The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic virus causing viral hepatitis worldwide. Clin... more The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic virus causing viral hepatitis worldwide. Clinically, hepatitis E is not easily distinguished from other types of acute viral hepatitis. There is a need for HEV diagnostic assays to detect and prevent interspecies transmission among susceptible populations. Nanobodies (Nbs) are expressed recombinantly in different systems, produced with high yields, and have superior physicochemical properties compared with conventional antibodies (Ab). Several Nbs against ORF2, the capsid protein and main antigen, were selected and produced in E. coli. Nb39 and Nb74 specifically recognized HEV ORF2 (genotypes 3 and 4). A competitive ELISA (cELISA) was developed and validated using a reference panel of human (n = 86) and swine sera (n = 116) tested in comparison with a commercial kit. The optimal cutoff values determined by ROC analysis were 69.16% (human) and 58.76% (swine); the sensitivity and specificity were high: 97.4% (IC95%; 86.5–99.5%) and 9...
La gripe aviar, cuyo principal reservorio natural son las aves acuáticas silvestres, se hizo famo... more La gripe aviar, cuyo principal reservorio natural son las aves acuáticas silvestres, se hizo famosa en el año 2006 con la creciente amenaza de una pandemia de la mano de la cepa altamente patógena H5N1. Si bien el temido desastre aún no ha ocurrido, una sucesión de hechos y omisiones contribuyen a que el riesgo permanezca latente. El virus de influenza aviar es uno de los tantos patógenos que, dadas las condiciones propicias, pueden afectar la salud de los animales silvestres, la salud pública, la conservación de especies, la producción animal, la seguridad alimentaria y la salud de los ecosistemas. La gripe aviar es una enfermedad globalizada, que logró derribar las barreras entre especies y las fronteras geográficas, favorecida por la falta de acción. Es de esperar que de ella hayamos aprendido que prevenir es mejor que curar.
Hydatid disease is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by cysts of the tapeworm Echinoc... more Hydatid disease is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by cysts of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Canids, especially domestic dogs, are definitive hosts of the parasite and are the most pragmatic targets for control programs. A governmental dog deworming campaign was established in 1979 to control hydatidosis in southern Chile, which succeeded in reducing the prevalence of canine echinococcosis in Tierra del Fuego province from 68.4% (in 1978) to 1.2% (in 2002). In 2004, however, the program was dismantled to reduce costs, and since then, no follow‐up echinococcosis monitoring has been conducted. We surveyed 356 domestic dogs and interviewed owners or workers at 45 ranches in Chilean Tierra del Fuego during the summer of 2015–2016. Faecal flotation was employed to detect Taeniidae eggs, and PCR was used to test faecal samples for Echinococcus granulosus. Taeniidae eggs and Echinococcus sp. DNA were detected in the faeces of 45.4% (147/324) and 6.9% (23/331) of dogs,...
<p>Adult female huemul (Case #1, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/1... more <p>Adult female huemul (Case #1, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0213667#pone.0213667.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>), with swelling of right front leg and foot showing signs of pain and recumbency.</p
SummaryA recent review of the management of hyperabundant macropods in Australia proposed that ex... more SummaryA recent review of the management of hyperabundant macropods in Australia proposed that expanded professional shooting is likely to lead to better biodiversity and animal welfare outcomes. While the tenets of this general argument are sound, it overlooks one important issue for biodiversity and animal health and welfare: reliance on toxic lead‐based ammunition. Lead poisoning poses a major threat to Australia's wildlife scavengers. Current proposals to expand professional macropod shooting would see tonnes of an extremely toxic and persistent heavy metal continue to be introduced into Australian environments. This contrasts with trends in many other countries, where lead ammunition is, through legislation or voluntary programs, being phased out. Fortunately, there are alternatives to lead ammunition that could be investigated and adopted for improved macropod management. A transition to lead‐free ammunition would allow the broad environmental and animal welfare goals desi...
