastoralists engaged in risky unprotected animal handling, animal product consumption/usage as well as husbandry behaviors exposing them to pathogens and favoring the spread of diseases. They identified Anthrax as the most important zoonosis (47.6%) and as one of top three diseases suspected to cause mortality in their livestock. Pastoralists highlighted lack of vaccine coverage, availability and their timely administration. Both, pastoralists and healthcare providers stated the lack of disease awareness and the unavailability of drugs in the market as important challenges. Health facilities lacked protocols and standard operating procedures for managing zoonotic diseases, and did not have access to laboratory confirmation of pathogens. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed significant under-reporting of Anthrax and brucellosis, and weak prevention and response in humans, mostly associated with poor disease knowledge of healthcare providers. Ability to respond to animal outbreaks was limited by vaccine and drugs availability, timely vaccine administration and the mobility of pastoralists.

Towards an actionable One Health approach.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing focus on strengthening One Health capacity building on global level, challenges remain in devising and implementing real-world interventions particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Recognizing these gaps, the One Health Action Commission (OHAC) was established as an academic community for One Health action with an emphasis on research agenda setting to identify actions for highest impact. MAIN TEXT: This viewpoint describes the agenda of, and motivation for, the recently formed OHAC. Recognizing the urgent need for evidence to support the formulation of necessary action plans, OHAC advocates the adoption of both bottom-up and top-down approaches to identify the current gaps in combating zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, addressing food safety, and to enhance capacity building for context-sensitive One Health implementation. CONCLUSIONS: By promoting broader engagement and connection of multidisciplinary stakeholders, OHAC envisions a collaborative global platform for the generation of innovative One Health knowledge, distilled practical experience and actionable policy advice, guided by strong ethical principles of One Health.

The study on setting priorities of zoonotic agents for medical preparedness and allocation of research resources.

The aim of this study is to develop a scoring platform to be used as a reference for both medical preparedness and research resource allocation in the prioritization of zoonoses. Using a case-control design, a comprehensive analysis of 46 zoonoses was conducted to identify factors influencing disease prioritization. This analysis provides a basis for constructing models and calculating prioritization scores for different diseases. The case group (n = 23) includes diseases that require immediate notification to health authorities within 24 hours of diagnosis. The control group (n = 23) includes diseases that do not require such immediate notification. Two different models were developed for primary disease prioritization: one model incorporated the four most commonly used prioritization criteria identified through an extensive literature review. The second model used the results of multiple logistic regression analysis to identify significant factors (with p-value less than 0.1) associated with 24-hour reporting, allowing for objective determination of disease prioritization criteria. These different modeling approaches may result in different weights and positive or negative effects of relevant factors within each model. Our study results highlight the variability of zoonotic disease information across time and geographic regions. It provides an objective platform to rank zoonoses and highlights the critical need for regular updates in the prioritization process to ensure timely preparedness. This study successfully established an objective framework for assessing the importance of zoonotic diseases. From a government perspective, it advocates applying principles that consider disease characteristics and medical resource preparedness in prioritization. The results of this study also emphasize the need for dynamic prioritization to effectively improve preparedness to prevent and control disease.

Preventing zoonotic and zooanthroponotic disease transmission at wild great ape sites: Recommendations from qualitative research at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Employees at wild great ape sites are at high risk of transmitting infectious diseases to endangered great apes. Because of the significant amount of time employees spend near great apes, they are a priority population for the prevention and treatment of zoonotic and zooanthroponotic spillover and need adequate preventive and curative healthcare. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 46 staff (rangers and porters) at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda (BINP) and key informants from five other wild great ape sites around the world were performed. The objectives of the study were to 1) evaluate health-seeking behavior and health resources used by staff in contact with great apes at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; 2) evaluate existing occupational health programs for employees working with great apes in other parts of the world; and 3) make recommendations for improvement of occupational health at BINP. Results show that BINP employees do not frequently access preventive healthcare measures, nor do they have easy access to diagnostic testing for infectious diseases of spillover concern. Recommendations include assigning a dedicated healthcare provider for great ape site staff, providing free annual physical exams, and stocking rapid malaria tests and deworming medication in first aid kits at each site.

Getting around the roundworms: Identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities for the ascarids.

