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219 records returned

Local Scale Effects of Disease on BiodiversityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined the role of infectious disease in structuring local biodiversity. Our intention was to illustrate how variable outcomes can occur by focusing on three case studies: the influence of chestnut blight on forest communities dominated by chestnut trees, the influence of red-spot disease on urchin barrens and kelp forests, and the influence of sylvatic plague on grassland communities inhabited by prairie dogs. Our findings reveal that at local scales infectious disease seems to play an important, though unpredictable, role in structuring species diversity. Through our case studies, we have shown that diseases ca...
Source: EcoHealth - November 18, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Examining Landscape Factors Influencing Relative Distribution of Mosquito Genera and Frequency of Virus InfectionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We present an approach to study variation in mosquito distribution and concomitant viral infections on the landscape level. In a pilot study we analyzed mosquito distribution along a 10-km transect of a West African rainforest area, which included primary forest, secondary forest, plantations, and human settlements. Variation was observed in the abundance of Anopheles, Aedes, Culex, and Uranotaenia mosquitoes between the different habitat types. Screening of trapped mosquitoes from the different habitats led to the isolation of five uncharacterized viruses of the families Bunyaviridae, Coronaviridae, Flaviviridae, and...
Source: EcoHealth - November 14, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Role of Wild Suids in the Epidemiology of African Swine FeverEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract There is presently no vaccine to combat African swine fever (ASF), a viral hemorrhagic fever of domestic pigs that causes up to 100% morbidity and mortality in naive, commercial pig populations. In its endemic setting, ASF virus cycles between asymptomatic warthogs and soft ticks, with persistence in exotic locations being ascribed to the almost global distribution of susceptible soft tick and suid hosts. An understanding of the role played by diverse hosts in the epidemiology of this multi-host disease is crucial for effective disease control. Unlike the intensively studied Ornithodoros tick vector...
Source: EcoHealth - November 14, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

What’s New?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory What's New?DOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0255-8 Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - November 13, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Improving Environmental Sanitation, Health, and Well-Being: A Conceptual Framework for Integral InterventionsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract We introduce a conceptual framework for improving health and environmental sanitation in urban and peri-urban areas using an approach combining health, ecological, and socioeconomic and cultural assessments. The framework takes into account the three main components: i) health status, ii) physical environment, and iii) socioeconomic and cultural environment. Information on each of these three components can be obtained by using standard disciplinary methods and an innovative combination of these methods. In this way, analyses lead to extended characterization of health, ecological, and social risks ...
Source: EcoHealth - November 13, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Aeroallergens, Allergic Disease, and Climate Change: Impacts and AdaptationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Recent research has shown that there are many effects of climate change on aeroallergens and thus allergic diseases in humans. Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration acts as a fertilizer for plant growth. The fertilizing effects of carbon dioxide, as well as increased temperatures from climate change, increase pollen production and the allergen content of pollen grains. In addition, higher temperatures are changing the timing and duration of the pollen season. As regional climates change, plants can move into new areas and changes in atmospheric circulation can blow pollen- and spore-con...
Source: EcoHealth - November 12, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

New Findings from an Old Pathogen: Intraerythrocytic Bacteria (Family Anaplasmatacea) in Red-Backed Salamanders Plethodon cinereusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract During a recent study of red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus), we discovered an intraerythrocytic organism typified by violet-staining, intracellular inclusions, consistent with descriptions of Cytamoeba or Aegyptianella (bacteria). Here we characterize its taxonomic status using molecular techniques and ask basic questions about its nature. Blood smears from 102 salamanders were examined from Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia to determine prevalence, and whole blood from several infected animals was tested using a PCR which targets the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of p...
Source: EcoHealth - November 12, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Influence of Catastrophic Climatic Events and Human Waste on Vibrio Distribution in the Karnaphuli Estuary, BangladeshEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Vibrios are bacteria of marine and estuarine origin that can cause human diseases, such as cholera, and also affect aquatic organisms. The impact of storm-driven changes in salinity and suspended particulate matter (SPM) on cultivable Vibrio counts (CVC) and distribution in Karnaphuli estuary, Bangladesh, was compared before and after a strong cyclone in mid May 2007 and after a monsoon landslide a month later. CVC were higher (~103 colony forming units—cfu/ml) at estuary’s mouth (salinity 20–15 parts per thousand, ppt) and steeply declined landwards. CVC and their proportion of total aerobic b...
Source: EcoHealth - November 10, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Prevalence, Emergence, and Factors Associated with a Viral Papillomatosis and Carcinomatosis Syndrome in Wild, Reintroduced, and Captive Western Barred Bandicoots (Perameles bougainville)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study examined the prevalence and distribution of BPCV1 and the associated syndrome in two island and four mainland (reintroduced and captive) WBB populations in Western Australia, and factors that may be associated with susceptibility to this syndrome. BPCV1 and the syndrome were found in the wild WBB population at Red Cliff on Bernier Island, and in mainland populations established from all or a proportion of founder WBBs from Red Cliff. BPCV1 and the syndrome were not found in the wild population on Dorre Island or in the mainland population founded by animals exclusively from Dorre Island. Findings suggested ...
Source: EcoHealth - November 7, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

