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Sun X, Yin D, Qin F, Yu H, Lu W, Yao F, He Q, Huang X, Yan Z, Wang P, Deng C, Liu N, Yang Y, Liang W, Wang R, Wang C, Yokoya N, Hänsch R, Fu K. Revealing influencing factors on global waste distribution via deep-learning based dumpsite detection from satellite imagery. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1444. [PMID: 36922495 PMCID: PMC10015540 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37136-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advancement of global civilisation, monitoring and managing dumpsites have become essential parts of environmental governance in various countries. Dumpsite locations are difficult to obtain in a timely manner by local government agencies and environmental groups. The World Bank shows that governments need to spend massive labour and economic costs to collect illegal dumpsites to implement management. Here we show that applying novel deep convolutional networks to high-resolution satellite images can provide an effective, efficient, and low-cost method to detect dumpsites. In sampled areas of 28 cities around the world, our model detects nearly 1000 dumpsites that appeared around 2021. This approach reduces the investigation time by more than 96.8% compared with the manual method. With this novel and powerful methodology, it is now capable of analysing the relationship between dumpsites and various social attributes on a global scale, temporally and spatially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Sun
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
| | - Dongshuo Yin
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Qin
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Hongfeng Yu
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Wanxuan Lu
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Fanglong Yao
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Qibin He
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Xingliang Huang
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Yan
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Peijin Wang
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Chubo Deng
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Nayu Liu
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Yang
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiping Wang
- Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Sensing and Computing for Smart Cities, School of Information Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Big Data Applications in Governments, 350003, Fuzhou, China
| | - Naoto Yokoya
- RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, RIKEN, Tokyo, 103-0027, Japan
- Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan
| | - Ronny Hänsch
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), 82234, Weßling, Germany
| | - Kun Fu
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
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Tazerji SS, Nardini R, Safdar M, Shehata AA, Duarte PM. An Overview of Anthropogenic Actions as Drivers for Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonotic Diseases. Pathogens 2022; 11:1376. [PMID: 36422627 PMCID: PMC9692567 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Population growth and industrialization have led to a race for greater food and supply productivity. As a result, the occupation and population of forest areas, contact with wildlife and their respective parasites and vectors, the trafficking and consumption of wildlife, the pollution of water sources, and the accumulation of waste occur more frequently. Concurrently, the agricultural and livestock production for human consumption has accelerated, often in a disorderly way, leading to the deforestation of areas that are essential for the planet's climatic and ecological balance. The effects of human actions on other ecosystems such as the marine ecosystem cause equally serious damage, such as the pollution of this habitat, and the reduction of the supply of fish and other animals, causing the coastal population to move to the continent. The sum of these factors leads to an increase in the demands such as housing, basic sanitation, and medical assistance, making these populations underserved and vulnerable to the effects of global warming and to the emergence of emerging and re-emerging diseases. In this article, we discuss the anthropic actions such as climate changes, urbanization, deforestation, the trafficking and eating of wild animals, as well as unsustainable agricultural intensification which are drivers for emerging and re-emerging of zoonotic pathogens such as viral (Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Hendravirus, Nipah virus, rabies, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease-2), bacterial (leptospirosis, Lyme borreliosis, and tuberculosis), parasitic (leishmaniasis) and fungal pathogens, which pose a substantial threat to the global community. Finally, we shed light on the urgent demand for the implementation of the One Health concept as a collaborative global approach to raise awareness and educate people about the science behind and the battle against zoonotic pathogens to mitigate the threat for both humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Salajegheh Tazerji
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran P.O. Box. 1477893855, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elites Club Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University; Tehran P.O. Box. 1477893855, Iran
| | - Roberto Nardini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
| | - Muhammad Safdar
- Department of Breeding and Genetics, Cholistan University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Awad A. Shehata
- Avian and Rabbit Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Egypt
- Research and Development Section, PerNaturam GmbH, 56290 Gödenroth, Germany
- Prophy-Institute for Applied Prophylaxis, 59159 Bönen, Germany
| | - Phelipe Magalhães Duarte
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Bioscience, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, Pernambuco 52171-900, Brazil
