Invasive alien species and disease risk: An open challenge in public and animal health

Chinchio, Eleonora; Crotta, Matteo; Romeo, Claudia; Drewe, Julian Ashley; Guitian, Javier; Ferrari, Nicola

doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1008922

Cited by 78 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The trade and keeping of exotic pets represent a major pathway for the introduction of invasive alien species (IAS), which can be detrimental to local and regional biodiversity [ 21 , 116 ]. An IAS can threaten native wildlife through such means as predation, competition, hybridisation or disease introduction [ 117 , 118 ]. A notable example is the Burmese python ( Python molurus bivittatus ) which, following its popularity in the pet trade, has become established in south Florida as an apex predator and causes declines in native wild animal populations [ 119 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Turning Negatives into Positives for Pet Trading and Keeping: A Review of Positive Lists

Toland¹,

Bando²,

Hamers

et al. 2020

Animals

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The trading and keeping of exotic pets are associated with animal welfare, conservation, environmental protection, agricultural animal health, and public health concerns and present serious regulatory challenges to legislators and enforcers. Most legislation concerning exotic pet trading and keeping involves restricting or banning problematic species, a practice known as “negative listing”. However, an alternative approach adopted by some governments permits only the keeping of animals that meet certain scientifically proven criteria as suitable in respect of species, environmental, and public health and safety protections. We conducted an evaluation of positive lists for the regulation of pet trading and keeping within the context of the more prevalent system of restricting or prohibiting species via negative lists. Our examination of international, national, and regional regulations in Europe, the United States, and Canada found that criteria used for the development of both negative and positive lists were inconsistent or non-specific. Our online surveys of governments received limited responses, although telephone interviews with officials from governments either considering or developing positive lists provided useful insights into their attitudes and motivations towards adopting positive lists. We discuss key issues raised by civil servants including perceived advantages of positive lists and anticipated challenges when developing lists of suitable species. In addition, we compare functions of negative and positive lists, and recommend key principles that we hope will be helpful to governments concerning development and implementation of regulations based on positive lists.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Turning Negatives into Positives for Pet Trading and Keeping: A Review of Positive Lists

Toland¹,

Bando²,

Hamers

et al. 2020

Animals

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show abstract

“…Biological pollution consists of the negative effects of AS on environmental quality, at the level of organism, population, community, habitat, or ecosystem [ 1 , 28 ]; therefore, AS are considered to be biological contaminants [ 48 ]. They may also cause damage to human health [ 49 , 50 ] and/or to economic activities, so their presence must not be underestimated [ 48 ]. Their establishment and spread seem directly linked to propagule pressure, which has been recognised as the major factor in the success of an invasion and depends on the quality, quantity, and frequency of invaders [ 51 , 52 ].…”

Section: Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biopollution by Invasive Marine Non-Indigenous Species: A Review of Potential Adverse Ecological Effects in a Changing Climate

Occhipinti‐Ambrogi

2021

IJERPH

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Biopollution by alien species is considered one of the main threats to environmental health. The marine environment, traditionally less studied than inland domains, has been the object of recent work that is reviewed here. Increasing scientific evidence has been accumulated worldwide on ecosystem deterioration induced by the development of massive non-indigenous population outbreaks in many coastal sites. Biopollution assessment procedures have been proposed, adopting criteria already used for xenochemical compounds, adjusting them to deal with alien species invasions. On the other hand, prevention and mitigation measures to reduce biopollution impact cannot always mimic the emission countermeasures that have been successfully applied for chemical pollutants. Nevertheless, in order to design comprehensive water-quality criteria, risk assessment and management strategies, based on scientific knowledge, have been developed in a similar way as for chemical pollution. The Mediterranean Sea is a well-known case of alien species invasion, mainly linked to the opening of the Suez Canal. Non-indigenous species have caused well-documented changes in many coastal ecosystems, favoured by concomitant changes induced by global warming and by the heavy load of nutrients and pollutants by various anthropogenic activities. Naval commercial traffic and leisure boats are among the most active vectors of spread for alien species inside the Mediterranean, and also towards other ocean regions. The scientific evidence gathered and summarized in this review suggests that effective management actions, under a precautionary approach, should be put in place in order to control introductions of species in new areas. These management measures are already established in international treaties and national legislations, but should be enforced to prevent the disruption of the dynamic ecological equilibria in the receiving environment and to control the direct adverse effects of alien species.

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“…Numerous animals that host or vector zoonotic pathogens have become widespread invasive alien species. Of these, various rodent species are among the highest risk invasive hosts, while several species of mosquitoes and ticks pose the greatest concern as invasive vectors capable of facilitating large-scale disease outbreaks (Chinchio et al 2020). However, lessor-known animal species can also facilitate disease outbreaks of epidemic and pandemic proportions.…”

Section: Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Countermeasures for Pandemic Prevention: When Ecological Restoration is a Human Health Imperative

Reaser¹,

Witt²,

Tabor³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Ecological restoration should be regarded as a public health service. Unfortunately, the lack of quantitative linkages between environmental and human health has limited recognition of these principle. Advent of COVID-19 pandemic provides the impetus for the further discussion. We propose ecological countermeasures as highly targeted, landscape-based interventions to arrest the drivers of land use-induced zoonotic spillover. We provide examples of ecological restoration activities that reduce zoonotic disease risk and a five-point action plan at the human-ecosystem health nexus. In conclusion, we make the case that ecological countermeasures are a tenent of restoration ecology with human health goals.

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Invasive alien species and disease risk: An open challenge in public and animal health

Abstract: Why we should care about invasive alien species from a health perspective

Cited by 78 publications

References 37 publications

Turning Negatives into Positives for Pet Trading and Keeping: A Review of Positive Lists

Turning Negatives into Positives for Pet Trading and Keeping: A Review of Positive Lists

Biopollution by Invasive Marine Non-Indigenous Species: A Review of Potential Adverse Ecological Effects in a Changing Climate

Ecological Countermeasures for Pandemic Prevention: When Ecological Restoration is a Human Health Imperative

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