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Human babesiosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes societal and economic impact worldwide. Several species of Babesia cause babesiosis in terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. A one-day clinic was held in Ontario, Canada, to see if a red blood cell parasite, which is present in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, is present in humans. Based on PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene, we unveiled B. odocoilei in two of 19 participants. DNA amplicons from these two patients are almost identical matches with the type strains of B. odocoilei in GenBank. In addition, the same two human subjects had the hallmark symptoms of human babesiosis, including night sweats, chills, fevers, and profound fatigue. Based on symptoms and molecular identification, we provide substantive evidence that B. odocoilei is pathogenic to humans. Dataset reveals that B. odocoilei serologically cross-reacts with Babesia duncani. Clinicians must realize that there are more than two Babesia spp. in North America that cause human babesiosis. This discovery signifies the first report of B. odocoilei causing human babesiosis.
John Scott; Muhammad Sajid; Emily Pascoe; Janet Foley. Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Humans with Babesiosis Symptoms. Diagnostics 2021, 11, 947 .
AMA StyleJohn Scott, Muhammad Sajid, Emily Pascoe, Janet Foley. Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Humans with Babesiosis Symptoms. Diagnostics. 2021; 11 (6):947.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn Scott; Muhammad Sajid; Emily Pascoe; Janet Foley. 2021. "Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Humans with Babesiosis Symptoms." Diagnostics 11, no. 6: 947.
Songbirds widely disperse ticks that carry a diversity of pathogens, some of which are pathogenic to humans. Among ticks commonly removed from songbirds, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, can harbor any combination of nine zoonotic pathogens, including Babesia species. From May through September 2019, a total 157 ticks were collected from 93 songbirds of 29 species in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec. PCR testing for the 18S gene of Babesia species detected Babesia odocoilei in 12.63% of I. scapularis nymphs parasitizing songbirds in Ontario and Québec; none of the relatively small numbers of Ixodes muris, Ixodes brunneus, or Haemaphysalis leporispalustris were PCR-positive. For ticks at each site, the prevalence of B. odocoilei was 16.67% in Ontario and 8.89% and 5.26% in Québec. Of 31 live, engorged I. scapularis larvae and nymphs held to molt, 25 ticks completed the molt; five of these molted ticks were positive for B. odocoilei. PCR-positive ticks were collected from six bird species—namely, Common Yellowthroat, Swainson’s Thrush, Veery, House Wren, Baltimore Oriole, and American Robin. Phylogenetic analysis documented the close relationship of B. odocoilei to Babesia canis canis and Babesia divergens, the latter a known pathogen to humans. For the first time in Canada, we confirm the transstadial passage of B. odocoilei in I. scapularis molting from larvae to nymphs. A novel host record reveals I. scapularis on a Palm Warbler. Our findings show that B. odocoilei is present in all mobile life stages of I. scapularis, and it is widely dispersed by songbirds in Ontario and Québec.
John D. Scott; Emily L. Pascoe; Muhammad S. Sajid; Janet E. Foley. Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Pathogens 2020, 9, 781 .
AMA StyleJohn D. Scott, Emily L. Pascoe, Muhammad S. Sajid, Janet E. Foley. Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Pathogens. 2020; 9 (10):781.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn D. Scott; Emily L. Pascoe; Muhammad S. Sajid; Janet E. Foley. 2020. "Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Songbirds in Ontario and Quebec, Canada." Pathogens 9, no. 10: 781.
This study provides a novel method of documenting established populations of bird-feeding ticks. Single populations of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, were revealed in southwestern Québec, Canada. Blacklegged tick nymphs and, similarly, larval and nymphal rabbit ticks were tested for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), using PCR and the flagellin (flaB) gene, and 14 (42%) of 33 of blacklegged tick nymphs tested were positive. In contrast, larval and nymphal H. leporsipalustris ticks were negative for Bbsl. The occurrence of Bbsl in I. scapularis nymphs brings to light the presence of a Lyme disease endemic area at this songbird nesting locality. Because our findings denote that this area is a Lyme disease endemic area, and I. scapularis is a human-biting tick, local residents and outdoor workers must take preventive measures to avoid tick bites. Furthermore, local healthcare practitioners must include Lyme disease in their differential diagnosis.
