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Li H, Chen W, Qi W, Ren Z, Pan X, Shen F, Lu J, Zhai J, Wu Y, Zou J, Xiao L, Feng Y, Yuan D. Molecular characterization of a novel Spiruromorpha species in wild Chinese pangolin by mitogenome sequence analysis. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:137. [PMID: 38376760 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08143-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Pangolins are susceptible to a variety of gastrointestinal nematodes due to their burrowing lifestyle and feeding habits, and few parasitic nematodes have been reported. Here, a Chinese pangolin with old wounds on its leg and tail was rescued from the Heyuan City, Guangdong Province. The cox1 and SSU rRNA of the worms from the intestine of the Chinese pangolin had the highest sequence identity of 89.58% and 97.95% to the species in the infraorder Spiruromorpha. The complete mitogenome of the worm was further assembled by next-generation sequencing, with a size of 13,708 bp and a GC content of 25.6%. The worm mitogenome had the highest sequence identity of 78.56% to that of Spirocerca lupi, sharing the same gene arrangement with S. lupi and some species in other families under Spiruromorpha. However, the mitogenome between the worm and S. lupi showed differences in codon usage of PCGs, sequences of NCR, and tRNA secondary structures. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the worm mitogenome was clustered with S. lupi in the family Thelaziidae to form a separate branch. However, it is still difficult to identify the worm in the family Thelaziidae because the species in the family Thelaziidae are confused, specifically S. lupi and Thelazia callipaeda in the family Thelaziidae were separated and grouped with species from other families. Thus, the parasitic nematode from the Chinese pangolin may be a novel species in Spiruromorpha and closely related to S. lupi. This study enriches the data on gastrointestinal nematodes in the Chinese pangolin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Wenmin Qi
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhengjiu Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xi Pan
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Fei Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jinzhi Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Junqiong Zhai
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Yajiang Wu
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Jiejian Zou
- Guangdong Wildlife Monitoring and Rescue Center, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Lihua Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yaoyu Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Dongjuan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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2
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Rizzolo JB, Zhu A, Chen R. Wildlife Consumption, Health, and Zoonotic Disease in China After the Emergence of COVID-19. Ecohealth 2023; 20:323-342. [PMID: 38006517 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01651-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
There has been much discussion in the conservation and policy realms of COVID-19 as a zoonotic disease, or a disease transmitted from wildlife to humans. However, wildlife consumption in China is not only a potential source of disease but also a practice embedded in complex beliefs about health. This paper used survey data (N = 974) collected in China in June 2021 to examine attitudes and behaviors related to (a) wildlife consumption, (b) Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and (c) zoonotic risk after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. 40.1% of respondents self-reported that they are less likely to consume wild animals since the outbreak of COVID-19. Respondents who used wildlife supplements for TCM, who believed in the benefits of wild animal consumption and fresh slaughter of wildlife, and who had higher levels of agreement with the zoonotic origin of COVID-19 were more likely to report that they had decreased their wildlife consumption after the outbreak of COVID-19. Use of wildlife in TCM significantly increased the odds that a respondent believed that COVID-19 was very likely zoonotic. We discuss how situating wildlife consumption within complex beliefs about health and disease can assist with protecting wildlife and public health in the wake of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bell Rizzolo
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Annah Zhu
- Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Que T, Li J, He Y, Chen P, Lin W, He M, Yu L, Wu A, Tan L, Li Y, Hu Y, Tong Y. Human parainfluenza 3 and respiratory syncytial viruses detected in pangolins. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1657-1663. [PMID: 35678141 PMCID: PMC9225696 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2086071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Pangolins have gained increasing global attention owing to their public health significance as potential zoonotic hosts since the identification of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses in them. Moreover, these animals could carry other respiratory viruses. In this study, we investigated the virome composition of 16 pangolins that died in 2018 with symptoms of pneumonia using metagenomic approaches. A total of eight whole virus sequences belonging to the Paramyxoviridae or Pneumoviridae families were identified, including one human parainfluenza virus 3, one human respiratory syncytial virus A, and six human respiratory syncytial virus B. All of these sequences showed more than 99% nucleotide identity with the virus isolated from humans at the whole-genome level and clustered with human viruses in the phylogenetic tree. Our findings provide evidence that pangolins are susceptible to HPIV3 and HRSV infection. Therefore, public awareness of the threat of pangolin-borne pathogens is essential to stop their human consumption and to prevent zoonotic viral transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengcheng Que
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. People's Republic of China
| | - Yugan He
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. People's Republic of China
| | - Panyu Chen
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Lin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. People's Republic of China
| | - Meihong He
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Yu
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Aiqiong Wu
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Luohao Tan
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Yingjiao Li
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanning, P.R. People's Republic of China
| | - Yanling Hu
- School of Information and Management, Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P. R. People's Republic of China
| | - Yigang Tong
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, P. R. People's Republic of China
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4
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Choo SW, Chong JL, Gaubert P, Hughes AC, O'Brien S, Chaber AL, Antunes A, Platto S, Sun NCM, Yu L, Koepfli KP, Suwal TL, Thakur M, Ntie S, Panjang E, Kumaran JV, Mahmood T, Heighton SP, Dorji D, Gonedelé BS, Nelson BR, Djagoun CAMS, Loh IH, Kaspal P, Pauklin S, Michelena T, Zhu H, Lipovich L, Tian X, Deng S, Mason CE, Hu J, White R, Jakubovics NS, Wee WY, Tan TK, Wong KT, Paterson S, Chen M, Zhang Y, Othman RY, Brown LC, Shen B, Shui G, Ang MY, Zhao Y, Li Y, Zhang B, Chong CT, Meng Y, Wong A, Su J, Omar H, Shen H, Tan CH, Xu H, Paterson IC, Wang M, Chan CK, Zhang S, Dutta A, Tee TS, Juvigny-Khenafou NPD, Mutha NVR, Aziz MA. A collective statement in support of saving pangolins. Sci Total Environ 2022; 824:153666. [PMID: 35176378 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Siew Woh Choo
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Centre, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ju Lian Chong
- Faculty of Science & Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, C/O Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Philippe Gaubert
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, IRD/CNRS/UPS, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, Bât. 4R1, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Alice Catherine Hughes
- Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), Empark International Apartment, No. 69, Banding Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Stephen O'Brien
- Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Center for Computer Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia; Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33004, USA
| | - Anne-Lise Chaber
- School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Roseworthy campus, University of Adelaide, 5371 Roseworthy, South Australia, Australia