Kelp gullsLarus dominicanus(KG) feed on the skin and blubber of living southern right whalesEubal... more Kelp gullsLarus dominicanus(KG) feed on the skin and blubber of living southern right whalesEubalaena australis(SRWs) off Península Valdés (PV), Argentina. The whales respond strongly to KG micropredation by changing their immediate (acute) behavior during attacks and their overall (chronic) surfacing pattern and body posture to minimize gull exposure. The energetic and large-scale behavioral consequences of these attacks are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified the effect size of both acute (during attacks) and chronic (not during attacks) responses by comparing the respiration rates, swim speed, and nursing behavior of PV SRWs to undisturbed (control) SRW mother-calf pairs in Head of Bight, Australia, using unmanned aerial vehicle focal follows. Even when gulls were not attacking, PV SRW mothers and calves demonstrated ~50 and ~25% higher respiration rates, respectively, than whales in Australia. During attacks, PV calf respiration rates increased by an additional...
The cost of reproduction greatly affects a species’ life history strategy. Baleen whales exhibit ... more The cost of reproduction greatly affects a species’ life history strategy. Baleen whales exhibit some of the fastest offspring growth rates in the animal kingdom. We quantified the energetic cost of gestation for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) by combining whaling catch records of pregnant females with photogrammetry data on southern right whale mothers and calves from two breeding grounds in Argentina and Australia. The relationship between calf birth size and maternal length was determined from repeated measurements of individual females before and after giving birth. Fetal growth was determined from generalized linear models fitted to fetal length data from whaling operations between 1961 and 1967. Fetal length was converted to volume and mass, using the volume‐to‐length relationship of newborn southern right whales calves, and published tissue composition and energy content estimates. Fetal maintenance costs (heat of gestation) and the energy content of the placenta...
Disease is an increasingly recognised threat to wild animal populations and the conservation of e... more Disease is an increasingly recognised threat to wild animal populations and the conservation of endangered species. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Worldwide Monitoring System for Wild Animal Diseases (WAHIS-Wild) serves as the main global information portal for wildlife disease events, compiled via voluntary reporting by countries on non-OIE-listed diseases. The first decade of reports to WAHIS-Wild were analysed to identify trends and examine their relevance for conservation. Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 4,229 wildlife disease events were reported, with the majority from the European continent. When standardised for nomenclature changes, 54 unique previous or current non-OIE-listed diseases were reported. The most common disease events (collectively representing > 50% of reports) were chemical poisoning (12.5% of events reported), infection with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (11.9%), infection with Salmonella enterica (10.8%), infection with Pasteurella spp. (8.4%) and infection with Trichomonas spp. in birds and reptiles (7.5%). Reports indicated disease in 501 unique species, 19.2% of which are listed as endangered species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and 30.7% of which are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The findings suggest reporting gaps, including likely geographical area and other biases. More systematic reporting of wildlife disease and use of this information in biodiversity assessment and decision-making would result in better animal health and conservation coordination in a One Health context.
Supplemental Materials for "Gaps in health security related to wildlife and environment affe... more Supplemental Materials for "Gaps in health security related to wildlife and environment affecting pandemic prevention and preparedness"
This high-level gap analysis provides a follow up to the IUCN Crossroads blog titled "It is ... more This high-level gap analysis provides a follow up to the IUCN Crossroads blog titled "It is Time for a Global Wildlife Health Authority" (17 September 2020), expanding on operational gaps and potential immediate avenues for solutions. The primary audience is intergovernmental agencies, organizations, and donors seeking to support countries in their implementation efforts around biodiversity and health. This report discusses four chronic gaps, with accompanying action points.
Accompanying data set to "<em>Wildlife Conservation Status and Disease Trends: 10 Year... more Accompanying data set to "<em>Wildlife Conservation Status and Disease Trends: 10 Years of WAHIS-Wild Reports". </em>Data sources: WAHIS-Wild (accessed 25 May 2019), IUCN Red List v.2019-1 (accessed 25 May 2019) and CITES Appendices (accessed 19 February 2019).
