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Toxoplasmosis: a One Health disease and a One Health approach to tackling it

Cats have been in the news lately.  Our beloved feline friends, long since revered by the ancient Egyptians, have enjoyed a bond with humans as domesticated pets for centuries.  However, cats (mainly feral cats who hunt and eat outdoors) play an important role in the spread of toxoplasmosis, a leading cause of death attributed to foodborne illness in the United States.

A new study published in EcoHealth reviews the natural history of T. gondii, its transmission and impacts in humans, domestic animals, wildlife both terrestrial and aquatic, and ecosystems, with the objective of facilitating awareness of this disease and promoting transdisciplinary collaborations, integrative research, and capacity building among universities, government agencies, NGOs, policy makers, practicing physicians, veterinarians, and the general public. Toxoplasmosis demands integrative approaches breaching disciplinary boundaries. This integration is needed to generate new approaches to manage and control the disease. The One Health approach to toxoplasmosis epidemiology and control requires practical, sustainable, and effective solutions with a keen understanding of local socioeconomic and cultural factors as well as a solid grasp of complex local, regional, national, and international health and environmental policies.

Dr. A. Alonso Aguirre, professor and chair of environmental science and policy at George Mason University, says that the problem is two-fold: feral cats are the main reservoirs of the disease and major risk for infection; also the USDA recently closed their toxoplasmosis reference lab due to pressure from animal groups.

On April 2, the USDA made the decision to shut down a small research lab in Beltsville, Maryland after 37 years. The lab has been the world’s leading hub for scientists working on Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that infects more than 1 billion people globally, causing death, blindness, and birth defects.  The lab fell victim to pressure from animal welfare activists and members of Congress concerned about its use of cats, the only animal in which T. gondii completes the sexual stages of its life cycle.

A press release by the American Bird Conservancy in Washington, DC was previously issued on May 1, 2019.

A write up from The Wildlife Society: https://wildlife.org/better-collaboration-needed-to-tackle-pervasive-cat-disease/

Links in this article:

ABC press release: https://abcbirds.org/article/scientists-call-for-new-cat-management-strategy-to-reduce-risk-of-toxoplasmosis/

Scientific study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10393-019-01405-7

USDA lab closure: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/04/scientists-decry-usdas-decision-end-cat-parasite-research

Important Dates for Students

SPRING 2020 Semester (modified due to COVID-19)

MLK Day (university closed): Jan 20

First day of classes: Jan 21

Spring Break (extended): Mar 9-20

Dissertation/Thesis Deadline: May 8

Last day of classes: May 11

Reading Day(s): May 12

Final Exam Period: May 13-20

University Commencement: May 22 (tentative)

COVID-19 DATE CHANGES – For the complete modified spring calendar, see https://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/spring-2020/ and for latest COVID-19 updates, see: https://www2.gmu.edu/coronavirus

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Research

Rapid Assessment and Discovery of a Missing Hawksbill Turtle Population

The first official survey of the highly protected Tres Marias islands to conduct a rapid assessment of sea turtle presence.

Bridging Science and Policy: Notes from the field

How can scientists engage with and work to influence policy? Examining legal changes that affect national parks and protected areas in Ecuador and Peru.

Reintroducing lost frogs back into the Panamanian rainforest

Amphibian populations in Panama vanished seemingly overnight. Conservation scientists are reintroducing lost frogs back into the wild.

Feature

Spotlight on EVPP 494: Internship
Spotlight on EVPP 494: Internship - Read about our students' internship stories. Each one is a different experience.

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