Detection and phylogenetic analysis of contemporary H14N2 Avian influenza A virus in domestic ducks in Southeast Asia (Cambodia).

Avian influenza virus (AIV) in Asia is a complex system with numerous subtypes and a highly porous wild birds-poultry interface. Certain AIV subtypes, such as H14, are underrepresented in current surveillance efforts, leaving gaps in our understanding of their ecology and evolution. The detection of rare subtype H14 in domestic ducks in Southeast Asia comprises a geographic region and domestic bird population previously unassociated with this subtype. These H14 viruses have a complex evolutionary history involving gene reassortment events. They share sequence similarity to AIVs endemic in Cambodian ducks, and Eurasian low pathogenicity and high pathogenicity H5Nx AIVs. The detection of these H14 viruses in Southeast Asian domestic poultry further advances our knowledge of the ecology and evolution of this subtype and reinforces the need for continued, longitudinal, active surveillance in domestic and wild birds. Additionally, in vivo and in vitro risk assessment should encompass rare AIV subtypes, as they have the potential to establish in poultry systems.

Clinical and epidemiologic features of persons accessing emergency departments for dog and cat bite injuries in California (2005-2019).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiologic features of persons with dog and cat bite injuries who presented to emergency departments. SAMPLE: Records of 648,492 dog and cat bite-related emergency department visits in California from 2005 to 2019. PROCEDURES: Visits were selected by standardized International Classification of Diseases, Ninth or Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes that indicated a bite as an external cause of injury in the medical record. Incidence rates were calculated for patient demographics, location and month of bite incident, characteristics of bite injury, infection, patient outcome/disposition, and expected source of payment. Cross-sectional descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: The average annual incidence of dog bites was highest in children aged < 10 years and males, while that of cat bites was highest in adults aged ≥ 80 years and females. Bites were more likely to occur in rural settings, in private residences, and during the summer. The median household income for zip codes in which animal bite patients resided was lower than the statewide median household income. Both dog and cat bite injuries were more likely to occur to upper limbs. Bacteria were isolated from 3% of dog bite injuries and 21.5% of cat bite injuries at initial presentation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epidemiologic findings about persons presenting to emergency departments for animal bite injuries can inform bite prevention efforts by identifying at-risk populations. Effective animal bite prevention demands an ongoing multisectoral program of veterinarians and other health professionals, collaborating with community and governmental organizations, to develop and implement integrated strategies within the context of other socially contributory factors.

Case report: Lumpy skin disease in an endangered wild banteng (Bos javanicus) and initiation of a vaccination campaign in domestic livestock in Cambodia.

We describe a case of lumpy skin disease in an endangered banteng in Cambodia and the subsequent initiation of a vaccination campaign in domestic cattle to protect wild bovids from disease transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface. Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) was first detected in domestic cattle in Cambodia in June of 2021 and rapidly spread throughout the country. In September 2021, a banteng was seen in Phnom Tnout Phnom Pok wildlife sanctuary with signs of lumpy skin disease. Scab samples were collected and tested positive for LSDV. Monitoring using line transect surveys and camera traps in protected areas with critical banteng and gaur populations was initiated from December 2021-October 2022. A collaborative multisector vaccination campaign to vaccinate domestic livestock in and around priority protected areas with banteng and gaur was launched July 2022 and a total of 20,089 domestic cattle and water buffalo were vaccinated with LumpyvaxTM. No signs of LSDV in banteng or gaur in Cambodia have been observed since this initial case. This report documents the first case of lumpy skin disease in wildlife in Cambodia and proposes a potential intervention to mitigate the challenge of pathogen transmission at the domestic-wildlife interface. While vaccination can support local livestock-based economies and promote biodiversity conservation, it is only a component of an integrated solution and One Health approach to protect endangered species from threats at the wildlife-livestock interface.

WildHealthNet: Supporting the development of sustainable wildlife health surveillance networks in Southeast Asia.

