Nipah virus disease (NVD) is a newly emerged zoonosis with a case fatality rate of 40%-75%. NVD is a severe threat to human health and the development of livestock farming. NVD has become one of the emerging infectious diseases with great concern globally during more than 20 years. Nipah virus (NiV) is a pathogen for NVD, the natural host of which is Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family. The clinical spectrum of NiV infection is broad, including asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection, fatal encephalitis, and even death. Since NiV was first identified in Malaysia in 1999, it has been prevalent mainly in Southeast Asia and South Asia. NiV is primarily transmitted to humans through bat-pig-human, contaminated food. Currently, there are no specific therapeutic drugs and vaccines for NVD. Although there are no cases of NVD reported in China, which has close personnel and trade exchanges with major NVD-endemic countries, and NiV antibody has also been detected in relevant bats. There is a potential risk of importing NVD and domestic outbreaks in the future in this country. This paper provides a systematic review of the research progress in the prevention and control of NVD etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and laboratory diagnosis to help relevant staff to understand NVD more comprehensively and systematically.
Animals ; Chiroptera ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Henipavirus Infections/prevention & control* ; Nipah Virus ; Swine ; Zoonoses/prevention & control*

Four organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, WHO, and the World Organization for Animal Health, recently launched a new One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022-2026) which was the first time that the Quadripartite had issued a joint action plan on One Health. The action plan aimed to address the health challenges in the human, animal, plant, and environment, focusing on improving capabilities in six action tracks including One Health capacities, emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resistance and environment. This introduction will give an overview and brief translation of the background, content, and the plan's value, to help readers understand the joint action plan quickly.
Animals ; Humans ; Agriculture ; Global Health ; One Health ; United Nations ; Zoonoses/prevention & control*

A study of 426 rabbits from 3 cities in Jilin province (Changchun City and Jilin City) and Liaoning province (Shenyang City) was conducted between May and June 2015. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in rabbits was 0.94% (4/426), with 0% (0/116), 1.72% (3/174), and 0.74% (1/136) in Jilin, Changchun, and Shenyang City, respectively. Only 3 farms (farm 1 and farm 3 in Changchun City, farm 8 in Shenyang City) were PCR-positive for E. bieneusi. Moreover, rabbits of more than 6 months (1.72%) had the highest E. bieneusi prevalence, followed by rabbits of 4-6 months (1.26%), 2-3 months (0.58%), and less than 1 month (0%). Analysis of ITS gene of E. bieneusi suggested that all 4 E. bieneusi isolates were genotype D, and were classified as group 1a. The present results first demonstrated the existence of zoonotic E. bieneusi in domestic rabbits in China. Effective control measures should be implemented to prevent E. bieneusi infection in domestic rabbits, other animals, and humans.
Animals ; China/epidemiology ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics ; Enterocytozoon/*genetics ; Genotype ; Microsporidiosis/epidemiology/parasitology/prevention & control/*veterinary ; Rabbits/*microbiology ; Zoonoses/microbiology/prevention & control

BACKGROUND: In recent years in Korea, human brucellosis (HB) and human leptospirosis (HL) have become the major zoonoses with a dramatic increased cases of incidence in man; we analyzed the current state and epidemiological aspects of related risk factors from 2001 to 2008. METHODS: Based on the surveillance data of HB and HL, most are confirmed cases in Korea from the Annual Reports of HB and HL in the Disease Web Statistics System, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDCP). RESULTS: The incidence of HB in Korea from 2001 to 2008 was 596 cases, and that of HL was 1,025 cases. When both prevalence rates were compared during the same period, the HB was lower than that of HL. The seasonal distribution of HB cases showed that the incidence from spring to summer were higher than that of HL (P<0.01), while the outbreaks of HL in autumn was much more than that of HB (P<0.01). Geographical distribution HB cases were western and central regions of the rural (60.4% of total) in the Korean peninsula, showing higher outbreaks than other areas, while HL occurred in easterly regions (72.7%). Significantly more males were infected in both HB (84.2%) and HL (58.9%) than those of females in both HB (13.1%) and HL (41.1%), respectively (P<0.01). The distribution by age groups were different between HB and HL, while the outbreaks over 62.8% of the cases of HB occurred in 40 to 59 year-old age group, and that of HL was clearly showing a high incidence in the elderly age over-60-year-old (60.8%) (P<0.01). In both diseases, elderly people especially in farmers showed a very high prevalence rate (62.8% of HB and 60.8% of HL), which is possibly due to increased outdoor activities and a decreased number of young people in those areas. The occupational distribution of HB cases were farmers, veterinarians, dairyman and others, and those of HL cases were broad. CONCLUSION: The difference in HB and HL risk factors reflects the different influences of hosts/vector, climate, and geographical and environmental characteristics in the epidemiological patterns.
Aged ; Brucellosis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Climate ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leptospirosis ; Male ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Veterinarians ; Zoonoses

Alveolar echinococcosis is one of the most important lethal zoonotic helminth infections in the northern hemisphere. Currently, the threat to public health is increasing, as evidenced by the rising prevalence rate of alveolar echinococcosis, as well as the invasion of urban areas by infected wild foxes. This threat is further increased due to the involvement of pet dogs, and probably cats, as emerging sources of infection. These increased threats to public health also have associated economic risks; therefore, there is a need for effective and sustainable methods of control. In this paper, initiatives to control alveolar echinococcosis by targeting its definitive hosts through anthelmintic baiting campaigns initiated by local residents who used local resources for bait production, distribution and collection of fecal samples for diagnosis are described. Further, when such distribution programs are coupled with the use of GIS-based maps, the optimum distribution of bait was obtained. These programs have also included the use of intravital diagnostic analyses of infection rates, which have been overseen by the Forum on Environment and Animals (FEA), and also allowed a nationwide monitoring of echinococcosis in difinitive hosts. In addition, a government initiative requiring mandatory reporting of echinococcosis in dogs to health authorities was recently initiated in Japan. Overall, the results of this study have shown that use of collaborative control initiatives targeting zoonotic agents of alveolar echinococcosis can be an effective method for reducing the threat of lethal echinococcosis in the northern hemisphere.
Animals ; Anthelmintics/economics/therapeutic use ; Echinococcosis, Hepatic/drug therapy/epidemiology/*parasitology/*prevention & control ; Echinococcus/*physiology ; Government Programs ; Humans ; Public Health/methods ; *Zoonoses/epidemiology/parasitology

