Impact of alien mammals on human health.

Abstract

Abstract We provide an overview of the impact of wild invasive alien mammals on human health, focusing specifically on species acting as zoonotic hosts or pathogens, along with the diseases and mechanisms of disease transmission associated with mammals in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. We checked for published data on the impact on human health for 129 alien invasive mammals, reported in 123 different countries. The highest number of invasive alien mammals causing impacts on human health is reported in Japan (31 species), followed by Australia (24) and Argentina, New Zealand and Cuba (19). However, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, the Bahamas and the Czech Republic are characterized by the highest proportions of alien mammals impacting human health of the total number of invasive mammals reported in the country (range from 93% to 96%). Carnivores are the taxonomic group with the highest numbers of alien species impacting on human health, followed by ungulates and rodents. Our review highlights the important role of alien mammals in threatening human health and welfare, particularly through the transmission of zoonoses. Alien mammals can act as vectors of both alien and native pathogens, and as hosts of either native or alien parasites (which in turn can act as vectors of either native or alien pathogens). In this way, alien mammals can introduce new pathogens, alter the epidemiology of local pathogens, become reservoir hosts and increase disease risk for humans, along with other species. The increasing movements of humans and other species because of climate change and other factors could result in the sudden emergence of disease outbreaks, including new diseases and in new locations. This shows the urgent need for a better understanding of the parasite-vector-host trio and the environmental, climatic and socio-economic factors involved, as well as the large potential for future zoonotic emergence.