Zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species in China

Guang-Li Zhu,Jian Li,Yi-Yang Tang,Zhi-Yue Lv,Zhong-Dao Wu,Yanin Limpanont

doi:10.1186/s40249-018-0512-6

Abstract

BackgroundThe invasive alien species may lead to great environmental and economic crisis due to its strong capability of occupying the biological niche of native species and altering the ecosystem of the invaded area. However, its potential to serve as the vectors of some specific zoonotic pathogens, especially parasites, has been neglected. Thus, the damage that it may cause has been hugely underestimated in this aspect, which is actually an important public health problem. This paper aims to discuss the current status of zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species in China.Main bodyThis review summarizes the reported zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species in China based on the Database of Invasive Alien Species in China. We summarize their prevalence, threat to human health, related reported cases, and the roles of invasive alien species in the life cycle of these parasites, and the invasion history of some invasive alien species. Furthermore, we sum up the current state of prevention and control of invasive alien species in China, and discuss about the urgency and several feasible strategies for the prevention and control of these zoonoses under the background of booming international communications and inevitable globalization.ConclusionsInformation of the zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species neither in China or worldwide, especially related case reports, is limited due to a long-time neglection and lack of monitoring. The underestimation of their damage requires more attention to the monitoring and control and compulsory measures should be taken to control the invasive alien species carrying zoonotic parasites.

Highlights

The invasive alien species may lead to great environmental and economic crisis due to its strong capability of occupying the biological niche of native species and altering the ecosystem of the invaded area
Information of the zoonotic parasites carried by invasive alien species neither in China or worldwide, especially related case reports, is limited due to a long-time neglection and lack of monitoring
The economic loss caused by Invasive alien species (IAS) was estimated nearly 19.8 billion CNY in China [4]

Summary

Conclusions

Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Beijing, Tianjin, