Publications by authors named "Samuel O Bel-Nono"
Article Synopsis
- The straw-colored fruit bat is essential for plant population health in tropical Africa, but habitat loss has forced it to adapt to urban living, increasing human-bat interactions.
- High contact with these bats raises concerns about the potential spread of coronaviruses, necessitating research to understand the timing and dynamics of virus shedding.
- Our study in Ghana and Tanzania found that the risk of coronavirus shed by E. helvum peaks during the pup weaning period, suggesting that protecting human populations should focus on reducing contact with bats during this time.
Background: In Ghana, the conversion of land to agriculture, especially across the vegetative belt has resulted in fragmented forest landscapes with increased interactions among humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
Methods: We investigated viruses in bats and rodents, key reservoir hosts for zoonotic viral pathogens, in a small agricultural community in the vegetation belt of Ghana. We also administered questionnaires among the local community members to learn more about people's awareness and perceptions of zoonotic disease risks and the environmental factors and types of activities in which they engage that might influence pathogen transmission from wildlife.
Article Synopsis
- Zoonotic diseases significantly threaten human and animal health, economies, and livelihoods, necessitating a comprehensive strategy called One Health that connects human, animal, and environmental health.* -
- Approximately 70 countries, including Ghana, are part of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) aimed at improving the early detection and prevention of infectious disease threats through multisectoral collaboration.* -
- Ghana faces challenges in executing an effective One Health policy due to insufficient interagency coordination, limiting its ability to tackle emerging viral zoonoses, which are increasingly recognized as serious global health risks.*