The ascarids are a large group of parasitic nematodes that infect a wide range of animal species. In humans, they cause neglected diseases of poverty; many animal parasites also cause zoonotic infections in people. Control measures include hygiene and anthelmintic treatments, but they are not always appropriate or effective and this creates a continuing need to search for better ways to reduce the human, welfare and economic costs of these infections. To this end, Le Studium Institute of Advanced Studies organized a two-day conference to identify major gaps in our understanding of ascarid parasites with a view to setting research priorities that would allow for improved control. The participants identified several key areas for future focus, comprising of advances in genomic analysis and the use of model organisms, especially Caenorhabditis elegans, a more thorough appreciation of the complexity of host-parasite (and parasite-parasite) communications, a search for novel anthelmintic drugs and the development of effective vaccines. The participants agreed to try and maintain informal links in the future that could form the basis for collaborative projects, and to co-operate to organize future meetings and workshops to promote ascarid research.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding zoonotic diseases among cat and dog owners in Bangladesh.

The close relationship between human and companion animals like cats and dogs raises public health concerns regarding the potential transmission of zoonotic diseases in Bangladesh. The study aimed to evaluate the cat and dog owners' knowledge, attitudes, practices, and risk perception concerning zoonotic diseases for designing effective interventions and reducing disease transmission. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 480 pet owners in various region of Bangladesh. For data collection, a structured, closed-ended questions were implemented. The data collection was anonymous and individuals were chosen through a random selection method. Responses were classified to evaluate comprehensive knowledge, using a threshold value of ≥65%. Quantitative score was created to measure Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices, and these scores were divided into categories of good and poor knowledge, positive and negative attitudes, as well as correct and incorrect practices. The analysis included the application of both descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. The findings showed that females made up more than half of the survey participants (55.2%), with the predominant pet owned being cats (73.1%). Overall, only a small portion (21.25%) of the survey respondents demonstrated good knowledge about the topic as measured by a dichotomous outcome. A larger proportion of participants (84.58%) exhibited a positive attitude towards zoonotic diseases. However, when it came to correct practices, about one-third (29.79%) of performed satisfactorily. It is noteworthy that 90.4% of the participants exhibited a high level of understanding regarding the transmission of rabies through dog bites. The knowledge and practices of owners were markedly impacted by their education, occupation, and geographic location. Furthermore, 48.1% identified 'social media' as their primary source of information, and 80.0% regarded vaccination as a preventive measure. The study reveals gaps in knowledge and practices of risks regarding zoonotic diseases among pet owners in Bangladesh. It is crucial to implement focused educational initiatives and preventative measures to effectively tackle gaps in knowledge concerning zoonotic diseases and to avert potential infections.

Holistic One Health Surveillance Framework: Synergizing Environmental, Animal, and Human Determinants for Enhanced Infectious Disease Management.

Recent pandemics, including the COVID-19 outbreak, have brought up growing concerns about transmission of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans. This highlights the requirement for a novel approach to discern and address the escalating health threats. The One Health paradigm has been developed as a responsive strategy to confront forthcoming outbreaks through early warning, highlighting the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and their environment. The system employs several innovative methods such as the use of advanced technology, global collaboration, and data-driven decision-making to come up with an extraordinary solution for improving worldwide disease responses. This Review deliberates environmental, animal, and human factors that influence disease risk, analyzes the challenges and advantages inherent in using the One Health surveillance system, and demonstrates how these can be empowered by Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. The Holistic One Health Surveillance Framework presented herein holds the potential to revolutionize our capacity to monitor, understand, and mitigate the impact of infectious diseases on global populations.

Recombinant transmissible vaccines will be intrinsically contained despite the ability to superinfect.

