One Health Investigation into Mpox and Pets, United States.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is zoonotic and capable of infecting many mammal species. However, whether common companion animals are susceptible to MPXV infection is unclear. During July 2022-March 2023, we collected animal and environmental swab samples within homes of confirmed human mpox case-patients and tested for MPXV and human DNA by PCR. We also used ELISA for orthopoxvirus antibody detection. Overall, 12% (22/191) of animal and 25% (14/56) of environmental swab samples from 4 households, including samples from 4 dogs and 1 cat, were positive for MPXV DNA, but we did not detect viable MPXV or orthopoxvirus antibodies. Among MPXV PCR-positive swab samples, 82% from animals and 93% the environment amplified human DNA with a statistically significant correlation in observed cycle threshold values. Our findings demonstrate likely DNA contamination from the human mpox cases. Despite the high likelihood for exposure, however, we found no indications that companion animals were infected with MPXV.

Mathematical model of rabies vaccination in the United States.

Rabies is one of the oldest viral diseases and it has been present on every continent except Antarctica. Within the U.S. human rabies cases are quite rare. In the eastern USA, raccoons are the main reservoir hosts and pet vaccination serves as an important barrier against human rabies exposure. In this paper, we develop a compartmental model for rabies transmission amongst raccoons and domestic pets. We find the disease-free equilibria, reproduction numbers for the raccoons and domestic pets. We also determine the vaccination coverage/rates, both for raccoons and pets, needed to achieve the elimination of rabies.

Atopic diseases-Diagnostics, mechanisms, and exposures.

Epidemiological data suggest that atopic diseases begin in early life and that most cases present clinically during early childhood. The diseases are highly prevalent and increase as communities adopt western lifestyles. Disentangling the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to disease debut is necessary to identify beneficial/harmful exposures so that successful prevention and treatment can be generated. The objective of this review is to explore the definition of atopy and mechanisms of atopic diseases, and to investigate the importance of environmental factors in early life, prior to disease development. First, the distribution of sIgE levels in children is investigated, as this is one of the main criteria for the definition of atopy. Thereafter, it is explored how studies of parental atopic status, sensitization patterns, and early debut and severity of atopic dermatitis have substantiated the theory of an early-life window of opportunity for intervention that precedes the development of atopic diseases in childhood. Then, it is examined whether early-life exposures such as breastfeeding, dogs, cats, and house dust mites in the home perinatally constitute important influencers in this crucial time of life. Finally, it is discussed how these findings could be validated in randomized controlled trials, which might prepare the ground for improved diagnostics and prevention strategies to mitigate the current atopic pandemic.

Avoiding novel, unwanted interactions among species to decrease risk of zoonoses.

Circumstances that precipitate interactions among species that have never interacted during their evolutionary histories create ideal conditions for the generation of zoonoses. Zoonotic diseases have caused some of the most devastating epidemics in human history. Contact among species that come from different ecosystems or regions creates the risk of zoonoses. In certain situations, humans are generating and promoting conditions that contribute to the creation of infectious diseases and zoonoses. These conditions lead to interactions between wildlife species that have hitherto not interacted under normal circumstances. I call for recognition of the zoonotic potential that novel and unwanted interactions have; identification of these new interactions that are occurring among wild animals, domestic animals, and humans; and efforts to stop these kinds of interactions because they can give rise to zoonotic outbreaks. Live animal markets, the exotic pet trade, illegal wildlife trade, human use and consumption of wild animals, invasive non-native species, releasing of exotic pets, and human encroachment in natural areas are among the activities that cause the most interactions among wild species, domestic species, and humans. These activities should not occur and must be controlled efficiently to prevent future epidemic zoonoses. Society must develop a keen ability to identify these unnatural interactions and prevent them. Controlling these interactions and efficiently addressing their causal factors will benefit human health and, in some cases, lead to positive environmental, ethical, and socioeconomic outcomes. Until these actions are taken, humanity will face future zoonoses and zoonotic pandemic.

