Is Ecotourism a Potential Reservoir for Transfer of Pathogens?

-


 Ecotourism is appealing because it allows visitors to see nature in its purest form, including the ability to interact with fascinating creatures local to the area. Tourism revenue is a significant motivator for natural habitat protection, particularly among local residents who are familiar with ecosystem wildlife and plants.

Apart from the advantages, the growth of ecotourism has the potential to be a double-edged sword. Animal feeding, for example, is often used to allow close-up photography and petting of animals; yet, intimate physical touch between visitors and animals can cause shifts in animal behavior from eating to social interactions.

This intimate human-animal interaction also raises the risk of pathogenic and non-pathogenic germs being transferred from humans to animals (anthropozoonosis) and from animals to humans (anthropozoonosis) (zoonosis). The former is especially important today that cross-continental tourist travel is frequent, enhancing the transfer of "foreign" microorganisms to purportedly unsusceptible host systems.

Scientists analyzed the total microbial feces composition from human samples and two non-human primates(NHP) species in a semi-urban context in Malaysia at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park to investigate the frequency of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Antibiotic resistance was observed to be lower in the isolates derived from the two NHPs investigated in this investigation than in the human subject. The findings may imply minimal rates of human-to-primate transmission in the natural park, although this is a possibility. The variation in gut microbial makeup, which affects the colonization of resistant infections, may potentially play a role in the low carriage rate.

Researchers contend that providing food to NHPs may modify the gut microbiota in the future, affecting carriage rates. It is critical to raise public knowledge about disease transmission among tourists and inhabitants in order to prevent future transmission and minimize the damage to animals.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Can Antibiotic Resistance Be Reduced In Animals?

-
Image
Antibiotics are required less frequently when infections are avoided in the first place, which minimizes the risk of resistance developing during treatment. Drug-resistant illnesses can be avoided in a number of methods, including vaccination, proper food preparation, handwashing, and the use of antibiotics only when absolutely required. Furthermore, minimizing infections reduces the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The CDC collects information on antibiotic-resistant illnesses, their causes, and whether certain circumstances (risk factors) contributed to certain persons contracting a resistant infection. Experts may use this knowledge to build particular tactics to avoid illnesses and the spread of resistant germs. Changing how antibiotics are used is maybe the single most significant measure needed to dramatically limit the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant diseases. Antibiotic usage in people, as well as much antibiotic use in animals, is needless and
Read more

Is it Possible for Your Dog to Make You Sick?

-
Image
The answer is a lot, if our social media feeds are any indicator of how much we adore our pets. We welcomed them into our hearts and lives, and many of us even allowed them to sleep in our beds. Given our intimate relationship with our dogs (and the fact that they aren't very concerned with hygiene), it's natural to wonder: Is it Possible for Your Dog to Make You Sick? "While most of the common illnesses we hear about don't pass between dogs and humans, there are some diseases that our dogs can convey to us," says Dr. Wesley Long, director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist Hospital. "The viruses that cause common colds have evolved through time to live in people rather than dogs," adds Dr. Long. "This means you and your dog can't catch a cold from each other."The seasonal flu, which we prepare for every year, is the same way. Dogs, in fact, have their own strain of influenza, known as canine influenza . And because this st
Read more

Can Overcooking of Meat Causes Cancer?

-
Image
  When muscle meat, such as beef, pig, fish, or chicken, is cooked at high temperatures, such as pan-frying or grilling directly over an open flame, compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generated. HCAs and PAHs have been discovered to be mutagenic in laboratory trials, meaning they create changes in DNA that may raise the risk of cancer. When amino acids, carbohydrates, and creatine or creatinine (muscle-derived compounds) react at high temperatures, HCAs are generated. When fat and fluids from meat cooked directly over a hot surface or an open fire fall onto the surface or fire, generating flames and smoke, PAHs are generated. The smoke contains PAHs, which stick to the meat's surface. Other food preparation techniques, such as smoking meats, can also produce PAHs. Other than meat cooked at high temperatures, HCAs are not present in substantial concentrations in meals. Other smoked foods, as well as cigarette smoke and auto
Read more