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Han J, He S, Shao W, Wang C, Qiao L, Zhang J, Yang L. Municipal solid waste, an overlooked route of transmission for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS 2022; 21:81-95. [PMID: 36124224 PMCID: PMC9476438 DOI: 10.1007/s10311-022-01512-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Municipal solid waste could potentially transmit human pathogens during the collection, transport, handling, and disposal of waste. Workers and residents living in the vicinity of municipal solid waste collection or disposal sites are particularly susceptible, especially unprotected workers and waste pickers. Recent evidence suggests that municipal solid waste-mediated transmission can spread the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to humans. Such risks, however, have received little attention from public health authorities so far and may present an under-investigated transmission route for SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious agents during pandemics. In this review, we provide a retrospective analysis of the challenges, practices, and policies on municipal solid waste management during the current pandemic, and scrutinize the recent case reports on the municipal solid waste-mediated transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We found abrupt changes in quantity and composition of municipal solid wastes during the COVID-19. We detail pathways of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens carried on municipal solid wastes. We disclose evidence of pathogenic transmission by municipal solid waste to humans and animals. Assessments of current policies, gaps, and voluntary actions taken on municipal solid waste handling and disposal in the current pandemic are presented. We propose risk mitigation strategies and research priorities to alleviate the risk for humans and vectors exposed to municipal solid wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Han
- School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shanshan He
- School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyuan Shao
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Chaoqi Wang
- School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Longkai Qiao
- School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaqi Zhang
- School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Yang
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111 Australia
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Kalthoum S, Guesmi K, Gharbi R, Baccar MN, Seghaier C, Zrelli M, Bahloul C. Temporal and spatial distributions of animal and human rabies cases during 2012 and 2018, in Tunisia. Vet Med Sci 2021; 7:686-696. [PMID: 33570258 PMCID: PMC8136934 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rabies is one of the most important zoonosis in Tunisia. In the last 6 years, a dramatic increase in the number of cases in animals had raised concern about the transmission dynamics of rabies and the effectiveness of established control measures. For a better understanding of the epidemiological features of rabies in Tunisia, data on animal and human rabies cases and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocol, for the period from 2012 to 2018, were analysed to describe the spatial and the temporal distributions of the disease and to guide targeted rabies control measures. Thus, the analysed data have shown that 2,642 animal and 25 human rabies cases were recorded between 2012 and 2018; only few case numbers were reported in wildlife. Time-related distribution showed that the incidence of dog rabies increases over the period of study, from 24,8/100,000 dog population in 2012 to 35,2/100,000 dog population in 2018. Dog seems to be the main reservoir of rabies as it accounted for more than 59% of the animal confirmed cases and the source for more than 80% of the human confirmed cases. Geographical distribution of animal rabies cases revealed the presence of clusters in the North and the Center of Tunisia; only a little number of animal cases were reported in the South. In contrast, the overall human rabies incidence was 0.03 per 100,000 population, during the period of the study. We have found that the incidence of human rabies increases by 13.6% from 2012 to 2015 and drops steadily by 23.41% over the second period (2015 to 2018). A high number of PEP was recorded during the 7-year period, with an average of 360 PEP per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Spatial analysis revealed the presence of clusters of PEP in the Northern and Central governorates. The present study pointed out the need to review the control strategy of rabies in Tunisia and conduct further studies on dog population to provide the basis for a new and efficacious policy of interventions and control program for rabies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Kalthoum
- National Center of Zoosanitary VigilanceTunisTunisia
| | | | - Raja Gharbi
- National Center of Zoosanitary VigilanceTunisTunisia
| | | | | | - Malek Zrelli
- National Veterinary Services of TunisiaTunisTunisia
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Wright N, Subedi D, Pantha S, Acharya KP, Nel LH. The Role of Waste Management in Control of Rabies: A Neglected Issue. Viruses 2021; 13:225. [PMID: 33535718 PMCID: PMC7912825 DOI: 10.3390/v13020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being vaccine preventable, the global burden of dog rabies remains significant, and historically it is the rural and marginalized communities in developing countries of Africa and Asia that are most threatened by the disease. In recent years, the developing world has been experiencing unprecedented increases in urbanization, with a correspondingly massive increase in municipal solid waste generation, among other things. Inefficient and inadequate waste collection and management, due to lack of resources and planning, led to significant increases in the volumes of waste on the streets and in open dumps, where it serves as food sources for free-roaming dogs. In this commentary, we discuss examples of poor waste management and the likely impact on rabies control efforts through the sustenance of free-roaming dogs in some dog rabies-endemic countries. We aim to stress the importance of implementing strategies that effectively address this particular issue as an important component of humane dog population management, as it relates to aspirations for the control and elimination of dog rabies per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette Wright
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0083, South Africa;
| | - Deepak Subedi
- Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Paklihawa, Rupandehi 32900, Nepal; (D.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Saurav Pantha
- Paklihawa Campus, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Paklihawa, Rupandehi 32900, Nepal; (D.S.); (S.P.)