INTRODUCTION: Transmissible vaccines offer a novel approach to suppressing viruses in wildlife populations, with possible applications against viruses that infect humans as zoonoses - Lassa, Ebola, rabies. To ensure safety, current designs propose a recombinant vector platform in which the vector is isolated from the target wildlife population. Because using an endemic vector creates the potential for preexisting immunity to block vaccine transmission, these designs focus on vector viruses capable of superinfection, spreading throughout the host population following vaccination of few individuals. AREAS COVERED: We present original theoretical arguments that, regardless of its R0 value, a recombinant vaccine using a superinfecting vector is not expected to expand its active infection coverage when released into a wildlife population that already carries the vector. However, if superinfection occurs at a high rate such that individuals are repeatedly infected throughout their lives, the immunity footprint in the population can be high despite a low incidence of active vaccine infections. Yet we provide reasons that the above expectation is optimistic. EXPERT OPINION: High vaccine coverage will typically require repeated releases or release into a population lacking the vector, but careful attention to vector choice and vaccine engineering should also help improve transmissible vaccine utility.

An experimental game to assess hunter's participation in zoonotic diseases surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Strengthening the surveillance of zoonotic diseases emergence in the wild meat value chains is a critical component of the prevention of future health crises. Community hunters could act as first-line observers in zoonotic pathogens surveillance systems in wildlife, by reporting early signs of the possible presence of a disease in the game animals they observe and manipulate on a regular basis. METHODS: An experimental game was developed and implemented in a forested area of Gabon, in central Africa. Our objective was to improve our understanding of community hunters' decision-making when finding signs of zoonotic diseases in game animals: would they report or dissimulate these findings to a health agency? 88 hunters, divided into 9 groups of 5 to 13 participants, participated in the game, which was run over 21 rounds. In each round the players participated in a simulated hunting trip during which they had a chance of capturing a wild animal displaying clinical signs of a zoonotic disease. When signs were visible, players had to decide whether to sell/consume the animal or to report it. The last option implied a lowered revenue from the hunt but an increased probability of early detection of zoonotic diseases with benefits for the entire group of hunters. RESULTS: The results showed that false alerts-i.e. a suspect case not caused by a zoonotic disease-led to a decrease in the number of reports in the next round (Odds Ratio [OR]: 0.46, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.36-0.8, p < 0.01). Hunters who had an agricultural activity in addition to hunting reported suspect cases more often than others (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.09-3.88, p < 0.03). The number of suspect case reports increased with the rank of the game round (Incremental OR: 1.11, CI: 1.06-1.17, p < 0.01) suggesting an increase in participants' inclination to report throughout the game. CONCLUSION: Using experimental games presents an added value for improving the understanding of people's decisions to participate in health surveillance systems.

Which Factors Matter Most When Using Vaccines to Combat Zoonoses?

Zoonoses are infectious diseases that pass from an animal to a human. Of all emerging pathogens studied, zoonoses are the majority. As was seen with SARS-CoV-2, zoonoses can cause enormous morbidity and mortality around the world. Curbing these infections is of great interest, but combatting infections that start in various animal species comes with a multitude of challenges.

A comprehensive review of Langya virus and framework for future zoonotic disease control.

First reported in August 2022, the Langya virus (LayV) has emerged as a potential global health threat in the post-COVID-19 era. Preliminary reports show that 35 patients near Shandong and Henan, China experienced a febrile acute LayV infection. We conducted this review following the PRISMA protocol to synthesise current knowledge on LayV's characteristics in terms of molecular, clinical, and public health perspectives. This virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and carries a non-segmented, single-stranded negative-sense RNA genome. Shrews may be the natural reservoir of the virus. Clinical symptoms range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe manifestations involving pneumonia, haematological disorders, and organ dysfunction. Diagnostic methods include PCR and ELISA assays. Despite the absence of established treatments, antiviral drugs such as ribavirin and chloroquine may be useful in some cases. In light of prevention, a comprehensive approach that emphasises multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for early surveillance and response. Urgent global efforts are needed for vaccine development and preparedness against this potential pandemic threat. As the viral dynamics remain uncertain, a proactive approach is vital to mitigate the impact of not only LayV but also future threats on a large scale in long term.

Empowering Riverine Communities in the Amazon: Strategies for Preventing Rabies.

