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Shepherd JG, Ashraf S, Salazar-Gonzalez JF, Salazar MG, Downing RG, Bukenya H, Jerome H, Mpanga JT, Davis C, Tong L, Sreenu VB, Atiku LA, Logan N, Kajik E, Mukobi Y, Mungujakisa C, Olowo MV, Tibo E, Wunna F, Jackson Ireland H, Blunsum AE, Owolabi I, da Silva Filipe A, Bwogi J, Willett BJ, Lutwama JJ, Streicker DG, Kaleebu P, Thomson EC. Widespread human exposure to ledanteviruses in Uganda: A population study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012297. [PMID: 38976760 PMCID: PMC11257405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Le Dantec virus (LDV), assigned to the species Ledantevirus ledantec, genus Ledantevirus, family Rhabdoviridae has been associated with human disease but has gone undetected since the 1970s. We describe the detection of LDV in a human case of undifferentiated fever in Uganda by metagenomic sequencing and demonstrate a serological response using ELISA and pseudotype neutralisation. By screening 997 individuals sampled in 2016, we show frequent exposure to ledanteviruses with 76% of individuals seropositive in Western Uganda, but lower seroprevalence in other areas. Serological cross-reactivity as measured by pseudotype-based neutralisation was confined to ledanteviruses, indicating population seropositivity may represent either exposure to LDV or related ledanteviruses. We also describe the discovery of a closely related ledantevirus in blood from the synanthropic rodent Mastomys erythroleucus. Ledantevirus infection is common in Uganda but is geographically heterogenous. Further surveys of patients presenting with acute fever are required to determine the contribution of these emerging viruses to febrile illness in Uganda.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G. Shepherd
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Shirin Ashraf
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jesus F. Salazar-Gonzalez
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria G. Salazar
- Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | | | | | - Hanna Jerome
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chris Davis
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lily Tong
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Vattipally B. Sreenu
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nicola Logan
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Fred Wunna
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Hollie Jackson Ireland
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew E. Blunsum
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Iyanuoluwani Owolabi
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ana da Silva Filipe
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Brian J. Willett
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Daniel G. Streicker
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Pontiano Kaleebu
- Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Emma C. Thomson
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Tumelty L, Fa JE, Coad L, Friant S, Mbane J, Kamogne CT, Tata CY, Ickowitz A. A systematic mapping review of links between handling wild meat and zoonotic diseases. One Health 2023; 17:100637. [PMID: 38024256 PMCID: PMC10665173 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
1.Hunting, trade, and consumption of wildlife present a serious threat to global public health as it places humans in close contact with zoonotic pathogens.2.We systematically mapped the literature on wild meat handling and zoonotic disease transmission (1996-2022) using the online database Web of Science and Google search engine and identified 6229 articles out of which 253 were finally selected for use in our mapping review; 51 of these provided specific information regarding transmission risks.3.The reviewed studies reported 43 zoonotic pathogens (17 bacteria, 15 viruses, and 11 parasites) that could pose a potential risk to human health.4.Sixteen hygienic and sanitary behaviours were described in the reviewed studies. Disease surveillance was the most frequent. Most of the surveillance studies were carried out in Europe and were less common in the tropics.5.To inform policy and practical actions effectively, it is imperative to broaden our understanding of how various mitigation behaviours can be employed to minimize the risk of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Tumelty
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), CIFOR Headquarters, Bogor 16115, Indonesia
| | - Julia E. Fa
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), CIFOR Headquarters, Bogor 16115, Indonesia
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | - Lauren Coad
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), CIFOR Headquarters, Bogor 16115, Indonesia
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Sagan Friant
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - Joseph Mbane
- Center for International Forestry Research-World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Cedric Thibaut Kamogne
- Center for International Forestry Research-World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Amy Ickowitz
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)-World Agroforestry Center, Beit Zayit, Israel
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Szkiela M, Wiszniewska M, Lipińska-Ojrzanowska A. Monkeypox (Mpox) and Occupational Exposure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5087. [PMID: 36981996 PMCID: PMC10049490 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20065087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recently, there has been a significant increase in interest in biological risk factors, which are increasingly perceived as an important problem in occupational medicine. Exposure to harmful biological agents may be associated with the deliberate use of microorganisms in the work process or with unintentional exposure resulting from the presence of biological risk factors in the work environment. Monkeypox (mpox) is a viral infectious disease that may afflict humans and non-human primates. Since May 2022, mpox has occurred in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and Africa, with some 76,713 cases (75,822 in locations that have not historically reported mpox) and 29 total deaths reported to date. Between 2018 and 2021, several cases of mpox were reported worldwide in high-income countries (Israel, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States: Texas and Maryland). We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar web databases for occupational exposure to mpox. The highest work-related risk for mpox transmission has been noted among healthcare professionals, people working with animals, and sex workers. There is general agreement that a paramount issue to avoid transmission of infection in occupational settings is an appropriate decontamination of often-touched surfaces and usage of appropriate personal protective equipment by the workers at high risk of infection. The group that should especially protect themselves and be educated in the field of early symptoms of the disease and prevention are dentists, who are often the first to detect the symptoms of the disease on the oral mucosa.
