Climate change, agricultural practices, and landscape changes have caused ecosystem fragmentation and increased the parasite spillover from wildlife to humans and domestic animals, and vice versa. Wild animals have a very important role in maintaining and spreading different pathogens to domestic animals and humans. Most of these pathogens affect more than one animal species, complicating their control in nature. Parasitic diseases are commonly identified in wild animals, livestock, and companion animals. In domestic animals, prevention and antiparasitic treatments are necessary for good health and are used to treat and prevent infections. However, if left untreated some parasitic diseases severely affect the host and more rarely, can be fatal.
To increase the knowledge of the role of wildlife in spreading and bridging infections to domestic animals and humans, research regarding parasite fauna of wildlife is essential. At this moment, most studies involving parasites and wildlife are focused on carnivore species, with most data originating in European countries. Among wildlife, canids, such as red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are the most studied group. A lot of other wild hosts can have an important role in the transmission of diseases and are often localized close to urban settlements, like bats, birds, sea lions, or even some primates. Our goal is to raise awareness about the threat that wildlife parasites represent to humans and domestic animals, as well as about the need for more research in this field.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research articles, Case Reports, and Review articles focusing on emerging and neglected wildlife parasites from various geographical areas. We specifically encourage research articles aiming at the identification and detection of important emerging diseases and neglected parasites, especially from previously non-studied areas. The investigation of a wide diversity of wild animal species, including endemic and endangered species, could significantly contribute to solving conservation problems and provide new data for this research field. Therefore, we welcome epidemiological studies (occurrence, distribution, prevalence), “One Health” approaches, interesting case presentations, conservation medicine, bridging infections, diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis.
Climate change, agricultural practices, and landscape changes have caused ecosystem fragmentation and increased the parasite spillover from wildlife to humans and domestic animals, and vice versa. Wild animals have a very important role in maintaining and spreading different pathogens to domestic animals and humans. Most of these pathogens affect more than one animal species, complicating their control in nature. Parasitic diseases are commonly identified in wild animals, livestock, and companion animals. In domestic animals, prevention and antiparasitic treatments are necessary for good health and are used to treat and prevent infections. However, if left untreated some parasitic diseases severely affect the host and more rarely, can be fatal.
To increase the knowledge of the role of wildlife in spreading and bridging infections to domestic animals and humans, research regarding parasite fauna of wildlife is essential. At this moment, most studies involving parasites and wildlife are focused on carnivore species, with most data originating in European countries. Among wildlife, canids, such as red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are the most studied group. A lot of other wild hosts can have an important role in the transmission of diseases and are often localized close to urban settlements, like bats, birds, sea lions, or even some primates. Our goal is to raise awareness about the threat that wildlife parasites represent to humans and domestic animals, as well as about the need for more research in this field.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research articles, Case Reports, and Review articles focusing on emerging and neglected wildlife parasites from various geographical areas. We specifically encourage research articles aiming at the identification and detection of important emerging diseases and neglected parasites, especially from previously non-studied areas. The investigation of a wide diversity of wild animal species, including endemic and endangered species, could significantly contribute to solving conservation problems and provide new data for this research field. Therefore, we welcome epidemiological studies (occurrence, distribution, prevalence), “One Health” approaches, interesting case presentations, conservation medicine, bridging infections, diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis.