All you need to know about the novel 2019 coronavirus

Feb 6, 2020 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, Research

All you need to know about the novel 2019 coronavirus

WHAT ARE CORONAVIRUSES?

Coronaviruses are a large family of RNA (ribonucleic acid) viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). They are called coronaviruses because the virus particle exhibits a characteristic ‘corona’ (crown) of spike proteins around its lipid envelope.

Coronavirus infections are common in animals and humans. Some strains of CoV are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted between animals and humans, but many strains are not zoonotic.

In humans, coronaviruses can cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (caused by MERS-CoV), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (caused by SARS-CoV). Detailed investigations demonstrate that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civets to humans, and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS NOVEL CORONAVIRUS?

The symptoms can include a cough, possibly with a fever and shortness of breath. There are some early reports of non-respiratory symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Many people recover within a few days. However, some people — especially the very young, elderly, or people who have a weakened immune system — may develop a more serious infection, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

What is this novel coronavirus 2019?

The new Coronavirus 2019 is a zoonotic virus, which means it is a pathogen that spreads from one species to another, however it is unclear exactly what the origin of this virus is, but the genetic sequence is already being studied (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200131114748.htm)

A novel coronavirus (CoV) was identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. This is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.

On 31 December 2019, human cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology were reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. A coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV), was identified as the causative virus by Chinese authorities on 7 January 2020. Since then, human cases with travel history to Wuhan have been reported by several provinces in China and by a number of countries outside China.

For up to date information please consult the WHO website https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

How is this novel coronavirus treated?

Scientists are working hard to understand the virus, and Chinese health authorities have posted its full genome in international databases. Currently, there are no approved antivirals for this particular coronavirus, so treatment is supportive. For the sickest patients with this illness, specialized, aggressive care in an intensive care unit (ICU) can be lifesaving.

How can we combat new viruses?

Professor Eric Fevre explained the way to combat new viruses is being prepared and doing more routine and regular surveillance at places, which are a breeding ground for these viruses. “It’s very difficult to develop a drug or vaccine for something we don’t know about, so we always have to start the development process after those events have occurred,” he explained. But typically, it takes between four to five years to develop a vaccine for a new virus. Several groups are working on a vaccine right now, but there is no guarantee it will be ready before the end of the current outbreak.

What can we do to stay safe?

  • Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.

  • People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).

  • Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments

  • Based on currently available information, travel or trade restrictions are not recommended.

Are animals responsible for the 2019 novel coronavirus infections in people?

  • The source of this outbreak has yet to be confirmed but it could be any number of animal carriers from snakes to pigs.

  • Genetic sequence data reveals that 2019-nCoV is a close relative of other coronaviruses found circulating in Rhinolophus bat (Horseshoe Bat) populations.

  • There is suspicion that the 2019-nCoV may have had an animal source, but further investigations are required to confirm this.

  • Although there is suspicion that the initial introduction of 2019-nCoV to humans may have come from an animal source, the predominant route of subsequent transmission appears to be from human to human.

  • Ongoing investigations are important for identifying the animal source (including species) and establishing the potential role of an animal reservoir in this disease.

Why is One Health so important in situations involving emerging diseases such nCoV2019?

Stopping disease in humans by preventing disease in animals underpins the concept of “One Health”, an approach to public health that recognises the links between animals, people and planet. To bring this to bear and prevent similar outbreaks in the future, we need greater commitment, funding and research on these shared health threats.

By identifying disease threats and spread as early as possible, health authorities can take pre-emptive action, such as tighter biosecurity controls on farms or at food markets, or public awareness campaigns. By developing and using new and better treatments for animal disease, we can help stop their spread both among animal populations and among people.

Where and how are new diseases likely to emerge?

Our team lead, Eric Fevre, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Liverpool, while speaking with ITV, outline that new diseases are likely to spring up in urban environments where humans have created very densely packed human populations, alongside a population of bats, rodents, birds, pets and other things living organisms. This creates an intense interaction and opportunities for pathogens to move from species to species. Other such environments, which are created as part of the economy or the way we live are slaughterhouses where individuals who work there are in intense contact not just with animals but with the different parts of the insides of animals or wet markets. Similarly, where animals are sold, cut up and cleaned and where there are a lot of people interacting with those individuals.

David Quammen, the author of “Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, in an opinion piece in the New York Times, “When people invade tropical forests and other wild landscapes, which harbor so many species of animals and plants — and within those creatures, there are so many unknown viruses. We cut the trees; we kill the animals or cage them and send them to markets. We disrupt ecosystems, and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts. When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it.”