A Call for “Smart Surveillance”: A Lesson Learned from H1N1Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory EditorialDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0253-xAuthors Peter Daszak, Wildlife Trust New York NY USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - September 17, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

In This IssueEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory In This IssueDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0244-y Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - August 11, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Quality of Life and Health Perceptions Among Fish-Eating Communities of the Brazilian Amazon: An Ecosystem Approach to Well-BeingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study is part of the CARUSO Project, which uses an ecosystem approach to human health to examine the sources, transmission, and effects of Hg in the Brazilian Amazon, with a view to developing preventive intervention strategy. To date, studies have focused on measures of Hg exposure through fish consumption in relation to health effects; little attention has been given to quality of life (QoL). The objective of this study was to examine the relations between QoL and health perceptions, Hg exposure, sociodemographics, living conditions, and lifestyle in communities along the Tapajós River. A total of 456 adults f...
Source: EcoHealth - August 11, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Rock, Paper, Scissors; Chicken, Human, SwineEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory About The CoverDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0245-xAuthors Peter Daszak, Wildlife Trust 460 West 34th St., 17th Floor New York 10001 NY USASara E. Howard, Wildlife Trust 460 West 34th St., 17th Floor New York 10001 NY USAAleksei A. Chmura, Wildlife Trust 460 West 34th St., 17th Floor New York 10001 NY USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - July 28, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Biodiversity and Human HealthEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Book ReviewDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0242-0Authors A. Alonso Aguirre, Wildlife Trust 460 West 34th Street, 17th Floor New York NY 10001 USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - July 15, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

AcknowledgmentsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory AcknowledgmentsDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0243-z Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - July 10, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

What’s New?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory What's NewDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0241-1 Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - June 29, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Widespread Occurrence of the Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on Oregon Spotted Frogs (Rana pretiosa)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been associated with amphibian declines in multiple continents, including western North America. We investigated Bd prevalence in Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa), a species that has declined across its range in the Pacific Northwest. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of skin swabs indicated that Bd was prevalent within populations (420 of 617 juvenile and adults) and widespread among populations (36 of 36 sites) where we sampled R. pretiosa in Oregon and Washington. We rarely detected Bd in R. pretiosa larvae (2 of 72). Prevalence of Bd in post...
Source: EcoHealth - June 13, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Effect of Women’s Perceptions and Household Practices on Children’s Waterborne Illness in a Low Income CommunityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The objective of the study is to examine the association between women’s household practices and diarrhea among children in a setting where contaminated drinking water and intestinal diseases are common. A total of 280 women were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected on 712 children between the ages of 6 and 14. The study instrument included determinants of diarrhea such as sociodemographic characteristics, water, sanitation, hygiene practices, gender variables, and behavioral risk factors. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to examine the association betwe...
Source: EcoHealth - June 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Testing Mechanisms of the Dilution Effect: Deer Mice Encounter Rates, Sin Nombre Virus Prevalence and Species DiversityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Species diversity has been shown to decrease prevalence of disease in a variety of host–pathogen systems, in a phenomenon termed the Dilution Effect. Several mechanisms have been proposed by which diversity may decrease prevalence, though few have been tested in natural host-pathogen systems. We investigated the mechanisms by which diversity influenced the prevalence of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a directly transmitted virus in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). We monitored both intra and interspecific encounters of deer mice using foraging arenas at five sites in the Great Basin Desert with dispar...
Source: EcoHealth - June 4, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Sustaining Plants and People: Traditional Q’eqchi’ Maya Botanical Knowledge and Interactive Spatial Modeling in Prioritizing Conservation of Medicinal Plants for Culturally Relative Holistic Health PromotionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted to locate culturally important, regionally scarce, and disappearing medicinal plants via a novel participatory methodology which involves healer-expert knowledge in interactive spatial modeling to prioritize conservation efforts and thus facilitate health promotion via medicinal plant resource sustained availability. These surveys, conducted in the Maya Mountains, Belize, generate ethnobotanical, ecological, and geospatial data on species which are used by Q’eqchi’ Maya healers in practice. Several of these mountainous species are regionally scarce and the h...
Source: EcoHealth - May 20, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

