Rhinocerous conservation in Kenya –the implication of translocation in Disease transmission dynamics

[ES] Esta tesis doctoral aporta conocimientos que permiten una mejor gestión de los diferentes parásitos que afectan a los animales salvajes y la mejor comprensión de las interacciones huésped-parásito, particularmente este conocimiento será fundamental para mejorar la conservación de rinocerontes en Kenia. El principal objetivo de la presente tesis fue avanzar en nuestra comprensión de las enfermedades parasitarias en rinocerontes. Los objetivos específicos de este estudio son: 1. Identificar los parásitos de Theileria y su diversidad genética en la población de rinoceronte blanco y negro en Kenia (Capítulo 1). 2. Examinar la epidemiología de infecciones por Theileria en rinoceronte blanco y negro. Especialmente se pretende estudiar la asociación entre la infección por Theileria con la edad, sexo, ubicación, temporada y mexcla de poblaciónes (poblaciones de rinoceronte negro y blanco vs rinoceronte negro) de los hospedadores (Capítulo 2). 3. Estudio de la filariosis emergente en el rinoceronte blanco y negro y cómo controlar la propagación de la enfermedad (Capítulo 3). 4. Estudio de la filariosis reemergente en el rinoceronte blanco y negro y su relación con el sexo y la edad en las especies de rinoceronte (Capítulo 4).[EN]This doctoral thesis provides knowledge that will enable better management of different parasites affecting wild animals and the better understanding of host- parasite interactions intearctions particularly this knowledge will be pivotal to improve the conservation of rhinocerous in Kenya. The main aim of the present thesis was to advance our understanding of rhinocerous parasitic diseases. The specific objectives of this study are to: 1. Identify Theileria parasites and their genetic diversity in black and white rhinoceros population in Kenya (chapter 1) 2. Examine the epidemiology of Theileria infections in black and white rhinoceros. Specically we aims to study the association of Theileria infection with host species, age, sex, location, season and population mix (black rhinoceros vs black and white rhinoceros populations) (Chapter 2) 3. Study the emerging filariosis in black and white rhinoceros and how to control the spread of the diseas (Chapter 3) 4. Study the re-emerging filariosis in black and white rhinoceros, and its relation with rhinoceros host species, sex and age (Chapter 4)Tesis Univ. Jaén. Departamento de Biología Expeprimental. Leída el 7 de octibre de 201

Epidemiology of Theileria bicornis among black and white rhinoceros metapopulation in Kenya

[Background] A huge effort in rhinoceros conservation has focused on poaching and habitat loss as factors leading to the dramatic declines in the endangered eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum). Nevertheless, the role disease and parasite infections play in the mortality of protected populations has largely received limited attention. Infections with piroplasmosis caused by Babesia bicornis and Theileria bicornis has been shown to be fatal especially in small and isolated populations in Tanzania and South Africa. However, the occurrence and epidemiology of these parasites in Kenyan rhinoceros is not known.[Results] Utilizing 18S rRNA gene as genetic marker to detect rhinoceros infection with Babesia and Theileria, we examined blood samples collected from seven rhinoceros populations consisting of 114 individuals of black and white rhinoceros. The goal was to determine the prevalence in Kenyan populations, and to assess the association of Babesia and Theileria infection with host species, age, sex, location, season and population mix (only black rhinoceros comparing to black and white rhinoceros populations). We did not detect any infection with Babesia in the sequenced samples, while the prevalence of T. bicornis in the Kenyan rhinoceros population was 49.12% (56/114). White rhinoceros had significantly higher prevalence of infection (66%) compared to black rhinoceros (43%). The infection of rhinoceros with Theileria was not associated with animal age, sex or location. The risk of infection with Theileria was not higher in mixed species populations compared to populations of pure black rhinoceros.[Conclusion] In the rhinoceros studied, we did not detect the presence of Babesia bicornis, while Theileria bicornis was found to have a 49.12% prevalence with white rhinoceros showing a higher prevalence (66%) comparing with black rhinoceros (43%). Other factors such as age, sex, location, and population mix were not found to play a significant role.We acknowledge support by the CSIC Open Access Publication Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI)Peer reviewe

