Search Results (18)

Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) is a liver fluke endemic to the Lower Mekong Basin. Infections often begin in childhood and are causally linked to cholangiocarcinoma, an often-fatal bile duct cancer. Anthelmintic treatment is the primary control strategy, but infection can recur. Therefore, additional strategies are needed. This study assessed the impact of “The Magic Glasses Opisthorchiasis” (MGO), a cartoon-based intervention, on schoolchildren’s OV-related knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP). A cluster (school)-randomised controlled trial was conducted in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Clusters were randomised into either school health education only or with MGO. OV KAP was measured using a standardised questionnaire. FGDs and interviews were also conducted in intervention schools with schoolchildren, parents, and teachers. Cambodia intervention knowledge and attitude scores improved by 19.2 (p < 0.001) and 25.3 (p < 0.001) percentage points, respectively, relative to the control. Laos intervention knowledge and attitude scores improved by 19.0 (p < 0.001) and 14.2 (p < 0.001) percentage points. However, Thailand’s intervention knowledge and attitude scores declined by 23.3 (p < 0.001) and 15.8 percentage points (p < 0.001). There were no improvements in behaviour scores in any country, but parents and schoolchildren in Cambodia and Laos reported improved fish preparation practices, suggesting positive spillover effects from MGO. The findings support MGO as an effective tool for school-based health education. Full article

Aquatic product value-added trade constitutes a vital component of agricultural food security. Particularly in developing coastal nations, aquatic products serve as the backbone of the agricultural sector. However, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities not only disrupt the global marine aquatic products value chain but also accelerate the degradation of marine ecosystems and the depletion of marine resources, posing severe challenges to sustainable fisheries and environmental governance. In 2022, the World Trade Organization reached a consensus on fisheries subsidy negotiations, while regional agreements such as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) incorporated fisheries into relevant provisions under environmental rules. This indicates that high-standard environmental trade agreements are emerging as crucial tools for cross-border fisheries governance. This study employs open economy theory and a deep text protocol database to conduct an empirical analysis of the impact of high-standard bilateral environmental provisions on the interconnections within the aquatic products value chain. Findings reveal that environmental provisions significantly strengthen these linkages by lowering market access barriers, promoting technology spillovers, and reinforcing horizontal and vertical labor division. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that the extent of these effects varies with trade provisions, political distance, and network position. These insights offer new perspectives for seafood exports and upstream–downstream coordination in aquatic products, providing policy implications for regions seeking to enhance their value chain advantages. Full article

Mexico has not only successfully eliminated dog-mediated human rabies in recent years, but also the last rabies case in a dog infected with the canine variant of the rabies virus was reported in 2016. Mass dog vaccination campaigns were the cornerstone of these achievements. Unfortunately, the rabies virus still circulates in wildlife and, thus, spill-over infections in humans, livestock, and pets, including dogs, still occurs. Especially dogs that cohabit at interfaces shared with wildlife, like shepherd dogs, are at risk. These dogs are often free-roaming and difficult to restrain for vaccination purposes. Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) as an alternative vaccination strategy was tested in several rural villages in Querétaro State, Mexico. Bait acceptance and immunogenicity studies were conducted to test a licensed vaccine bait in terms of attractiveness and if the oral rabies vaccine strain, SPBN GASGAS, was able to induce an adequate immune response in local dogs, respectively. Although the egg(-flavored) bait was less well accepted (68.4%) by the dogs than the two other bait types included in the study, a bait made from boiled intestine segments (71.2%) and a bait with fish meal as an attractant (72.3%), dogs offered the egg bait were more often considered successfully vaccinated. 83.3% of the dogs offered an egg bait seroconverted during the immunogenicity study. Hence, ORV can be a suitable alternative by increasing the overall vaccination coverage of dogs that cannot be easily restrained and handled for vaccination. Full article