Evitar interacciones novedosas e indeseadas entre especies para disminuir el riesgo de zoonosis Resumen Las circunstancias que promueven interacciones entre especies que nunca han interactuado durante sus historias evolutivas crean condiciones ideales para la generación de zoonosis. Las enfermedades zoonóticas han causado algunas de las epidemias más devastadoras en la historia de la humanidad. El contacto entre especies que provienen de diferentes ecosistemas o regiones crea el riesgo de zoonosis. En determinadas situaciones, los seres humanos estamos generando y promoviendo condiciones que contribuyen a la creación de enfermedades infecciosas y zoonosis. Estas condiciones conducen a interacciones entre especies silvestres que hasta ahora no habían interactuado en circunstancias normales. Hago un llamado para que se reconozca el potencial zoonótico que tienen las interacciones nuevas y no deseadas; que se identifiquen estas nuevas interacciones que provocamos entre animales silvestres, animales domésticos y humanos; y esforzarnos para detener este tipo de interacciones porque pueden dar lugar a brotes zoonóticos. Los mercados de animales vivos, el comercio de mascotas exóticas, el comercio ilegal de vida silvestre, el uso y consumo humano de animales silvestres, las especies invasoras no nativas, la liberación de mascotas exóticas y la invasión humana en áreas naturales, se encuentran entre las actividades que causan la mayor cantidad de interacciones entre especies silvestres, especies domésticas y humanos. Estas actividades no deberían ocurrir y deben controlarse eficientemente para prevenir futuras zoonosis epidémicas. La sociedad debe desarrollar una gran capacidad para identificar estas interacciones antinaturales y prevenirlas. Controlar estas interacciones y abordar eficientemente sus factores causales beneficiará la salud humana y, en algunos casos, conducirá a resultados ambientales, éticos y socioeconómicos positivos. Mientras estas medidas no se tomen, la humanidad enfrentará futuras zoonosis y pandemias zoonóticas.

Scale of unregulated international trade in Australian reptiles and amphibians.

Reptiles and amphibians are popular in the exotic pet trade, where Australian species are valued for their rarity and uniqueness. Despite a near-complete ban on the export of Australian wildlife, smuggling and subsequent international trade frequently occur in an unregulated and unmonitored manner. In 2022, Australia listed over 100 squamates in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to better monitor this trade. We investigated current trade and assessed the value of this Australian CITES listing using web-scraping methods to monitor the online pet trade in Australian reptiles and amphibians, with additional data from published papers, trade databases, and seizure records. Despite the export ban, we identified 170 endemic herpetofauna (reptile and amphibian) species in international trade, 33 of which were not recorded previously in the international market, including 6 newly recorded genera. Ninety-two traded species were included in CITES appendices (59 added in 2022), but at least 78 other traded species remained unregulated. Among these, 5 of the 10 traded threatened species were unlisted, and we recommend they be considered for inclusion in CITES Appendix III. We also recommend the listing of all Diplodactylidae genera in Appendix III. Despite this family representing the greatest number of Australian species in trade, only one genus (of 7 traded) was included in the recent CITES amendments. Overall, a large number of Australian reptile and amphibian species are traded internationally and, although we acknowledge the value of Australia's recent CITES listing, we recommend the consideration of other taxa for similar inclusion in CITES.

Escala del mercado internacional no regulado de reptiles y anfibios australianos Resumen Los reptiles y anfibios son populares en el comercio de mascotas exóticas, en el que las especies australianas son valoradas por su rareza y singularidad. A pesar de la prohibición casi total de la exportación de fauna silvestre australiana, el contrabando y el comercio internacional posterior se producen con frecuencia de forma no regulada y no supervisada. En 2022, Australia incluyó más de 100 escamosos en el apéndice III de la Convención sobre el Comercio Internacional de Especies Amenazadas de Fauna y Flora Silvestres (CITES) para controlar mejor este comercio. Investigamos el comercio actual y evaluamos el valor de esta inclusión en CITES con métodos de raspado web para monitorear el comercio virtual de reptiles y anfibios australianos como mascotas, con datos adicionales de artículos publicados, bases de datos comerciales y registros de incautaciones. A pesar de la prohibición de las exportaciones, identificamos 170 especies endémicas de herpetofauna (reptiles y anfibios) en el comercio internacional, 33 de las cuales no se habían registrado previamente en el mercado internacional, incluidos 6 géneros registrados recientemente. Noventa y dos especies comercializadas se incluyeron en los apéndices de CITES (59 añadidas en 2022), pero al menos otras 78 especies comercializadas permanecieron sin regular. Entre ellas, cinco de las diez especies amenazadas comercializadas no estaban incluidas y recomendamos que se considere su inclusión en el apéndice III de CITES. También recomendamos la inclusión de todos los géneros de Diplodactylidae en el apéndice III. A pesar de que esta familia representa el mayor número de especies australianas en el comercio, sólo un género (de 7 comercializados) fue incluido en las recientes enmiendas de CITES. En general, un gran número de especies de reptiles y anfibios australianos son objeto de comercio internacional y, aunque reconocemos el valor de la reciente inclusión de Australia en CITES, recomendamos que se consideren otros taxones para su similar inclusión.

