Bushmeat, wet markets, and the risks of pandemics: Exploring the nexus through systematic review of scientific disclosures

Peros, Colin Scott; Dasgupta, Rajarshi; Kumar, Pankaj; Johnson, Brian Alan

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2021.05.025

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 141 publications

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“…The prices reported per kilogram in the French market [ 6 ] are notably higher than in the local trade [ 46 ] and are often even higher than the price of a whole carcass advertised online ( Table 2 ), providing financial incentive for the international trade. The globalisation of the bushmeat trade is not only a concern for species conservation, but also presents a major public health risk, where previous studies have demonstrated the detection of infectious organisms in imported [ 9 , 47 ] and locally acquired African bushmeat [ 48 , 49 ]. In addition to the human health risks posed by the unregulated movement of meat, pest and disease transmission mechanisms threaten livestock health, international trade, native wildlife populations and ecosystem health in importing countries [ 1 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is social media the new wet market? Social media platforms facilitate the online sale of bushmeat in West Africa

Moloney

Gossé

et al. 2023

One Health

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is social media the new wet market? Social media platforms facilitate the online sale of bushmeat in West Africa

Moloney

Gossé

et al. 2023

One Health

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“…the most common zoonotic pathogens were helminths (37%) and bacteria (33%), followed by viruses and protozoa (15% each) (Peros et al, 2021). An important caveat is that although such spillovers are a global phenomenon, in only about half the cases was evidence linking specific spillovers to wild meat processing and consumption of good quality (Milbank & Vira, 2022).…”

Section: Increased Zoonoses In Commercial Hunters (Bushmeat) Congo Ba...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Homo medicus: The transition to meat eating increased pathogen pressure and the use of pharmacological plants in Homo

Hagen

Blackwell

Lightner

et al. 2023

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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The human lineage transitioned to a more carnivorous niche 2.6 mya and evolved a large body size and slower life history, which likely increased zoonotic pathogen pressure. Evidence for this increase includes increased zoonotic infections in modern hunter‐gatherers and bushmeat hunters, exceptionally low stomach pH compared to other primates, and divergence in immune‐related genes. These all point to change, and probably intensification, in the infectious disease environment of Homo compared to earlier hominins and other apes. At the same time, the brain, an organ in which immune responses are constrained, began to triple in size. We propose that the combination of increased zoonotic pathogen pressure and the challenges of defending a large brain and body from pathogens in a long‐lived mammal, selected for intensification of the plant‐based self‐medication strategies already in place in apes and other primates. In support, there is evidence of medicinal plant use by hominins in the middle Paleolithic, and all cultures today have sophisticated, plant‐based medical systems, add spices to food, and regularly consume psychoactive plant substances that are harmful to helminths and other pathogens. We propose that the computational challenges of discovering effective plant‐based treatments, the consequent ability to consume more energy‐rich animal foods, and the reduced reliance on energetically‐costly immune responses helped select for increased cognitive abilities and unique exchange relationships in Homo. In the story of human evolution, which has long emphasized hunting skills, medical skills had an equal role to play.

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“…About 10,000 plant species, 30% of which are endemic, 977 species of birds, 300 species of mammals, 269 freshwater fishes, 176 reptiles (30% endemic), 105 species of amphibians (40% endemic) are found in this rich biodiverse Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot that is home to flagship mammal species, such as tigers, rhinoceros, elephants, snow leopards, and clouded leopards (Basnet et al 2019 ; Kandel et al 2021 ) The cultural diversity of the region is equally rich because of the heritage of indigenous people and local communities (Dasgupta et al 2021 ). The major pressures on the regional forest ecosystems come from forest degradation, deforestation for developmental projects, hunting poaching, followed by the unsustainable and illegal trade of valuable threatened wild species of flora and fauna (Peros et al 2021 ). Illegal logging, deforestation, increasing forest fire incidences are alarming.…”

Section: High Conservation Value Mountain Ecosystem: Strength Weaknes...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem Health and Risk Assessments for High Conservation Value Mountain Ecosystems of South Asia: A Necessity to Guide Conservation Policies

et al. 2022

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Mountain ecosystems across South Asia are facing huge pressure and are threatened by different drivers of loss. Red List of Ecosystems, to assess risks and ecosystem health, offers an exciting prospect to address complex challenges faced by ecosystems. This opinion is an outcome of the brainstorming organized to mark the International Mountain Day in December 2020, followed by further discussions among key stakeholders for initiating the Red List of Ecosystem (RLE) assessment in the region. As an initial endeavor, we have explored the evidence available to be integrated with the basic RLE requirements to undertake the ecosystem health assessment for mountain ecosystems in South Asia. We argue that the existing data gaps and insufficient understanding of the RLE process are a key-barriers to initiating ecosystem health assessment for supporting and contributing to knowledge-based conservation, governance, livelihood, land use, and macroeconomic planning. The RLE-based planning should be expanded and implemented for diverse ecosystems by enhancing transboundary cooperation, research collaboration, co-production of knowledge, and involving local communities. This opinion paper is an effort to facilitate, encourage and enhance discussions among wider stakeholders for developing a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary network of experts in the region for undertaking large scale RLE assessment for different mountain ecosystems that are threatened by an array of drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. This can guide strategic conservation efforts to halt and reverse the losses by community supported landscape restoration programmes.

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Bushmeat, wet markets, and the risks of pandemics: Exploring the nexus through systematic review of scientific disclosures

Cited by 29 publications

References 141 publications

Is social media the new wet market? Social media platforms facilitate the online sale of bushmeat in West Africa

Is social media the new wet market? Social media platforms facilitate the online sale of bushmeat in West Africa

Homo medicus: The transition to meat eating increased pathogen pressure and the use of pharmacological plants in Homo

Ecosystem Health and Risk Assessments for High Conservation Value Mountain Ecosystems of South Asia: A Necessity to Guide Conservation Policies

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