Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2017) | Viewed by 27955

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
Interests: veterinary public health; zoonoses; emerging diseases; surveillance; risk assessment; policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of One Health recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. Zoonoses are diseases that are transferable between humans and animals, and, therefore, all fall within the scope of One Health. More than 200 zoonotic pathogens have been described. Work on the control, prevention and, ultimately, elimination of zoonoses is therefore an essential contribution to One Health. We are inviting contributions on this topic, especially submissions on the control, prevention and elimination of zoonoses classified as “neglected” by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in contribution to their Roadmap towards the elimination of these diseases (http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/diseases/en/).

Prof. Dr. Katharina Stärk
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Brucellosis
  • Leptospirosis
  • Campylobacter
  • Salmonella
  • Q fever
  • Escherichia coli
  • Cysticercosis
  • Taeniasis
  • Leishmaniasis
  • Echinococcosis
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Trichinellosis
  • Rabies
  • anthrax
  • Food-borne trematodiasis
  • sheep
  • goat
  • cattle
  • dog
  • cat
  • horse
  • deer
  • human
  • wildlife

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

208 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Selected Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Agents in Dogs and Cats on the Pine Ridge Reservation
by A. Valeria Scorza and Michael R. Lappin
Vet. Sci. 2017, 4(3), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4030043 - 4 Sep 2017
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5067
Abstract
The prevalence of intestinal parasites and vector-borne agents of dogs and cats in the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota were determined. Fecal samples (84 dogs, 9 cats) were examined by centrifugal floatation and by immunofluorescence assay (FA) for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. PCR [...] Read more.
The prevalence of intestinal parasites and vector-borne agents of dogs and cats in the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota were determined. Fecal samples (84 dogs, 9 cats) were examined by centrifugal floatation and by immunofluorescence assay (FA) for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. PCR was performed on Giardia [beta-giardin (bg), triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase genes (gdh)] and Cryptosporidium [heat shock protein-70 gene (hsp)] FA positive samples. Cat sera (n = 32) were tested for antibodies against Bartonella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and FIV, and antigens of FeLV and Dirofilaria immitis. Dog sera (n = 82) were tested for antibodies against T. gondii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum and D. immitis antigen. Blood samples (92 dogs, 39 cats) were assessed by PCR for amplification of DNA of Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., haemoplasmas, and Babesia spp. (dogs only). The most significant results were Giardia spp. (32% by FA), Taenia spp. (17.8%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (7.1%). The Giardia isolates typed as the dog-specific assemblages C or D and four Cryptosporidium isolates typed as C. canis. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 15% of the dogs. Antibodies against Bartonella spp. and against T. gondii were detected in 37.5% and 6% of the cats respectively. FeLV antigen was detected in 10% of the cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases)
605 KiB  
Article
A Retrospective Cohort Study of an Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis among Veterinary Students
by Jackie Benschop, Christina M. Booker, Tui Shadbolt and Jenny F. Weston
Vet. Sci. 2017, 4(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4020029 - 24 May 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6627
Abstract
An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred among a cohort of 56 veterinary technology and 100 veterinary science students at Massey University over an eight-week period in 2013. This coincided with calving in New Zealand’s seasonal dairy farming system and a time when calves [...] Read more.
An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred among a cohort of 56 veterinary technology and 100 veterinary science students at Massey University over an eight-week period in 2013. This coincided with calving in New Zealand’s seasonal dairy farming system and a time when calves with diarrhoea are commonly seen by veterinarians. Laboratory and epidemiological investigations were instigated by MidCentral Public Health Service (MCPHS) in conjunction with the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences (IVABS) at Massey University. Eighty students responded to a questionnaire of which 19 met the case definition, a 24% attack rate. Faecal specimens from seven students contained Cryptosporidium oocysts and Cryptosporidium parvum IIa A18G3R1 was identified from one of the specimens. The inferred median incubation period was five days (range 1–12 days). All of the cases were self-limiting, characterized by diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and in some cases vomiting, headache, and fever. Having contact with calves with diarrhoea was significantly associated with increased adjusted odds of being a case (OR 10.61, 95% CI 1.87–108.29 for one week of contact; OR 55.05, 95% CI 3.80–1931.18 for two weeks of contact). Outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis had occurred previously among veterinary students at Massey University, but the extremely high infectivity of C. parvum resulted in student illness despite enhanced hygiene precautions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases)
