Zoonotic Pathogens in Wildlife Traded in Markets for Human Consumption, Laos

Pruksa Nawtaisong (1) , Matthew Robinson (1, 2) , Khongsy Khammavong (3) , Phonesavanh Milavong (3) , Audrey Rachlin (1) , Sabine Dittrich (1, 2) , Audrey Dubot-Pérès (1, 2, 4) , Malavanh Vongsouvath (1) , Paul Horwood (5) , Philippe Dussart (5) , Watthana Theppangna (6) , Bounlom Douangngeum (6) , Amanda Fine (3) , Mathieu Pruvot (3, 7) , Paul Newton (1, 2)

1 LOMWRU - Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit
2 Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health [Oxford, UK]
3 WCS - Wildlife Conservation Society
4 UVE - Unité des Virus Emergents
5 Institut Pasteur du Cambodge
6 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos
7 University of Calgary

We tested animals from wildlife trade sites in Laos for the presence of zoonotic pathogens. Leptospira spp. were the most frequently detected infectious agents, found in 20.1% of animals. Rickettsia typhi and R. felis were also detected. These findings suggest a substantial risk for exposure through handling and consumption of wild animal meat.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Pruksa Nawtaisong, Matthew Robinson, Khongsy Khammavong, Phonesavanh Milavong, Audrey Rachlin, et al.. Zoonotic Pathogens in Wildlife Traded in Markets for Human Consumption, Laos. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2022, 28 (4), pp.860-864. ⟨10.3201/eid2804.210249⟩. ⟨pasteur-04096663⟩