(An aye-aye being butchered by a local hunter exposing him to fresh primate blood pictured above)
Zoonotic Diseases
Zoonotic diseases are any type of disease that are transmitted to human via animals. Globally, 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. Notable examples of zoonotic diseases are HIV, SARS, Swine Flu, Nipah virus, etc. Beginning in 2008, our team collected blood spots on filter paper of wildlife that was harvested by local hunters. We collected over 200 samples of blood spots from more than 15 different types of wildlife. This work was done in collaboration with the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative and the samples are completely being processed in their laboratories. Results may yield the existence of novel pathogens or viruses in the reservoir of wildlife being hunted.
(Blood spots from a lowland streaked tenrec collected for analysis pictured above)
Zoonotic diseases are any type of disease that are transmitted to human via animals. Globally, 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. Notable examples of zoonotic diseases are HIV, SARS, Swine Flu, Nipah virus, etc. Beginning in 2008, our team collected blood spots on filter paper of wildlife that was harvested by local hunters. We collected over 200 samples of blood spots from more than 15 different types of wildlife. This work was done in collaboration with the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative and the samples are completely being processed in their laboratories. Results may yield the existence of novel pathogens or viruses in the reservoir of wildlife being hunted.
(Blood spots from a lowland streaked tenrec collected for analysis pictured above)
