Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections in Livestock and Wildlife
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (16 May 2022) | Viewed by 9289
Special Issue Editor
Interests: veterinary helminthology - gastrointestinal nematodes and lungworms in domestic and wild ruminants; diagnosis of parasitic infections; control of parasitic gastroenteritis; anthelmintic resistance; epidemiology of helminth infections
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Infections with gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes strongly affect the sustainability of livestock production worldwide and may threaten the conservation of endangered species of wildlife. Effective strategies of nematode control need to be based on both our current knowledge of parasite biology and the local epidemiology of infections.
Epidemiological patterns of infections with GI nematodes have been thoroughly studied for a long time using traditional approaches. Some of these patterns (e.g. seasonal dynamics of infections, nematode survival strategies) are nevertheless currently changing due to global climate change or anthropogenic impact. Conducting epidemiological field trails is laborious and time-consuming, requiring at least one year of monitoring, and some relationships (e.g. response of nematodes to climate change) are almost impossible to evaluate. Mathematical modelling can overcome these problems. Models can be used to evaluate the effects of many factors (including hypothetical factors) quickly and inexpensively. The introduction of molecular techniques into epidemiological research has shed new light on the transmission dynamics of GI nematodes or on risk factors for infections. More sensitive and specific identification of causative agents in mixed infections is directly feasible in clinical or environmental samples using relatively inexpensive, rapid, and high-throughput molecular tools. Investigating immune responses to burdens of GI nematodes at a herd/flock level may help us to understand the spread of causative agents within host populations and to predict the impact of various factors (e.g. heat stress in host animals) on the dynamics of infection.
This special issue of Pathogens aims to collect current information on the epidemiology of GI nematodes in a wide range of domestic and wild host species. We encourage the submission of review articles, original research articles, or short communications on the newest advances in any field of traditional or modern epidemiology. Papers focused on molecular epidemiology, immunoepidemiology, or mathematical modelling are highly welcomed. We look forward to your valuable contributions.
References
- Cable, J., Barber, I., Boag, B., Ellison, A.R., Morgan, E.R., Murray, K., Pascoe, E.L., Sait, S.M., Wilson, A.J., Booth, M. Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology. Phil Trans R Soc B 2017, 372, 20160088
- Hellriegel, B. Immunoepidemiology – bridging the gap between immunology and epidemiology. Trends Parasitol 2001, 17, 102–106.
- Kołodziej-Sobocińska, M. Factors affecting the spread of parasites in populations of wild European terrestrial mammals. Mammal Res 2019, 64, 301–318.
- Morgan, E.R., Clare, E.L., Jefferies, R., Stevens, J.R. Parasite epidemiology in a changing world: can molecular phylogeography help us tell the wood from the trees? Parasitology 2012, 139, 1924–1938.
- Rose, H., Hoar, B., Kutz, S.J., Morgan, E.R. Exploiting parallels between livestock and wildlife: Predicting the impact of climate change on gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2014, 3, 209–219.
- Vadlejch, J., Kyriánová, I.A., Rylková, K., Zikmund, M., Langrová, I. Health risks associated with wild animal translocation: a case of the European bison and an alien parasite. Biol Invasions 2017, 19, 1121–1125.
- Vineer, H.R., Verschave, S.H., Claerebout, E., Vercruysse, J., Shaw, D.J., Charlier, J., Morgan, E.R. GLOWORM-PARA: a flexible framework to simulate the population dynamics of the parasitic phase of gastrointestinal nematodes infecting grazing livestock. Int J Parasitol 2020, 50, 133–144.
Dr. Jaroslav Vadlejch
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- nematodes
- gastrointestinal tract
- ruminant
- infection
- transmission patterns
- global climate change
- seasonal dynamics
- PCR-based methods
- mathematical modelling
- acquired immunity