Rabies remains a continuous threat to public health in Beijing. In this study, a total of 224 brain tissues were collected from suspected infected stray dogs within Beijing between January 2015 and December 2016. Among them, total of 67 samples were diagnosed positive for rabies. In the phylogenetic analysis, rabies in Beijing is currently a relatively independent public health issue originating from local rabid dogs apart from the imported cases from elsewhere in the country. Because vaccination of unregistered dogs against rabies is still neglected in Beijing and other regions of China, national and local authorities should play central roles in all related aspects, such as development of policies, engagement of stakeholders for public and professional education, entire vaccination process, and animal management.
Animals ; Beijing ; epidemiology ; Bites and Stings ; epidemiology ; Dog Diseases ; virology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Public Health ; Rabies ; prevention & control ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; Zoonoses

Anthrax has become endemic throughout the upper Zambezi floodplain located in the Western Province of Zambia over the recent years. To date, no comprehensive study has been carried out to determine whether recurrence of anthrax outbreaks may be linked to differences in precipitation and human activities. Retrospective data for the period 1999 to 2007 showed that a total of 1,216 bovine cases of anthrax were reported. During the same period, 1,790 human anthrax cases and a corresponding case fatality rate of 4.63% (83/1,790) was documented in the upper Zambezi floodplain. Occurrence of human cases was highly correlated with cattle outbreaks (r = 0.94, p < 0.001). Differences in precipitation were significantly associated with the occurrence of anthrax outbreaks (chi2 = 4.75, p < 0.03), indicating that the likelihood of outbreaks occurring was higher during the dry months when human occupancy of the floodplain was greater compared to the flooding months when people and livestock moved out of this region. Human dependency on the floodplain was shown to significantly influence the epidemiology of anthrax in the upper Zambezi floodplain of western Zambia. Methods for mitigating anthrax outbreaks by disrupting the cycle of transmission are herein highlighted.
Animals ; Anthrax/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission/*veterinary ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission ; Climate ; Disease Outbreaks/*veterinary ; Human Activities ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Zambia/epidemiology ; Zoonoses/epidemiology/microbiology/transmission

Avian influenza has emerged as one of the primary public health concern of the 21st century. Influenza strain H5N1 is capable of incidentally infecting humans and other mammals. Since their reemergence in 2003, highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses have been transmitted from poultry to humans (by direct or indirect contact with infected birds) in several provinces of Mainland China, which has resulted in 22 cases of human infection and has created repercussions for the Chinese economy. People have been concerned whether a new pandemic will occur in the future. The eradication of pathogenic avian influenza viruses appears to be the most effective way to prevent an influenza pandemic. This paper will examine the features of H5N1, including incidence, infection, immunity, clinical management, prevention and control, and therapy in Mainland China.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Birds ; Child ; China/epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; *Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; Influenza in Birds/prevention & control ; Influenza, Human/*epidemiology/immunology/therapy ; Male ; Zoonoses/epidemiology/transmission/virology

BACKGROUND: Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a gram-positive, spore- forming bacillus. Several cases of anthrax have been reported in Korea; it occurred as an outbreak after ingesting raw meat of an anthrax-infected cow. Among those reported cases, most of them were of gastrointestinal anthrax and a case report of cutaneous anthrax was also included. An outbreak of anthrax occurred in a village of Chang-Nyeong, Kyoungsangnamdo, Korea on July, 2000. The source of infection was the meat of an infected cow. We investigated clinical features and epidemiologic characteristics of the outbreak. METHODS: Subjects were inhabitants and visitors who were exposed to the contaminated meat by ingestion or handling. Diagnosis and classification of clinical forms of anthrax were done according to the CDC case definition. A group of investigators composed of epidemiologists and medical doctors visited the village, and examined the residents and visitors exposed to contaminated meat by interviewing with standard questionare and physical examination. RESULTS: Among 40 persons who contacted meat by ingestion and/or handling, 5(12.5%) developed cutaneous anthrax and 2 of them died; 4 were confirmed cases and 1 was suspected case. B. anthracis was isolated from the vesicular lesions of hands or forearms in those 4 confirmed cases and, in one patient who died of meningitis, the organism was also isolated in blood culture. All patients were of cutaneous anthrax, 3 were recovered and 2 died due to complications : one of meningitis and the other of intracranial hemorrhage. All 40 people consumed meat in cooked state not in raw. No anthrax occurred in 28 persons who only ingested cooked meat without any contact with the raw meat. Five cases of cutaneous anthrax were developed among those 12 persons who handled raw meat in preparation for cooking. CONCLUSION: Anthrax should be suspected in patients with cutaneous lesions of vesicle or eschar on their exposed area after contacting animals or animal products, especially in an outbreak.
Animals ; Anthrax* ; Bacillus ; Bacillus anthracis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Classification ; Cooking ; Diagnosis ; Eating ; Forearm ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Hand ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Korea* ; Meat ; Meningitis ; Physical Examination ; Research Personnel ; Zoonoses