Review
Veterinary Sciences
Brandon H. Hayes, Timothee Vergne, Mathieu Andraud, Nicolas Rose
Summary: Modeling infectious diseases at the livestock-wildlife interface presents unique challenges. A scoping review of scientific literature revealed limited use of mathematical modeling in this context, mainly focusing on evaluating control strategies. Representing wildlife locations is often reliant on habitat suitability, while livestock species can be explicitly located. Exploring transmission dynamics and incorporating genomic data can enhance the value of such models.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Harriet Bartlett, Mark A. Holmes, Silviu O. Petrovan, David R. Williams, James L. N. Wood, Andrew Balmford
Summary: Intensive livestock farming may increase the risk of disease transmission due to factors such as long-distance livestock movements, high densities, and poor animal health. However, data on these factors are limited, and analyses often overlook the impact of land use and yield on disease risks. As a result, it is currently unclear whether lower or higher yielding systems would be better at mitigating the risk of future pandemics.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yusuf Bitrus Ngoshe, Eric Etter, Jose Pablo Gomez-Vazquez, Peter N. Thompson
Summary: The presence of zoonotic diseases in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province adversely affects livestock production and farmers' livelihoods. A study conducted among communal livestock farmers in the far northern corner of the province revealed that there is a lack of awareness and knowledge about zoonotic diseases. The study also identified challenges faced by the farmers, including water scarcity, insufficient grazing land, stock theft, and animal diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maurice Omondi Owiny, Ben Kipchumba Ngare, Bernard Chege Mugo, Jacob Rotich, Arithi Mutembei, Khadijah Chepkorir, Rinah Sitawa, Mark Obonyo, Joshua Orungo Onono
Summary: This study investigated the perceptions of community members near Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya regarding zoonotic diseases. The results indicated that the participants had knowledge about common zoonotic diseases such as anthrax, rabies, and brucellosis, and suggested increased community involvement in epidemic surveillance and control.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Gift Matope, Masimba B. Gadaga, Barbara Bhebhe, Priscilla T. Tshabalala, Pious V. Makaya
Summary: This study investigated the seroprevalence and isolation of Brucella spp. and Mycobacterium bovis in cattle at the livestock-wildlife interface areas. The results showed that high interface areas had a significantly higher seroprevalence of brucellosis, suggesting that limiting contact between livestock and wildlife is an important measure to control brucellosis.
VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ilias Karmiris, Thomas G. Papachristou, Dimitrios Fotakis
Summary: Silvopasture is a traditional agroforestry practice that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting species. However, the abandonment of this practice in Europe has led to changes in vegetation and wildlife habitats, potentially negatively impacting certain species' habitat use.
Article
Ecology
D. Rapp, C. M. Ross, P. Maclean, V. M. Cave, G. Brightwell
Summary: This study evaluated the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in dairy farm environments, highlighting cow feces, freshly contaminated environments, birds, and flies as common routes of transmission. Phylogenetic analysis of whole genome sequences revealed the presence of multiple clonal strains spreading within the farm, indicating various potential transmission routes.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Irene Torres-Blas, Xavier Fernandez Aguilar, Oscar Cabezon, Virginia Aragon, Lourdes Migura-Garcia
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health issue stemming from inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs in human and veterinary medicine. Little is known about the presence and impact of AMR in wildlife, particularly in ecosystems with low human pressure. Our study found evidence of AMR in Pyrenean chamois and domestic sheep, with some isolates showing resistance to critical antibiotics for human health. Further research is needed to understand how AMR genes spread in natural environments and their persistence in wildlife to develop risk mitigation strategies.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Francis Mugabi, Kevin J. Duffy
Summary: African swine fever (ASF), a contagious disease of pigs, can have devastating economic consequences. This study examines the impact of different transmission cycles on the outbreak and persistence of ASF at a wildlife-livestock interface. The results show that all cycles can lead to major disease outbreaks, and the disease can persist if ticks are not controlled. However, disease extinction is certain if ticks are controlled, regardless of the cycle, though it may take a long time.