Urinary and Fecal Excretion of 121 Environmental Chemicals in Pet Dogs and Cats: Significance of Feces in Biomonitoring of Exposures.

Laboratory animal studies have reported the biliary excretion of chemicals following exposure. Nevertheless, feces are rarely used as a matrix in biomonitoring of chemical exposures. In this study, feces and urine from pet dogs and cats were analyzed for the presence of 45 plasticizers, 45 environmental phenols, and 31 pesticides. Thirty-two analytes were detected in ≥70% pet feces, while up to 29 analytes were frequently (≥70%) found in urine. The sum concentrations of all analytes (∑All) in pet feces were significantly higher than those measured in urine (median: 393-666 ng/g wet weight in feces vs 216-464 ng/mL in urine). Plasticizers were the dominant class of chemicals, accounting for 81-97% and 69-77% of ∑All in urine and feces, respectively. Analyte concentrations measured in paired urine and feces exhibited weak correlations. The excretion rates of the chemicals via urine and feces were calculated through a reverse dosimetry approach. Low-molecular-weight phthalates excreted predominantly in urine, whereas high-molecular-weight phthalates and several organophosphate triesters were excreted predominantly in feces. The fecal excretion rates of parabens, benzophenones, bisphenols, naphthalene, 2,4-dichloronicotinic acid, and 4-nitrophenol were similar to or higher than those of urinary excretion. Our results suggest that feces are an important matrix in biomonitoring of exposure to environmental chemicals.

Association of longitudinal pet ownership with wheezing in 3-year-old children using the distributed lag model: the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

BACKGROUND: Time-varying exposures like pet ownership pose challenges for identifying critical windows due to multicollinearity when modeled simultaneously. The Distributed Lag Model (DLM) estimates critical windows for time-varying exposures, which are mainly continuous variables. However, applying complex functions such as high-order splines and nonlinear functions within DLMs may not be suitable for situations with limited time points or binary exposure, such as in questionnaire surveys. OBJECTIVES: (1) We examined the estimation performance of a simple DLM with fractional polynomial function for time-varying binary exposures through simulation experiments. (2) We evaluated the impact of pet ownership on childhood wheezing onset and estimate critical windows. METHODS: (1) We compared logistic regression including time-varying exposure in separate models, in one model simultaneously, and using DLM. For evaluation, we employed bias, empirical standard error (EmpSE), and mean squared error (MSE). (2) The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) is a prospective birth cohort study of approximately 100,000 parent-child pairs, registered across Japan from 2011 to 2014. We applied DLM to the JECS data up to age 3. The estimated odds ratios (OR) were considered to be within critical windows when they were significant at the 5% level. RESULTS: (1) DLM and the separate model exhibited lower bias compared to the simultaneously model. Additionally, both DLM and the simultaneously model demonstrated lower EmpSEs than the separate model. In all scenarios, DLM had lower MSEs than the other methods. Specifically, where critical windows is clearly present and exposure correlation is high, DLM showed MSEs about 1/2 to 1/200 of those of other models. (2) Application of DLM to the JECS data showed that, unlike other models, a significant exposure effect was observed only between the ages of 0 and 6 months. During that periods, the highest ORs were 1.07 (95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.14) , observed between the ages of 2 and 5 months. CONCLUSIONS: (1) A simple DLM improves the accuracy of exposure effect and critical windows estimation. (2) 0-6 months may be the critical windows for the effect of pet ownership on the wheezing onset at 3 years.