Other ways that disease emerge are current circumstances which include a perilous trade in wildlife for food, with supply chains stretching through Asia, Africa and to a lesser extent, the United States and elsewhere. That trade has now been outlawed in China, on a temporary basis; but it was outlawed also during SARS, then allowed to resume — with bats, civets, porcupines, turtles, bamboo rats, many kinds of birds and other animals piled together in markets such as the one in Wuhan. And one consequence of that abundance in human population, that power, and the consequent ecological disturbances is increasing viral exchanges — first from animal to human, then from human to human, sometimes on a pandemic scale.

What is the key take home message: Do not panic!

Given the current spread of this virus and the pace and complexity of international travel, the number of cases and deaths will likely to continue to climb. We should not panic, even though we are dealing with a serious and novel pathogen. Public health teams are assembling. Lessons learned from other serious viruses, such as SARS and MERS, will help. As more information becomes available, public health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) will be sharing key information and strategies worldwide.

Are there any precautions to take with live animals or animal products?

In accordance with advice offered by the World Health Organisation, as a general precaution, when visiting live animal markets, wet markets or animal product markets, general hygiene measures should be applied, including regular hand washing with soap and potable water after touching animals and animal products, avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands, and avoiding contact with sick animals or spoiled animal products. Any contact with other animals possibly living in the market (e.g., stray cats and dogs, rodents, birds, bats) should be strictly avoided. Attention should also be taken to avoid contact with potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids on the soil or structures of shops and market facilities.

Standard recommendations issued by the World Health Organisation to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.  Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices. Further recommendations from WHO can be consulted here: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#

What are the Veterinary Authority’s international responsibilities in this event?

The detection of 2019-nCoV in animals meets the criteria for reporting to the OIE through WAHIS, in accordance with the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code as an emerging disease. Therefore, any detection of 2019-nCoV in an animal (including information about the species, diagnostic tests, and relevant epidemiological information) should be reported to the OIE.

It is important for Veterinary Authorities to remain informed and maintain close liaison with public health authorities and those responsible for wildlife, to ensure coherent and appropriate risk communication messages and risk management.

Effective biosecurity risk management and cooperation with inspection authorities should be maintained at borders.

What are key lessons we have learnt?

It may seem counter-intuitive, then, but with six out of 10 infectious diseases being zoonotic, one of the best ways to protect people from diseases like coronavirus is to first protect the health of animals. But recent novel cases of human coronavirus are just the latest reminder that we are too often missing the opportunity to act before new diseases emerge in people.

As David Quammen puts it, “We are faced with two mortal challenges, in the short term and the long term. Short term: We must do everything we can, with intelligence, calm and a full commitment of resources, to contain and extinguish this nCoV-2019 outbreak before it becomes, as it could, a devastating global pandemic. Long term: We must remember, when the dust settles, that nCoV-2019 was not a novel event or a misfortune that befell us. It was — it is — part of a pattern of choices that we humans are making.”

Further resources and references

Resources
References
More resources on the novel coronavirus 2019

Confronting the rising threat of antibiotic resistance in livestock

Feb 20, 2017 | ABS, Blog, Latest news, Research

Confronting the rising threat of antibiotic resistance in livestock

This blogpost was authored by Tim Robinson a co-principal investigator in two of our projects (#UrbanZoo and #ZooLink) and originally appeared on Cambribge Core Blog available at: http://blog.journals.cambridge.org/2017/01/24/confronting-the-rising-threat-of-antibiotic-resistance-in-livestock/

Resistance to antimicrobials is developing faster than ever before due to decades of abusing these important drugs. A ‘post-antibiotic’ world looms as a result, the consequences of which would be many people and farm animals sickening and dying of what, until now, have been preventable or treatable infections.

The good news is that the world is taking notice. On 21 September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly addressed this global challenge. At the UN headquarters in New York, member states reaffirmed their commitment to develop national action plans to stem and reduce the continuing rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These action plans will be based on a Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance developed in 2015 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)—the so called ‘Tripartite’. The aims of the Tripartite are first, to ensure that antimicrobial agents continue to be effective and useful to cure diseases in humans and animals; second, to promote prudent and responsible use of antimicrobial agents; and last, to ensure global access to medicines of good quality. Countries will be required to report on their progress in September 2018.