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic virus causing viral hepatitis worldwide. Clin... more The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic virus causing viral hepatitis worldwide. Clinically, hepatitis E is not easily distinguished from other types of acute viral hepatitis. There is a need for HEV diagnostic assays to detect and prevent interspecies transmission among susceptible populations. Nanobodies (Nbs) are expressed recombinantly in different systems, produced with high yields, and have superior physicochemical properties compared with conventional antibodies (Ab). Several Nbs against ORF2, the capsid protein and main antigen, were selected and produced in E. coli. Nb39 and Nb74 specifically recognized HEV ORF2 (genotypes 3 and 4). A competitive ELISA (cELISA) was developed and validated using a reference panel of human (n = 86) and swine sera (n = 116) tested in comparison with a commercial kit. The optimal cutoff values determined by ROC analysis were 69.16% (human) and 58.76% (swine); the sensitivity and specificity were high: 97.4% (IC95%; 86.5–99.5%) and 9...
La gripe aviar, cuyo principal reservorio natural son las aves acuáticas silvestres, se hizo famo... more La gripe aviar, cuyo principal reservorio natural son las aves acuáticas silvestres, se hizo famosa en el año 2006 con la creciente amenaza de una pandemia de la mano de la cepa altamente patógena H5N1. Si bien el temido desastre aún no ha ocurrido, una sucesión de hechos y omisiones contribuyen a que el riesgo permanezca latente. El virus de influenza aviar es uno de los tantos patógenos que, dadas las condiciones propicias, pueden afectar la salud de los animales silvestres, la salud pública, la conservación de especies, la producción animal, la seguridad alimentaria y la salud de los ecosistemas. La gripe aviar es una enfermedad globalizada, que logró derribar las barreras entre especies y las fronteras geográficas, favorecida por la falta de acción. Es de esperar que de ella hayamos aprendido que prevenir es mejor que curar.
Hydatid disease is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by cysts of the tapeworm Echinoc... more Hydatid disease is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by cysts of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Canids, especially domestic dogs, are definitive hosts of the parasite and are the most pragmatic targets for control programs. A governmental dog deworming campaign was established in 1979 to control hydatidosis in southern Chile, which succeeded in reducing the prevalence of canine echinococcosis in Tierra del Fuego province from 68.4% (in 1978) to 1.2% (in 2002). In 2004, however, the program was dismantled to reduce costs, and since then, no follow‐up echinococcosis monitoring has been conducted. We surveyed 356 domestic dogs and interviewed owners or workers at 45 ranches in Chilean Tierra del Fuego during the summer of 2015–2016. Faecal flotation was employed to detect Taeniidae eggs, and PCR was used to test faecal samples for Echinococcus granulosus. Taeniidae eggs and Echinococcus sp. DNA were detected in the faeces of 45.4% (147/324) and 6.9% (23/331) of dogs,...
<p>Adult female huemul (Case #1, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/1... more <p>Adult female huemul (Case #1, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0213667#pone.0213667.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>), with swelling of right front leg and foot showing signs of pain and recumbency.</p
SummaryA recent review of the management of hyperabundant macropods in Australia proposed that ex... more SummaryA recent review of the management of hyperabundant macropods in Australia proposed that expanded professional shooting is likely to lead to better biodiversity and animal welfare outcomes. While the tenets of this general argument are sound, it overlooks one important issue for biodiversity and animal health and welfare: reliance on toxic lead‐based ammunition. Lead poisoning poses a major threat to Australia's wildlife scavengers. Current proposals to expand professional macropod shooting would see tonnes of an extremely toxic and persistent heavy metal continue to be introduced into Australian environments. This contrasts with trends in many other countries, where lead ammunition is, through legislation or voluntary programs, being phased out. Fortunately, there are alternatives to lead ammunition that could be investigated and adopted for improved macropod management. A transition to lead‐free ammunition would allow the broad environmental and animal welfare goals desi...