| | - Krishna Prasad Acharya
- Animal Quarantine Office (AQO), Department of Livestock Services, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal;
| | - Louis Hendrik Nel
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0083, South Africa;
- Global Alliance for Rabies Control SA NPC, Erasmus Forum A434, South Erasmus Rand, Pretoria 0181, South Africa
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López-Pérez AM, Orozco L, Zazueta OE, Fierro M, Gomez P, Foley J. An exploratory analysis of demography and movement patterns of dogs: New insights in the ecology of endemic Rocky Mountain-Spotted Fever in Mexicali, Mexico. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233567. [PMID: 32437470 PMCID: PMC7241830 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) transmitted by the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) has emerged as a major human and animal health concern in Mexicali, Mexico. Due to high rates of brown dog tick infestation, susceptibility, and association with humans, dogs serve as sentinels and have a key role in the ecology of RMSF. A cross-sectional household questionnaire study was conducted in six rural and urban locations to characterize dog ecology and demography in RMSF high-and low-risk areas of Mexicali. In addition, we tracked movement patterns of 16 dogs using a GPS data logger. Of 253 households, 73% owned dogs, and dog ownership tended to be higher in high-risk areas, with a mean dog:human ratio of 0.43, compared with 0.3 in low-risk areas. Dogs in high-risk areas had higher fecundity and roamed more, but the dog density and numbers of free-roaming dogs were comparable. There was a higher proportion of younger dogs and lower proportion of older dogs in high-risk areas. The high proportion of immunologically naïve puppies in high risk areas could result in a lack of herd immunity leading to a more vulnerable dog and human population. The marked increase of space use of free-roaming dogs in high-risk areas suggests that unrestrained dogs could play an important role in spreading ticks and pathogens. As means to limit RMSF risk, practical changes could include increased efforts for spay-neuter and policies encouraging dog restraint to limit canine roaming and spread of ticks across communities; due to dog density is less impactful such policies may be more useful than restrictions on the number of owned dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M. López-Pérez
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Libertad Orozco
- Área de Investigación en Biología de la Conservación, Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Lerma, Lerma de Villada, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Oscar E. Zazueta
- Secretaria de Salud Pública del Estado de Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico
| | - Maria Fierro
- Public Health Department, Imperial County, El Centro, California, United States of America
| | - Paola Gomez
- Secretaria de Salud Pública del Estado de Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico
| | - Janet Foley
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
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Tiwari HK, O’Dea M, Robertson ID, Vanak AT. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards rabies and free-roaming dogs (FRD) in Shirsuphal village in western India: A community based cross-sectional study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007120. [PMID: 30682015 PMCID: PMC6364945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The lack of awareness about dog-bite related rabies in the rural population of developing countries, including India, is a major impediment to controlling the incidence of disease in humans. A survey of 127 rural residents was undertaken in Shirsuphal village in western India using a structured questionnaire to assess the influence of demographic and pet/livestock owning characteristics on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the respondents towards rabies and free roaming dogs (FRD). Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed and the knowledge of the rural residents of Shirsuphal village was found to be significantly influenced by family size (OR 2.1, 95%CI 1.0-4.6, p = 0.04) and poultry ownership (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1-4.9, p = 0.03), while their attitudes towards FRD was significantly influenced by age of the respondents (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.8) and ownership of cattle/buffalo (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-5.5). Although the knowledge score about rabies was high, a comprehensive understanding of the disease was lacking. Concerted efforts to widen the knowledge about rabies and promote healthier practices towards FRD are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Kumar Tiwari
- College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Ashoka Trust for Research on Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bangalore, India
- Ausvet, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mark O’Dea
- College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ian Duncan Robertson
- College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- China-Australia Joint Research and Training Center for Veterinary Epidemiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Abi Tamim Vanak
- Ashoka Trust for Research on Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bangalore, India
