Suu-Ire Richard, Obodai Evangeline, Bel-Nono Samuel Otis, Ampofo William Kwabena, Mazet Jonna A K, Goldstein Tracey, Johnson Christine Kreuder, Smith Brett, Boaatema Linda, Asigbee Theodore Worlanyo, Awuni Joseph, Opoku Eric, Kelly Terra R
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
One Health Outlook. 2022 Mar 8;4(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s42522-022-00061-2.
In Ghana, the conversion of land to agriculture, especially across the vegetative belt has resulted in fragmented forest landscapes with increased interactions among humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
We investigated viruses in bats and rodents, key reservoir hosts for zoonotic viral pathogens, in a small agricultural community in the vegetation belt of Ghana. We also administered questionnaires among the local community members to learn more about people's awareness and perceptions of zoonotic disease risks and the environmental factors and types of activities in which they engage that might influence pathogen transmission from wildlife.
Our study detected the RNA from paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses in rodents and bats, including sequences from novel viruses with unknown zoonotic potential. Samples collected from Epomophorus gambianus bats were significantly more likely to be positive for coronavirus RNA during the rainy season, when higher numbers of young susceptible individuals are present in the population. Almost all community members who responded to the questionnaire reported contact with wildlife, especially bats, rodents, and non-human primates in and around their homes and in the agricultural fields. Over half of the respondents were not aware or did not perceive any zoonotic disease risks associated with close contact with animals, such as harvesting and processing animals for food. To address gaps in awareness and mitigation strategies for pathogen transmission risks, we organized community education campaigns using risk reduction and outreach tools focused around living safely with bats and rodents.
These findings expand our knowledge of the viruses circulating in bats and rodents in Ghana and of the beliefs, perceptions, and practices that put community members at risk of zoonotic virus spillover through direct and indirect contact with bats and rodents. This study also highlights the importance of community engagement in research and interventions focused on mitigating risk and living safely with wildlife.
在加纳，土地转为农业用途，尤其是在植被带进行的这种转变，导致森林景观碎片化，人类、家畜和野生动物之间的互动增加。
我们在加纳植被带的一个小型农业社区中，对蝙蝠和啮齿动物（人畜共患病毒病原体的主要宿主）中的病毒进行了调查。我们还向当地社区成员发放了问卷，以进一步了解人们对人畜共患病风险的认识和看法，以及可能影响野生动物病原体传播的环境因素和他们所从事的活动类型。
我们的研究在啮齿动物和蝙蝠中检测到了副粘病毒和冠状病毒的RNA，包括来自具有未知人畜共患潜力的新型病毒的序列。在雨季，从冈比亚墓蝠采集的样本中冠状病毒RNA呈阳性的可能性显著更高，因为雨季时种群中有更多易感染的幼体。几乎所有回复问卷的社区成员都报告在家中及周边和农田里接触过野生动物，尤其是蝙蝠、啮齿动物和非人类灵长类动物。超过一半的受访者没有意识到或没有察觉到与动物密切接触（如捕杀和加工动物作为食物）相关的任何人畜共患病风险。为了弥补在病原体传播风险认识和缓解策略方面的差距，我们利用围绕与蝙蝠和啮齿动物安全共处的风险降低和宣传工具，组织了社区教育活动。
这些发现扩展了我们对加纳蝙蝠和啮齿动物中传播的病毒的了解，以及对那些使社区成员因直接和间接接触蝙蝠和啮齿动物而面临人畜共患病毒溢出风险的观念、认知和行为的了解。这项研究还强调了社区参与专注于降低风险和与野生动物安全共处的研究及干预措施的重要性。
