Journal
VIRUSES-BASEL
Volume 14, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/v14122756
Keywords
zoonosis; Nipah; One Health; pandemic; COVID-19; wildlife trade; wet market; mammals
Categories
Funding
- Cleveland Zoo and Zoo Society
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
- Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
- Global Challenges Fund
- Henry Doorly Zoo
- Lee Richardson Zoo
- Little Fireface Project
- Mohamed bin al Zayed Species Conservation Fund [152511813]
- Moody Gardens Zoo
- Naturzoo Rhein
- Paradise Wildlife Park
- People's Trust for Endangered Species
- Sacramento Zoo
- Shaldon Wildlife Trust
- ZGAP
- Oxford Brookes University Research Excellence Award
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) [151005/2021-4]
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Southeast Asia is a hotspot for emerging zoonotic diseases, with wildlife trade playing a significant role in disease transmission. A study in Indonesian wildlife markets found that 8 out of 15 animal species were hosts to 17 zoonotic viruses. Network analysis showed that long-tailed macaques had the highest potential for spreading viral diseases, being the most traded species and a potential host for 9 viruses.
Southeast Asia is considered a global hotspot of emerging zoonotic diseases. There, wildlife is commonly traded under poor sanitary conditions in open markets; these markets have been considered 'the perfect storm' for zoonotic disease transmission. We assessed the potential of wildlife trade in spreading viral diseases by quantifying the number of wild animals of four mammalian orders (Rodentia, Chiroptera, Carnivora and Primates) on sale in 14 Indonesian wildlife markets and identifying zoonotic viruses potentially hosted by these animals. We constructed a network analysis to visualize the animals that are traded alongside each other that may carry similar viruses. We recorded 6725 wild animals of at least 15 species on sale. Cities and markets with larger human population and number of stalls, respectively, offered more individuals for sale. Eight out of 15 animal taxa recorded are hosts of 17 zoonotic virus species, nine of which can infect more than one species as a host. The network analysis showed that long-tailed macaque has the greatest potential for spreading viral diseases, since it is simultaneously the most traded species, sold in 13/14 markets, and a potential host for nine viruses. It is traded alongside pig-tailed macaques in three markets, with which it shares six viruses in common (Cowpox, Dengue, Hepatitis E, Herpes B, Simian foamy, and Simian retrovirus type D). Short-nosed fruit bats and large flying foxes are potential hosts of Nipah virus and are also sold in large quantities in 10/14 markets. This study highlights the need for better surveillance and sanitary conditions to avoid the negative health impacts of unregulated wildlife markets.
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