The Effect of West Nile Virus Perceptions and Knowledge on Protective Behavior and Mosquito Breeding in Residential Yards in Upstate New YorkEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract A knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) questionnaire combined with entomological surveys of residential mosquito-breeding sites were conducted in two Upstate New York neighborhoods. We tested the hypothesis that “correct” West Nile virus (WNV) knowledge and perceptions correspond with the use of practices that prevent mosquitoes from breeding and biting. Our results demonstrate that perceptions of WNV relate to the number of positive containers in yards and the use of mosquito preventive measures. In contrast, WNV knowledge was not related. Culex pipiens and Cx. restuans were common species...
Source: EcoHealth - May 19, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Risk of Malaria Reemergence in Southern France: Testing Scenarios with a Multiagent Simulation ModelEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The objective of this study was to test potential drivers of malaria reemergence in this system after possible changes in biological attributes of vectors, agricultural practices, land use, tourism activities, and climate. Scenarios of plausible futures were formulated and then simulated using a spatially explicit and dynamic multiagent simulation: the MALCAM model. Scenarios were developed by varying the value of model inputs. Model outputs were compared based on the contact rate between people and potential malaria vectors, and the number of new infections in case of reintroduction of the parasite in the region. Mod...
Source: EcoHealth - May 16, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Association Between Habitat Size, Brushtail Possum Density, and the Mosquito Fauna of Native Forests in the Auckland Region, New ZealandEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study aimed to assess whether forest habitat size affected the community composition of mosquitoes, and whether the density of the introduced brushtail possum would benefit exotic mosquito species that feed primarily on mammal hosts. Extensive sampling of the mosquito community was carried out using dry ice-baited light traps, oviposition traps, and larval surveys. The results provided the first experimental evidence in New Zealand that changes in forest habitat size affect the indigenous and introduced mosquito fauna differently. The proportion of native species making up the mosquito community appears to be ste...
Source: EcoHealth - May 15, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Industrial Food Animal Production and Global Health Risks: Exploring the Ecosystems and Economics of Avian InfluenzaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article provides evidence suggesting that these industrial systems may increase animal and public health risks unless there is recognition of the specific biosecurity and biocontainment challenges of the industrial model. Moreover, the economic drivers and constraints faced by the industry and its participants must be fully understood in order to inform preventative policy. In order to more effectively reduce zoonotic disease risk from industrial food animal production, private incentives for the implementation of biosecurity must align with public health interests. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original...
Source: EcoHealth - May 13, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