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Platto
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Nick Ching-Min Sun
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Center for Computer Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia; Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Tulshi Laxmi Suwal
- Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation, Balkhu Bandhudatta Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mukesh Thakur
- Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India
| | - Stephan Ntie
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (LABMC), Département de Biologie, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM), BP 941 Franceville, Gabon
| | - Elisa Panjang
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, C/O Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; Danau Girang Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysia; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran
- Faculty of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, UMK Jeli Campus, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Tariq Mahmood
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, C/O Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; Department of Wildlife Management, PMAS Arid Agricultural University Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sean P Heighton
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, IRD/CNRS/UPS, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, Bât. 4R1, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Dago Dorji
- Division Forest Office, Sarpang Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan
| | - Bi Sery Gonedelé
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, UFR Biosciences, University Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Bryan Raveen Nelson
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Ing Hoe Loh
- School of Business and Management, RMIT University Vietnam, Handi Resco Building, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Prativa Kaspal
- Women for Conservation & Bhaktapur Multiple Campus, Nepal
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Old Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Toby Michelena
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hongxiang Zhu
- Bossco Institute of Ecological Environment, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Leonard Lipovich
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Xuechen Tian
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China; Wenzhou Municipal Key Laboratory for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Siwei Deng
- Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1305 York Ave., New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jingyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Robert White
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Nicholas S Jakubovics
- School of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4BW, UK
| | - Wei Yee Wee
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Tze King Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Kum Thong Wong
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Steve Paterson
- Centre for Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Research Center of Cultural Landscape Protection and Ecological Restoration, The Sino-Portugal Joint Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Supported by the Belt and Road Initiative, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Rofina Yasmin Othman
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Larry C Brown
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bairong Shen
- Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Xinchuan Road 2222, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Guanghou Shui
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Mia Yang Ang
- Department of Clinical Genome Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yunqi Zhao
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yongming Li
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Bo Zhang
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China; Wenzhou Municipal Key Laboratory for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Cheng Tung Chong
- China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Lingang, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yu Meng
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Aloysius Wong
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Centre, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianzhong Su
- Institute of Biomedical Big Data, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hasmahzaiti Omar
- Museum of Zoology (Block J14), Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hua Shen
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Choo Hock Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hongyu Xu
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ian C Paterson
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Minyan Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Ren'ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chee-Kai Chan
- College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- Pangolin Working Group, Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), Empark International Apartment, No. 69, Banding Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Avirup Dutta
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tay Sun Tee
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Noël P D Juvigny-Khenafou
- Quantitative Landscape Ecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Naresh V R Mutha
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Muhamad Afiq Aziz
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Zhang Z, Bonebrake TC, Xing S, Dingle C, Ho I, Andersson AA. Low pangolin consumption in Hong Kong pre- and post- the COVID-19 outbreak: Conservation and health concerns both contribute to people's attitudes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022; 35:e02107. [PMID: 35378839 PMCID: PMC8966124 DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins have recently received significant media attention globally as the trade for their scales and meat is driving many species closer to extinction. As a result of this, there have been increased legal regulations placed on pangolin trade in recent years. The suggestion that pangolins may have been involved in the transmission of COVID-19 further brought the issues of pangolin consumption to the fore in 2020. However, we have little understanding of the attitudes of the general public towards pangolin consumption pre- or post the outbreak of COVID-19. We conducted surveys in Hong Kong, a critical transit hub in the trafficking routes for pangolins, in 2015 (n = 1037) and 2020 (n = 1028) to determine general attitudes towards pangolin consumption in the city, and whether these attitudes changed since the onset of COVID-19. We found low reported rates of pangolin consumption (< 1% of respondents) in both surveys, and most of the respondents who professed to eating pangolins were aged above 50. Perceptions of how trends in pangolin consumption are changing were consistent between 2015 and 2020, with 55% of the public in 2015 and 57% in 2020 believing that consumption has declined over time. In 2020, respondents cited conservation (endangered status of pangolins) and health concerns (risk of disease transmission) as the two primary reasons (> 50%) for declining attitudes toward consumption. Overall, COVID-19 does not, specifically, appear to be associated with changed perceptions of pangolin consumption in Hong Kong: > 75% of respondents stated that there is no relationship between pangolins and COVID-19, or were unsure about any such connection. Only 1% mentioned an awareness of the illegality of pangolin consumption as a reason for not consuming them. As such, our results challenge simple narratives regarding the impact of COVID-19 on pangolin consumption. We suggest that future demand reduction efforts could emphasize the conservation impact and health risks of consuming pangolins, and specifically focus on the older generations. As pangolins continue to be trafficked and threatened with extinction, further research into the perceptions and attitudes of consumers of these products is needed to inform targeted and effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Timothy C Bonebrake
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shuang Xing
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caroline Dingle
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Iris Ho