Assessing the efficiency of catch-up campaigns for the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: a modelling study based on data from PCV10 introduction in Kilifi, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organisation recommends the use of catch-up campaigns as part of the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) to accelerate herd protection and hence PCV impact. The value of a catch-up campaign is a trade-off between the costs of vaccinating additional age groups and the benefit of additional direct and indirect protection. There is a paucity of observational data, particularly from low- and middle-income countries, to quantify the optimal breadth of such catch-up campaigns. METHODS: In Kilifi, Kenya, PCV10 was introduced in 2011 using the three-dose Expanded Programme on Immunisation infant schedule and a catch-up campaign in children <5 years old. We fitted a transmission dynamic model to detailed local data, including nasopharyngeal carriage and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), to infer the marginal impact of the PCV catch-up campaign over hypothetical routine cohort vaccination in that setting and to estimate the likely impact of alternative campaigns and their dose efficiency. RESULTS: We estimated that, within 10 years of introduction, the catch-up campaign among children <5 years old prevents an additional 65 (48-84) IPD cases across age groups, compared to PCV cohort introduction alone. Vaccination without any catch-up campaign prevented 155 (121-193) IPD cases and used 1321 (1058-1698) PCV doses per IPD case prevented. In the years after implementation, the PCV programme gradually accrues herd protection, and hence its dose efficiency increases: 10 years after the start of cohort vaccination alone the programme used 910 (732-1184) doses per IPD case averted. We estimated that a two-dose catch-up among children <1 year old uses an additional 910 (732-1184) doses per additional IPD case averted. Furthermore, by extending a single-dose catch-up campaign to children aged 1 to <2 years and subsequently to those aged 2 to <5 years, the campaign uses an additional 412 (296-606) and 543 (403-763) doses per additional IPD case averted. These results were not sensitive to vaccine coverage, serotype competition, the duration of vaccine protection or the relative protection of infants. CONCLUSIONS: We find that catch-up campaigns are a highly dose-efficient way to accelerate population protection against pneumococcal disease

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2017年2月2日(木) 於:早稲田大学 小野記念講

The neglected navigating web of the incomprehensibly emerging and re-emerging Sarcoptes mite

Parasite presence in any ecosystem generates complex navigating webs (Parasite-NW) within the system, through which parasites move from one to another host. The appropriate assimilation of parasite navigating web is pivotal for a better understanding of pathogen flow in the ecosystem, with implications for disease control. Sarcoptes mite has been approached from medical, veterinary, entomological, physiological and, recently, molecular sides, to understand its epidemiological navigating web between isolates from different hosts and geographical regions. The obtained conclusions are still a matter of debate. Sarcoptes navigating web (Sarcoptes-NW) is intricate and uncertain, with unexplainable pathogenic flow. In this review we summarize by which routes, under what conditions and at what levels the Sarcoptes mite moves among its hosts.Peer reviewe

Detusking fence-breaker elephants as an approach in human-elephant conflict mitigation

Background: Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a recurring problem that appears wherever the range of elephants and humans overlap. Different methods including the use of electric fences are used worldwide to mitigate this conflict. Nonetheless, elephants learn quickly that their tusks do not conduct electricity and use them to break down fences (fencebreakers). Methodology/Principal Findings: In Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya, destructive elephants (Loxodonta africana) were monitored between 2010 and 2013. The fence-breaking rate reached four incidents (fence-breaking) per elephant per 100 days. Ten bull males and 57 females were identified as fence-breakers. The bulls were involved in 85.07% and the females in 14.93% of incidents. The Kenya Wildlife Service approved detusking (partial cutting of tusks) in four of the 10 fence-breakers as a way of preventing them from breaking down fences, thereby mitigating HEC in the Conservancy. The result of the detusking was a drastic six-fold reduction in damage to fences (range: 1.67 to 14.5 times less fence-breaking) by the four worst fence-breaker elephants, because with trimmed tusks elephants lack the tools to break down fences. Detusking could not totally eliminate fence destruction because, despite lacking their tools, elephants can still destroy fences using their heads, bodies and trunks, albeit less effectively. On the other hand, apart from inherent aesthetic considerations, the detusking of elephants may have certain negative effects on factors such as elephants' social hierarchies, breeding, mate selection and their access to essential minerals and food. Conclusions: Elephant detusking seems to be effective in drastically reducing fence-breaking incidents, nonetheless its negative effects on behaviour, access to food and its aesthetical consequences still need to be further studied and investigated. © 2014 Mutinda et al.Peer Reviewe

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Injured Elephants in Masai Maraandthe Putative Negative andPositive Roles of the Local Community

Background: Very few studies have ever focused on the elephants that are wounded or killed as local communities attempt to scare these animals away from their settlements and farms, or on the cases in which local people take revenge after elephants have killed or injured humans. On the other hand, local communities live in close proximity to elephants and hence can play a positive role in elephant conservation by informing the authorities of the presence of injured elephants. Methodology/Principal Findings: Between 2007 and 2011, 129 elephants were monitored in Masai Mara (Kenya), of which 54 had various types of active (intentionally caused) or passive (non-intentionally caused) injuries. Also studied were 75 random control samples of apparently unaffected animals. The observed active injuries were as expected biased by age, with adults suffering more harm; on the other hand, no such bias was observed in the case of passive injuries. Bias was also observed in elephant sex since more males than females were passively and actively injured. Cases of passive and active injuries in elephants were negatively related to the proximity to roads and farms; the distribution of injured elephants was not affected by the presence of either human settlements or water sources. Overall more elephants were actively injured during the dry season than the wet season as expected. Local communities play a positive role by informing KWS authorities of the presence of injured elephants and reported 43% of all cases of injured elephants. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the negative effect of local communities on elephants could be predicted by elephant proximity to farms and roads. In addition, local communities may be able to play a more positive role in elephant conservation given that they are key informants in the early detection of injured elephants.Peer reviewe