John D. Scott; Emily L. Pascoe; Muhammad S. Sajid; Janet E. Foley. Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada. Healthcare 2020, 8, 59 .
AMA StyleJohn D. Scott, Emily L. Pascoe, Muhammad S. Sajid, Janet E. Foley. Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada. Healthcare. 2020; 8 (1):59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn D. Scott; Emily L. Pascoe; Muhammad S. Sajid; Janet E. Foley. 2020. "Monitoring of Nesting Songbirds Detects Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks and Associated Lyme Disease Endemic Area in Canada." Healthcare 8, no. 1: 59.
There is a paucity of data on human exposure to tick-borne pathogens in the western United States. This study reports prevalence of antibodies against three clinically important tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia spp.) among 249 people in five counties in northern California. Individuals from Humboldt County were recruited and answered a questionnaire to assess risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens. Samples from other counties were obtained from a blood bank and were anonymized. Seventeen (6.8%) samples were seropositive for antibodies against at least one pathogen: five for A. phagocytophilum, eight for B. burgdorferi, and four for Rickettsia spp. Women and people aged 26-35 had higher seroprevalence compared to other demographic groups. Santa Cruz County had no seropositive individuals, northern Central Valley counties had three seropositive individuals (all against A. phagocytophilum), and Humboldt County had 14 (all three pathogens), a significant, four-fold elevated risk of exposure. The Humboldt County questionnaire revealed that a bird feeder in the yard was statistically associated with exposure to ticks, and lifetime number of tick bites was associated with increasing age, time watching wildlife, and time hiking. Three-quarters of respondents were concerned about tick-associated disease, 81.0% reported experiencing tick bites, and 39.0% of those bitten reported a tick-borne disease symptom, including skin lesions (76.4%), muscle aches (49.1%), joint pain (25.5%), or fever (23.6%). Despite high levels of concern, many individuals who had been bitten by a tick were not tested for a tick-borne pathogen, including those with consistent symptoms. We highlight the need for further research and dissemination of information to residents and physicians in Northern California regarding tick-associated disease, so that appropriate medical attention can be rapidly sought and administered.
Emily Pascoe; Nicole Stephenson; Ashley Abigana; Deana Clifford; Mourad Gabriel; Greta Wengert; Richard Brown; Mark Higley; Evan M. Bloch; Janet E. Foley. Human Seroprevalence of Tick-BorneAnaplasma phagocytophilum,Borrelia burgdorferi, andRickettsiaSpecies in Northern California. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 2019, 19, 871 -878.
AMA StyleEmily Pascoe, Nicole Stephenson, Ashley Abigana, Deana Clifford, Mourad Gabriel, Greta Wengert, Richard Brown, Mark Higley, Evan M. Bloch, Janet E. Foley. Human Seroprevalence of Tick-BorneAnaplasma phagocytophilum,Borrelia burgdorferi, andRickettsiaSpecies in Northern California. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 2019; 19 (12):871-878.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmily Pascoe; Nicole Stephenson; Ashley Abigana; Deana Clifford; Mourad Gabriel; Greta Wengert; Richard Brown; Mark Higley; Evan M. Bloch; Janet E. Foley. 2019. "Human Seroprevalence of Tick-BorneAnaplasma phagocytophilum,Borrelia burgdorferi, andRickettsiaSpecies in Northern California." Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 19, no. 12: 871-878.
We currently live in an era of major global change that has led to the introduction and range expansion of numerous invasive species worldwide. In addition to the ecological and economic consequences associated with most invasive species, invasive arthropods that vector pathogens (IAVPs) to humans and animals pose substantial health risks. Species distribution models that are informed using environmental Earth data are frequently employed to predict the distribution of invasive species, and to advise targeted mitigation strategies. However, there are currently substantial mismatches in the temporal and spatial resolution of these data and the environmental contexts which affect IAVPs. Consequently, targeted actions to control invasive species or to prepare the population for possible disease outbreaks may lack efficacy. Here, we identify and discuss how the currently available environmental Earth data are lacking with respect to their applications in species distribution modeling, particularly when predicting the potential distribution of IAVPs at meaningful space-time scales. For example, we examine the issues related to interpolation of weather station data and the lack of microclimatic data relevant to the environment experienced by IAVPs. In addition, we suggest how these data gaps can be filled, including through the possible development of a dedicated open access database, where data from both remotely- and proximally-sensed sources can be stored, shared, and accessed.