After the Horse has Bolted: A Reply to Garner et al. (2009)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory LetterDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0231-3Authors Kerry M. Kriger, Griffith University Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies, School of Environment Gold Coast QLD 9222 AustraliaJean-Marc Hero, Griffith University Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies, School of Environment Gold Coast QLD 9222 Australia Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - May 13, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Incidence of Hemorrhagic Disease in White-Tailed Deer Is Associated with Winter and Summer Climatic ConditionsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The objective of this study was to determine whether temperature and precipitation were associated with a measure of annual incidence of HD in white-tailed deer from Virginia. The annual percentages of deer with hoof wall growth interruptions (a clinical sign of HD) from four climate divisions in the HD endemic area of Virginia recorded during 1993–2006 were used as indicators of annual HD incidence. Pearson’s correlation coefficients between these indicators of incidence and average temperature (°F) or total precipitation (in.) for each month, as well as for winter (January–February), early summer (June–July)...
Source: EcoHealth - May 9, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Endemic Salamander Species from Central TexasEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract A nested PCR protocol was used to analyze five endemic salamander species from Central Texas for the presence of the emerging pathogen, chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Chytrid fungus was detected from samples of each of the five species sampled: with low abundance, in the Texas salamander (Eurycea neotenes) (1 positive out of 16 individuals tested; 1/16), the Blanco River Springs salamander (E. pterophila) (1/20), the threatened San Marcos salamander (E. nana) (1/17), and the endangered Barton Springs salamander (E. sosorum) (1/7); much higher abundance was obtained for the Jollyville...
Source: EcoHealth - May 8, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Pollen Loads and Allergic Rhinitis in Darwin, Australia: A Potential Health Outcome of the Grass-Fire CycleEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Although the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis has been increasing in tropical regions, little is known about the allergenicity of pollens from tropical plant families or the importance of ongoing environmental changes. We investigated associations between daily average pollen counts of several tropical plant families and sales of medications for the treatment of allergic rhinitis in Darwin, Australia—a tropical setting in which grass abundance has increased due to increased fire frequencies and the introduction of African pasture grasses. Daily pollen counts with detailed identification ...
Source: EcoHealth - May 8, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