Social connections as determinants of cognitive health and as targets for social interventions in persons with or at risk of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Social connections have a significant impact on health across age groups, including older adults. Loneliness and social isolation are known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Yet, we did not find a review focused on meta-analyses and systematic reviews of studies that had examined associations of social connections with cognitive decline and trials of technology-based and other social interventions to enhance social connections in people with ADRD. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a scoping review of 11 meta-analyses and systematic reviews of social connections as possible determinants of cognitive decline in older adults with or at risk of developing ADRD. We also examined eight systematic reviews of technology-based and other social interventions in persons with ADRD. STUDY RESULTS: The strongest evidence for an association of social connections with lower risk of cognitive decline was related to social engagement and social activities. There was also evidence linking social network size to cognitive function or cognitive decline, but it was not consistently significant. A number of, though not all, studies reported a significant association of marital status with risk of ADRD. Surprisingly, evidence showing that social support reduces the risk of ADRD was weak. To varying degrees, technology-based and other social interventions designed to reduce loneliness in people with ADRD improved social connections and activities as well as quality of life but had no significant impact on cognition. We discuss strengths and limitations of the studies included. CONCLUSIONS: Social engagement and social activities seem to be the most consistent components of social connections for improving cognitive health among individuals with or at risk for ADRD. Socially focused technology-based and other social interventions aid in improving social activities and connections and deserve more research.

Non-human Clostridioides difficile Reservoirs and Sources: Animals, Food, Environment.

Clostridioides difficile is ubiquitous and is found in humans, animals and in variety of environments. The substantial overlap of ribotypes between all three main reservoirs suggests the extensive transmissions. Here we give the overview of European studies investigating farm, companion and wild animals, food and environments including water, soil, sediment, wastewater treatment plants, biogas plants, air, and households. Studies in Europe are more numerous especially in last couple of years, but are still fragmented in terms of countries, animal species, or type of environment covered. Soil seem to be the habitat of divergent unusual lineages of C. difficile. But the most important aspect of animals and environment is their role in C. difficile transmissions and their potential as a source for human infection is discussed.

Invasiveness is linked to greater commercial success in the global pet trade.

The pet trade has become a multibillion-dollar global business, with tens of millions of animals traded annually. Pets are sometimes released by their owners or escape, and can become introduced outside of their native range, threatening biodiversity, agriculture, and health. So far, a comprehensive analysis of invasive species traded as pets is lacking. Here, using a unique dataset of 7,522 traded vertebrate species, we show that invasive species are strongly overrepresented in trade across mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. However, it is unclear whether this occurs because, over time, pet species had more opportunities to become invasive, or because invasive species have a greater commercial success. To test this, we focused on the emergent pet trade in ants, which is too recent to be responsible for any invasions so far. Nevertheless, invasive ants were similarly overrepresented, demonstrating that the pet trade specifically favors invasive species. We show that ant species with the greatest commercial success tend to have larger spatial distributions and more generalist habitat requirements, both of which are also associated with invasiveness. Our findings call for an increased risk awareness regarding the international trade of wildlife species as pets.

COVID companions: Exploring pets as social support.

This paper investigates the social support provided by domestic animals to humans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study comprises interviews with 39 British and American pet owners during March 2021, the point at which the UK had recently emerged from the third national lockdown and US states were under various restrictions. A thematic network approach to data analysis revealed four global themes, illustrating how pets provided buffers to the stress of the pandemic, facilitated ontological security by maintaining a sense of routine and purpose, offered myriad types of emotional support and enhanced and enabled wider social support. Taken together, these results reinforce and extend knowledge pertaining to the importance of companion animals for social support.

Antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli strains in healthy pets from Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Antibiotic resistance constitutes a significant public health challenge, with diverse reservoirs of resistant bacteria playing pivotal roles in their dissemination. Among these reservoirs, pets are carrying antibiotic-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to assess the resistance profiles of Escherichia coli, and the prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli strains in dogs and cats from Tamaulipas, Mexico. A total of 300 stool samples (150 dogs and 150 cats) from healthy pets were subjected to analysis. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and the identification of ESBLs were carried out by disc diffusion method. The presence of resistance genes, class 1, 2, and 3 integrons (intI1, intI2, and intI3) and phylogroups was determined by PCR analysis. The findings reveal that 42.6% (128/300) of the strains exhibited resistance to at least one of the eight antibiotics assessed, and 18.6% (56/300) demonstrated multidrug resistance (MDR), that distributed across 69 distinct resistance patterns. Altogether 2.6% of E. coli strains (8/300) were confirmed as TEM and CTX-M type ESBL producers. These outcomes underscore the roles of dogs and cats in Tamaulipas as reservoirs for the dissemination of MDR and/or ESBL strains. The results underscore the necessity for conducting prevalence studies on ESBL-producing E. coli, forming a foundation for comprehending the present scenario and formulating strategies for the control and mitigation of this issue.