NONLINEAR ANALYSIS-REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Patricia Barroso, Maria A. Risalde, Ignacio Garcia-Bocanegra, Pelayo Acevedo, Jose Angel Barasona, Pablo Palencia, Francisco Carro, Saul Jimenez-Ruiz, Joan Pujols, Vidal Montoro, Joaquin Vicente
Summary: This study focused on the long-term epidemiological perspective of bluetongue in wild ruminants, particularly deer species in Spain. The research found significant differences in seroprevalences of BTV between red deer and fallow deer, with red deer having higher rates. Factors such as wet years and high deer densities were identified as potential modulating factors in BTV transmission.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Laith Yakob, Wenbiao Hu, Francesca D. Frentiu, Narayan Gyawali, Leon E. Hugo, Brian Johnson, Colleen Lau, Luis Furuya-Kanamori, Ricardo Soares Magalhaes, Gregor Devine
Summary: An outbreak of Japanese encephalitis virus in Southern Australia has caused concern as it has spread to multiple states, resulting in 30 confirmed cases and 6 deaths. The article discusses the drivers behind the outbreak and estimates the potential size of the at-risk population.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jenny E. Goldstein, Ibnu Budiman, Anna Canny, Deborah Dwipartidrisa
Summary: Global pandemics have been occurring more frequently due to rapid cross-continental transmission of viral zoonoses facilitated by global travel, especially in Asia where infectious diseases from wildlife or domesticated animals have been jumping to human hosts. Changes in land use patterns such as biodiversity loss, urbanization, and agricultural expansion have enabled past viral zoonotic 'spillover' events from animals to humans in southern China and Southeast Asia, making future pandemics more likely.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ana C. Reis, Liliana C. M. Salvador, Suelee Robbe-Austerman, Rogerio Tenreiro, Ana Botelho, Teresa Albuquerque, Monica Cunha
Summary: The study used whole genome sequencing to analyze Mycobacterium bovis isolates from Portugal, revealing relationships between different genotypes and the transmission of the pathogen in a multi-host system. Results showed that the M. bovis population can be divided into five genetic clades, three of which exhibit distinct geographic specificities.
Article
Ecology
Francis Mugabi, Kevin J. Duffy
Summary: Increasing reported outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) at wildlife-livestock interfaces have led to increased interest in understanding the transmission dynamics and effective control strategies. The study found that tick mortality and recruitment rates are key parameters for the spread of ASF.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tandiwe Katswara, Samson Mukaratirwa
Summary: The study revealed a lack of awareness and knowledge about ATBF and the role of ticks as disease vectors among rural communities in South Africa. While some farmers reported frequent exposure to tick bites, they did not associate it with the transmission of diseases.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Corey J. Kramer, Melanie R. Boudreau, Ryan S. Miller, Ryan Powers, Kurt C. VerCauteren, Ryan K. Brook
Summary: Canadian wild pigs show diel and seasonal variations in resource selection and movement. Forests are preferred during the day, while corn, oilseeds, and wheat are preferred at night. Wetlands and forests are highly utilized habitats, and crop use increases with maturation.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mark Q. Wilber, Anni Yang, Raoul Boughton, Kezia R. Manlove, Ryan S. Miller, Kim M. Pepin, George Wittemyer
Summary: The explosion of fine-resolution movement data in animal systems offers an opportunity to quantify transmission risk and improve disease outbreak forecasts. However, a generalizable model that leverages movement data to quantify transmission risk is lacking. We developed a flexible model, MoveSTIR, that uses animal movement data to derive metrics of contact and pathogen deposition and acquisition. Ignoring fine-scale animal movements can mischaracterize transmission risk and epidemiological dynamics.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ryan S. Miller, Sarah N. Bevins, Gericke Cook, Ross Free, Kim M. Pepin, Thomas Gidlewski, Vienna R. Brown
Summary: Animal disease surveillance is crucial for protecting animal agriculture and detecting the introduction of foreign animal diseases. Monitoring wildlife for early identification of diseases is challenging due to the complex ecology and lack of data. To address this, we developed an adaptive risk-based surveillance approach that prioritizes surveillance areas based on risks in source and recipient host populations.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter E. Schlichting, Raoul K. Boughton, Wes Anderson, Bethany Wight, Kurt C. VerCauteren, Ryan S. Miller, Jesse S. Lewis
Summary: An individual's spatial behavior is influenced by social and environmental factors, providing important insights into population processes. By studying space use in wild pigs, differences between sexes and seasons were observed. The results suggest that wild pigs may exhibit territorial behavior, with seasonal variations in their space use.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kim M. Pepin, Vienna R. Brown, Anni Yang, James C. Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Kurt C. VerCauteren, Ryan S. Miller, Sarah N. Bevins
Summary: African swine fever virus (ASFv) poses a significant threat to domestic swine industries globally and persists in wild boar populations. In order to effectively eliminate ASFv, it is necessary to consider wild pig populations and adjust response plans based on local ecology. By developing a disease transmission model in two ecosystems in Southeastern United States, we determined the optimal response area and culling strategies to rapidly eliminate ASFv.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Shinyoung Lee, Peixin Fan, Ting Liu, Anni Yang, Raoul K. Boughton, Kim M. Pepin, Ryan S. Miller, Kwangcheol Casey Jeong
Summary: Analysis of microbiome data shows that wild animals harbor more antibiotic-resistant organisms than livestock, indicating that they may be a source of antibiotic-resistant microbes in outbreaks.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kendra Gilbertson, Peter Brommesson, Amanda Minter, Clayton Hallman, Ryan S. Miller, Katie Portacci, Stefan Sellman, Michael J. Tildesley, Colleen T. Webb, Tom Lindstrom, Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson
Summary: Transboundary animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease (FMD), pose a significant threat to global food security. Mathematical models can help understand and control disease outbreaks, but the assumptions made about transmission behavior and livestock movement patterns have varying impacts on predictions. This study found that demographic factors are key drivers of outbreaks, but understanding management objectives is also important for making choices about model assumptions.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Stefan Sellman, Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson, Clayton Hallman, Ryan S. Miller, Katharine A. Owers Bonner, Katie Portacci, Colleen T. Webb, Tom Lindstroem
Summary: Livestock movements between agricultural premises play a crucial role in spreading infectious diseases. This study introduces three major improvements to the USAMM model, including increased resolution, predictions of shipment sizes, and consideration of premise types and herd sizes. The authors fitted parameters using CVI data and created synthetic networks for livestock disease modeling.
COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Stefan Sellman, Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson, Clayton Hallman, Ryan S. Miller, Katharine A. Owers Bonner, Katie Portacci, Colleen T. Webb, Tom Lindstrom
Summary: The spread of infectious livestock diseases and the role of livestock movements in transmission are major concerns in agriculture. To fill the gap in data on livestock shipments, the U.S. Animal Movement Model (USAMM) was developed, expanding to include domestic swine. It provides insights into the complete livestock shipment network structure and allows for further research on livestock disease and movements.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ryan S. S. Miller, Michael A. A. Tabak, David W. W. Wolfson, Christopher L. L. Burdett
Summary: Invasion of nonindigenous species is a pressing problem for native ecosystems and agriculture. Mechanistic models that account for short-term population dynamics can improve prediction by incorporating demographic processes and environmental conditions. However, short-term population dynamics are not often considered in spatial models of invasive species spread.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shelby C. McClelland, Jill D. Haddix, Shefali Azad, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Raoul K. Boughton, Ryan S. Miller, Hilary M. Swain, Jasmine A. Dillon
Summary: This study piloted two approaches, PSR and PSL, to quantify biodiversity impacts in livestock production. The comparison between semi-native pasture (SNP) and improved pasture (IMP) revealed that SNP had fewer deleterious effects on biodiversity, with lower PSL and greater biotic integrity under PSR. Both approaches agreed in the direction of the outcome, highlighting the importance of using them complementarily to evaluate biodiversity impacts.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sophie C. McKee, Vienna R. Brown, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Glorianna M. Giallombardo, Ryan S. Miller
Summary: Livestock production plays a crucial role in agriculture, ensuring food security, human health, and livelihoods worldwide. The study presents a method to identify potential introduction sites of three major foreign animal diseases into the United States. By analyzing data on contaminated meat products, livestock density, and the likelihood of local herd contamination, the study identifies central Florida as the most likely introduction site for African swine fever and classical swine fever, and western California for foot-and-mouth disease in swine and northeastern Texas for cattle. This method provides valuable insights for surveillance and resource allocation to combat the establishment of these diseases in the U.S.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson, Erin E. Gorsich, Clayton Hallman, Michael J. Tildesley, Ryan S. Miller, Colleen T. Webb
Summary: Transboundary livestock diseases are a major concern due to the economic burdens they bring. Mathematical models are used by policy makers to understand control strategies and outbreak scenarios. This study develops stochastic simulation models to study foot and mouth disease dynamics and the implications of different assumptions about the timing of infectiousness and clinical signs.
Article
Ecology
Anni Yang, Mark Q. Wilber, Kezia R. Manlove, Ryan S. Miller, Raoul Boughton, James Beasley, Joseph Northrup, Kurt C. VerCauteren, George Wittemyer, Kim Pepin
Summary: Quantifying spatiotemporally explicit interactions within animal populations using continuous-time movement models (CTMMs) fit to GPS tracking data allows for understanding social structure and its relationship with ecological processes. The method can overcome challenges in estimating interactions from discrete and coarse temporal resolution data, and can be used to infer dynamic social networks, transmission potential in disease systems, consumer-resource interactions, and more. The new CTMM-Interaction method recovers a majority of true interactions and provides a framework for future predictive models linking observed spatiotemporal interaction patterns to environmental drivers.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Vienna R. Brown, Ryan S. Miller, Courtney F. Bowden, Timothy J. Smyser, Nicholas A. Ledesma, Airn Hartwig, Paul Gordy, Aaron M. Anderson, Stephanie M. Porter, Kate Alexander, Zane Gouker, Thomas Gidlewski, Richard A. Bowen, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth
Summary: Invasive feral swine play a crucial role in disease surveillance as carriers and transmitters of various diseases. This study aimed to improve understanding of bacterial dissemination and antibody response following Brucella suis infection in feral swine. The 8% card agglutination test showed the best performance as a diagnostic assay. Implementing these diagnostic assays for B. suis surveillance among feral swine would enhance national-level risk assessment.