Emily L. Pascoe; Sajid Pareeth; Duccio Rocchini; Matteo Marcantonio. A Lack of “Environmental Earth Data” at the Microhabitat Scale Impacts Efforts to Control Invasive Arthropods That Vector Pathogens. Data 2019, 4, 133 .
AMA StyleEmily L. Pascoe, Sajid Pareeth, Duccio Rocchini, Matteo Marcantonio. A Lack of “Environmental Earth Data” at the Microhabitat Scale Impacts Efforts to Control Invasive Arthropods That Vector Pathogens. Data. 2019; 4 (4):133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmily L. Pascoe; Sajid Pareeth; Duccio Rocchini; Matteo Marcantonio. 2019. "A Lack of “Environmental Earth Data” at the Microhabitat Scale Impacts Efforts to Control Invasive Arthropods That Vector Pathogens." Data 4, no. 4: 133.
The Amblyomma genus of ticks comprises species that are aggressive human biters and vectors of pathogens. Numerous species in the genus are undergoing rapid range expansion. Amblyomma ticks have occasionally been introduced into California, but as yet, no established populations have been reported in the state. Because California has high ecological diversity and is a transport hub for potentially parasitized humans and animals, the risk of future Amblyomma establishment may be high. We used ecological niche modeling to predict areas in California suitable for four tick species that pose high risk to humans: Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Amblyomma cajennense and Amblyomma mixtum. We collected presence data in the Americas for each species from the published literature and online databases. Twenty-three climatic and ecological variables were used in a MaxEnt algorithm to predict the distribution of each species. The minimum temperature of the coldest month was an important predictor for all four species due to high mortality of Amblyomma at low temperatures. Areas in California appear to be ecologically suitable for A. americanum, A. maculatum, and A. cajennense, but not A. mixtum. These findings could inform targeted surveillance prior to an invasion event, to allow mitigation actions to be quickly implemented.
Emily L. Pascoe; Matteo Marcantonio; Cyril Caminade; Janet E. Foley. Modeling Potential Habitat for Amblyomma Tick Species in California. Insects 2019, 10, 201 .
AMA StyleEmily L. Pascoe, Matteo Marcantonio, Cyril Caminade, Janet E. Foley. Modeling Potential Habitat for Amblyomma Tick Species in California. Insects. 2019; 10 (7):201.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmily L. Pascoe; Matteo Marcantonio; Cyril Caminade; Janet E. Foley. 2019. "Modeling Potential Habitat for Amblyomma Tick Species in California." Insects 10, no. 7: 201.
An epidemic of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is ongoing in Mexicali, México. We visited 100 neighborhoods with diagnosed human cases and 100 control neighborhoods to evaluate knowledge of the epidemic; obtain data on the spatial distribution of dogs, canine seroprevalence and active infection, tick infestations, and presence of rickettsial DNA in ticks; and evaluate risk factors for human cases, seropositivity, and tick infestation within an unbiased study design. The majority (80%) of residents had heard of RMSF, but only 48% used acaricides in the home or on dogs. Case neighborhoods and those with high canine seroprevalence tended to be on the city periphery or in the agricultural valley. No dogs were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for Rickettsia rickettsii, and the overall seroprevalence was 65% (titers from 64 to 1,024). PCR prevalence in ticks was 0.70%, confirmed by DNA sequencing as R. rickettsii; neighborhood prevalence ranged from 0.7% to 6.1%. Twelve percent of dogs had high tick burdens, and all ticks were Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Epidemiologically significant risk factors were ground covering for a neighborhood having a human case; dogs having poor body condition and weighing < 10 kg for canine seropositivity; dogs living at the home for the number of ticks in the environment; and being near canals, having trash on the patio, and a dog being thin for tick burdens on dogs. A One Health approach is crucial to understanding RMSF and brown dog ticks.
