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Fulltext Editorial: Can the Health Implications of Land-use Change Drive Sustainability?

Ahmed K, Jeffree MS, Hughes T, Daszak P

Ecohealth, 2019 12;16(4):585-586.
PMID: 31811598 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01462-y
A three-dimensional computed tomographic analysis of the cervical spine in unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate

Rajion ZA, Townsend GC, Netherway DJ, Anderson PJ, Yusof A, Hughes T, et al.

Cleft Palate Craniofac J, 2006 Sep;43(5):513-8.
PMID: 16986980

To investigate anatomical variations and abnormalities of cervical spine morphology in unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate.
Fulltext The first reported cases of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus infectious haemorrhagic disease in Malaysia: case report

Lee MH, Nathan SKSS, Benedict L, Nagalingam P, Latimer E, Hughes T, et al.

Virol J, 2021 Nov 24;18(1):231.
PMID: 34819101 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01694-x

BACKGROUND: Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease (EEHV HD) is the leading cause of death in captive Asian elephant calves in Asia, North America, and Europe with a mortality rate of ~ 65% in calves that are under human care. Although EEHV HD was first found in elephant camps, more recently it was identified in wild populations which poses a greater threat to the elephant population. Deaths due to EEHV HD have been seen in wild elephants, but the in-situ prevalence and mortality rate is unknown. We report the first EEHV HD cases in Malaysia from 3 wild born endangered Bornean elephant calves from Sabah with known typical clinical signs.
CASE PRESENTATION: The first calf died within 24 h of the onset of clinical signs; the second calf died within 12 h of the onset of clinical signs. The third calf succumbed within 72 h. Necropsies revealed that all 3 calves had similar presentations of EEHV HD but in the third calf with less severity. We conducted conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR) assays and found EEHV DNA at all 7 loci in the 3 calves; it was identified as EEHV1A, the virus type that has been found in most other reported cases.
CONCLUSION: Typical EEHV HD clinical signs and the molecular confirmation of EEHV by cPCR and sequencing point to EEHV as the cause of death. Further genetic investigation of the strain is in progress.
Fulltext No Evidence of Coronaviruses or Other Potentially Zoonotic Viruses in Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) Entering the Wildlife Trade via Malaysia

Lee J, Hughes T, Lee MH, Field H, Rovie-Ryan JJ, Sitam FT, et al.

Ecohealth, 2020 09;17(3):406-418.
PMID: 33226526 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-020-01503-x

The legal and illegal trade in wildlife for food, medicine and other products is a globally significant threat to biodiversity that is also responsible for the emergence of pathogens that threaten human and livestock health and our global economy. Trade in wildlife likely played a role in the origin of COVID-19, and viruses closely related to SARS-CoV-2 have been identified in bats and pangolins, both traded widely. To investigate the possible role of pangolins as a source of potential zoonoses, we collected throat and rectal swabs from 334 Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) confiscated in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah between August 2009 and March 2019. Total nucleic acid was extracted for viral molecular screening using conventional PCR protocols used to routinely identify known and novel viruses in extensive prior sampling (> 50,000 mammals). No sample yielded a positive PCR result for any of the targeted viral families-Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae and Paramyxoviridae. In the light of recent reports of coronaviruses including a SARS-CoV-2-related virus in Sunda pangolins in China, the lack of any coronavirus detection in our 'upstream' market chain samples suggests that these detections in 'downstream' animals more plausibly reflect exposure to infected humans, wildlife or other animals within the wildlife trade network. While confirmatory serologic studies are needed, it is likely that Sunda pangolins are incidental hosts of coronaviruses. Our findings further support the importance of ending the trade in wildlife globally.
The hyoid bone in malay infants with cleft lip and palate

Rajion ZA, Townsend GC, Netherway DJ, Anderson PJ, Hughes T, Shuaib IL, et al.