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Illegal Harvesting within a Protected Area: Spatial Distribution of Activities, Social Drivers of Wild Meat Consumption, and Wildlife Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050771. [PMID: 36899628 PMCID: PMC10000183 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The African tropical forests host an inestimable number of resources, including food, medicine, vegetal and animal species. Among them, chimpanzees are threatened with extinction by human activities affecting their habitats, such as forest product harvesting, and/or more directly, snaring and trafficking. We aimed to better understand the spatial distribution of these illegal activities, and the reasons for setting snares and consuming wild meat in an agricultural landscape (subsistence farming and cash crops) densely populated near a protected area (Sebitoli, Northern part of Kibale National Park, Uganda). To carry out this study, we combined GPS records of illegal activities collected with group counts (in total, n = 339 tea workers, 678 villagers, and 1885 children) and individual interviews (n = 74 tea workers, 42 villagers, and 35 children). A quarter of illegal activities collected (n = 1661) targeted animal resources and about 60% were recorded in specific areas (southwest and northeast) of the Sebitoli chimpanzee home range. Wild meat consumption, which is illegal in Uganda, is a relatively common practice among participants (17.1% to 54.1% of respondents depending on actor types and census methods). However, consumers declared that they eat wild meat unfrequently (0.6 to 2.8 times per year). Being a young man coming from districts contiguous to Kibale National Park particularly raises the odds of consuming wild meat. Such an analysis contributes to the understanding of wild meat hunting among traditional rural and agricultural societies from East Africa.
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Alshahrani NZ, Mitra S, Alkuwaiti AA, Alhumam MN, Altmimi SMB, Alamri MHM, Albalawi ZAS, Almorgi MW, Alharbi HKD, Alshahrani SM. Medical Students’ Perception Regarding the Re-emerging Monkeypox Virus: An Institution-Based Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia. Cureus 2022; 14:e28060. [PMID: 36127980 PMCID: PMC9477600 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The recent multi-nation outbreaks of human monkeypox in non-endemic areas have created an emerging public health issue. Medical students who will become future healthcare providers are directly associated with community people and can easily sensitize the general population, so it is crucial to assess their degree of knowledge and attitudes regarding recently emerging infections or pathogens. However, studies on medical students' perception of the monkeypox virus are scarce in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the monkeypox virus-related knowledge and attitudes among medical students in the country. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2022 among undergraduate medical students at King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. A systematic random sampling technique was applied to select the study participants. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward the monkeypox virus. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were performed. Results: A total of 314 medical students were recruited for this study. The findings from this study showed that the vast majority of medical students (72%) had poor knowledge about the monkeypox virus. Respondents’ age, grade point average (GPA), fathers’ education level, and training received about the monkeypox virus were significantly associated with the level of knowledge about the monkeypox virus (p < 0.05). Nearly half of the respondents (45.9%) agreed that the monkeypox virus could be transmitted to Saudi Arabia. Overall, this study showed that the awareness levels regarding the monkeypox virus were significantly higher among seniors as compared to junior students. Conclusion: The study found poor knowledge of the monkeypox virus among currently enrolled medical students in the country’s highest-ranked medical school. This finding emphasizes the urgent need to increase their knowledge because controlling outbreaks requires significant cooperation from knowledgeable and skilled healthcare providers.