Island hitchhikers: pathogen agents of Madeira and Azores ticks.

Ticks are blood-sucking arthropods that can transmit pathogens to their host. As insular ecosystems can enhance tick-host interactions, this study aimed to understand tick diversity, pathogen presence, and their respective associations in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. Unfed or partially engorged ticks (n = 120) were collected from 58 cats and dogs in the Azores (n = 41 specimens) and Madeira (n = 79 specimens) from November 2018 to March 2019. Vector identification was based on morphology and molecular criteria. For pathogen sequencing, 18S gene fragment for Babesia/Hepatozoon and gltA for Rickettsia were performed. Sequence data was explored using BLAST and BLAST and phylogenetic inference tools. In the Azores, Ixodes hexagonus, I. ventalloi, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (n = 6; 14.6%, n = 6; 14.6%, and n = 29; 70.7% respectively) were found and in Madeira I. ricinus and R. sanguineus (n = 78, 98.7%; and n = 1, 1.3%; respectively) were identified. Tick COI markers confirmed species highlighting confirmation of R. sanguineus s.s. and genotype A of I. ventalloi. In the Azores Islands, the detected Rickettsia massiliae was linked to R. sanguineus (dogs and cats) and I. hexagonus (dogs), and in Madeira Island, R. monacensis (dogs) and Hepatozoon silvestris (cats) were found associated with I. ricinus. Further, I. ventalloi presence in the Azores expands west its known range, and Hepatozoon silvestris in Madeira may suggest that I. ricinus could have a role as a potential vector. Finally, as R. massiliae and R. monacensis presence underlines public health risks, surveillance by health authorities is crucial as pathogen-tick interactions may drive disease spread, therefore monitoring remains pivotal for disease prevention.

The role of pets in the lives of people with dementia: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: This scoping review is designed to understand the role of pet ownership in the lives of people living in the community with dementia. METHOD: A five-stage framework for conducting a scoping review guided the review. Two research questions framed the study. Nine databases were searched, with six papers meeting the criteria for detailed review. RESULTS: Pets can play a central role in the lives of people living with dementia. These relationships can be profound and can provide companionship and a sense of purpose. The activities associated with pet ownership and possible benefits for the person living with dementia have been explored to varying degrees and some benefits have been shown regarding the impact on physical and mental well-being. However, little is known about the challenges that may be faced when caring for a pet. CONCLUSION: Despite the importance of pet ownership, experiences of ownership documented among people living with dementia is limited. Still, the studies indicate how pet ownership can support people to remain socially engaged. Future studies should seek to gain a broader understanding of pet ownership across environments such as care homes and hospitals and in the context of social citizenship, active participation and living well. Creative research methods should be adopted to support the inclusion of people living with dementia in research.

Prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Pet exposure has always been controversial with childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis. We aimed to understand the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets by meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched articles published from Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2022 in the Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. We included a cross-sectional study that reported the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets. Furthermore, we performed subgroup analyses according to pet type and age. RESULTS: In 14 selected studies, the meta-analysis results showed that the pooled prevalence of asthma in children exposed to pets was 19.0% (95% CI 13.3-24.7%), and the pooled prevalence of allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets was 25.5% (95% CI 12.4-38.5%). The prevalence of asthma in children exposed to cats and dogs was 16.4% (95% CI 9.9-22.8%) and 12.5% (95% CI 8.7-16.2%), respectively. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 24.9% (95% CI 2.9-47.0%) and 24.1% (95% CI 2.6-45.6%), respectively. The prevalence of asthma in pet-exposed children was 17.1% (95% CI 12.3-22.0%) in the adolescence group (> 10 years) and 26.3% (95% CI 12.2-40.3%) in the childhood group (0-10 years). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 8.6% (95% CI 7.2-10.0%) in the adolescence group and 46.3% (95% CI 44.0-48.6%) in the childhood age group. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets is different. Exposure to pet cats is more prone to illness, and younger children are more susceptible to disease than older children.