Peripheral rural coastal areas in Europe face persistent structural challenges, including demographic decline, aging populations, and the collapse of traditional sectors like fishing. These are further aggravated by environmental disasters, which weaken local economies. Public sector intervention is therefore essential, not only to provide an immediate response, but also to guarantee long-term solutions. This study explores the contribution of state-led tourism infrastructures to rural development and post-disaster recovery, taking the Parador Costa da Morte in Galicia as a case study. Based on data from a survey of parador guests, it identifies tourist profiles through factor and cluster motivation analysis. The parador’s impacts on the surrounding region are assessed by examining tourists’ travel patterns and spending behavior, as well as the analysis of secondary data on regional changes in tourism supply and demand. The results show widely differing motivations and, despite varying visitor profiles, the predominance of a tourism typology that generates significant local spillovers. These findings support the potential of high-quality, publicly driven tourism initiatives to stimulate the economy of structurally disadvantaged rural areas. The article ends with recommendations for tourism strategies aligned with local recovery and development goals. Full article

Emerging RNA viruses pose a critical threat to aquatic animals, leading to significant ecological and economic consequences. Their high mutation rates and genetic adaptability drive rapid evolution, cross-species transmission, and expanding host ranges, complicating disease management. In aquaculture, RNA viruses are responsible for major outbreaks in fish, while DNA viruses predominate in crustaceans. Marine mammals are increasingly affected by morbilliviruses and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, which has caused widespread mortality events in pinniped and cetacean populations, raising concerns about zoonotic spillover. The absence of effective antiviral treatments and the complexity of vaccine development highlight the urgent need for enhanced biosecurity measures. Furthermore, novel vaccine approaches, such as self-assembling protein nanocage platforms, offer promising solutions for RNA virus mitigation. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the emergence and significance of RNA viruses in aquatic animals over the last two decades, with a particular focus on biosecurity and vaccine development. Full article

Coral reef and their ecological services of food production and shoreline protection are threatened by unsustainable use. To better understand their status, multiple approaches to estimating fisheries sustainability were compared, namely fisheries-independent stock biomass and recovery rates, fisheries-dependent landed catches, balanced harvest and gear use metrics, and fish length measurements. A community biomass recovery was established over a 45-year no-fishing stock recovery time series from seven fisheries reserves and compared to catch- and length-based estimates of sustainability. The logistic production rates (r = 0.09 ± 0.06 95% confidence interval (CI)) and maximum equilibrium total biomass (~150 ± 30 tons/km²) indicated a broad range of potential maximum sustainable yields, with a likely range of 1.1 to 3.9 (95% CI; mean = 3.8) tons/km²/year. In contrast, the mean annual linear biomass growth rates in reserves were lower but less variable than logistic surplus production estimates, ranging from 2.1 to 3.5 (mean = 2.8 tons/km²/year). Realized catches at landing sites were lower still, ranging from 1.43 to 1.52 (mean = 1.48 ± 0.2 tons/km²/y). Differences between production estimates and capture were largely attributable to changes in taxonomic composition and an imbalance in the estimated proportionality of production potential versus actual capture rates. Lost potential capture was likely due to differences in the vulnerability of taxa to fishing and a lack of compensatory increased production among fishing-resistant taxa. Large proportional losses of catch were measured among snappers, unicorn fish, sweetlips, goatfish, and soldierfish, while smaller proportional gains in the catch samples were found among resident herbivorous rabbitfish, parrotfish, and groupers. Many of these declining taxa have vulnerable schooling life histories that are likely to require special habitat and reserve characteristics. Evaluations of sustainability from length measurements found 17 or 7% of total and 12% of caught species had sample sizes minimally sufficient for evaluation (>30 individuals from 413 catches, 2284 captured individuals composed of 144 species) of length and spawning metrics of sustainability. Seven of these species met length-based and three met spawning potential ratio thresholds for sustainability. Consequently, length-based evaluations had poor species coverage and therefore we were unable to evaluate the sustainability of the larger fish community. Recommendations for future research include a better understanding of the consequences of variability in spillover and proportionality of production potential for sustainability. Management recommendations are to focus management on the recovery of species abundant in unfished locations but not contributing to fisheries yield. Full article

