Wetlands ecosystems have high levels of biodiversity and are necessary for flood protection and nutrient cycling. Although they are sensitive to changes in precipitation, surface run-off, and groundwater release, the flooding, or inundation, of wetlands is important for maintaining the health of the ecosystem. As wetlands flood, the soil is […]
The discovery of viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 in horseshoe bats has emphasized the importance of identifying sources of zoonotic pathogens in wildlife. Identifying which animals are hosts for these pathogens is essential to predicting when and where disease spillover from these animals into human populations will most likely occur. It […]
Invasive species are organisms which are not native to a particular area and can have a devastating and widespread impact on economics, ecosystems, and human health. These detrimental impacts include decreased biodiversity, fitness, and abundance of native species in the area. Impacts can also include damaged infrastructure, diminished agricultural yields, […]
As new infectious diseases emerge, the development of vaccines is essential in boosting immunity in the population. Understanding the properties of vaccines is important from a public health perspective to better optimize immunization strategies and forecasting. However, in the early stages of vaccine rollout it can be difficult to estimate […]
The spread of disease is influenced by a multitude of factors. Chagas disease is an inflammatory disease that is spread by insects of the genus Rhodnius, which feed on the blood of vertebrates. These insects of the Rhodnius genus frequently interact with a variety of vegetation, debris, and vertebrate and […]
In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in both the prevalence and outbreaks of infectious diseases. Technological improvements have enhanced our ability to collect data on these diseases. Experts can now examine variables that can influence complex infectious disease data, such as socioeconomic factors, demographics, culture, and environmental […]
Throughout the past two decades, pertussis re-emergence in developed countries has been cause for public health concern. In Canada, there has been a significant increase in pertussis cases since the 2010s, with some areas experiencing outbreaks of this airway infection. Until the early 1990s, there had been a decline in […]
The measles and rubella viruses are two highly transmittable diseases that can be prevented with vaccination. Southeast Asia accounted for 33.8% of the 7,549,000 cases of measles reported in 2020 globally. In India, these viruses continue to be a public health burden, as vaccination levels are too low to achieve […]
The healthy herds hypothesis (HHH) suggests that predators decrease parasitism in their prey, as they tend to prey on infected individuals or susceptible populations. However, further studies have found varying impacts from predators on their prey’s parasitism. The failure of empirical testing to support the HHH is likely because this […]
The 1918 H1N1 influenza and 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks are the two largest respiratory pandemics to have occurred in the 20th and 21st centuries. In terms of mode of disease transmission, geographical overlap, and global spread, these two pandemics are quite similar and provide epidemiologists the opportunity to explore potential correlations […]
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