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Bloomfield LSP, Tracey C, Mbabazi E, Schultz RL, Henderson R, Bardosh K, Randolph S, Paige S. Research Participation Influences Willingness to Reduce Zoonotic Exposure in Uganda. ECOHEALTH 2022; 19:299-314. [PMID: 35674864 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-022-01589-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The majority of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in people are zoonotic. Despite substantial research in communities adjacent to protected areas with high levels of biodiversity, limited data exist on people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices to avoid exposure to infections from domestic and wild animals. We used a modified grounded-theory framework in QS NVivo to develop a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) survey administered at two time points, KAPT1 (April-July 2016) and KAPT2 (February-May 2018) to participants living at the edge of Kibale National Park, Uganda. We measured the difference in willingness to engage in protective behaviors around zoonotic exposure between an Intervention group (n = 61) and a Comparison group (n = 125). Prior to KAPT1, the Intervention group engaged in a human-centered design (HCD) activity identifying behaviors that reduce zoonotic exposure (March-May 2016). Using a difference-in-difference approach, we compared the Intervention and Comparison groups to assess sustained willingness and use of protective behaviors against domestic and wild animal exposures. At KAPT1, Comparison group participants had a significantly lower (p < 0.05) level of willingness to engage in behaviors that increase exposure to zoonoses from domestic animals; Intervention group participants had a significantly higher (p < 0.01) level of willingness to engage in behaviors that increase exposure to zoonoses from wild animals. At KAPT2, the treatment effect was significant (p < 0.01) for sustained willingness to engage in protective behaviors for domestic animal exposure in the Intervention group. There were no significant differences in practices to avoid domestic and wild animal zoonotic exposure between the Intervention and Comparison groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S P Bloomfield
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Christopher Tracey
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Edith Mbabazi
- Makerere University Biological Field Station, Kibale National Park, Kibale, Uganda
| | - Rhiannon L Schultz
- Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Rebecca Henderson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32607, USA
| | - Kevin Bardosh
- Center for One Health Research, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Shannon Randolph
- School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Sarah Paige
- Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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Peros CS, Dasgupta R, Kumar P, Johnson BA. Bushmeat, wet markets, and the risks of pandemics: Exploring the nexus through systematic review of scientific disclosures. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY 2021; 124:1-11. [PMID: 36536884 PMCID: PMC9751798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2021.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the third coronavirus this century to threaten human health, killing more than two million people globally. Like previous coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 is suspected to have wildlife origins and was possibly transmitted to humans via wet markets selling bushmeat (aka harvested wild meat). Thus, an interdisciplinary framework is vital to address the nexus between bushmeat, wet markets, and disease. We reviewed the contemporary scientific literature to: (1) assess disease surveillance efforts within the bushmeat trade and wet markets globally by compiling zoonotic health risks based on primarily serological examinations; and (2) gauge perceptions of health risks associated with bushmeat and wet markets. Of the 58 species of bushmeat investigated across 15 countries in the 52 articles that we analyzed,one or more pathogens (totaling 60 genera of pathogens) were reported in 48 species, while no zoonotic pathogens were reported in 10 species based on serology. Burden of disease data was nearly absent from the articles resulting from our Scopus search, and therefore was not included in our analyses. We also found that perceived health risks associated with bushmeat was low, though we could not perform statistical analyses due to the lack of quantitative perception-based studies. After screening the literature, our results showed that the global distribution of reported bushmeat studies were biased towards Africa, revealing data deficiencies across Asia and South America despite the prevalence of the bushmeat trade across the Global South. Studies targeting implications of the bushmeat trade on human health can help address these data deficiencies across Asia and South America. We further illustrate the need to address the nexus between bushmeat, wet markets, and disease to help prevent future outbreaks of zoonotic diseases under the previously proposed "One Health Framework", which integrates human, animal, and environmental health. By tackling these three pillars, we discuss the current policy gaps and recommend suitable measures to prevent future disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Scott Peros
- Organization for Programs in Environmental Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan
- Nature Resources and Ecosystem Services, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
| | - Rajarshi Dasgupta
- Nature Resources and Ecosystem Services, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Nature Resources and Ecosystem Services, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
| | - Brian Alan Johnson
- Nature Resources and Ecosystem Services, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
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Dell B, Masembe C, Gerhold R, Willcox A, Okafor C, Souza M. Species misidentification in local markets: Discrepancies between reporting and molecular identification of bushmeat species in northern Uganda. One Health 2021; 13:100251. [PMID: 33997235 PMCID: PMC8102653 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bushmeat hunting and consumption, although widely utilized as necessary supplement to household income and nutrition in many regions, presents threats to public health and wildlife conservation efforts. In northern Uganda, consumption of bats and primates, two wildlife groups often implicated in zoonotic disease emergence, is not widely culturally accepted; however, these species are reported by hunters to often be hunted and sold as culturally desirable species, like antelope and warthog. To investigate the prevalence of market bushmeat misidentifiction, we collected 229 bushmeat samples from 23 communities adjacent to Murchison Falls National Park. Reported species was recorded on acquisition for each sample. PCR targeting mammalian cyt b and 12 s rRNA genes and sequencing were performed to identify samples to the lowest taxonomic unit using NCBI BLAST. Overall, 27.9% (61/219) of samples had disparate results between species reported and BLAST analysis. Thirty-four species were identified, with the most frequent wildlife being waterbuck (31.5%), warthog (13.7%), and black rat (5.9%). These data reveal a public health risk for bushmeat consumers in northern Uganda as they cannot assess species-related risk when purchasing bushmeat and take appropriate precautions against zoonotic pathogen exposure. These data also provide insight into regional hunter prey preference and market preference of local community members which may inform conservation strategy in the region. The most frequently identified wildlife species were antelopes. Nearly a 30% discrepancy between species reported at point of sale and PCR confirmation. Samples from hunters had statistically lower discrepancy than cooks and dealers.
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Affiliation(s)
- BreeAnna Dell
- The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Charles Masembe
- Makerere University College of Natural Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Richard Gerhold
- The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Adam Willcox
- The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Chika Okafor
- The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Marcy Souza
- The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Knoxville, TN, USA
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