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence of the species-specific export of adult fishes for some species or group of species from six well-enforced Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs): Cerbère-Banyuls and Carry-le-Rouet in France and Medes, Cabrera, Tabarca, and Cabo de Palos in Spain. We estimated the distance at which spillover of those individual or groups of species occur by directly assessing the existence of gradients of biomass across the MPA boundaries by means of underwater visual census, asuming that such gradients will be specifics in terms of structure (sharpness, slope, and intercept) for every species and group of species. A significant “reserve effect” was observed for biomass of some of the individual and grouped species in all MPAs. Decreasing gradients of biomass differ among taxons and are not related with the insular nature of the location. Different gradients of biomass resulted from the interaction between species characteristics and some ecological and structural drivers, and we did not find regular patterns for each taxa among MPAs, even though the same species can exhibit different gradient structure and/or spillover distances in the same MPA depending on the orientation. Habitat patch distribution and continuity seems the most important environmental factor explaining the existence and pattern of gradients at species level, interacting with fish home range and fishing pressure close to the limits of the MPAs. Managers should take in account the surrounding distribution of habitats in terms of complexity and quality in order to optimize the spillover capacity of the MPAs. Full article

Biological hazards in products of animal origin pose a significant threat to human health. In Cambodia, there are few comprehensive data and information on the causes of foodborne diseases or risks. To date, there has been no known published study similar to this review. This systematic review is aimed to investigate the prevalence of biological hazards and their indicators in products of animal origin from 2000 to 2022. The main objective of this study was also to contribute to strengthening Cambodia’s food control system. This review followed the established “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines. In total, 46 studies were retained for complete review. Most studies (n = 40) had been conducted by or with external researchers, reflecting the under-resourcing of the National Food Control System in terms of surveillance; areas outside the capital were relatively understudied, reflecting evidence found in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. Five categories of hazards were reported with the highest number of studies on fish parasites. Marketed fish, often originating from different countries, had a higher mean value of parasite prevalence (58.85%) than wild-caught fish (16.46%). Viral pathogens in bat meat presented a potential spillover risk. Many potentially important hazards had not yet been studied or reported (e.g., Norovirus, Shigella, toxin-producing Escherichia coli, and Vibrio cholerae). The findings of our review highlighted significant urgencies for national competent authorities to enhance food hygiene practices along the production chain, tackle import control, and enforce the implementation of a traceability system, alongside more research collaboration with neighboring countries and key trading partners. It is crucial to conduct more extensive research on food safety risk analysis, focusing on the identification and understanding of various biological hazards and their associated risk factors in food. Full article

Coastal aquaculture and local fisheries interact in shared marine environments, influencing each other synergistically and/or antagonistically. Salmon farming, notably with open-net sea cages along the Norwegian coast, attracts wild fish due to increased food availability from uneaten feed, but it also exposes wild fish to farm emissions like waste and toxic chemicals (de-lice treatments, antifouling and medical agents). The attraction behaviour of wild fish can impact fatty acid composition in fish tissues, influenced by the high terrestrial fat content in salmon aquafeed. We study how the Atlantic cod, aggregating around salmon farms in a subarctic fjord in Northern Norway, can be affected, potentially altering their natural diet and fatty acid profiles. Our study compares the muscle-tissue fatty acid compositions of cod caught near aquaculture facilities (impact) versus fish caught in neighbouring fjords (control), and we hypothesise decreased omega-3 fatty acids near farms. The analysis revealed no significant differences in the fatty acid concentrations or categories between the impacted and control fish, challenging our initial expectations. However, differences were found for C18:1(n9)t (elaidic acid), with a higher value in the impacted fish. These findings suggest that salmon farming’s influence on cod’s fatty acid profiles in the flesh (i.e., relevant for the nutritional quality of the fillets that consumers eat) may be limited or minimal despite their aggregative behaviours around farms. The threshold levels of salmon feed consumed by wild cod before it affects the quality and survival of, e.g., sperm or other life stages, are not known and require new investigations. This study underscores the complexity of interactions between aquaculture and wild fisheries, impacting both ecological dynamics and consumer perspectives on seafood quality and health benefits. Full article

Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) is a rhabdovirus that primarily infects cyprinid finfishes and causes a disease notifiable to the World Organization for Animal Health. Amphibians, which are sympatric with cyprinids in freshwater ecosystems, are considered non-permissive hosts of rhabdoviruses. The potential host range expansion of SVCV in an atypical host species was evaluated by testing the susceptibility of amphibians native to the Pacific Northwest. Larval long-toed salamanders Ambystoma macrodactylum and Pacific tree frog Pseudacris regilla tadpoles were exposed to SVCV strains from genotypes Ia, Ib, Ic, or Id by either intraperitoneal injection, immersion, or cohabitation with virus-infected koi Cyprinus rubrofuscus. Cumulative mortality was 100% for salamanders injected with SVCV, 98–100% for tadpoles exposed to virus via immersion, and 0–100% for tadpoles cohabited with SVCV-infected koi. Many of the animals that died exhibited clinical signs of disease and SVCV RNA was found by in situ hybridization in tissue sections of immersion-exposed tadpoles, particularly in the cells of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. SVCV was also detected by plaque assay and RT-qPCR testing in both amphibian species regardless of the virus exposure method, and viable virus was detected up to 28 days after initial exposure. Recovery of infectious virus from naïve tadpoles cohabited with SVCV-infected koi further demonstrated that SVCV transmission can occur between classes of ectothermic vertebrates. Collectively, these results indicated that SVCV, a fish rhabdovirus, can be transmitted to and cause lethal disease in two amphibian species. Therefore, members of all five of the major vertebrate groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians) appear to be vulnerable to rhabdovirus infections. Future research studying potential spillover and spillback infections of aquatic rhabdoviruses between foreign and domestic amphibian and fish species will provide insights into the stressors driving novel interclass virus transmission events. Full article

In response to the severe fragmentation of Elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816), stands caused by a major winter swell (“Holy Swell”) in March 2008, an emergency community-based low-tech restoration was initiated in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Over a 15-year period, coral demographic performance and fish assemblages were monitored across four restored and four control (non-restored) 100 m² plots. The restoration effort proved to be highly successful, leading to successful coral survival and growth, and to sustained recovery of fish assemblages, particularly herbivore guilds. Significantly increased abundance, biomass, and diversity were observed across all trophic functional groups, fishery target species, and geo-ecological functional groups in both restored and control plots. These positive outcomes were attributed to enhanced spatial complexity by long-term coral growth, “nutrient hotspots” within restored plots, the refugia effect from enhanced benthic spatial complexity, and the recovery of fish dispersal paths promoting spillover effects from restored to adjacent non-restored areas. Restoring herbivore guilds and geo-ecological functional groups played a crucial role in restoring vital ecological processes promoting reef ecosystem resilience. Recommendations include integrating fish assemblage recovery into coral restoration strategies, establishing natural coral nursery plots for future coral sourcing, and incorporating the concept of nursery seascapes for a holistic and ecosystem-based approach to restoration. Full article

Coronaviruses (CoVs, Coronaviridae) are a diverse group of viruses that infect mammals, birds, and fish. Seven CoVs infect humans, among which Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoVs-1 and -2 and Middle East respiratory syndrome CoVs have shown how they can impact global health and the economy. Their spillover from bats-the natural reservoir-to humans has required intermediary hosts. Prevention requires that active surveillance be conducted on animals. Today, there is no data concerning the genetic diversity of CoVs naturally circulating in wild primates. This study aimed to screen wild great apes and mandrills in Gabon for CoVs. A total of 229 faecal samples of great apes and mandrills collected from 2009 to 2012 in forests and national parks were used for the detection of CoVs by nested PCR using primers targeting a conserved region of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. While all samples were negative, this lack of detection could be related to sample size, the transient nature of the infection, or because faecal samples are not suitable for detecting CoVs in primates. A longitudinal study should be performed and other non-invasive methods used to collect respiratory samples to better evaluate the circulation of CoVs in these primates. Full article