The Amphibian Trade: Bans or Best Practice?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory LetterDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0233-1Authors Trenton W. J. Garner, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Regents Park London NW1 4RY United KingdomIan Stephen, ZSL London Zoo, Zoological Society of London Regents Park London NW1 4RY United KingdomEmma Wombwell, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Regents Park London NW1 4RY United KingdomMatthew C. Fisher, St. Mary’s Hospital Division of Primary Care and Population Health Sciences, Imperial College Norfolk Place London W2 1PG United Kingdom Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - May 7, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Weather Variability, Sunspots, and the Blooms of CyanobacteriaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract The roles of weather variability and sunspots in the occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms, were investigated using cyanobacteria cell data collected from the Fred Haigh Dam, Queensland, Australia. Time series generalized linear model and classification and regression tree (CART) model were used in the analysis. Data on notified cell numbers of cyanobacteria and weather variables over the periods 2001 and 2005 were provided by the Australian Department of Natural Resources and Water, and Australian Bureau of Meteorology, respectively. The results indicate that monthly minimum temperature (relative risk...
Source: EcoHealth - May 7, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Chytridiomycosis, Amphibian Extinctions, and Lessons for the Prevention of Future PanzooticsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract The human-mediated transport of infected amphibians is the most plausible driver for the intercontinental spread of chytridiomycosis, a recently emerged infectious disease responsible for amphibian population declines and extinctions on multiple continents. Chytridiomycosis is now globally ubiquitous, and it cannot be eradicated from affected sites. Its rapid spread both within and between continents provides a valuable lesson on preventing future panzootics and subsequent erosion of biodiversity, not only of amphibians, but of a wide array of taxa: the continued inter-continental trade and transpor...
Source: EcoHealth - May 7, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Tool for Estimating the Risk of Anthropogenic Spread of Batrachochytrium denrobatidis Between Water BodiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a chytrid fungus, which has been associated with numerous amphibian mortality events around the world. It is hypothesized that Bd was inadvertently spread through human activities. We have developed a basic risk assessment tool to better understand the potential risk of transferring Bd between water bodies through field activities, and to target disinfection strategies which reduce the risk of spreading Bd. The questions in the risk assessment focus on the likelihood of Bd being present at sites, the likelihood of transferring the pathogen from one site to an...
Source: EcoHealth - May 7, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Fatal Chytridiomycosis in the Tyrrhenian Painted FrogEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report further evidence of the emergence of Bd on Sardinia and the first evidence of lethal chytridiomycosis outside of Spain. Unusual mortalities of the Tyrrhenian painted frog (Discoglossus sardus) were found at three sites in the Limbara mountains of northern Sardinia. Molecular and histological screens of corpses, frogs, and tadpoles from these sites revealed infection with Bd. Infection and mortality occurred at locations that are unusual in terms of the published habitat requirements of the pathogen. Given the endemicity, the IUCN Red List status of the amphibian species on Sardinia, and the occurrence of infe...
Source: EcoHealth - May 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Distribution and Pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Boreal Toads from the Grand Teton Area of Western WyomingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. Bd has been implicated in recent declines of boreal toads, Bufo boreas boreas, in Colorado but populations of boreal toads in western Wyoming have high prevalence of Bd without suffering catastrophic mortality. In a field and laboratory study, we investigated the prevalence of Bd in boreal toads from the Grand Teton ecosystem (GRTE) in Wyoming and tested the pathogenicity of Bd to these toads in several environments. The pathogen...
Source: EcoHealth - May 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Climate Change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case-Based PerspectiveEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article uses a series of five hypothetical cases to review the climate impacts on the health and well-being of individuals and populations in sub-Saharan Africa. This approach fosters insights into the human dimensions of the risks to health, their interaction with local human ecology, and awareness of the diverse health ramifications of external environmental changes. Each case illustrates the health impact resulting from a specific environmental or social consequence of climate change, including impacts on agriculture and food security, droughts, floods, malaria, and population displacement. Whereas the article...
Source: EcoHealth - May 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms Cultured from Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Inhabiting Estuarine Waters of Charleston, SC and Indian River Lagoon, FLEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from estuarine waters of Indian River Lagoon, FL (IRL) and Charleston, SC (CHS) were cultured to screen for microorganism colonization and to assess antibiotic sensitivity. Swabs (n = 909) were collected from the blowhole, gastric fluid, and feces of 171 individual dolphins The most frequently cultured organisms were Plesiomonas shigelloides (n = 161), Aeromonas hydrophila (n = 144), Escherichia coli (n = 85), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (n = 82). In descending frequency, organisms demonstrated resistance to ery...
Source: EcoHealth - May 5, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Combined Effects of Atrazine and Chlorpyrifos on Susceptibility of the Tiger Salamander to Ambystoma tigrinum VirusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate decreases in amphibian survival with the combination of pesticide and a viral disease. Further examination of these multiple stressors can provide key insights into potential significance of environmental cofactors, such as pesticides, in disease dynamics. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ContributionDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0234-0Authors Jacob L. Kerby, University of South Dakota Biology Department 414 E. Clark Street Vermillion SD 57069 USAAndrew Storfer, Washington State University Biological Sciences Pullman WA 99164 USA Journal EcoHealthOnline...
Source: EcoHealth - May 5, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Going with the Flow: Legionellosis Risk in Toronto, Canada Is Strongly Associated with Local Watershed HydrologyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Legionella species are increasingly recognized as a cause of both healthcare- and community-acquired pneumonia (so-called “Legionnaire’s disease”). These pathogens are ubiquitous in the environment, but environmental factors in the occurrence of sporadic legionellosis remain poorly understood. We analyzed all legionellosis cases identified in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario from 1978 to 2006, and evaluated seasonal and environmental patterns in legionellosis case occurrence by using both negative binomial models and case-crossover analysis. A total of 837 cases were reported during the s...
Source: EcoHealth - April 16, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Selenium Health Benefit Values as Seafood Safety CriteriaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Selenium (Se) is absolutely required for activity of 25–30 genetically unique enzymes (selenoenzymes). All forms of life that have nervous systems possess selenoenzymes to protect their brains from oxidative damage. Homeostatic mechanisms normally maintain optimal selenoenzyme activities in brain tissues, but high methylmercury (MeHg) exposures sequester Se and irreversibly inhibit selenoenzyme activities. However, nutritionally relevant amounts of Se can replace the Se sequestered by MeHg and maintain normal selenoenzyme activities, thus preventing oxidative brain damage and other adverse consequ...
Source: EcoHealth - April 14, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

In This IssueEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory In This IssueDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0217-1 Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 21, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