Wildlife and wildlife interfaces with people and livestock are essential surveillance targets to monitor emergent or endemic pathogens or new threats affecting wildlife, livestock, and human health. However, limitations of previous investments in scope and duration have resulted in a neglect of wildlife health surveillance (WHS) systems at national and global scales, particularly in lower and middle income countries (LMICs). Building on decades of wildlife health activities in LMICs, we demonstrate the implementation of a locally-driven multi-pronged One Health approach to establishing WHS in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam under the WildHealthNet initiative. WildHealthNet utilizes existing local capacity in the animal, public health, and environmental sectors for event based or targeted surveillance and disease detection. To scale up surveillance systems to the national level, WildHealthNet relies on iterative field implementation and policy development, capacity bridging, improving data collection and management systems, and implementing context specific responses to wildlife health intelligence. National WHS systems piloted in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam engaged protected area rangers, wildlife rescue centers, community members, and livestock and human health sector staff and laboratories. Surveillance activities detected outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds, African swine fever in wild boar (Sus scrofa), Lumpy skin disease in banteng (Bos javanicus), and other endemic zoonotic pathogens identified as surveillance priorities by local stakeholders. In Cambodia and Lao PDR, national plans for wildlife disease surveillance are being signed into legislation. Cross-sectoral and trans-disciplinary approaches are needed to implement effective WHS systems. Long-term commitment, and paralleled implementation and policy development are key to sustainable WHS networks. WildHealthNet offers a roadmap to aid in the development of locally-relevant and locally-led WHS systems that support the global objectives of the World Organization for Animal Health's Wildlife Health Framework and other international agendas.

Detection of African swine fever virus in free-ranging wild boar in Southeast Asia.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease affecting both domestic and wild suids. The virus was introduced to Southeast Asia in early 2019 and has since spread rapidly throughout the region. Although significant efforts have been made to track and diagnose the disease in domestic pigs, very little is known about ASF in free-ranging wild boar and their potential role in maintaining the disease within Southeast Asia. Through a collaboration between government and non-government actors in Laos, Viet Nam, and Cambodia, investigations were conducted to (a) characterize the interface between domestic pigs and wild boar, (b) document risk factors for likely ASF spillover into wild boar populations by way of this interface, and (c) determine whether ASF in wild boar could be detected in each country. An extensive overlap between wild boar habitat and domestic pig ranging areas was found around villages bordering forests in all three countries, creating a high-risk interface for viral spillover between domestic pig and wild boar populations. Fifteen and three wild boar carcasses were detected through passive reporting in Laos and Viet Nam, respectively, in 2019 and early 2020. Four of five carcasses screened in Laos and two of three in Viet Nam were confirmed positive for African swine fever virus using real-time PCR. There were no confirmed reports of wild boar carcasses in Cambodia. This is the first confirmation of ASF in wild boar in Southeast Asia, the result of a probable viral spillover from domestic pigs, which highlights the importance of early reporting and monitoring of ASF in wild boar to enable the implementation of appropriate biosecurity measures.

Toxoplasma gondii in livestock in St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals including livestock. In these animals, the parasite forms cysts in the tissues which may pose a risk to public health if infected meat is consumed undercooked or raw. The aim of this study was to determine the exposure of livestock to T. gondii in St. Kitts and Nevis. METHODS: Sera and/or heart tissue and meat juice were collected from pigs (n = 124), sheep (n = 116) and goats (n = 66) at the St. Kitts Abattoir. Sera and meat juice were screened for reactive antibodies to T. gondii using an in-house ELISA. Heart tissue was screened for T. gondii DNA using quantitative PCR and positive samples were genotyped using RFLP. RESULTS: Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in sera from 48% of pigs, 26% of sheep and 34% of goats tested. Antibodies were also detected in the meat juice from 55% of pig hearts, 22% of sheep hearts and 31% of goat hearts tested. There was a significant positive correlation between serology and meat juice results. T. gondii DNA was detected in heart tissue of 21% of pigs, 16% of sheep and 23% of goats tested. Preliminary PCR-RFLP analysis identified a predominance of the Type III genotype of T. gondii. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest widespread environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts and that livestock could be a potentially important source of T. gondii infection if their infected meat is consumed (or handled) undercooked.