- Humane Society International, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Astrid A Andersson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Paudel K, Hinsley A, Veríssimo D, Milner-Gulland E. Evaluating the reliability of media reports for gathering information about illegal wildlife trade seizures. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13156. [PMID: 35402091 PMCID: PMC8992658 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is threatening many species across the world. It is important to better understand the scale and characteristics of IWT to inform conservation priorities and actions. However, IWT usually takes place covertly, meaning that the data on species, trade routes and volumes is limited. This means that conservationists often have to rely on publicly available law enforcement reports of seizures as potential indicators of the magnitude and characteristics of IWT. Still, even these data may be difficult to access, leading conservationists to use media reports of seizures instead. This is the case in countries like Nepal, which have limited capacity in data keeping and reporting, and no centralized data management system. Yet reliance on media reports risks introducing further biases, which are rarely acknowledged or discussed. Here we characterize IWT in Nepal by comparing data from three sources of information on IWT between January 2005 and July 2017: seizure reports from three Nepali national daily newspapers, official seizure records for Kathmandu district, and data on additional enforcement efforts against IWT in Nepal. We found a strong positive correlation between the number of official and media-reported seizures over time, but media under-reported seizure numbers, with 78% of seizures going unreported. Seizures of charismatic, protected species were reported more often and seizure reports involving tigers were most likely to be reported (57%). Media reports appeared to be a good indicator of trends and the species being seized but not overall seizure number, with the media largely underestimating total seizure numbers. Therefore, media reports cannot be solely relied upon when it comes to informing conservation decision-making. We recommend that conservationists triangulate different data sources when using seizure data reported in the media to more rigorously characterise IWT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Hinsley
- University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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7
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Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 disease with acute respiratory symptoms emerged in 2019. The causal agent of the disease, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is classified into the Betacoronaviruses family. Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a huge family of viruses. Therefore, homologous recombination studies can help recognize the phylogenetic relationships among these viruses. METHODS In order to detect possible recombination events in SASRS-CoV-2, the genome sequences of Betacoronaviruses were obtained from the GenBank. The nucleotide sequences with the identity ≥ 60% to SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence were selected and then analyzed using different algorithms. RESULTS The results showed two recombination events at the beginning and the end of the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2. Bat-SL-CoVZC21 (GenBank accession number MG772934) was specified as the minor parent for both events with p-values of 8.66 × 10-87 and 3.29 × 10-48, respectively. Furthermore, two recombination regions were detected at the beginning and the middle of the SARS-CoV-2 spike gene. Pangolin-CoV (PCoV_GX-P4L) and Rattus CoV (ChRCoV-HKU24) were determined as the potential parents with the GenBank accession number MT040333 and KM349742, respectively. Analysis of the spike gene revealed more similarity and less nucleotide diversity between SARS-CoV-2 and pangolin-CoVs. CONCLUSION Detection of the ancestors of SARS-CoV-2 in the coronaviruses family can help identify and define the phylogenetic relationships of the family Coronaviridae. Furthermore, constructing a phylogenetic tree based on the recombination regions made changes in the phylogenetic relationships of Betacoronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Lohrasbi-Nejad
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
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8
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Marcetteau J, Matusek T, Luton F, Thérond PP. Arf6 is necessary for senseless expression in response to wingless signalling during Drosophila wing development. Biol Open 2021; 10:273443. [PMID: 34779478 PMCID: PMC8656404 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signalling is a core pathway involved in a wide range of developmental processes throughout the metazoa. In vitro studies have suggested that the small GTP binding protein Arf6 regulates upstream steps of Wnt transduction, by promoting the phosphorylation of the Wnt co-receptor, LRP6, and the release of β-catenin from the adherens junctions. To assess the relevance of these previous findings in vivo, we analysed the consequence of the absence of Arf6 activity on Drosophila wing patterning, a developmental model of Wnt/Wingless signalling. We observed a dominant loss of wing margin bristles and Senseless expression in Arf6 mutant flies, phenotypes characteristic of a defect in high level Wingless signalling. In contrast to previous findings, we show that Arf6 is required downstream of Armadillo/β-catenin stabilisation in Wingless signal transduction. Our data suggest that Arf6 modulates the activity of a downstream nuclear regulator of Pangolin activity in order to control the induction of high level Wingless signalling. Our findings represent a novel regulatory role for Arf6 in Wingless signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Marcetteau
- Université Côte d'Azur; UMR7277 CNRS; Inserm 1091; Institut de Biologie de Valrose (iBV); Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 2, Nice, France
| | - Tamàs Matusek
- Université Côte d'Azur; UMR7277 CNRS; Inserm 1091; Institut de Biologie de Valrose (iBV); Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 2, Nice, France
| | - Frédéric Luton
- Université Côte d'Azur; UMR7275 CNRS; Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 660 Route des Lucioles, Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Pascal P Thérond
- Université Côte d'Azur; UMR7277 CNRS; Inserm 1091; Institut de Biologie de Valrose (iBV); Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 2, Nice, France
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9
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Peng MS, Li JB, Cai ZF, Liu H, Tang X, Ying R, Zhang JN, Tao JJ, Yin TT, Zhang T, Hu JY, Wu RN, Zhou ZY, Zhang ZG, Yu L, Yao YG, Shi ZL, Lu XM, Lu J, Zhang YP. The high diversity of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in pangolins alerts potential ecological risks. Zool Res 2021; 42:834-844. [PMID: 34766482 PMCID: PMC8645874 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the zoonotic origin and evolution history of SARS-CoV-2 will provide critical insights for alerting and preventing future outbreaks. A significant gap remains for the possible role of pangolins as a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 related coronaviruses (SC2r-CoVs). Here, we screened SC2r-CoVs in 172 samples from 163 pangolin individuals of four species, and detected positive signals in muscles of four Manis javanica and, for the first time, one M. pentadactyla. Phylogeographic analysis of pangolin mitochondrial DNA traced their origins from Southeast Asia. Using in-solution hybridization capture sequencing, we assembled a partial pangolin SC2r-CoV (pangolin-CoV) genome sequence of 22 895 bp (MP20) from the M. pentadactyla sample. Phylogenetic analyses revealed MP20 was very closely related to pangolin-CoVs that were identified in M. javanica seized by Guangxi Customs. A genetic contribution of bat coronavirus to pangolin-CoVs via recombination was indicated. Our analysis revealed that the genetic diversity of pangolin-CoVs is substantially higher than previously anticipated. Given the potential infectivity of pangolin-CoVs, the high genetic diversity of pangolin-CoVs alerts the ecological risk of zoonotic evolution and transmission of pathogenic SC2r-CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Sheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
- KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. E-mail:
| | - Jian-Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
| | - Zheng-Fei Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Hang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ruochen Ying
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jia-Nan Zhang
- Molbreeding Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050035, China
| | - Jia-Jun Tao
- Molbreeding Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050035, China
| | - Ting-Ting Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Jing-Yang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Ru-Nian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Zhong-Yin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
- KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Zheng-Li Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Xue-Mei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail:
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
- KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. E-mail:
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10
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Salova M, Sipos W, Tschachler E, Eckhart L. NOD2 and reproduction-associated NOD-like receptors have been lost during the evolution of pangolins. Immunogenetics 2021; 74:261-268. [PMID: 34725731 PMCID: PMC8560141 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-021-01230-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
NOD-like receptors (NLRs) are sensors of pathogen-associated molecular patterns with critical roles in the control of immune responses and programmed cell death. Recent studies have revealed inter-species differences in mammalian innate immune genes and a particular degeneration of nucleic acid sensing pathways in pangolins, which are currently investigated as potential hosts for zoonotic pathogens. Here, we used comparative genomics to determine which NLR genes are conserved or lost in pangolins and related mammals. We show that NOD2, which is implicated in sensing bacterial muramyl dipeptide and viral RNA, is a pseudogene in pangolins, but not in any other mammalian species investigated. NLRC4 and NAIP are absent in pangolins and canine carnivorans, suggesting convergent loss of cytoplasmic sensing of bacterial flagellin in these taxa. Among NLR family pyrin domain containing proteins (NLRPs), skin barrier-related NLRP10 has been lost in pangolins after the evolutionary divergence from Carnivora. Strikingly, pangolins lack all NLRPs associated with reproduction (germ cells and embryonic development) in other mammals, i.e., NLRP2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, and 14. Taken together, our study shows a massive degeneration of NLR genes in pangolins and suggests that these endangered mammals may have unique adaptations of innate immunity and reproductive cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Salova
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Sipos
- Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Herd Management, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin Tschachler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leopold Eckhart
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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11
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Liu C, Hu J, Wu Y, Irwin DM, Chen W, Zhang Z, Yu L. Comparative study of gut microbiota from captive and confiscated-rescued wild pangolins. J Genet Genomics 2021; 48:825-835. [PMID: 34474998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Pangolins are among the most critically endangered animals due to widespread poaching and worldwide trafficking. Captive breeding is considered to be one way to protect them and increase the sizes of their populations. However, comparative studies of captive and wild pangolins in the context of gut microbiota are rare. Here, the gut microbiome of captive and confiscated-rescued wild pangolins is compared, and the effects of different periods of captivity and captivity with and without antibiotic treatment are considered. We show that different diets and periods of captivity, as well as the application of antibiotic therapy, can alter gut community composition and abundance in pangolins. Compared to wild pangolins, captive pangolins have an increased capacity for chitin and cellulose/hemicellulose degradation, fatty acid metabolism, and short-chain fatty acid synthesis, but a reduced ability to metabolize exogenous substances. In addition to increasing the ability of the gut microbiota to metabolize nutrients in captivity, captive breeding imposes some risks for survival by resulting in a greater abundance of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in captive pangolins than in wild pangolins. Our study is important for the development of guidelines for pangolin conservation, including health assessment, disease prevention, and rehabilitation of wild pangolin populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunbing Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Jingyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Yajiang Wu
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Zoo & Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou 510070, China.
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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12
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Huang XQ, Newman C, Buesching CD, Shao ML, Ye YC, Liu S, Macdonald DW, Zhou ZM. Prosecution records reveal pangolin trading networks in China, 2014-2019. Zool Res 2021; 42:666-670. [PMID: 34490759 PMCID: PMC8455467 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In a precautionary response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, China's Ministries permanently banned eating and trading in terrestrial wild (non-livestock) animals on 24 February 2020, and extensively updated the list of Fauna under Special State Protection (LFSSP) in 2020 and 2021, in which pangolins (Manidae spp.) were upgraded to the highest protection level. Examining 509 pangolin prosecution records from China Judgements online prior to these changes (01/01/14-31/12/19), we identified that Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces were hotspots for trade in whole pangolins and their scales. Interrupting trade in these three principal southern provinces would substantially fragment the pangolin trade network and reduce supply of imports from other south-east Asian countries. In the context of the revised legislation and strategies intended to prevent wildlife trade, we conclude that targeting interventions at key trade nodes could significantly reduce illegal trade in pangolins, and that this approach could also be effective with other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Qin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13 5QL, UK
- Cook's Lake Farming, Forestry and Wildlife Inc. (Ecological Consultancy), Queens County, Nova Scotia B0J 2H0, Canada
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Cook's Lake Farming, Forestry and Wildlife Inc. (Ecological Consultancy), Queens County, Nova Scotia B0J 2H0, Canada
- Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, The University of British Columbia/Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Mei-Ling Shao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China
| | - Yun-Chun Ye
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China
| | - Sha Liu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Zhao-Min Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Biodiversity Conservation (Sichuan Province), China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637002, China. E-mail:
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13
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Amin OM, Heckmann RA, Sist B, Basso WU. A Review of the Parasite Fauna of the Black-Bellied Pangolin, Phataginus tetradactyla LIN. (Manidae), From Central Africa with the Description of Intraproboscis sanghae n. gen., n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Gigantorhynchidae). J Parasitol 2021; 107:222-238. [PMID: 33711161 DOI: 10.1645/20-126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A new archiacanthocephalan in the family Gigantorhynchidae, Intraproboscis sanghae n. gen., n. sp. is described from females collected from the African black-bellied pangolin Phataginus tetradactyla Linn. (Manidae) in the Central African Republic. A dichotomous key to the genera of Gigantorhynchidae is provided. The specimens presented are distinct from those of the genus Gigantorhynchus Hamann, 1892 that have only 1 or 2 circles of hooks (crowns) at the apical end of the proboscis and are found in South American mammals, except for Gigantorhynchus pesteri Tadros, 1966 from baboons in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Africa (Amin, 2013). They superficially resemble those of the other gigantorhynchid genus Mediorhynchus Van Cleave, 1916, especially in the organization of the truncate-cone proboscis and the position of the receptacle. Species of Mediorhynchus are bird parasites. The new genus, Intraproboscis, now the third genus in Gigantorhynchidae; however, is distinguished from Mediorhynchus by having a simple proboscis receptacle that is completely suspended within the proboscis, the passage of the retractor muscles through the receptacle into the body cavity posteriorly, absence of neck, and presence of a parareceptacle structure (first finding in the Archiacanthocephala) and a uterine vesicle; among other features, including the differential dorsoventral thickness of the body wall. The receptacle in Mediorhynchus is complex, with many accessory muscles and retractor muscles passing into the body cavity dorsally and ventrally. Our specimens reached 180 mm in length and the proboscis had 34-36 rows of 6-7 ventrally lamellated, rooted hooks each anteriorly, and 15-17 spinelike hooks each posteriorly. Micropores extended into the anterior and posterior proboscis and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDXA) of anterior hooks showed high levels of calcium and phosphorus but negligible traces of sulfur. Spinelike hooks in the posterior proboscis had lower levels of Ca and P and slightly higher levels of S. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rDNA gene placed I. sanghae in a clade with the archiacanthocephalans Mediorhynchus, Moniliformis, Macracanthorhynchus, Oncicola, and Oligacanthorhynchus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar M Amin