Janet Foley; Luis Tinoco-Gracia; Moises Rodriguez-Lomelí; Julia Estrada-Guzmán; Maria Fierro; Elva Mattar-Lopez; Amy Peterson; Emily Pascoe; Yolanda Gonzalez; Sawako Hori-Oshima; Paige A. Armstrong; Gilberto Lopez; Mariana Jacome-Ibarra; Christopher D. Paddock; Oscar E. Zazueta. Unbiased Assessment of Abundance of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks, Canine Exposure to Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia, and Risk Factors in Mexicali, México. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2019, 101, 22 -32.
AMA StyleJanet Foley, Luis Tinoco-Gracia, Moises Rodriguez-Lomelí, Julia Estrada-Guzmán, Maria Fierro, Elva Mattar-Lopez, Amy Peterson, Emily Pascoe, Yolanda Gonzalez, Sawako Hori-Oshima, Paige A. Armstrong, Gilberto Lopez, Mariana Jacome-Ibarra, Christopher D. Paddock, Oscar E. Zazueta. Unbiased Assessment of Abundance of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks, Canine Exposure to Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia, and Risk Factors in Mexicali, México. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2019; 101 (1):22-32.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJanet Foley; Luis Tinoco-Gracia; Moises Rodriguez-Lomelí; Julia Estrada-Guzmán; Maria Fierro; Elva Mattar-Lopez; Amy Peterson; Emily Pascoe; Yolanda Gonzalez; Sawako Hori-Oshima; Paige A. Armstrong; Gilberto Lopez; Mariana Jacome-Ibarra; Christopher D. Paddock; Oscar E. Zazueta. 2019. "Unbiased Assessment of Abundance of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks, Canine Exposure to Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia, and Risk Factors in Mexicali, México." The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 101, no. 1: 22-32.
Sixty-five wild carnivores and twenty free-roaming dogs from the Janos Biosphere Reserve (JBR), northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico, were inspected for ticks which were tested by molecular assays to identify Borrelia and Rickettsia infections. Overall, 45 ticks belonging to five taxa, including Dermacentor parumapertus, Ixodes hearlei, Ixodes kingi, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., and Ornithodoros sp. were collected from 9.2 % of the wild carnivores and 60% of the free-roaming dogs. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. DNA was detected in an I. kingi tick collected from a kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), while Rickettsia massiliae was detected in two (6.5%) of the 31 Rh. sanguineus s.l. collected from free-roaming dogs. Our results revealed host associations between free-roaming dogs and wild carnivore hosts and their ticks in the JBR. The presence of the etiological agents of Lyme disease and spotted fever rickettsiosis in ticks raises the potential risk of tick-borne diseases at the human-domestic-wildlife interface in northwestern Mexico.
Andrés M. López-Pérez; Sokani Sánchez-Montes; Janet Foley; Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo; Pablo Colunga-Salas; Emily Pascoe; Ingeborg Becker; Jesús Delgado-De la Mora; Jesús D. Licona-Enriquez; Gerardo Suzán. Molecular evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Rickettsia massiliae in ticks collected from a domestic-wild carnivore interface in Chihuahua, Mexico. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 2019, 10, 1118 -1123.
AMA StyleAndrés M. López-Pérez, Sokani Sánchez-Montes, Janet Foley, Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo, Pablo Colunga-Salas, Emily Pascoe, Ingeborg Becker, Jesús Delgado-De la Mora, Jesús D. Licona-Enriquez, Gerardo Suzán. Molecular evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Rickettsia massiliae in ticks collected from a domestic-wild carnivore interface in Chihuahua, Mexico. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 2019; 10 (5):1118-1123.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrés M. López-Pérez; Sokani Sánchez-Montes; Janet Foley; Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo; Pablo Colunga-Salas; Emily Pascoe; Ingeborg Becker; Jesús Delgado-De la Mora; Jesús D. Licona-Enriquez; Gerardo Suzán. 2019. "Molecular evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Rickettsia massiliae in ticks collected from a domestic-wild carnivore interface in Chihuahua, Mexico." Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 10, no. 5: 1118-1123.
