ZOONOTIC WILDLIFE DISEASES IN MALAYSIA AND THE EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC LANDSCAPE ALTERATION ON TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS AND ONE HEALTH

A large proportion of the emerging infectious diseases of humans can be traced to sylvatic infections of wild animals in the forests and the peri-domestic setting, as well as domesticated livestock and companion animals. The increasing destruction of forests habitats and escalating alterations in the natural landscape has narrowed the human-wildlife interface, leading to efficient transmission of these zoonotic pathogens. The complex interaction between these pathogens, the human and animal hosts, the vectors, and environment, poses a serious socio-economic challenge in the region. In many Southeast Asian countries, the lack of data on disease epidemiology and transmission dynamics often confounds control and prevention of zoonotic diseases from wildlife. These pathogens are mainly transmitted to humans either through invertebrate vectors or intermediate hosts, by direct contact, or by ingestion of the infective stages. Several virus, bacteria and parasites of sylvatic origin are a serious threat to public health in the region and may have negative impacts to the tourism industry. Zoonotic primate malaria is an emerging disease of serious public health concern and is the most common form of human malaria in Malaysia. Continuous anthropogenic landscape change in Southeast Asia has altered the transmission dynamics of many zoonotic pathogens and increased the risk of urban transmission. It is therefore imperative that public health workers, veterinarians, and conservation biologist are aware of these potentially fatal zoonotic wildlife diseases and work together under the One Health framework. Knowledge on the life cycle, epidemiology, and spatial distribution patterns of these pathogens will facilitate timely and accurate diagnosis, treatment, and control measures to be instituted.

DR. REUBEN SHARMA

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Dr. Reuben Sharma holds a DVM and MVSc in wildlife parasitology from UPM and a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Parasitology from the University of Cambridge. He has served as Policy Advisor and Technical Consultant to the WHO on zoonotic malaria, Director of WAAVP, Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and Affiliate Researcher at the University of Glasgow. He has also roles as Country Coordinator for the Sakura Science Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Adjunct Professor at the Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia; and the Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group (OVAG), Orangutan Conservancy USA

Dr. Reuben has received multiple international awards, such as the BP Conservation Program Award, the WDA USA Professional Development Award, and the MSPTM medal. He has advised national agencies including DWNP, DVS, MOHR, NRE, and MOH. He previously served as President of MSPTM and Vice President of MAVMA, the National Technical Expert Committee on Invasive Animal Species and Zoonotic Diseases; and the National Technical Expert Committee on Zoonotic Malaria He is currently President of the Asia-Pacific Association of Veterinary Parasitology and the Malaysian Association of Zoological Medicine. His interests include wildlife zoonoses, disease surveillance, and One Health.