Kelp gullsLarus dominicanus(KG) feed on the skin and blubber of living southern right whalesEubal... more Kelp gullsLarus dominicanus(KG) feed on the skin and blubber of living southern right whalesEubalaena australis(SRWs) off Península Valdés (PV), Argentina. The whales respond strongly to KG micropredation by changing their immediate (acute) behavior during attacks and their overall (chronic) surfacing pattern and body posture to minimize gull exposure. The energetic and large-scale behavioral consequences of these attacks are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified the effect size of both acute (during attacks) and chronic (not during attacks) responses by comparing the respiration rates, swim speed, and nursing behavior of PV SRWs to undisturbed (control) SRW mother-calf pairs in Head of Bight, Australia, using unmanned aerial vehicle focal follows. Even when gulls were not attacking, PV SRW mothers and calves demonstrated ~50 and ~25% higher respiration rates, respectively, than whales in Australia. During attacks, PV calf respiration rates increased by an additional...
The cost of reproduction greatly affects a species’ life history strategy. Baleen whales exhibit ... more The cost of reproduction greatly affects a species’ life history strategy. Baleen whales exhibit some of the fastest offspring growth rates in the animal kingdom. We quantified the energetic cost of gestation for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) by combining whaling catch records of pregnant females with photogrammetry data on southern right whale mothers and calves from two breeding grounds in Argentina and Australia. The relationship between calf birth size and maternal length was determined from repeated measurements of individual females before and after giving birth. Fetal growth was determined from generalized linear models fitted to fetal length data from whaling operations between 1961 and 1967. Fetal length was converted to volume and mass, using the volume‐to‐length relationship of newborn southern right whales calves, and published tissue composition and energy content estimates. Fetal maintenance costs (heat of gestation) and the energy content of the placenta...
Disease is an increasingly recognised threat to wild animal populations and the conservation of e... more Disease is an increasingly recognised threat to wild animal populations and the conservation of endangered species. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Worldwide Monitoring System for Wild Animal Diseases (WAHIS-Wild) serves as the main global information portal for wildlife disease events, compiled via voluntary reporting by countries on non-OIE-listed diseases. The first decade of reports to WAHIS-Wild were analysed to identify trends and examine their relevance for conservation. Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 4,229 wildlife disease events were reported, with the majority from the European continent. When standardised for nomenclature changes, 54 unique previous or current non-OIE-listed diseases were reported. The most common disease events (collectively representing > 50% of reports) were chemical poisoning (12.5% of events reported), infection with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (11.9%), infection with Salmonella enterica (10.8%), infection with Pasteurella spp. (8.4%) and infection with Trichomonas spp. in birds and reptiles (7.5%). Reports indicated disease in 501 unique species, 19.2% of which are listed as endangered species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and 30.7% of which are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The findings suggest reporting gaps, including likely geographical area and other biases. More systematic reporting of wildlife disease and use of this information in biodiversity assessment and decision-making would result in better animal health and conservation coordination in a One Health context.
Supplemental Materials for "Gaps in health security related to wildlife and environment affe... more Supplemental Materials for "Gaps in health security related to wildlife and environment affecting pandemic prevention and preparedness"
This high-level gap analysis provides a follow up to the IUCN Crossroads blog titled "It is ... more This high-level gap analysis provides a follow up to the IUCN Crossroads blog titled "It is Time for a Global Wildlife Health Authority" (17 September 2020), expanding on operational gaps and potential immediate avenues for solutions. The primary audience is intergovernmental agencies, organizations, and donors seeking to support countries in their implementation efforts around biodiversity and health. This report discusses four chronic gaps, with accompanying action points.
Accompanying data set to "<em>Wildlife Conservation Status and Disease Trends: 10 Year... more Accompanying data set to "<em>Wildlife Conservation Status and Disease Trends: 10 Years of WAHIS-Wild Reports". </em>Data sources: WAHIS-Wild (accessed 25 May 2019), IUCN Red List v.2019-1 (accessed 25 May 2019) and CITES Appendices (accessed 19 February 2019).
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