A discovery down under: decoding the draft genome sequence of Pantoea stewartii from Australia's Critically Endangered western ground parrot / kyloring (Pezoporus flaviventris)

Pantoea stewartii, a plant pathogen, is primarily transmitted through contaminated seeds and insect vectors, with the corn flea beetle (Chaetocnema pulicaria) being the primary carrier. P. stewartii is a bacterium belonging to the order Enterobacterales and can lead to crop diseases that have a significant economic impact worldwide. Due to its high potential for spread, P. stewartii is classified as a quarantine organism in numerous countries. Despite its impact on agriculture, the limited genome sequences of P. stewartii hamper understanding of its pathogenicity and host specificity, and the development of effective control strategies. In this study, a P. stewartii strain (C10109_Jinnung) was discovered in the faecal matter of the Critically Endangered western ground parrot/kyloring (Pezoporus flaviventris) in Australia, which to our knowledge is the first reported P. stewartii genome from a bird source. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenomic analysis of strain C10109_Jinnung, obtained from a captive psittacine, provides new insights into the genetic diversity and potential transmission route for the spread of P. stewartii beyond insects and plants, where P. stewartii is typically studied. Our findings provide new insights into the potential transmission route for spread of P. stewartii and expand the known transmission agents beyond insects and plants. Expanding the catalogue of P. stewartii genomes is fundamental to improving understanding of the pathogenicity, evolution and dissemination, and to develop effective control strategies to reduce the substantial economic losses associated with P. stewartii in various crops and the potential impact of endangered animal species

Bringing Back a Healthy Buzz? Invertebrate Parasites and Reintroductions:A Case Study in Bumblebees

Reintroductions can play a key role in the conservation of endangered species. Parasites may impact reintroductions, both positively and negatively, but few case studies of how to manage parasites during reintroductions exist. Bumblebees are in decline at regional and global scales, and reintroductions can be used to re-establish extinct local populations. Here we report on how the risks associated with parasites are being managed in an ongoing reintroduction of the short-haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus, to the UK. Disease risk analysis was conducted and disease risk management plans constructed to design a capture-quarantine-release system that minimised the impacts on both the bumblebees and on their natural parasites. Given that bumblebee parasites are (i) generalists, (ii) geographically ubiquitous, and (iii) show evidence of local adaptation, the disease risk management plan was designed to limit the co-introduction of parasites from the source population in Sweden to the destination site in the UK. Results suggest that this process at best eliminated, or at least severely curtailed the co-introduction of parasites, and ongoing updates of the plan enabled minimization of impacts on natural host-parasite dynamics in the Swedish source population. This study suggests that methods designed for reintroductions of vertebrate species can be successfully applied to invertebrates. Future reintroductions of invertebrates where the parasite fauna is less well known should take advantage of next-generation barcoding and multiple survey years prior to the start of reintroductions, to develop comprehensive disease risk management plans

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

The value of open-source clinical science in pandemic response: lessons from ISARIC

International audienc