Cleft Palate Craniofac J, 2006 Sep;43(5):532-8.
PMID: 16986987

To compare morphological and positional variations of the hyoid bone in unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate (CL/P) with those in noncleft infants.
Fulltext Risk Factors for Nipah virus infection among pteropid bats, Peninsular Malaysia

Rahman SA, Hassan L, Epstein JH, Mamat ZC, Yatim AM, Hassan SS, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2013 Jan;19(1):51-60.
PMID: 23261015 DOI: 10.3201/eid1901.120221

We conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal studies to determine the distribution of and risk factors for seropositivity to Nipah virus (NiV) among Pteropus vampyrus and P. hypomelanus bats in Peninsular Malaysia. Neutralizing antibodies against NiV were detected at most locations surveyed. We observed a consistently higher NiV risk (odds ratio 3.9) and seroprevalence (32.8%) for P. vampyrus than P. hypomelanus (11.1%) bats. A 3-year longitudinal study of P. hypomelanus bats indicated nonseasonal temporal variation in seroprevalence, evidence for viral circulation within the study period, and an overall NiV seroprevalence of 9.8%. The seroprevalence fluctuated over the study duration between 1% and 20% and generally decreased during 2004-2006. Adult bats, particularly pregnant, with dependent pup and lactating bats, had a higher prevalence of NiV antibodies than juveniles. Antibodies in juveniles 6 months-2 years of age suggested viral circulation within the study period.
Fulltext Macacine Herpesvirus 1 in Long-Tailed Macaques, Malaysia, 2009-2011

Lee MH, Rostal MK, Hughes T, Sitam F, Lee CY, Japning J, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2015 Jul;21(7):1107-13.
PMID: 26080081 DOI: 10.3201/eid2107.140162

Macacine herpesvirus 1 (MaHV1; B virus) naturally infects macaques (Macaca spp.) and can cause fatal encephalitis in humans. In Peninsular Malaysia, wild macaques are abundant, and translocation is used to mitigate human-macaque conflict. Most adult macaques are infected with MaHV1, although the risk for transmission to persons who handle them during capture and translocation is unknown. We investigated MaHV1 shedding among 392 long-tailed macaques (M. fascicularis) after capture and translocation by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Peninsular Malaysia, during 2009-2011. For detection of MaHV1 DNA, PCR was performed on urogenital and oropharyngeal swab samples. Overall, 39% of macaques were shedding MaHV1 DNA; rates of DNA detection did not differ between sample types. This study demonstrates that MaHV1 was shed by a substantial proportion of macaques after capture and transport and suggests that persons handling macaques under these circumstances might be at risk for exposure to MaHV1.
Fulltext Pteropid bats are confirmed as the reservoir hosts of henipaviruses: a comprehensive experimental study of virus transmission

Halpin K, Hyatt AD, Fogarty R, Middleton D, Bingham J, Epstein JH, et al.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2011 Nov;85(5):946-51.
PMID: 22049055 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0567

Bats of the genus Pteropus have been identified as the reservoir hosts for the henipaviruses Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV). The aim of these studies was to assess likely mechanisms for henipaviruses transmission from bats. In a series of experiments, Pteropus bats from Malaysia and Australia were inoculated with NiV and HeV, respectively, by natural routes of infection. Despite an intensive sampling strategy, no NiV was recovered from the Malaysian bats and HeV was reisolated from only one Australian bat; no disease was seen. These experiments suggest that opportunities for henipavirus transmission may be limited; therefore, the probability of a spillover event is low. For spillover to occur, a range of conditions and events must coincide. An alternate assessment framework is required if we are to fully understand how this reservoir host maintains and transmits not only these but all viruses with which it has been associated.
Fulltext Living Safely With Bats: Lessons in Developing and Sharing a Global One Health Educational Resource

Martinez S, Sullivan A, Hagan E, Goley J, Epstein JH, Olival KJ, et al.

Glob Health Sci Pract, 2022 Dec 21;10(6).
PMID: 36951282 DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00106

As part of a public health behavior change and communication strategy related to the identification of a novel ebolavirus in bats in Sierra Leone in 2016, a consortium of experts launched an effort to create a widely accessible resource for community awareness and education on reducing disease risk. The resulting picture book, Living Safely With Bats, includes technical content developed by a consortium of experts in public health, animal health, conservation, bats, and disease ecology from 30 countries. The book has now been adapted, translated, and used in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia. We review the processes used to integrate feedback from local stakeholders and multidisciplinary experts. We also provide recommendations for One Health and other practitioners who choose to pursue the development and evaluation of this or similar zoonotic disease risk mitigation tools.
Author Correction: Predicting the potential for zoonotic transmission and host associations for novel viruses

Pandit PS, Anthony SJ, Goldstein T, Olival KJ, Doyle MM, Gardner NR, et al.

