May 15, 2022
Animal migration due to climate change could lead to many disease outbreaks. A modeling study shows that changes in animal habitats due to warmer climates are causing species to migrate and mingle with others they have never encountered before. These interactions allow diverse animals to exchange viruses and can lead to disease outbreaks in wild populations and in humans. One case study on Zaire ebolavirus, which researchers predict has 13 possible mammalian hosts, concludes that the least dramatic climate change scenario could cause the virus’ involvement in more than 2,000 first encounters between species, of which nearly 100 might lead to a spread from one species to the other. Those jumps could cause Ebola infections in humans in the Horn of Africa, where the disease has not previously been detected. [Science]
Women face challenges in scientific collaboration. As interdisciplinary collaborations are becoming increasingly crucial to executing quality research and career advancement, many women researchers confront barriers in navigating this landscape. Female researchers are more likely than men to report issues with authorship disputes. Women scientists, who are often junior to their male counterparts, often must choose between collaboration with a well-resourced researcher, most likely a man, or a peer whose status will not eclipse their own. Collaboration with other women through informal mentorships and networks, forming diverse lab groups, or strategic co-authorships, creates opportunities for women scientists to challenge systemic barriers to women-led team research. [Nature]
Cutting beef consumption by 20% could halve world deforestation. Beef farming is the primary cause of deforestation worldwide, and cows raised for beef are a principal source of methane. A mathematical modeling study considered increases in population growth, income, and livestock demand between 2020 and 2050. Researchers found that replacing 20% of the world’s per-capita beef consumption with mycoprotein (a meat substitute) by 2050 would reduce methane emissions by 11% and halve the annual deforestation and associated emissions, compared with a projected continuing regular beef consumption scenario. [Nature]
The World Health Organization (WHO) published a report on global infection prevention and control (IPC) programs. The WHO analyzed the global state of the implementation of IPC programs in diverse settings around the world, as documented in scientific literature and various reports, and including novel data from WHO research. The report details the impact and cost-effectiveness of IPC programs and reports on the suffering caused by healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance for health workers and patients. Strategies and resources available to improve IPC programs are developed to aid IPC policymakers at national, subnational, and facility levels. [World Health Organization]
Diagnostic stewardship can reduce antibiotic overuse in hospitals. In the evaluation of Bright STAR (Testing Stewardship for Antibiotic Reduction) collaborative, a quality improvement program implemented at 14 U.S. pediatric intensive care units in 2017, researchers found that reducing the ordering of blood cultures for evaluation of bloodstream infections in children was associated with a reduction in blood cultures (33%) broad-spectrum antibiotic use (13%) and central line-associated bloodstream infection (36%). The intervention did not impact the risk of bacterial sepsis, mortality, hospital readmission, or length of hospital stay. [CIDRAP]
One Health implementation in zoonotic disease mitigation provides long-term benefits. A scoping review of studies published between January 2011 and June 2021 surveyed the integration of One Health in zoonosis prevention and control and its social impacts. Of the 32 studies included in the review, 27 used qualitative and semi-qualitative methods and 19 were conducted in low- and middle-income countries. The literature review reveals a lack of guidelines for evaluating the outcomes of One Health implementation studies. However, evidence shows that application of One Health concepts in zoonosis prevention can provide long-term benefits to society, including reducing burden from disease and poverty and improving integration of public policy while addressing social determinants of health. [Infectious Diseases of Poverty]
Antibiotic use in pets can impact community-wide antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Researchers studied the effect of close interactions between pet dogs and human owners on their gut microbiomes, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and the correlation of AMR between dogs and their owners. Through metagenomic analysis of 13 pet dogs, 16 owners, and 22 kennel dogs, researchers found that ARG and MGE compositions in the pet dog gut microbial community were more similar to the owner’s gut microbiota than those of kennel dogs. A strong correlation between macrolide resistance genes in dogs and their owners implied the possible transmission of ARGs in families. [iMeta]
Systemic racism contributes to vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans. To understand reasons for lower vaccination intentions among Black Americans compared to White Americans and find strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination, researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 Black Americans who expressed low vaccination intentions and five stakeholders representing institutions in Black communities between November 2020 and March 2021. Barriers to vaccination for this group included structural access barriers (transport and technology) and medical distrust (towards vaccines, the government, medical professionals, the healthcare system, and pharmaceutical companies). Systemic racism was perceived as a barrier that led to mistrust. To boost vaccination in this population, campaigns must acknowledge systemic racism as a source of distrust, utilize transparent messaging, hold campaigns at both medical and non-medical sites, and work with trusted individuals from Black communities. [PLOS One]
Interferon therapy is a potential COVID-19 treatment. A large trial of nonhospitalized, high-risk people in Brazil has revived hopes that interferons, a family of proteins that compose the body’s first line of defense against viruses, could serve as protection against severe COVID-19. Individuals who received a single shot of the drug peginterferon lambda within seven days of developing symptoms of COVID-19 were half as likely to be hospitalized or to endure lengthy emergency room visits as those who received a placebo. Larger studies and peer-reviewed publications on these findings are needed to determine the generalizability of this study. A smaller trial of younger COVID-19 patients found that the injection did not reduce symptom duration or recovery time. [Science]
Dilemmas in choosing tuberculosis vaccines for diverse contexts. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews among key decision makers in vaccine promotion and policy and target groups in South Africa, India, and China, researchers identified implementation strategies, acceptability, and feasibility for the tuberculosis vaccines, M72/AS01E, and BCG-revaccination-like candidates. Routine vaccination was preferred in all countries due to stigma and logistical issues with targeted mass campaigns. While M72/AS01E proved beneficial for those with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and people with HIV, the infrastructure required for its two-dose regimen was a barrier. While stakeholders valued the familiarity of BCG, adverse side effects in people with HIV were troubling, especially to participants in South Africa. Key groups, like those living with HIV and people in resource-poor settings, should be included in clinical trials to aid in implementation planning. [PLOS Global Public Health]
