More than 75% of emerging infectious diseases and 60% of known human infectious diseases are transmitted from animals. Among these zoonoses, rabies is of utmost public health significance due to its lethality. The multi-faceted nature of zoonotic disease complicates control and prevention and thus, a multi-sectoral One Health Approach could be a better strategy to cope with rabies. Up until now, rabies prevention and control programs are conducted utilizing mass vaccination of domestic and community dogs and cats, and mass awareness programs. However, the burden of rabies has not been reduced as these approaches have failed to include all stakeholders (human, animal, and environmental health sectors) in disease management programs. The aim of this review is to highlight why and how One Health Approach would be the most effective way to control rabies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Nepal.

Small plastic fragments (microplastics or solid particles <5 mm in size or "microbeads" used in personal care products and cosmetics) may ultimately find their way into aquatic environments. We studied the presence of microplastics (particle sizes 53-105 μm and 106-179 μm) spatially and temporally in 3 connected urban lakes being fed by treated wastewater effluent in Lubbock, Texas. These lakes also serve as drainage during storm events. Water samples from drainage playa wetlands within the city were also collected. Our interest was in determining the presence or absence of microplastics in a freshwater environment as well as the source apportionment between personal care products (via wastewater) and discarded plastics (via runoff). Results showed that average concentrations of microplastics in samples collected from lakes ranged from 0.79 ± 0.88 mg/L to 1.56 ± 1.64 mg/L for the 53-105 μm size fraction and from 0.31 ± 0.72 mg/L to 1.25 ± 1.98 mg/L for the 106-179 μm size fraction. For samples collected from playa wetlands, average microplastic concentrations ranged from 0.64 ± 0.92 mg/L to 5.51 ± 9.09 mg/L for the 53-105 μm size fraction and from nondetectable (ND) to 1.79 ± 3.04 mg/L for the 106-179 μm size fraction. Our results (based on comparison of microplastic masses) suggest that urban runoff also contributes microplastics to surface water in addition to the treated wastewater effluent (in this particular case). The present findings may assist in adopting additional monitoring efforts and provide information on the potential contribution of secondary microplastic input into aquatic environments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:528-532. © 2017 SETAC.

Although many studies have evaluated the fate of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in aquatic environments, few have observed their fate in terrestrial environments. It has been proposed that ingestion could be a major PFAA exposure route for humans. We determined PFAA uptake in radish, carrot, and alfalfa under a maximum bioavailability scenario. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were determined in the edible tissue of radish (perfluorobutanesulfonate [PFBS] = 72; perfluorohexanesulfonate [PFHxS] = 13; perfluoroheptanoate [PFHpA] = 65; perfluorooctanoate [PFOA] = 18; perfluorooctanesulfonate [PFOS] = 2.9; and perfluorononanoate [PFNA] = 9.6), carrot (PFBS = 5.9; PFHxS = 1.1; PFHpA = 29; PFOA = 3.1; PFOS = 1; and PFNA = 1.4), and alfalfa (PFBS = 107; PFHxS = 12; PFHpA = 91; PFOA = 10; PFOS = 1.4; and PFNA = 1.7). Some of these PFAA BCFs are as much as 2 orders of magnitude higher than those measured previously in plants grown in biosolid‐amended soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2497–2502. © 2019 SETAC

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In an effort to determine contaminant presence, concentrations, and movement from a low‐level radioactive waste (LLRW) burial disposal site to ecosystems in the surrounding area, a study was developed to assess concentrations of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and tritium. To complete this assessment small mammals, vegetation, soil, and insect samples were collected from areas within and adjacent to the Beatty, Nevada, LLRW site and from a reference area located approximately 3 km south of the LLRW site. Samples underwent analysis via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, or scintillation spectroscopy depending on the analyte of interest. Small mammal tissues showed maximum concentrations of over 1700 ng/g for PFAS, 1600 ng/g for PCBs, and 10 000 Bq/kg for tritium. The primary contaminants found in soil samples were PCBs, with maximum concentrations exceeding 25 ng/g. Trace amounts of PFAS were also detected in soils and insects. Only qualitative data were obtained from vegetation samples because of the complex matrix of the dominant plant species (creosote bush; Larrea tridentata [Sessé & Moc. ex DC.] Coville). Overall, these data indicate the presence of various anthropogenic contaminants in the ecosystem surrounding the LLRW area, but additional analyses are necessary to confirm the sources and migration pathways of PFAS and PCBs in this hyperarid environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:727–734. © 2020 SETAC