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1265 KiB  
Article
The Epidemiology of Q Fever in England and Wales 2000–2015
by Kate D. Halsby, Hilary Kirkbride, Amanda L. Walsh, Ebere Okereke, Timothy Brooks, Matthew Donati and Dilys Morgan
Vet. Sci. 2017, 4(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4020028 - 19 May 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5112
Abstract
Between 2000 and 2015, 904 cases of acute Q fever were reported in England and Wales. The case dataset had a male to female ratio of 2.5:1, and a median age of 45 years. Two outbreaks were recognised during this time period, and [...] Read more.
Between 2000 and 2015, 904 cases of acute Q fever were reported in England and Wales. The case dataset had a male to female ratio of 2.5:1, and a median age of 45 years. Two outbreaks were recognised during this time period, and the incidence of sporadic cases was highest across the southwest of England, and Wales. There are limitations in the surveillance system for Q fever, including possible geographical differences in reporting and limited epidemiological data collection. The surveillance system needs to be strengthened in order to improve the quality and completeness of the epidemiological dataset. The authors conclude with recommendations on how to achieve this. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases)
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209 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Multilocus Genotyping Analysis of Cryptosporidium and Giardia Isolates from Dogs in Chiang Mai, Thailand
by Sahatchai Tangtrongsup, A. Valeria Scorza, John S. Reif, Lora R. Ballweber, Michael R. Lappin and Mo D. Salman
Vet. Sci. 2017, 4(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4020026 - 10 May 2017
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5105
Abstract
The occurrence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis isolated from dogs in Chiang Mai, Thailand were determined. Fecal samples were collected from 109 dogs between July and August 2008. Cryptosporidium spp. infection was determined by immunofluorescent assay (IFA), PCR assays [...] Read more.
The occurrence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis isolated from dogs in Chiang Mai, Thailand were determined. Fecal samples were collected from 109 dogs between July and August 2008. Cryptosporidium spp. infection was determined by immunofluorescent assay (IFA), PCR assays that amplify Cryptosporidium heat-shock protein 70 kDa (hsp70), and two PCR assays that amplify a small subunit-ribosomal RNA (SSU-rRNA). Giardia duodenalis infection was identified using zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation, IFA, and four PCR assays that amplify the Giardia glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), beta-giardin (bg), and generic and dog-specific assays of triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) genes. Overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis was 31.2% and 45.9%, respectively. Sequence analysis of 22 Cryptosporidium-positive samples and 21 Giardia-positive samples revealed the presence of C. canis in 15, and C. parvum in 7, G. duodenalis Assemblage C in 8, D in 11, and mixed of C and D in 2 dogs. Dogs in Chiang Mai were commonly exposed to Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis. Cryptosporidium parvum can be isolated from the feces of dogs, and all G. duodenalis assemblages were dog-specific. Dogs could be a reservoir for a zoonotic Cryptosporidium infection in humans, but further studies will be required to determine the clinical and zoonotic importance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases)
1392 KiB  
Article
Detection of Leptospiral DNA in the Urine of Donkeys on the Caribbean Island of Saint Kitts
by Bernard Grevemeyer, Michel Vandenplas, Brittney Beigel, Ellen Cho, Arve Lee Willingham and Ashutosh Verma
Vet. Sci. 2017, 4(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4010002 - 10 Jan 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4992
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a global zoonosis caused by pathogenic spirochetes classified within the genus Leptospira. Leptospires live in the proximal renal tubules of reservoir or chronic carrier animals, and are shed in the urine. Naïve animals acquire infection either when they come in [...] Read more.
Leptospirosis is a global zoonosis caused by pathogenic spirochetes classified within the genus Leptospira. Leptospires live in the proximal renal tubules of reservoir or chronic carrier animals, and are shed in the urine. Naïve animals acquire infection either when they come in direct contact with a reservoir or infected animals or by exposure to environmental surface water or soil that is contaminated with their urine. In this study, urine samples from a herd of donkeys on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts were screened using a TaqMan-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting a pathogen-specific leptospiral gene, lipl32. Out of 124 clinically normal donkeys, 22 (18%) tested positive for leptospiral DNA in their urine. Water samples from two water troughs used by the donkeys were also tested, but were found to be free from leptospiral contamination. Detection of leptospiral DNA in the urine of clinically healthy donkeys may point to a role that these animals play in the maintenance of the bacteria on St. Kitts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Prevention and Elimination of Zoonotic Diseases)
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