Risk Prioritization Tool to Identify the Public Health Risks of Wildlife Trade: The Case of Rodents from Latin America

Abstract

Wildlife trade (both formal and informal) is a potential driver of disease introduction and emergence. Legislative proposals aim to prevent these risks by banning wildlife imports, and creating 'white lists' of species that are cleared for importation. These approaches pose economic harm to the pet industry, and place substantial burden on importers and/or federal agencies to provide proof of low risk for importation of individual species. As a feasibility study, a risk prioritization tool was developed to rank the pathogens found in rodent species imported from Latin America into the United States with the highest risk of zoonotic consequence in the United States. Four formally traded species and 16 zoonotic pathogens were identified. Risk scores were based on the likelihood of pathogen release and human exposure, and the severity of the disease (consequences). Based on the methodology applied, three pathogens (Mycobacterium microti, Giardia spp. and Francisella tularensis) in one species (Cavia porcellus) were ranked as highest concern. The goal of this study was to present a methodological approach by which preliminary management resources can be allocated to the identified high-concern pathogen-species combinations when warranted. This tool can be expanded to other taxa and geographic locations to inform policy surrounding the wildlife trade.

Giardia duodenalis Infections in Humans and Other Animals in China

“…G. duodenalis infections have been reported in rodents in Norway (Robertson et al, 2007 ), Poland (Bajer, 2008 ), Latin America (Bueno et al, 2016 ), Europe (Pantchev et al, 2014 ), and Sweden (Lebbad et al, 2010 ). Currently, G. duodenalis infections in rodents in China have only been reported in Henan Province, where the average infection rate was 20.09% (213/1,060; Table 6 ).…”

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing genotype family strain isolated from naturally infected plateau zokor ( Myospalax baileyi ) in China

“…A similar situation possibly exists for wild rodents that carry M. microti 5 and other Mycobacterium species, 6 but MTB has not been found in them so far.…”

Situation analysis on the roles and risks of wildlife in the emergence of human infectious diseases

“…In South America there are some estimates of the amount of wild meat traded annually (Rushton et al, 2005;Reuter, A., Kunen, J. & Roberton, S., 2018;Chaves, Monroe & Sieving, 2019), but little verifiable quantitative data, with most wild meat data skewed to primates and other mammals (Bueno et al, 2016;Reuter, A., Kunen, J. & Roberton, S., 2018).…”