Commun Biol, 2023 Jan 10;6(1):25.
PMID: 36627372 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04364-y
Fulltext Predicting the potential for zoonotic transmission and host associations for novel viruses

Pandit PS, Anthony SJ, Goldstein T, Olival KJ, Doyle MM, Gardner NR, et al.

Commun Biol, 2022 Aug 19;5(1):844.
PMID: 35986178 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03797-9

Host-virus associations have co-evolved under ecological and evolutionary selection pressures that shape cross-species transmission and spillover to humans. Observed virus-host associations provide relevant context for newly discovered wildlife viruses to assess knowledge gaps in host-range and estimate pathways for potential human infection. Using models to predict virus-host networks, we predicted the likelihood of humans as hosts for 513 newly discovered viruses detected by large-scale wildlife surveillance at high-risk animal-human interfaces in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Predictions indicated that novel coronaviruses are likely to infect a greater number of host species than viruses from other families. Our models further characterize novel viruses through prioritization scores and directly inform surveillance targets to identify host ranges for newly discovered viruses.
CamTrapAsia: A dataset of tropical forest vertebrate communities from 239 camera trapping studies

Mendes CP, Albert WR, Amir Z, Ancrenaz M, Ash E, Azhar B, et al.

Ecology, 2024 Apr 22.
PMID: 38650359 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4299

Information on tropical Asian vertebrates has traditionally been sparse, particularly when it comes to cryptic species inhabiting the dense forests of the region. Vertebrate populations are declining globally due to land-use change and hunting, the latter frequently referred as "defaunation." This is especially true in tropical Asia where there is extensive land-use change and high human densities. Robust monitoring requires that large volumes of vertebrate population data be made available for use by the scientific and applied communities. Camera traps have emerged as an effective, non-invasive, widespread, and common approach to surveying vertebrates in their natural habitats. However, camera-derived datasets remain scattered across a wide array of sources, including published scientific literature, gray literature, and unpublished works, making it challenging for researchers to harness the full potential of cameras for ecology, conservation, and management. In response, we collated and standardized observations from 239 camera trap studies conducted in tropical Asia. There were 278,260 independent records of 371 distinct species, comprising 232 mammals, 132 birds, and seven reptiles. The total trapping effort accumulated in this data paper consisted of 876,606 trap nights, distributed among Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Bhutan, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, and far eastern India. The relatively standardized deployment methods in the region provide a consistent, reliable, and rich count data set relative to other large-scale pressence-only data sets, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) or citizen science repositories (e.g., iNaturalist), and is thus most similar to eBird. To facilitate the use of these data, we also provide mammalian species trait information and 13 environmental covariates calculated at three spatial scales around the camera survey centroids (within 10-, 20-, and 30-km buffers). We will update the dataset to include broader coverage of temperate Asia and add newer surveys and covariates as they become available. This dataset unlocks immense opportunities for single-species ecological or conservation studies as well as applied ecology, community ecology, and macroecology investigations. The data are fully available to the public for utilization and research. Please cite this data paper when utilizing the data.
[Not Available]

Van Asbroeck S, Köhler S, van Boxtel MPJ, Lipnicki DM, Crawford JD, Castro-Costa E, et al.

Alzheimers Dement, 2024 Apr 27.
PMID: 38676366 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13846

INTRODUCTION: The LIfestyle for BRAin Health (LIBRA) index yields a dementia risk score based on modifiable lifestyle factors and is validated in Western samples. We investigated whether the association between LIBRA scores and incident dementia is moderated by geographical location or sociodemographic characteristics.
METHODS: We combined data from 21 prospective cohorts across six continents (N = 31,680) and conducted cohort-specific Cox proportional hazard regression analyses in a two-step individual participant data meta-analysis.
RESULTS: A one-standard-deviation increase in LIBRA score was associated with a 21% higher risk for dementia. The association was stronger for Asian cohorts compared to European cohorts, and for individuals aged ≤75 years (vs older), though only within the first 5 years of follow-up. No interactions with sex, education, or socioeconomic position were observed.
DISCUSSION: Modifiable risk and protective factors appear relevant for dementia risk reduction across diverse geographical and sociodemographic groups.
HIGHLIGHTS: A two-step individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted. This was done at a global scale using data from 21 ethno-regionally diverse cohorts. The association between a modifiable dementia risk score and dementia was examined. The association was modified by geographical region and age at baseline. Yet, modifiable dementia risk and protective factors appear relevant in all investigated groups and regions.