Pets in the workplace: a scoping review.

There is a large and growing body of literature proposing that there are benefits to employees and workplaces when pets are allowed to accompany their owners to work. This article reports a scoping review of research that is workplace-based and that provides information on the reported benefits or problems of allowing employees' pets at work. The databases Scopus, Discover and Google Scholar were searched with the initial search terms "pets AND workplace AND research." Results were reviewed initially by title to remove items where, for instance, "PET" was used as an acronym. Studies were included if they provided information on research into human well-being and/or work or task performance and pets at work. This included research into the presence of pets while working from home, as the home can be considered a workplace in this situation. A total of 189 papers on pets at work were identified from the searches. The abstracts were reviewed and papers that did not report research into the benefits and challenges of employees' pets at work were excluded, leaving 31 results. The majority of studies used survey methods and did not include validated psychometric measures of key variables including stress. Findings indicated that the presence of employees' pets at work may reduce stress and lead to more positive work-related attitudes, but these findings may not apply to all employees or all workplaces. Negative aspects of pets in the workplace include health risks to humans and animals, cultural concerns and dislike or fear of some animals, and the proportion of participants who raised these concerns or agreed with them varied widely between studies. However, there is little evidence on the prevalence of risks or how they are addressed, and there was no data on how work performance, absenteeism or staff turnover were related to pet-friendly policies at work. More research is required, and some directions for future research are suggested.

The Human-Animal Bond and Older Adults: The Role of a Community-Based Organization's "Heart to Heart" Program.

In the field of gerontological social work, there is growing interest in further exploring and understanding human-animal bonds and relationships, a trend that accelerated significantly during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Community-based organizations are promising partners as they provide acknowledgment and support for older adults' relationships with their pets and the strengthening of the human-animal bond. This brief report discusses the history, impact, and potential of one community-based organization's annual Valentine's Day event, Heart to Heart. Initiated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette (AAGL), an Indiana-based community organization, Heart to Heart recognizes, celebrates, and supports older adults' bonds with their pets through delivering pet presents directly to older adults' homes. Despite the mounting evidence that pets provide support and comfort for people of all ages, but particularly older adults, social service agencies and programs that serve older adults are often reluctant to recognize the power of the human-animal bond. Heart to Heart allows our community to see and appreciate the strength of these relationships, contributing to new conversations and possibilities for keeping pets and people together through the lifespan.

SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Studies in Pets, Spain.

SARS-CoV-2 can infect domestic animals such as cats and dogs. The zoonotic origin of the disease requires surveillance on animals. Seroprevalence studies are useful tools for detecting previous exposure because the short period of virus shedding in animals makes detection of the virus difficult. We report on an extensive serosurvey on pets in Spain that covered 23 months. We included animals with exposure to SARS-CoV-2-infected persons, random animals, and stray animals in the study. We also evaluated epidemiologic variables such as human accumulated incidence and spatial location. We detected neutralizing antibodies in 3.59% of animals and showed a correlation between COVID-19 incidence in humans and positivity to antibody detection in pets. This study shows that more pets were infected with SARS-CoV-2 than in previous reports based on molecular research, and the findings highlight the need to establish preventive measures to avoid reverse zoonosis events.

Nasotracheal enterococcal carriage and resistomes: detection of optrA-, poxtA- and cfrD-carrying strains in migratory birds, livestock, pets, and in-contact humans in Spain.

