Pathogen monitoring in Swedish wildlife

Pathogen monitoring in Swedish wildlife using small mammals as indicators (PathMon)

Emerging infectious diseases are posing an increasing burden, challenge and threat to human health and society. More than 60 % of these diseases are zoonoses, i.e. spread from animals to humans, and most of them (>70%) originate in wildlife with rodents as dominating taxon. In addition, as many of these zoonotic pathogens are also epizootic (developing disease within animal populations), they sometimes have a major impact on wildlife health and the health of domesticated animals. These challenges and threats, now mercilessly reinforced by the current C ovid-19 crisis, demonstrate the need for better knowledge on a) pathogens in wildlife, b) epizootic and zoonotic potential of pathogens and c) drivers of disease outbreaks. In the suggested 3-yrs research project PathMon, we combine microbiology, virology, disease ecology, epizootiology and epidemiology to fill these gaps. In a KAP (Knowledge, attitude and practice) study, we investigate exposure of hunters to two main wildlife pathogens that can cause severe human disease. In addition, PathMon largely relies on the established infrastructure of the Swedish Environmental Monitoring Program of Small Rodents and the associated Environmental Specimen Bank (1979-present; >70,000 small mammal specimens). This infrastructure enables us to study current and earlier occurrence and distribution of wildlife pathogens in small mammals. Many small mammal species are hosts, reservoirs and/or vectors for wildlife pathogens that develop diseases in game species. Hence, by studying common and abundant small mammals, we will be able to make inferences on pathogen circulation and disease outbreak in (game) wildlife and ultimately humans. The results will be important to develop an operative monitoring and early-warning system for wildlife pathogens in Sweden that alerts the public, stakeholders and authorities of risk of transmission and outbreak of diseases.

Frauke Ecke, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

3 680 000 SEK