Thread by @PanditPranav

Global shifts in mammalian population trends reveal key predictors of virus spillover risk. Out in Proc Royal Society B @RSocPublishing @CKreuderJohnson @EpiCenterUCD @PREDICTproject @OneHealthUCD @ucdavisvetmed @LairmoreDVMDean @NIH doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2…

Co-authors include @petaleeh @PanditPranav, @SmileyTierra, Julie Rushmore, Cristin Young, and Megan Doyle. The study was supported by @PREDICTproject and @NIH

The study concludes that the exploitation of natural habitats is not only a conservation issue, but an important driver of spillover transmission zoonotic viruses. Here is a thread that discusses three key points highlighted from study.

1: Sustainable wildlife conservation and human health go hand in hand. 2: Species closely associated with humans carry the most number of zoonotic viruses. 3: Study has insights into #SARS-CoV-2 emergence and #COVID-19 #pandemic.

Wildlife #conservation and human health go hand in hand. Study shows the important drivers for emergence of zoonotic diseases are related to human activities that are changing the wildlife habitats drastically & are threatening wildlife populations.

.@CKreuderJohnson explored 139 #zoonotic #viruses and their mammalian hosts. Domesticated species, #primates, and #bats were identified as having more zoonotic viruses than other species.

Within species that are classified as #threatened according to the @IUCNRedList, those with reducing populations due to human exploitation and loss of habitats were hosts for more zoonotic viruses.

E.g., data show six bat species that are being threatened due to human exploitation or deterioration of habitat quality are also the hosts of human viruses including #Hendravirus, #Nipahvirus, #RossRivervirus, #AustralianBatLyssavirus, & #Rabies.

Habitat degradation involves human intrusion within these habitats which increases the likelihood of human contact with wildlife. The intrusion can be in the form of habitat destruction by deforestation, agriculture, or human activities.

These are the important contacts that eventually lead to #spillover of viruses from wildlife to humans. It is then essential for humans to co-habitat with wildlife without being a threat to each other.

When it comes to living closely with bats, @USAID @PREDICTproject has already developed resources that describe how to safely live with bats for communities across the world. p2.predict.global/living-safely-…

Widespread dissemination of the notion that humans need to harmoniously coexists with wildlife through such tools is key to preventing future pandemics that might come from wildlife. @PREDICTproject

The study also shows that species that are most abundant and widespread carry the most number of zoonotic viruses even after accounting for how well these species are studied.

These include rodents, primates, bats, even-toed ungulates & carnivores that are well adapted to human habitats. Some are even considered invasive. Many of these species include primates have adapted to living in urban & peri-urban habitats. Photo: Macaques interacting with Dogs

These are known to carry zoonotic viruses including #Flavivirurses (#Zika, #Dengue, #KyasanurForestDisease), #Retroviruses (#SimianFoamyVirus, #SimianRetrovirusType-D), #Filoviruses (#ZaireEbolavirus).

#Zika virus and #yellowfever viruses are predicted to have numerous possible hosts that are yet to be detected positive but live in close association with humans. @NatureComms study. nature.com/articles/s4146…

#Domesticated species are also known to share a large number of viruses with humans and play an important role in amplifying infections during transmission from wildlife to humans. Map from @mariusgilbert 's data paper.

The widespread presence of these species also means a higher likelihood of human contacts which might facilitate disease transfer from animals to humans as shown in an earlier study by @CKreuderJohnson nature.com/articles/srep1… @SciReports

The data in the study has important insights current COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 from animals to humans. #COVID19 #OneHealth #Spillover #Pandemic @ucdavisvetmed

The #SARS virus which emerged in 2002 had since been detected in seven #bat species which are considered to be their origins. Other civets like carnivore species were thought to have played role in amplification in live-animal markets for SARS-CoV. Figure from @NatureRevMicro

Our understanding of these zoonotic viruses their mammalian hosts and drivers that led to transmission to humans from animals is helping scientists develop hypotheses to identify the origins of the current #COVID-19 #pandemic.

datasets like these are also helping us reduce critical contact with wildlife in vulnerable populations such as live-wildlife markets, bat caves, indiscriminate deforestation, and wildlife trade to avoid emergence of viruses with pandemic potential in the future.

The Link Between Virus Spillover, Wildlife Extinction and the Environment. @ucdavis Press release by @UCDavis_Kerlin ucdavis.edu/coronavirus/ne…

Habitat Destruction And #Biodiversity Loss at the Root of #EmergingInfectiousDiseases. ucdavis.edu/one-health/hab…. twitter thread is based on a blog on @OneHealthUCD's One Health Blog commenting on our @RSocPublishing paper. @ucdavisvetmed @CKreuderJohnson #COVID19 #pandemic

Don’t Blame The #Pangolins (Or Any Other Animal) For #COVID19 writes @petaleeh one of the co-authors. #pandemic #SARSCoV2 pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/don-t… @FVASunimelb
@EpiCenterUCD @ucdavisvetmed @CKreuderJohnson

Why do viruses jump from animals to humans? Clues to the #COVID19 #pandemic . Commenting on the article, @CKreuderJohnson talks about insights from this study on the current #SARSCoV2 pandemic.
blogs.royalsociety.org/publishing/why… @RSocPublishing @OneHealthUCD @EpiCenterUCD @ucdavisvetmed