Addressing the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance requires a holistic and multisectoral ‘One Health’ approach, because of the interconnected roles played by animals, people and the environment in the evolution and spread of AMR. The potential role of the livestock sector in mitigating AMR in pathogens of medical as well as veterinary importance is critical. Livestock consume at least half of all antibiotics produced globally and there is a substantial and growing body of evidence linking antibiotic use in livestock production to the development of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria that pose major threats to public health.

It is widely held that the use of antibiotics in livestock production—in particular, to promote livestock growth and prevent disease, but also to treat disease—could be reduced considerably through improved production practices and other interventions. Robinson and colleagues propose interventions that can be made directly on farms; those that can help create enabling environments; and others that can raise awareness of the problem and ways to solve it.

The potential to reduce use of antibiotic drugs is particularly large in low- and middle-income countries where the use of antibiotics in livestock production is already high and is predicted to grow massively—if mitigation measures are not taken—in line with projected livestock sector growth. It is critical that this unique window of opportunity, with heightened public awareness and across-the-board political will so recently expressed, is harnessed to guide research and policy in AMR, and so to exploit fully the potential of livestock sector development to mitigate antibiotic resistance. The lives, health and well-being of people and livestock depend on our conserving these precious drugs as part of our arsenal against microbial infections.

The open access Opinion paper is published in animal: Antibiotic resistance: mitigation opportunities in livestock sector development
Authors: T. P. Robinson, D. P. Bu, J. Carrique-Mas, E. M. Fèvre, M. Gilbert, D. Grace, S. I. Hay, J. Jiwakanon, M. Kakkar, S. Kariuki, R. Laxminarayan, J. Lubroth, U. Magnusson, P. Thi Ngoc, T. P. Van Boeckel, M. E. J. Woolhouse

Freshwater Vector Snails and their Infection with Trematode cercariae in Busia County

Nov 22, 2016 | ABS, Blog, ILRI, Latest news, Research, ZooLink project, Zoonotic Diseases

Freshwater Vector Snails and their Infection with Trematode cercariae in Busia County

trappign-snails

Capturing snails

In this study, we  sought to identify snail species infected with Trematode cercariae and environmental factors that correlate with their presence.  This was undertaken to better understand the underlying biology of these species to better understand the risk of transmission of livestock- and human-infectious trematodes.

We found that lymnaeid snails were widely distributed in all the agro-ecological zones (AEZs) we studied, and were the majority snail

at low altitudes. Biomphalariae, Bulinus, Oncomelaniae and Melanoides were present in some but not all of the zones. The study found that snails were more abundant in streams originating from springs and swamps near the shores of Lake Victoria. Biomphalariae and Lymnaeid species were found to be infected with trematode cercariae. The B. sudanica species found in the swamps near the lakeshore were infected with both Fasciola gigantica and Schistosoma mansoni pointing to a co-existence of Schistosoma and Fasciola infection at the site. The relative abundance of vector snails was found to be influenced by water pH, water temperature, ambient temperature and vegetation cover.

identification-isolation-of-cercariae

Identification/Isolation of cercariae

The presence of vector snails and cercariae in all of the zones points to the presence of possible transmission foci for Schistosomiasis, Fascioliasis and other foodborne trematodiases. People and animals using water and pasture from these sites in western Kenya are at a risk of contracting these parasitic infections.

Control of foodborne trematode infection should be targeted in all the AEZ’s with emphasis placed on the areas that border the lake and those with streams flowing from springs.

Article by Maurice Omondi Owiny, Resident, Kenya FELTP. Resident, Kenya Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme based at the International Livestock Research Institute

 

Letter from the PI: Introducing the ZooLink Suite of Projects

Nov 18, 2016 | A4NH, ABS, Blog, Epidemiology, Latest news, OneHealth, Research, ZooLink project, Zoonotic Diseases

Letter from the PI: Introducing the ZooLink Suite of Projects

Prof. Eric Fèvre

Prof. Eric Fèvre

It’s a real pleasure to write the first “Letter from the PI” for the Zoonoses in Livestock in Kenya (ZooLinK) project, part of the Zoonoses in Emerging Livestock Systems programme, funded by the UK Research Councils (led by the BBSRC), UK DFID and UK DSTL.

Our project has been underway since 2015, engaged in planning and staffing, followed by refurbishing of our field lab and the commencement of field activities in Kenya.  It’s satisfying, a year and a half in, to now be able to start reporting on how we are doing and what we are up to. While we have been and will continue to share updates through social media on a regular basis, our project newsletters serve to provide slightly more indepth ongoing reporting of our work.  Newsletter articles will also appear on our project website as blog articles – we are active on social media both on the web at www.zoonotic-diseases.org and through twitter @ZoonoticDisease, with #zels #zoolink.