This study determined the carriage rates and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes of enterococci from nasotracheal samples of three healthy animal species and in-contact humans. Nasal samples were collected from 27 dog-owning households (34 dogs, 41 humans) and 4 pig-farms (40 pigs, 10 pig-farmers), and they were processed for enterococci recovery (MALDI-TOF-MS identification). Also, a collection of 144 enterococci previously recovered of tracheal/nasal samples from 87 white stork nestlings were characterized. The AMR phenotypes were determined in all enterococci and AMR genes were studied by PCR/sequencing. MultiLocus-Sequence-Typing was performed for selected isolates. About 72.5% and 60% of the pigs and pig-farmers, and 29.4% and 4.9%, of healthy dogs and owners were enterococci nasal carriers, respectively. In storks, 43.5% of tracheal and 69.2% of nasal samples had enterococci carriages. Enterococci carrying multidrug-resistance phenotype was identified in 72.5%/40.0%/50.0%/23.5%/1.1% of pigs/pig-farmers/dogs/dogs' owners/storks, respectively. Of special relevance was the detection of linezolid-resistant enterococci (LRE) in (a) 33.3% of pigs (E. faecalis-carrying optrA and/or cfrD of ST59, ST330 or ST474 lineages; E. casseliflavus-carrying optrA and cfrD); (b) 10% of pig farmers (E. faecalis-ST330-carrying optrA); (c) 2.9% of dogs (E. faecalis-ST585-carrying optrA); and (d) 1.7% of storks (E. faecium-ST1736-carrying poxtA). The fexA gene was found in all optrA-positive E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus isolates, while fexB was detected in the poxtA-positive E. faecium isolate. The enterococci diversity and AMR rates from the four hosts reflect differences in antimicrobial selection pressure. The detection of LRE carrying acquired and transferable genes in all the hosts emphasizes the need to monitor LRE using a One-Health approach.

Reliability of social media data in monitoring the global pet trade in ants.

The global pet trade is a major risk to biodiversity and humans and has become increasingly globalized, diversified, digitalized, and extremely difficult to control. With billions of internet users posting online daily, social media could be a powerful surveillance tool. But it is unknown how reliably social media can track the global pet trade. We tested whether Instagram data predicted the geographic distribution of pet stores and the taxonomic composition of traded species in the emerging pet trade in ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). We visited 138 online stores selling ants as pets worldwide and recorded the species traded. We scraped ∼38,000 Instagram posts from ∼6300 users referencing ants as pets and analyzed comments on post and geolocation (available for ∼1800 users). We tested whether the number of Instagram users predicted the number of ant sellers per country and whether the species referenced as pets on Instagram matched the species offered in online stores, with a particular focus on invasive species. The location of Instagram users referencing ants as pets predicted the location of ant sellers across the globe (R2  = 0.87). Instagram data detected 439 of the 631 ant species traded in online stores (70%), including 59 of the 68 invasive species traded (87%). The number of Instagram users referencing a species was a good predictor of the number of sellers offering the species (R2  = 0.77). Overall, Instagram data provided affordable and reliable data for monitoring the emerging pet trade in ants. Easier access to these data would facilitate monitoring of the global pet trade and help implement relevant regulations in a timely manner.

El mercado global de mascotas es una amenaza importante para la biodiversidad y los humanos y cada vez está más globalizado, diversificado, digitalizado y muy difícil de controlar. Con miles de millones de usuarios publicando a diario en línea, las redes sociales podrían ser una herramienta poderosa de vigilancia, aunque no se sabe cuán confiable puede ser su rastreo del mercado global de mascotas. Analizamos si los datos de Instagram pronosticaban la distribución geográfica de las tiendas de mascotas y la composición taxonómica de las especies comercializadas en el mercado emergente de hormigas mascotas (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Visitamos 138 tiendas virtuales dedicadas al comercio de hormigas como mascotas a nivel mundial y registramos las especies comercializadas. Reunimos ∼38,000 publicaciones de Instagram de ∼6,300 usuarios que mencionaban a las hormigas como mascotas y analizamos los comentarios en las publicaciones y la geolocalización (disponible para ∼1,800 usuarios). Analizamos si el número de usuarios de Instagram pronosticaba el número de vendedores de hormigas por país y si las especies mencionadas como mascotas en Instagram eran las mismas que aquellas ofrecidas en las tiendas en línea, con foco particular sobre las especies invasoras. La ubicación de los usuarios de Instagram que mencionaban a las hormigas como mascotas pronosticó la ubicación de los vendedores de hormigas alrededor del mundo (R2 = 0.87). La información de Instagram detectó 439 de las 631 especies de hormigas comercializadas en las tiendas virtuales (70%), incluidas 59 de las 68 especies invasoras comercializadas (87%). El número de usuarios de Instagram que mencionaba a una especie fue un buen indicador del número de vendedores que ofrecían esa eespecie (R2 = 0.77). En general, la información de Instagram proporcionó datos accesibles y confiables para el monitoreo del mercado emergente de hormigas mascotas. Un acceso más sencillo a estos datos facilitaría el monitoreo del mercado global de mascotas y ayudaría a implementar regulaciones relevantes de manera oportuna.