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McEachran MC, Harvey JA, Mummah RO, Bletz MC, Teitelbaum CS, Rosenblatt E, Rudolph FJ, Arce F, Yin S, Prosser DJ, Mosher BA, Mullinax JM, DiRenzo GV, Couret J, Runge MC, Grant EHC, Cook JD. Reframing wildlife disease management problems with decision analysis. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14284. [PMID: 38785034 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Contemporary wildlife disease management is complex because managers need to respond to a wide range of stakeholders, multiple uncertainties, and difficult trade-offs that characterize the interconnected challenges of today. Despite general acknowledgment of these complexities, managing wildlife disease tends to be framed as a scientific problem, in which the major challenge is lack of knowledge. The complex and multifactorial process of decision-making is collapsed into a scientific endeavor to reduce uncertainty. As a result, contemporary decision-making may be oversimplified, rely on simple heuristics, and fail to account for the broader legal, social, and economic context in which the decisions are made. Concurrently, scientific research on wildlife disease may be distant from this decision context, resulting in information that may not be directly relevant to the pertinent management questions. We propose reframing wildlife disease management challenges as decision problems and addressing them with decision analytical tools to divide the complex problems into more cognitively manageable elements. In particular, structured decision-making has the potential to improve the quality, rigor, and transparency of decisions about wildlife disease in a variety of systems. Examples of management of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, white-nose syndrome, avian influenza, and chytridiomycosis illustrate the most common impediments to decision-making, including competing objectives, risks, prediction uncertainty, and limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C McEachran
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Johanna A Harvey
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Riley O Mummah
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Molly C Bletz
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Claire S Teitelbaum
- Akima Systems Engineering, Herndon, Virginia, USA
- Contractor to Eastern Ecological Science Center at Patuxent Research Refuge, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Elias Rosenblatt
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - F Javiera Rudolph
- Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Pennsylvania State University, Center Valley, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fernando Arce
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA
| | - Shenglai Yin
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Earth Observation and Modeling, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Diann J Prosser
- Eastern Ecological Science Center at Patuxent Research Refuge, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Brittany A Mosher
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Jennifer M Mullinax
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Graziella V DiRenzo
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jannelle Couret
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Michael C Runge
- Eastern Ecological Science Center at Patuxent Research Refuge, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Evan H Campbell Grant
- Eastern Ecological Science Center at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, Turners Falls, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jonathan D Cook
- Eastern Ecological Science Center at Patuxent Research Refuge, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
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2
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Apaa T, Withers AJ, Staley C, Blanchard A, Bennett M, Bremner-Harrison S, Chadwick EA, Hailer F, Harrison SWR, Loose M, Mathews F, Tarlinton R. Sarbecoviruses of British horseshoe bats; sequence variation and epidemiology. J Gen Virol 2023; 104. [PMID: 37319000 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Horseshoe bats are the natural hosts of the Sarbecovirus subgenus that includes SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV- 2. Despite the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still little known about the underlying epidemiology and virology of sarbecoviruses in their natural hosts, leaving large gaps in our pandemic preparedness. Here we describe the results of PCR testing for sarbecoviruses in the two horseshoe bat species (Rhinolophus hipposideros and R. ferrumequinum) present in Great Britain, collected in 2021-22 during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred and ninety seven R. hipposideros samples from 33 roost sites and 277 R. ferrumequinum samples from 20 roost sites were tested. No coronaviruses were detected in any samples from R. ferrumequinum whereas 44 and 56 % of individual and pooled (respectively) faecal samples from R. hipposideros across multiple roost sites tested positive in a sarbecovirus-specific qPCR. Full genome sequences were generated from three of the positive samples (and partial genomes from two more) using Illumina RNAseq on unenriched samples. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the obtained sequences belong to the same monophyletic clade, with >95 % similarity to previously-reported European isolates from R. hipposideros. The sequences differed in the presence or absence of accessory genes ORF 7b, 9b and 10. All lacked the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike gene and are therefore unlikely to be infective for humans. These results demonstrate a lack, or at least low incidence, of SARS-CoV-2 spill over from humans to susceptible GB bats, and confirm that sarbecovirus infection is widespread in R. hipposideros. Despite frequently sharing roost sites with R. ferrumequinum, no evidence of cross-species transmission was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ternenge Apaa
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Addlestone, UK
| | - Amy J Withers
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Addlestone, UK
| | - Ceri Staley
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Adam Blanchard
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Malcolm Bennett
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Samantha Bremner-Harrison
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, UK
- Vincent Wildlife Trust, Herefordshire, UK
| | - Elizabeth A Chadwick
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, UK
- Organisms and Environment, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Frank Hailer
- Organisms and Environment, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Stephen W R Harrison
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, UK
| | - Matthew Loose
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Rachael Tarlinton
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