- Institute of Parasitic Diseases, 11445 East Via Linda 2-419, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259
| | - Richard A Heckmann
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 1114 MLBM, Provo, Utah 84602
| | - Birgit Sist
- Sangha Pangolin Project, Dzanga Sangha Protected Area, C.A.R., Hagenstrasse 50/11, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Walter U Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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14
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Abstract
The release of DNA into the cytoplasm upon damage to the nucleus or during viral infection triggers an interferon-mediated defense response, inflammation and cell death. In human cells cytoplasmic DNA is sensed by cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase (cGAS) and Absent In Melanoma 2 (AIM2). Here, we report the identification of a “natural knockout” model of cGAS. Comparative genomics of phylogenetically diverse mammalian species showed that cGAS and its interaction partner Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) have been inactivated by mutations in the Malayan pangolin whereas other mammals retained intact copies of these genes. The coding sequences of CGAS and STING1 are also disrupted by premature stop codons and frame-shift mutations in Chinese and tree pangolins, suggesting that expression of these genes was lost in a common ancestor of all pangolins that lived more than 20 million years ago. AIM2 is retained in a functional form in pangolins whereas it is inactivated by mutations in carnivorans, the phylogenetic sister group of pangolins. The deficiency of cGAS and STING points to the existence of alternative mechanisms of controlling cytoplasmic DNA-associated cell damage and viral infections in pangolins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Fischer
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin Tschachler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leopold Eckhart
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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15
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Zhu L, Zhang S, Hou C, Liang X, Saif Dehwah MA, Tan B, Shi L. The T cell factor, pangolin, from Litopenaeus vannamei play a positive role in the immune responses against white spot syndrome virus infection. Dev Comp Immunol 2021; 119:104041. [PMID: 33577842 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As a downstream interactor of β-catenin, Pangolin which is the homologous protein of the T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) in vertebrates is less understood in the research field of immunity. In this study, two isoforms of Litopenaeus vannamei Pangolin (LvPangolin1 and LvPangolin2) were identified. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that all of the Pangolin proteins from invertebrates were represented the same lineage. The mRNA expression profiles of the LvPangolin1 and LvPangolin2 genes differed across different tissues. The expression of LvPangolin1 and the amount of LvPangolin1and LvPangolin2 combined (LvPangolinComb) were significantly increased in the haemocyte, intestine and gill but reduced in the hepatopancreas after white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) challenge. The inhibition of LvPangolin1 but not LvPangolinComb significantly reduced the survival rates of L. vannamei after WSSV infection, while significantly higher WSSV viral loads in both LvPangolin1-inhibited and LvPangolinComb-inhibited L. vannamei were observed. Knockdown of LvPangolin by RNAi could distinctly decrease the expression of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes and their related transcription factors. All of these results indicate that LvPangolin plays a positive role in the response to WSSV infection and that this may be mediated through regulating the immune signalling pathways which control the expression of AMPs with antiviral abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Zhu
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; Aquatic Animals Precision Nutrition and High Efficiency Feed Engineering Research Center of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Non-grain-based Feed Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Cuihong Hou
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xueping Liang
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Mustafa Abdo Saif Dehwah
- Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, Taiz University/AL-Turba Branch, Taiz, 3191, Republic of Yemen
| | - Beiping Tan
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; Aquatic Animals Precision Nutrition and High Efficiency Feed Engineering Research Center of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Non-grain-based Feed Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Shi
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Non-grain-based Feed Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Zhanjiang, China.
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16
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Liu Y, Yan C. Impacts of reference selection on the assembly of suspicious coronavirus genome. J Bioinform Comput Biol 2021; 19:2140005. [PMID: 33971803 DOI: 10.1142/s0219720021400059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a significant impact on the whole world. In a theory of the origin of SARS-CoV-2, pangolins are considered as a potential intermediate host. To assemble the genome of suspicious coronavirus (CoV) found in pangolins, SARS-CoV-2 was used as a reference in most of the previous studies, implicitly assuming the pangolin CoV and SARS-CoV-2 are the closest neighbors in evolution. However, this assumption may not be true. We investigated how the choice of reference genome affected the resulting CoV genome assembly. We explored various representative CoVs as the reference genome, and found significant differences in the resulting assemblies. The assembly obtained using RaTG13 as a reference showed better statistics in total length, N50, and pairwise distance reconstruction (PDR) scores than the assembly guided by SARS-CoV-2, indicating that RaTG13 may be a better reference. Therefore, RaTG13 should also be considered as a reference for assembling suspicious CoV found in pangolins and other potential intermediate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Department of Computer Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58106, USA
| | - Changhui Yan
- Department of Computer Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58106, USA
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17
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Dawood AA. Glycosylation, ligand binding sites and antigenic variations between membrane glycoprotein of COVID-19 and related coronaviruses. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 22:1-9. [PMID: 33041736 PMCID: PMC7532767 DOI: 10.1016/j.vacun.2020.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A new coronavirus strain has wreaked havoc on human lives so the WHO was declared as a pandemic since 20th March 2020. The Membrane glycoprotein MP spans the viral envelope and it has a highly conserved glycosylation sequence. Aim Our study goal was to find out the N-glycosylation, ligand binding sites, and antigenic variations between COVID-19 and other associated viruses. Methods We performed In silico methodologies for serial analysis at both an operational and result/output level is assessed and compared study factors. Results We detected high similarity in sequence alignment for >89% between COVID-19 MP and other MP of CoVs. Prediction of N-glycosylation and cytotoxic T-cell epitopes, we identified precisely sites between SARS-CoV-2 MP and Pangolin CoV MP 100%. We also didn't obtain any similarity in ligand binding site residues between MP sequences. Our study didn't reveal any similarity in CTL epitope predication between coronaviruses under study using the CTLPred server. Conclusions Our results exhibit that the membrane glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is closely associated with predecessor SARS-CoVs specifically Pngolin CoV. Prediction of novel CTL epitopes may substantial scopes for the expansion of a peptide-based vaccine for the inhibition virion assembly of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A Dawood