The ‘road-effect zone’ is a concept developed to describe the impact of road construction on the surrounding area. Although many aspects of the road-effect zone have been investigated, the road-effect zone on soil properties (pH, bulk density, soil moisture, electrical conductivity, organic matter (%), C (%), total N (%), available Na, Ca, Mg, P, and K), light regimes (leaf area index and canopy cover), and a Raunkiaer’s life-form classification of plants remains poorly understood, especially in oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests. Hence, the main aims of this research were to estimate the extent of the road-effect zone and to identify the main environmental changes due to forest roads. Specifically, we aimed to evaluate road-effects on: (1) the composition of herbaceous species and tree regeneration (up to 100 m distance from the forest road); (2) the light regime; and (3) soil properties, potentially related to changes in ecosystem functions and composition. We observed that forest roads can have significant impacts on soil, stand characteristics, and vegetation composition. The estimated road-effect zone extended up to 30 m from the road edge. Landscape planners should be aware that road-effect zones can potentially influence the ecology and environmental conditions of an area up to 30 m from the road edge.
Azade Deljouei; Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi; Ehsan Abdi; Markus Bernhardt-Römermann; Emily Louise Pascoe; Matteo Marcantonio. The impact of road disturbance on vegetation and soil properties in a beech stand, Hyrcanian forest. European Journal of Forest Research 2018, 137, 759 -770.
AMA StyleAzade Deljouei, Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi, Ehsan Abdi, Markus Bernhardt-Römermann, Emily Louise Pascoe, Matteo Marcantonio. The impact of road disturbance on vegetation and soil properties in a beech stand, Hyrcanian forest. European Journal of Forest Research. 2018; 137 (6):759-770.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAzade Deljouei; Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi; Ehsan Abdi; Markus Bernhardt-Römermann; Emily Louise Pascoe; Matteo Marcantonio. 2018. "The impact of road disturbance on vegetation and soil properties in a beech stand, Hyrcanian forest." European Journal of Forest Research 137, no. 6: 759-770.
A wealth of human studies have demonstrated the importance of gut microbiota to health. Research on non-human animal gut microbiota is now increasing, but what insight does it provide? We reviewed 650 publications from this burgeoning field (2009–2016) and determined that animals driving this research were predominantly ‘domestic’ (48.2%), followed by ‘model’ (37.5%), with least studies on ‘wild’ (14.3%) animals. Domestic studies largely experimentally perturbed microbiota (81.8%) and studied mammals (47.9%), often to improve animal productivity. Perturbation was also frequently applied to model animals (87.7%), mainly mammals (88.1%), for forward translation of outcomes to human health. In contrast, wild animals largely characterised natural, unperturbed microbiota (79.6%), particularly in pest or pathogen vectoring insects (42.5%). We used network analyses to compare the research foci of each animal group: ‘diet’ was the main focus in all three, but to different ends: to enhance animal production (domestic), to study non-infectious diseases (model), or to understand microbiota composition (wild). Network metrics quantified model animal studies as the most interdisciplinary, while wild animals incorporated the fewest disciplines. Overall, animal studies, especially model and domestic, cover a broad array of research. Wild animals, however, are the least investigated, but offer under-exploited opportunities to study ‘real-life’ microbiota.
Emily L Pascoe; Heidi C Hauffe; Julian R Marchesi; Sarah E Perkins. Network analysis of gut microbiota literature: an overview of the research landscape in non-human animal studies. The ISME Journal 2017, 11, 2644 -2651.
AMA StyleEmily L Pascoe, Heidi C Hauffe, Julian R Marchesi, Sarah E Perkins. Network analysis of gut microbiota literature: an overview of the research landscape in non-human animal studies. The ISME Journal. 2017; 11 (12):2644-2651.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmily L Pascoe; Heidi C Hauffe; Julian R Marchesi; Sarah E Perkins. 2017. "Network analysis of gut microbiota literature: an overview of the research landscape in non-human animal studies." The ISME Journal 11, no. 12: 2644-2651.