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Aguilar-Setién A, Aréchiga-Ceballos N, Balsamo GA, Behrman AJ, Frank HK, Fujimoto GR, Gilman Duane E, Hudson TW, Jones SM, Ochoa Carrera LA, Powell GL, Smith CA, Triantis Van Sickle J, Vleck SE. Biosafety Practices When Working with Bats: A Guide to Field Research Considerations. APPLIED BIOSAFETY 2022; 27:169-190. [PMID: 36196095 PMCID: PMC9526472 DOI: 10.1089/apb.2022.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Field work with bats is an important contribution to many areas of research in environmental biology and ecology, as well as microbiology. Work with bats poses hazards such as bites and scratches, and the potential for exposure to infectious pathogens such as rabies virus. It also exposes researchers to many other potential hazards inherent to field work, such as environmental conditions, delayed emergency responses, or challenging work conditions. Methods: This article discusses the considerations for a thorough risk assessment process around field work with bats, pre- and post-occupational health considerations, and delves into specific considerations for areas related to biosafety concerns—training, personal protective equipment, safety consideration in field methods, decontamination, and waste. It also touches on related legal and ethical issues that sit outside the realm of biosafety, but which must be addressed during the planning process. Discussion: Although the focal point of this article is bat field work located in northern and central America, the principles and practices discussed here are applicable to bat work elsewhere, as well as to field work with other animal species, and should promote careful considerations of how to safely conduct field work to protect both researchers and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Aguilar-Setién
- Coordinación de Investigación Médica, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
- Laboratorio de Rabia, Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gary A Balsamo
- Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Amy J Behrman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hannah K Frank
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Gary R Fujimoto
- Occupational and Internal Medicine Consultant, Los Altos, California, USA
| | | | - Thomas Warner Hudson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Shelley M Jones
- Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Luis A Ochoa Carrera
- Office of Environmental Health and Safety, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Gregory L Powell
- Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Carrie A Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Susan E Vleck
- Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Cook JD, Campbell Grant EH, Coleman JTH, Sleeman JM, Runge MC. Evaluating the risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission to bats in the context of wildlife research, rehabilitation, and control. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [PMCID: PMC9111074 DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Cook
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge Laurel MD 20708 USA
| | - Evan H. Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory Turners Falls MA 01376 USA
| | | | | | - Michael C. Runge
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge Laurel MD 20708 USA
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Fagre AC, Cohen LE, Eskew EA, Farrell M, Glennon E, Joseph MB, Frank HK, Ryan SJ, Carlson CJ, Albery GF. Assessing the risk of human-to-wildlife pathogen transmission for conservation and public health. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1534-1549. [PMID: 35318793 PMCID: PMC9313783 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic has led to increased concern over transmission of pathogens from humans to animals, and its potential to threaten conservation and public health. To assess this threat, we reviewed published evidence of human‐to‐wildlife transmission events, with a focus on how such events could threaten animal and human health. We identified 97 verified examples, involving a wide range of pathogens; however, reported hosts were mostly non‐human primates or large, long‐lived captive animals. Relatively few documented examples resulted in morbidity and mortality, and very few led to maintenance of a human pathogen in a new reservoir or subsequent “secondary spillover” back into humans. We discuss limitations in the literature surrounding these phenomena, including strong evidence of sampling bias towards non‐human primates and human‐proximate mammals and the possibility of systematic bias against reporting human parasites in wildlife, both of which limit our ability to assess the risk of human‐to‐wildlife pathogen transmission. We outline how researchers can collect experimental and observational evidence that will expand our capacity for risk assessment for human‐to‐wildlife pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Fagre
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.,Bat Health Foundation, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Lily E Cohen
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York City, USA
| | - Evan A Eskew
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Max Farrell
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emma Glennon
- Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maxwell B Joseph
- Earth Lab, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Hannah K Frank
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisina, USA
| | - Sadie J Ryan
- Quantitative Disease Ecology and Conservation (QDEC) Lab Group, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Colin J Carlson
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Shademan B, Nourazarian A, Hajazimian S, Isazadeh A, Biray Avci C, Oskouee MA. CRISPR Technology in Gene-Editing-Based Detection and Treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:772788. [PMID: 35087864 PMCID: PMC8787289 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.772788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Outbreak and rapid spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) that started in Wuhan, and has become a global problem because of the high rate of human-to-human transmission and severe respiratory infections. Because of high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2, which threatens many people worldwide, rapid diagnosis and simple treatment are needed. Genome editing is a nucleic acid-based approach to altering the genome by artificially changes in genetic information and induce irreversible changes in the function of target gene. Clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas) could be a practical and straightforward approach to this disease. CRISPR/Cas system contains Cas protein, which is controlled by a small RNA molecule to create a double-stranded DNA gap. Evidence suggested that CRISPR/Cas was also usable for diagnosis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review study, we discoursed on application of CRISPR technology in detection and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Another aspect of this study was to introduce potential future problems in use of CRISPR/Cas technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrouz Shademan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Alireza Nourazarian
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
| | - Saba Hajazimian
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Alireza Isazadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Cigir Biray Avci
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mahin Ahangar Oskouee
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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7
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Van der Jeucht L, Groom Q, Agosti D, Phelps K, Reeder DM, Simmons NB. Using iNaturalist to monitor adherence to best practices in bat handling. Biodivers Data J 2021; 9:e68052. [PMID: 34690513 PMCID: PMC8484243 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.9.e68052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Van der Jeucht
- Free University of Brussels (VUB), Brussels, Belgium Free University of Brussels (VUB) Brussels Belgium
| | - Quentin Groom
- Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium Meise Botanic Garden Meise Belgium
| | | | - Kendra Phelps
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, United States of America EcoHealth Alliance New York United States of America
| | - DeeAnn Marie Reeder
- Bucknell University, Lewisburg, United States of America Bucknell University Lewisburg United States of America
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States of America American Museum of Natural History New York United States of America
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