- Dept. of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
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18
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Frutos R, Serra-Cobo J, Chen T, Devaux CA. COVID-19: Time to exonerate the pangolin from the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans. Infect Genet Evol 2020; 84:104493. [PMID: 32768565 PMCID: PMC7405773 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 has triggered many works aiming at identifying the animal intermediate potentially involved in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans. The presence of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses in Malayan pangolins, in silico analysis of the ACE2 receptor polymorphism and sequence similarities between the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the spike proteins of pangolin and human Sarbecoviruses led to the proposal of pangolin as intermediary. However, the binding affinity of the pangolin ACE2 receptor for SARS-CoV-2 RBD was later on reported to be low. Here, we provide evidence that the pangolin is not the intermediate animal at the origin of the human pandemic. Moreover, data available do not fit with the spillover model currently proposed for zoonotic emergence which is thus unlikely to account for this outbreak. We propose a different model to explain how SARS-CoV-2 related coronaviruses could have circulated in different species, including humans, before the emergence of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Frutos
- Cirad, UMR 17, Intertryp, Montpellier, France; IES, UMR 5214 Univ. Montpellier-CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Jordi Serra-Cobo
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Biodiversity Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tianmu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
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19
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Hassan SS, Choudhury PP, Basu P, Jana SS. Molecular conservation and differential mutation on ORF3a gene in Indian SARS-CoV2 genomes. Genomics 2020; 112:3226-3237. [PMID: 32540495 PMCID: PMC7291963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
A global emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic demands various studies related to genes and genomes of the SARS-CoV2. Among other important proteins, the role of accessory proteins are of immense importance in replication, regulation of infections of the coronavirus in the hosts. The largest accessory protein in the SARS-CoV2 genome is ORF3a which modulates the host response to the virus infection and consequently it plays an important role in pathogenesis. In this study, an attempt is made to decipher the conservation of nucleotides, dimers, codons and amino acids in the ORF3a genes across thirty-two genomes of Indian patients. ORF3a gene possesses single and double point mutations in Indian SARS-CoV2 genomes suggesting the change of SARS-CoV2's virulence property in Indian patients. We find that the parental origin of the ORF3a gene over the genomes of SARS-CoV2 and Pangolin-CoV is same from the phylogenetic analysis based on conservation of nucleotides and so on. This study highlights the accumulation of mutation on ORF3a in Indian SARS-CoV2 genomes which may provide the designing therapeutic approach against SARS-CoV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Sarif Hassan
- Department of Mathematics, Pingla Thana Mahavidyalaya, Maligram 721140, India.
| | - Pabitra Pal Choudhury
- Applied Statistics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, West Bengal, India.
| | - Pallab Basu
- Mandelstem Institute, School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Siddhartha Sankar Jana
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, West Bengal 700032, India.
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20
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Shrestha S, Bashyal A, Dhakal A, McGreevy TJ, Buffum B, Joshi J, Chaudhary HK, Khanal SN. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of critically endangered Chinese Pangolins ( Manis pentadactyla) from Nepal. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2020; 5:3257-3261. [PMID: 33458131 PMCID: PMC7782345 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2020.1811174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Chinese Pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) are Critically Endangered and one of the most illegally traded mammals globally. We generated first COI sequences from five individuals of this species from Nepal. BLASTn search of our 600 bp sequences at GenBank showed pair-wise identity between 99.17% and 100% to M. pentadactyla. There were three haplotypes and a total of five variable sites among five M. pentadactyla sequences. Neighbor-joining tree revealed that all M. pentadactyla from Nepal clustered into same group further splitting into two sub-groups albeit with low bootstrap value, suggesting potential multiple geographic origins. The K2P distance was 0.3% within group and 0.7% between four sequences from Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok districts (Mape2, Mape3, Mape5 and Mape6) and museum sample (Mape10). This study has generated reference samples for M. pentadactyla from Nepal and will be helpful in understanding dynamics of illegal trade of this species and in successful identification of M. pentadactyla from Nepal even in the absence of intact specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Shrestha
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
| | | | - Ashna Dhakal
- Department of Biotechnology, Kathmandu University, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
| | - Thomas J McGreevy
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Bill Buffum
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Jyoti Joshi
- Center for Molecular Dynamics, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Sanjay Nath Khanal
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
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21
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Jin X, Chua HZ, Wang K, Li N, Zheng W, Pang W, Yang F, Pang B, Zhang M, Zhang J. Evidence for the medicinal value of Squama Manitis ( pangolin scale): A systematic review. Integr Med Res 2020; 10:100486. [PMID: 32837905 PMCID: PMC7386206 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2020.100486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Squama Manitis (pangolin scale) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. However, its efficacy has not been systematically reviewed. This review aims to fill the gap. Methods We searched six electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), WanFang Database and SinoMed from inception to May 1, 2020. Search terms included “pangolin”, “Squama Manitis”, “Manis crassicaudata”, “Manis javanica”, “Malayan pangolins”, “Manis pentadactyla”, “Ling Li”, “Chuan Shan Jia”, “Shan Jia”, “Pao Jia Zhu”, “Jia Pian” and “Pao Shan Jia”. The Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) were used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and case control studies (CCSs). Results After screening, 15 articles that met the inclusion criteria were finally included. There were 4 randomized controlled trials, 1 case control study, 3 case series and 7 case reports. A total of 15 different diseases were reported in these studies, thus the data could not be merged to generate powerful results. Two RCTs suggested that Squama Manitis combined with herbal decoction or antibiotics could bring additional benifit for treating postpartum hypogalactia and mesenteric lymphadenitis. However, this result was not reliable due to low methodological quality and irrational outcomes. The other two RCTs generated negative results. All the non-RCTs did not add any valuable evidence to the efficacy of Squama Manitis beacause of small samples, incomplete records, non-standardized outcome detection. In general, currently available evidence cannot support the clinical use of Squama Manitis. Conclusion There is no reliable evidence that Squama Manitis has special medicinal value. The removal of Squama Manitis from Pharmacopoeia is rational.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Wenke Zheng
- Corresponding author at: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | | | | | | | | | - Junhua Zhang
- Corresponding author at: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Jinghai District, Tianjin 301617, China.