British Columbia’s Fish Health Regulatory Framework’s Contribution to Sustainability Goals Related to Salmon AquacultureEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Salmon farming is a significant contribution to the global seafood market to which the goal of sustainability is often applied. Diseases related to farms are perhaps the most contentious issues associated with sustainable salmon farming. We reviewed literature and policies in British Columbia, Canada, as well as interviewed key informants to examine how fish health regulations do or could support sustainability goals. We found four main obstacles to the development and application of a sustainability-based health management system. First, salmon farming faced the same challenges as other industries ...
Source: EcoHealth - March 20, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Integrated Mercury Monitoring Program for Temperate Estuarine and Marine Ecosystems on the North American Atlantic CoastEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract During the past century, anthropogenic activities have altered the distribution of mercury (Hg) on the earth’s surface. The impacts of such alterations to the natural cycle of Hg can be minimized through coordinated management, policy decisions, and legislative regulations. An ability to quantitatively measure environmental Hg loadings and spatiotemporal trends of their fate in the environment is critical for science-based decision making. Here, we outline a Hg monitoring program for temperate estuarine and marine ecosystems on the Atlantic Coast of North America. This framework follows a similar,...
Source: EcoHealth - March 18, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Development of Transdisciplinarity Among Students Placed with a Sustainability for Health Research ProjectEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Transdisciplinary education on sustainability for health has been primarily developed in high-income countries, yet the need in countries with limited research and human resource investments remains urgent. Little empiric documentation of the facilitators and barriers to transdisciplinary learning in such countries has been described. We assessed transdisciplinary learning among students of different disciplines collaborating with an Ecuadorian sustainability for health research project. Six undergraduate students from four different disciplinary backgrounds were incorporated through work–study ag...
Source: EcoHealth - March 17, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Ecological Studies of Diseases: Promise and PraxisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Book ReviewDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0212-6Authors Kenneth H. Mayer, Brown University Medical School Providence RI USAH. F. Pizer, Health Care Strategies, Inc Cambridge MA USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 17, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Death is a FishermanEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory About The CoverDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0215-3Authors Peter Daszak, Wildlife Trust Consortium for Conservation Medicine 460 West 34th St., 17th Floor New York 10001 USAAleksei A. Chmura, Wildlife Trust Consortium for Conservation Medicine 460 West 34th St., 17th Floor New York 10001 USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 17, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Human Infectious Diseases Through the Lens of Social EcologyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Book ReviewDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0213-5Authors Felicia Keesing, Bard College Biology Department P.O. Box 5000 Annandale-on-Hudson NY 12583 USARichard S. Ostfeld, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Box AB, Millbrook New York NY 12545 USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 11, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Marine Foraging Birds As Bioindicators of Mercury in the Gulf of MaineEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract From existing databases, we compiled and evaluated 604 total mercury (Hg) levels in the eggs and blood of 17 species of marine foraging birds from 35 Gulf of Maine islands to provide baseline data and to determine the best tissue, age class, and species for future biomonitoring. While mean Hg levels in most species did not exceed adverse effects thresholds, levels in some individual eggs did; for all species arithmetic mean egg Hg levels ranged from 0.04 to 0.62 (μg/g, wet weight). Piscivorous birds had higher Hg levels than invertivores. Leach’s storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), razorbill (A...
Source: EcoHealth - March 11, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

Ecotoxicology of Methylmercury: A Transdisciplinary ChallengeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory EditorialDOI 10.1007/s10393-009-0214-4Authors Celia Chen, Dartmouth College Department of Biological Sciences Hanover NH USABruce A. Wilcox, University of Hawaii Asia-Pacific Institute for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases Honolulu HI USA Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

What’s New?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory What’s NewDOI 10.1007/s10393-008-0206-9 Journal EcoHealthOnline ISSN 1612-9210Print ISSN 1612-9202 (Source: EcoHealth)
Source: EcoHealth - March 6, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals

First Evidence of Canine Distemper in Brazilian Free-Ranging FelidsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Serum samples from 19 jaguars (Panthera onca), nine pumas (Puma concolor), and two ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) were collected between January 1999 and March of 2005 and tested for presence of canine distemper virus (CDV). All cats were free-ranging animals living in two protected areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. In addition, 111 domestic dogs from nearby areas were sampled for CDV. Our results show the first evidence of CDV exposure in Brazilian free-ranging felids. From the 30 samples analyzed, six jaguars and one puma were tested seropositive for CDV. All seropositive large felids were from...
Source: EcoHealth - March 4, 2009 Category: Environmental Health Tags: EcoHealth Source Type: journals