The introduction of non-native freshwater fish is a primary cause of aquatic biodiversity loss at global scale. Such introductions have a severe impact on freshwater ecosystems in terms of competition, predation, habitat alteration, genetic pollution and transmission of diseases and parasites. A systematic review was conducted on the helminths parasites of freshwater fish in the context of species introduction and a total of 199 publications were retrieved between 1969 and November 2022. Several scenarios may arise when a new fish species arrive in a recipient area. Non-native fish hosts can co-introduce their parasites without transmitting them to native fish (e.g., the case of North American Centrarchidae and their Monogenea parasites). Another possible outcome is the transfer of these parasites to the native fish fauna (spillover, e.g., the cases of the Nematoda Anguillicola crassus Kuwahara, Niimi & Itagaki, 1974 and the Monogenea Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg, 1957). Reciprocally, non-native fish hosts may acquire parasites in their new distribution range whether these parasites are native or were previously introduced (e.g., the cases of Ponto-Caspian Gobiidae and the Chinese sleeper Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877). Acquired parasites can then be spilled back to the native fauna. This phenomenon is of particular interest when non-native fish hosts influence the dynamics of zoonotic parasites. Full article

The effectiveness of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) is strongly related to its zoning design, management, and surveillance, and fish communities are considered indicators of conservation effects. Posidonia oceanica beds and fish assemblages were studied here to evaluate the fishing impacts and the effectiveness of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) of Santa Maria di Castellabate (SMC) and Costa degli Infreschi e della Masseta (CIM) in the South Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. P. oceanica characteristics were estimated counting and collecting shoots, while fish communities were investigated by visual census. Multivariate analyses were performed to detect differences in fish assemblages among the MPA protection levels and seagrass characteristics. Significant differences in fish communities were observed between the depth and protection levels. The latter are probably due to the zoning design at SMC, which does not allow a spillover effect, and to fishing activities, as showed by the ABC curve results. Trophic analyses suggested the use of longlines at SMC, due to the dominance of planktivorous fish species, and of trammel nets at CIM, due to the great heterogeneity of the fish trophic groups. Shoot density and leaf length were significantly correlated with fish communities. CCA analyses showed omnivorous species, mostly belonging to the Sparidae family, correlated with the highest shoot densities, with their feeding habits mostly directed to crustaceans, while macro- and microinvertivores, mainly belonging to the Serranidae and Labridae families, correlated with the highest leaf lengths, where they sough shelter and feed. In conclusion, the data suggest that a zoning redesign at SMC and an increase in the surveillance of fishing activities at CIM might enhance the effectiveness of these MPAs, highlighting the role of fish community studies in identifying MPA efficiency issues and providing trustful guidelines for their management. Full article

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major pathogen of humans and aquatic species. Fish have recently been recognized as the source of severe invasive foodborne GBS disease, caused by sequence type (ST) 283, in otherwise healthy adults in Southeast Asia. Thailand and Vietnam are among the major aquaculture producers in Southeast Asia, with GBS disease reported in fish as well as frogs in both countries. Still, the distribution of potentially human-pathogenic GBS in aquaculture species is poorly known. Using 35 GBS isolates from aquatic species in Thailand collected from 2007 to 2019 and 43 isolates from tilapia collected in Vietnam in 2018 and 2019, we have demonstrated that the temporal, geographical, and host-species distribution of GBS ST283 is broader than previously known, whereas the distribution of ST7 and the poikilothermic lineage of GBS are geographically restricted. The gene encoding the human GBS virulence factor C5a peptidase, scpB, was detected in aquatic ST283 from Thailand but not in ST283 from Vietnam or in ST7 from either country, mirroring current reports of GBS strains associated with human sepsis. The observed distribution of strains and virulence genes is likely to reflect a combination of spill-over, host adaptation through the gain and loss of mobile genetic elements, and current biosecurity practices. The plastic nature of the GBS genome and its importance as a human, aquatic, and potentially foodborne pathogen suggests that active surveillance of GBS presence and its evolution in aquaculture systems may be justified. Full article