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22
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Touati R, Haddad-Boubaker S, Ferchichi I, Messaoudi I, Ouesleti AE, Triki H, Lachiri Z, Kharrat M. Comparative genomic signature representations of the emerging COVID-19 coronavirus and other coronaviruses: High identity and possible recombination between Bat and Pangolin coronaviruses. Genomics 2020; 112:4189-4202. [PMID: 32645523 PMCID: PMC7336935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses are responsible on respiratory diseases in animal and human. The combination of numerical encoding techniques and digital signal processing methods are becoming increasingly important in handling large genomic data. In this paper, we propose to analyze the SARS-CoV-2 genomic signature using the combination of different nucleotide representations and signal processing tools in the aim to identify its genetic origin. The sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was compared with 21 relevant sequences including Bat, Yak and Pangolin coronavirus sequences. In addition, we developed a new algorithm to locate the nucleotide modifications. The results show that the Bat and Pangolin coronaviruses were the most related to SARS-CoV-2 with 96% and 86% of identity all along the genome. Within the S gene sequence, the Pangolin sequence presents local highest nucleotide identity. Those findings suggest genesis of SARS-Cov-2 through evolution from Bat and Pangolin strains. This study offers new ways to automatically characterize viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabeb Touati
- University of Tunis El Manar, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia; University of Tunis El Manar, SITI Laboratory, National School of Engineers of Tunis, BP 37, le Belvédère, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie.
| | - Sondes Haddad-Boubaker
- University of Tunis El Manar, Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles for EMRO region, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13 place Pasteur, BP74 1002 le Belvédère, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Imen Ferchichi
- University of Tunis El Manar, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Imen Messaoudi
- University of Carthage, Higher Institute of Information Technologies and Communications, Industrial Computing Department, Tunisia; University of Tunis El Manar, SITI Laboratory, National School of Engineers of Tunis, BP 37, le Belvédère, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Afef Elloumi Ouesleti
- University of Carthage, National School of Engineers of Carthage, Electrical Engineering Department, Tunisia; University of Tunis El Manar, SITI Laboratory, National School of Engineers of Tunis, BP 37, le Belvédère, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Henda Triki
- University of Tunis El Manar, Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles for EMRO region, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13 place Pasteur, BP74 1002 le Belvédère, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Zied Lachiri
- University of Tunis El Manar, SITI Laboratory, National School of Engineers of Tunis, BP 37, le Belvédère, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Maher Kharrat
- University of Tunis El Manar, LR99ES10 Human Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia
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23
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Wong G, Bi YH, Wang QH, Chen XW, Zhang ZG, Yao YG. Zoonotic origins of human coronavirus 2019 (HCoV-19 / SARS-CoV-2): why is this work important? Zool Res 2020; 41:213-219. [PMID: 32314559 PMCID: PMC7231470 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with human coronavirus 2019 (HCoV-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / 2019-nCoV), is a global threat to the human population. Here, we briefly summarize the available data for the zoonotic origins of HCoV-19, with reference to the other two epidemics of highly virulent coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which cause severe pneumonia in humans. We propose to intensify future efforts for tracing the origins of HCoV-19, which is a very important scientific question for the control and prevention of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Wong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. E-mail:
- Department of Microbiology-Infectiology and Immunology, Laval University, Quebec G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Yu-Hai Bi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. E-mail:
| | - Qi-Hui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. E-mail:
| | - Xin-Wen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China. E-mail:
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China. E-mail:
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China. E-mail:
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
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24
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Ma JE, Li LM, Jiang HY, Zhang XJ, Li J, Li GY, Yuan LH, Wu J, Chen JP. Transcriptomic analysis identifies genes and pathways related to myrmecophagy in the Malayan pangolin ( Manis javanica). PeerJ 2018; 5:e4140. [PMID: 29302388 PMCID: PMC5742527 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) is an unusual, scale-covered, toothless mammal that specializes in myrmecophagy. Due to their threatened status and continuing decline in the wild, concerted efforts have been made to conserve and rescue this species in captivity in China. Maintaining this species in captivity is a significant challenge, partly because little is known of the molecular mechanisms of its digestive system. Here, the first large-scale sequencing analyses of the salivary gland, liver and small intestine transcriptomes of an adult M. javanica genome were performed, and the results were compared with published liver transcriptome profiles for a pregnant M. javanica female. A total of 24,452 transcripts were obtained, among which 22,538 were annotated on the basis of seven databases. In addition, 3,373 new genes were predicted, of which 1,459 were annotated. Several pathways were found to be involved in myrmecophagy, including olfactory transduction, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, lipid metabolism, and terpenoid and polyketide metabolism pathways. Many of the annotated transcripts were involved in digestive functions: 997 transcripts were related to sensory perception, 129 were related to digestive enzyme gene families, and 199 were related to molecular transporters. One transcript for an acidic mammalian chitinase was found in the annotated data, and this might be closely related to the unique digestive function of pangolins. These pathways and transcripts are involved in specialization processes related to myrmecophagy (a form of insectivory) and carbohydrate, protein and lipid digestive pathways, probably reflecting adaptations to myrmecophagy. Our study is the first to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying myrmecophagy in M. javanica, and we hope that our results may play a role in the conservation of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-E Ma
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin-Miao Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hai-Ying Jiang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiu-Juan Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Juan Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guan-Yu Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Hong Yuan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Molecular Ecology Research Center, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences under Ministry of Environmental Protection, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Ping Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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25