Rabies, caused by the Lyssavirus genus, is a highly lethal zoonotic disease transmitted by animals such as bats and domestic and wild carnivores to humans, claiming nearly 100% of lives. In Brazil, recent evidence suggests an increasing role of bats in human deaths from rabies, particularly in the Amazon region. This neglected tropical disease disproportionately affects impoverished and vulnerable populations in rural areas, where approximately 80% of human cases are concentrated. This article presents research conducted in riverine communities of the Tapajós/Arapiuns Extractive Reserve in Brazil to combat rabies in September 2022. The study adopted a participatory and collaborative approach, involving community members, healthcare professionals, and educators. Prioritizing proactive interventions, the health team administered prophylactic vaccinations to 30 individuals residing in communities exposed to the Lyssavirus. Educational activities focused on dispelling myths and raising awareness about preventive measures, with 100% of individuals reporting prior doubts about the disease, emphasizing the essential nature of the clarification, especially regarding preventive aspects. This study underscores the importance of community involvement, personalized interventions, and ongoing education to effectively combat rabies. By reinforcing public health policies and promoting health education, we can empower communities to take proactive measures in rabies prevention, leading to a reduction in incidence and an improvement in quality of life.

Emerging zoonotic diseases in Southeast Asia in the period 2011-2022: a systematic literature review.

As COVID-19 has shown, pandemics and outbreaks of emerging infections such as Zika, Nipah, monkeypox and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, especially emerging zoonotic diseases, continue to occur and may even be increasing in Southeast Asia. In addition, these infections often result from environmental changes and human behaviour. Overall, public health surveillance to identify gaps in the literature and early warning signs are essential in this region. A systematic review investigated the prevalence of emerging zoonotic diseases over 11 years from 2011 to 2022 in Southeast Asia to understand the status of emerging zoonotic diseases, as well as to provide necessary actions for disease control and prevention in the region. During the 2011-2022 period, studies on pigs, poultry, ruminants, companion animals and wildlife in Southeast Asia were reviewed thoroughly to assess the quality of reporting items for inclusion in the systematic review. The review was performed on 26 studies of pigs, 6 studies of poultry, 21 studies of ruminants, 28 studies of companion animals and 25 studies of wildlife in Southeast Asia, which provide a snapshot of the prevalence of the emerging zoonotic disease across the country. The findings from the review showed that emerging zoonotic diseases were prevalent across the region and identified a few zoonotic diseases associated with poultry, mainly stemming from Cambodia and Vietnam, as high priority in Southeast Asia.Clinical relevance: Appropriate prevention and control measures should be taken to mitigate the emerging zoonotic diseases in Southeast Asia.

Combatting anthrax outbreaks across Nigeria's national land borders: need to optimize surveillance with epidemiological surveys.

BACKGROUND: Anthrax is a non-contagious zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Infection is common in livestock and wild animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, camels, and antelopes. In humans, anthrax may occur after contact with contaminated carcasses or animal products like milk and meat. The best method to prevent anthrax in people is to ensure livestock are vaccinated, which significantly limits the risk of zoonotic spread to humans. However, the rate of vaccination of domesticated animals kept by nomadic pastoralists in West Africa is low. These groups regularly cross over national boundaries with their grazing herds. Nigeria is a country that historically has done comparatively well to contain this public health threat. However, in 2023 several outbreaks of human disease appear linked to the consumption of anthrax-contaminated animal products brought into Nigeria by pastoralists from neighboring countries. Clinical manifestations include skin sores or ulcers, nausea, vomiting, and fever. This article aims to raise awareness of recent outbreaks of anthrax in West Africa and to call for a renewed focus on measures to combat this neglected public health concern to the region. MAIN BODY: The imperative to pinpoint pivotal issues relating to the ongoing emergence of anthrax cases in Nigeria cannot be overstated. By delving into the prevalence of anthrax in both livestock and human populations residing along Nigeria's borders, unraveling the genetic diversity and potential sources of B. anthracis strains, and identifying the primary animal host(s) responsible for transmission, we stand to enhance our understanding of this critical issue. Furthermore, investigating the multifaceted factors contributing to anthrax transmission, assessing community knowledge and practices, mapping common migratory routes of pastoralists, and formulating targeted intervention strategies tailored to the challenges of border communities, are each crucial steps towards effective control and prevention. CONCLUSION: Closing these knowledge gaps on anthrax is not only essential for safeguarding both animal and human health but also for fostering sustainable and resilient communities. Addressing research questions on these interdisciplinary concerns will undoubtedly pave the way for informed decision-making, proactive measures, and a more secure future for Nigeria and its border regions.