The active collection of wildlife sighting data by trained observers is expensive, restricted to small geographical areas and conducted infrequently. Reporting of wildlife sightings by members of the public provides an opportunity to collect wildlife data continuously over wider geographical areas, at lower cost. We used individual koala sightings reported by members of the public between 1997 and 2013 in South-East Queensland, Australia ( n = 14,076 koala sightings) to describe spatial and temporal trends in koala presence, to estimate koala sighting density and to identify biases associated with sightings. Temporal trends in sightings mirrored the breeding season of koalas. Sightings were high in residential areas (63%), followed by agricultural (15%), and parkland (12%). The study area was divided into 57,780 one-square kilometer grid cells and grid cells with no sightings of koalas decreased over time (from 35% to 21%) indicative of a greater level of spatial overlap of koala home ranges and human activity areas over time. The density of reported koala sightings decreased as distance from primary and secondary roads increased, indicative of a higher search effort near roads. Our results show that koala sighting data can be used to refine koala distribution and population estimates derived from active surveying, on the condition that appropriate bias correction techniques are applied. Collecting koala absence and search effort information and conducting repeated searches for koalas in the same areas are useful approaches to improve the quality of sighting data in citizen science programs.

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Nepal boarders India and China and all three countries lie within the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds. Novel influenza A H7N9 caused human fatalities in China in 2013. Subclinical infections of influenza A H7N9 in birds and the potential for virus dispersal by migratory birds prompted this study to assess avian H7N9 viral intrusion into Nepal. Surveillance of influenza A virus in migratory birds was implemented in early 2014 with assistance from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Of 1811 environmental fecal samples collected from seven wetland migratory bird roosting areas, influenza A H9N2 was found in one sample from a ruddy shelduck in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve located in southern Nepal. Avian H7N9 and other highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses were not detected. This study provides baseline data on the status of avian influenza virus in migratory bird populations in Nepal.

Introduction: Little is known about the sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among adolescents in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka although adulthood VZV infections are very common in this part of the country. Design: Socio-demographic data and blood samples were collected between November 2004 and April 2005 from a total of 271, 12 to 19 year old school students from urban, rural and estate communities. Sera were tested for anti-VZV IgG antibodies using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among these adolescents was found to be 34%. Number of siblings (39% of adolescents with more than 2 siblings and 27% of those with 2 siblings were immune, while those without siblings were non-immune) and areas of residence (urban, estate and rural) were statistically associated with the presence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies. School children who lived in the urban and estate sectors had significantly higher anti-VZV IgG prevalence rates than those who lived in rural areas (p<0.001). Conclusions: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies was low among adolescents in the Kandy district. Adolescents who lived in the urban areas had a significantly higher rate of anti-VZV IgG antibodies than those who lived in rural areas (p<0.001). Adolescents who grow up without siblings are at risk of evading the childhood VZV infection and form a potential target group for adulthood chickenpox.