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Zhihai H, Jiang X, Shuiming X, Baosheng L, Yuan G, Chaochao Z, Xiaohui Q, Wen X, Shilin C. Comparative optical genome analysis of two pangolin species: Manis pentadactyla and Manis javanica. Gigascience 2016; 5:1-5. [PMID: 28369358 PMCID: PMC6082621 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giw001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pangolin is a Pholidota mammal with large keratin scales protecting its skin. Two pangolin species ( Manis pentadactyla and Manis javanica ) have been recorded as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Optical mapping constructs high-resolution restriction maps from single DNA molecules for genome analysis at the megabase scale and to assist genome assembly. Here, we constructed restriction maps of M. pentadactyla and M. javanica using optical mapping to assist with genome assembly and analysis of these species. Findings Genomic DNA was nicked with Nt.BspQI and then labeled using fluorescently labeled bases that were detected by the Irys optical mapping system. In total, 3,313,734 DNA molecules (517.847 Gb) for M. pentadactyla and 3,439,885 DNA molecules (504.743 Gb) for M. javanica were obtained, which corresponded to approximately 178X and 177X genome coverage, respectively. Qualified molecules (≥150 kb with a label density of >6 sites per 100 kb) were analyzed using the de novo assembly program embedded in the IrysView pipeline. We obtained two maps that were 2.91 Gb and 2.85 Gb in size with N50s of 1.88 Mb and 1.97 Mb, respectively. Conclusions Optical mapping reveals large-scale structural information that is especially important for non-model genomes that lack a good reference. The approach has the potential to guide de novo assembly of genomes sequenced using next-generation sequencing. Our data provide a resource for Manidae genome analysis and references for de novo assembly. This note also provides new insights into Manidae evolutionary analysis at the genome structure level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Zhihai
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guangdong Branch, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xu Jiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiao Shuiming
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Liao Baosheng
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guangdong Branch, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Gao Yuan
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | | | - Qiu Xiaohui
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guangdong Branch, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xu Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guangdong Branch, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chen Shilin
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
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Koh FX, Kho KL, Panchadcharam C, Sitam FT, Tay ST. Molecular detection of Anaplasma spp. in pangolins (Manis javanica) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Peninsular Malaysia. Vet Parasitol 2016; 227:73-6. [PMID: 27523941 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Anaplasma spp. infects a wide variety of wildlife and domestic animals. This study describes the identification of a novel species of Anaplasma (Candidatus Anaplasma pangolinii) from pangolins (Manis javanica) and Anaplasma bovis from wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Malaysia. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, Candidatus Anaplasma pangolinii is identified in a distinct branch within the family Anaplasmataceae, exhibiting the closest sequence similarity with the type strains of Anaplasma bovis (97.7%) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (97.6%). The sequence also aligned closely (99.9%) with that of an Anaplasma spp. (strain AnAj360) detected from Amblyomma javanense ticks. The nearly full length sequence of the 16S rRNA gene derived from two wild boars in this study demonstrated the highest sequence similarity (99.7%) to the A. bovis type strain. Partial 16S rRNA gene fragments of A. bovis were also detected from a small population of Haemaphysalis bispinosa cattle ticks in this study. Our finding suggests a possible spread of two Anaplasma species in the Malaysian wildlife and ticks. The zoonotic potential of the Anaplasma species identified in this study is yet to be determined.
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27
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Hua L, Gong S, Wang F, Li W, Ge Y, Li X, Hou F. Captive breeding of pangolins: current status, problems and future prospects. Zookeys 2015:99-114. [PMID: 26155072 PMCID: PMC4490220 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.6970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins are unique placental mammals with eight species existing in the world, which have adapted to a highly specialized diet of ants and termites, and are of significance in the control of forest termite disaster. Besides their ecological value, pangolins are extremely important economic animals with the value as medicine and food. At present, illegal hunting and habitat destruction have drastically decreased the wild population of pangolins, pushing them to the edge of extinction. Captive breeding is an important way to protect these species, but because of pangolin’s specialized behaviors and high dependence on natural ecosystem, there still exist many technical barriers to successful captive breeding programs. In this paper, based on the literatures and our practical experience, we reviewed the status and existing problems in captive breeding of pangolins, including four aspects, the naturalistic habitat, dietary husbandry, reproduction and disease control. Some recommendations are presented for effective captive breeding and protection of pangolins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liushuai Hua
- Guangdong Entomological Institute (South China Institute of Endangered Animals), No. 105, Xin Gang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China ; Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangzhou 510260, China ; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Shiping Gong
- Guangdong Entomological Institute (South China Institute of Endangered Animals), No. 105, Xin Gang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China ; Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangzhou 510260, China ; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management in Agriculture, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Fumin Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Wildlife Rescue Center, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Weiye Li
- Guangdong Entomological Institute (South China Institute of Endangered Animals), No. 105, Xin Gang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Yan Ge
- Guangdong Entomological Institute (South China Institute of Endangered Animals), No. 105, Xin Gang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- Guangdong Entomological Institute (South China Institute of Endangered Animals), No. 105, Xin Gang Road West, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Fanghui Hou
- Guangdong Provincial Wildlife Rescue Center, Guangzhou 510520, China
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28
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Mohapatra RK, Panda S, Nair MV, Acharjyo LN. Check list of parasites and bacteria recorded from pangolins ( Manis sp.). J Parasit Dis 2015; 40:1109-1115. [PMID: 27876899 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-015-0653-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound knowledge on parasite fauna of pangolins is crucial for evaluation of their health status. In the present review, a checklist of 34 genera of parasites and bacteria, including 4 genera of protozoan, 13 genera of helminthes, 8 genera of ticks, 2 genera of mites and 7 genera of bacteria reported from pangolins was compiled and their zoonotic potential were discussed. The aim of this checklist is to underline the information gap and to provide a reference list of parasites and bacteria known for pangolins to assist in their further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra
- Pangolin Conservation Breeding Center, Nandankanan Zoological Park, Baranga, Khurda, 754005 Odisha India
| | - Sudarsan Panda
- Nandankanan Biological Park, Mayur Bhawan, Saheed Nagar, Bhubaneswar, 751007 Odisha India
| | - Manoj V Nair
- Nandankanan Zoological Park, Baranga, Khurda, 754005 Odisha India
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