Dr. Laura Falzon has been appointed as our postdoctoral epidemiologist, leading activity in our field sites.  Laura is co-ordinating scientific activity at our primary laboratory, based in the town of Busia, on Kenya’s border with Uganda. The lab houses BSL-2 standard biosecurity and is fully spec’ed for basic parasitological diagnostic work, serological assays, PCR and molecular diagnostics and microbiological assays.  Later this year, we’ll have some exciting DNA sequencing capacity there too. Samples are flowing through this laboratory where a number of our project scientists are working, and two Masters theses have already resulted from this ongoing work (projects undertaken by Isaac Ngere and Maurice Omondi on arboviruses and Fasciola spp– see our blog). Dr. hristine Mosoti is our ZooLinK project manager, and is the primary point of contact for any external queries on the project.

While the ZELS programme does not directly fund PhD students, we’ve successfully attracted a real diversity of academic interests to our programme with some innovative co-funding mechanisms.  Ten PhD students are currently active in the programme, some nearing the end of their first year, others just beginning their studies, on topics as wide ranging as within household economics to genetic diversity of parasites – we’ll ensure that the students’ work is highlighted regularly in the student’s section of this newsletter – see Jessica Floyd’s entry in this edition.

We’ve been engaging very successfully with the national veterinary system too, with two seconded members of County Veterinary Staff attached to our project and so far two cohorts of Animal Health Diploma holders coming through on 3 month “One Health” graduate internships.  Elsewhere in Kenya, we’re investing, with our national partners, in the surveillance of several other zoonotic disease issues: we put significant effort into surveillance for Rift Valley Fever during the rainy season early this year and in to understanding the epidemiology of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in camelids and humans.  We’ve also been working on enumerating and vaccinating dogs for rabies in central Kenya.  Much work, and many challenges lie ahead, but our excellent team is already proving that it can face these challenges successfully, and I am very proud of the excellent interdisciplinary work that we are doing.

Human, Food and Environmental data collection

Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, Research, Urban Zoo Project

Human, Food and Environmental data collection

WhatsApp-Image-20160607Human, food and environmental data are among the wide range of data collected within the 99 households. The data are often collected by Clinical Officers. Human sampling involves among others, individual consenting to participate, questionnaire interviews administration, general physical examination and anthropometric measurements, biological data collection and offering feedback and health education on the outcome of the laboratory based investigations. Two sets of structured questionnaires are administered; a general household and individual participant questionnaires. Biological data that is collected includes fecal samples and nasal swabs. Fecal samples are assessed for E. coli and campylobacter bacteria while nasal swabs are assessed for antimicrobial resistance. Collection and transportation of human samples from the field to laboratories involves sterile techniques.

Like human sampling, sterile steps are also observed during food and environmental data collection. Only livestock sourced foods are collected in the study. A sample of meat, milk and a wipe of egg shells if available, are collected. Sterile wipes of kitchen working surfaces such as chopping boards as well as kitchen door knobs are also collected. Environmental samples are collected using sterile boot socks. Normal saline-wet boot socks are worn and environmental samples collected by walking around the area surrounding the household as well as surfaces within livestock pens if available. Whirl pack bags are used in transportation of environmental samples. Water samples from water puddles, boreholes or storage water tanks are also collected as environmental samples. Subsamples of food and environmental samples are marked with a red dot to identify those going for whole genome sequencing and a blue dot on those being analyzed for campylobacter. All collected data are de-identified using barcode numbers to enhance participant and sample anonymity.

On completion of data collection, participants in the household are either given Albendazole or Mebendazole anthelminthic depending on age. Anyone found to be clinically ill is offered a prescription. If they are seriously ill a written referral letter to the nearest and most preferred health facility for further management is offered. Laboratory outcomes are communicated back to individual participants within two to three weeks of data collection. This is accompanied by health education with emphasis on how to maintain proper hygiene as well as interaction with livestock. Like many other community studies, our study is not devoid of challenges. Some of the challenges encountered involve heavy traffic. As investigators, we have to sometimes anticipate early morning starts. Participants which means rescheduling the day to collect data. Others include withdrawal from participation and inability to access household heads especially in high income settings.

Laureen AlumasaFredrick Amanya

 Article by Lorren Alumasa & Amanya Fredrick

This blog entry is an article on our quarterly Urban Zoo Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 3 which can be accessed by clicking here.

Pin It on Pinterest