- Wellcome Trust/DBT India-Alliance Fellow, Hyderabad, India
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Kassir MF, El Zarif T, Kassir G, Berry A, Musharrafieh U, Bizri AR. Human rabies control in Lebanon: a call for action. Epidemiol Infect 2018; 147:e46. [PMID: 30428942 PMCID: PMC6518599 DOI: 10.1017/s095026881800300x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The status of rabies as a neglected disease has made its eradication rather challenging in different parts of the world despite the availability of a successful vaccine. Lebanon, in particular, is a country endemic to the disease with several cases of rabies deaths reported over the past 30 years. The risk of rabies, however, has taken a new turn over the past few years in Lebanon with two emerging situations that have made the control of the disease rather challenging: the neighbouring Syrian war and the local garbage crisis. Both of these milestone events might have contributed to an increase in the number of disease vectors as well as individuals at risk, thus nourishing the cycle of disease transmission. In this observational study, the effect of these two events are investigated, with an update on the status of this preventable, yet often neglected, disease in the country. Both events were found to be concomitant with a notable increase in the number of dog bites and thus possible rabies exposure. Current regulations are explored through interviews with veterinarians, and custom recommendations, ranging from policies to control dog populations to awareness campaigns in high-risk individuals, are then proposed to help control the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. F. Kassir
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - T. El Zarif
- Faculty of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - G. Kassir
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - A. Berry
- Communicable Diseases Department, Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - U. Musharrafieh
- Department of Family Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - A. R. Bizri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
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9
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Taylor LH, Wallace RM, Balaram D, Lindenmayer JM, Eckery DC, Mutonono-Watkiss B, Parravani E, Nel LH. The Role of Dog Population Management in Rabies Elimination-A Review of Current Approaches and Future Opportunities. Front Vet Sci 2017; 4:109. [PMID: 28740850 PMCID: PMC5502273 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2017.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-roaming dogs and rabies transmission are integrally linked across many low-income countries, and large unmanaged dog populations can be daunting to rabies control program planners. Dog population management (DPM) is a multifaceted concept that aims to improve the health and well-being of free-roaming dogs, reduce problems they may cause, and may also aim to reduce dog population size. In theory, DPM can facilitate more effective rabies control. Community engagement focused on promoting responsible dog ownership and better veterinary care could improve the health of individual animals and dog vaccination coverage, thus reducing rabies transmission. Humane DPM tools, such as sterilization, could theoretically reduce dog population turnover and size, allowing rabies vaccination coverage to be maintained more easily. However, it is important to understand local dog populations and community attitudes toward them in order to determine whether and how DPM might contribute to rabies control and which DPM tools would be most successful. In practice, there is very limited evidence of DPM tools achieving reductions in the size or turnover of dog populations in canine rabies-endemic areas. Different DPM tools are frequently used together and combined with rabies vaccinations, but full impact assessments of DPM programs are not usually available, and therefore, evaluation of tools is difficult. Surgical sterilization is the most frequently documented tool and has successfully reduced dog population size and turnover in a few low-income settings. However, DPM programs are mostly conducted in urban settings and are usually not government funded, raising concerns about their applicability in rural settings and sustainability over time. Technical demands, costs, and the time necessary to achieve population-level impacts are major barriers. Given their potential value, we urgently need more evidence of the effectiveness of DPM tools in the context of canine rabies control. Cheaper, less labor-intensive tools for dog sterilization will be extremely valuable in realizing the potential benefits of reduced population turnover and size. No one DPM tool will fit all situations, but if DPM objectives are achieved dog populations may be stabilized or even reduced, facilitating higher dog vaccination coverages that will benefit rabies elimination efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise H. Taylor
- Global Alliance for Rabies Control, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Ryan M. Wallace
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | | | | | - Douglas C. Eckery
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | | | | | - Louis H. Nel
- Global Alliance for Rabies Control, Manhattan, KS, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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