Multiple parasite species simultaneously infecting a host can interact with one another, which has the potential to influence host-parasite interactions. Invasive species typically lose members of their parasite community during the invasion process. Not only do the founding population escape their parasites, but the rapid range expansion of invaders once in the invaded range can lead to additional stochastic loss of parasites. As such, parasite community dynamics may change along an invasion gradient, with consequences for host invasion success. Here, we use the bank vole, Myodes glareolus, introduced as a small founding population at a point source in the Republic of Ireland in c.1920's and its ecto- and endoparasites to ask: i) how does the parasite community vary across an invasion gradient, and ii) are parasite community associations driven by host traits and/or distance from the point of host introduction? We sampled the parasite community of M. glareolus at the proposed focal site of introduction, at mid-wave and the invasion front, and used a parasite interactivity index and statistical models to determine the potential for the parasite community to interact. Bank voles harboured up to six different parasite taxa, with a significantly higher parasite interactivity index at the foci of introduction (z = 2.33, p = 0.02) than elsewhere, suggesting the most established parasite community has greater opportunities to interact. All but one of four synergistic parasite community associations were driven by host traits; sex and body mass. The remaining parasite-parasite associations occurred at the mid-point of the invasion wave, suggesting that specific parasite-parasite interactions are not mediated by distance from a focal point of host introduction. We propose that host traits rather than location along an invasion gradient are more likely to determine parasite-parasite interactions in the invasive bank vole.
Sarah E. Perkins; Thomas Andrew White; Emily L. Pascoe; Emma L. Gillingham. Parasite community dynamics in an invasive vole – From focal introduction to wave front. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 2017, 6, 412 -419.
AMA StyleSarah E. Perkins, Thomas Andrew White, Emily L. Pascoe, Emma L. Gillingham. Parasite community dynamics in an invasive vole – From focal introduction to wave front. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. 2017; 6 (3):412-419.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSarah E. Perkins; Thomas Andrew White; Emily L. Pascoe; Emma L. Gillingham. 2017. "Parasite community dynamics in an invasive vole – From focal introduction to wave front." International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 6, no. 3: 412-419.
Parasitic infections are ubiquitous in wildlife, livestock and human populations, and healthy ecosystems are often parasite rich. Yet, their negative impacts can be extreme. Understanding how both anticipated and cryptic changes in a system might affect parasite transmission at an individual, local and global level is critical for sustainable control in humans and livestock. Here we highlight and synthesize evidence regarding potential effects of ‘system changes’ (both climatic and anthropogenic) on parasite transmission from wild host–parasite systems. Such information could inform more efficient and sustainable parasite control programmes in domestic animals or humans. Many examples from diverse terrestrial and aquatic natural systems show how abiotic and biotic factors affected by system changes can interact additively, multiplicatively or antagonistically to influence parasite transmission, including through altered habitat structure, biodiversity, host demographics and evolution. Despite this, few studies of managed systems explicitly consider these higher-order interactions, or the subsequent effects of parasite evolution, which can conceal or exaggerate measured impacts of control actions. We call for a more integrated approach to investigating transmission dynamics, which recognizes these complexities and makes use of new technologies for data capture and monitoring, and to support robust predictions of altered parasite dynamics in a rapidly changing world. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Opening the black box: re-examining the ecology and evolution of parasite transmission’.
Joanne Cable; Iain Barber; Brian Boag; Amy R. Ellison; Eric Morgan; Kris Murray; Emily Pascoe; Steven M. Sait; Anthony J. Wilson; Mark Booth. Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2017, 372, 20160088 .
AMA StyleJoanne Cable, Iain Barber, Brian Boag, Amy R. Ellison, Eric Morgan, Kris Murray, Emily Pascoe, Steven M. Sait, Anthony J. Wilson, Mark Booth. Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2017; 372 (1719):20160088.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoanne Cable; Iain Barber; Brian Boag; Amy R. Ellison; Eric Morgan; Kris Murray; Emily Pascoe; Steven M. Sait; Anthony J. Wilson; Mark Booth. 2017. "Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 372, no. 1719: 20160088.
In an international research environment, accurate communication is vital. However, the scientific literature does not always utilise consistent terminology and the misuse of some expressions in epidemiology is rife. We encourage the correct terms to be used appropriately to avoid confusion between scientists, policy makers, and members of the public.
Matteo Marcantonio; Emily L. Pascoe; Frédéric Baldacchino. Sometimes Scientists Get the Flu. Wrong…! Trends in Parasitology 2017, 33, 7 -9.
AMA StyleMatteo Marcantonio, Emily L. Pascoe, Frédéric Baldacchino. Sometimes Scientists Get the Flu. Wrong…! Trends in Parasitology. 2017; 33 (1):7-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatteo Marcantonio; Emily L. Pascoe; Frédéric Baldacchino. 2017. "Sometimes Scientists Get the Flu. Wrong…!" Trends in Parasitology 33, no. 1: 7-9.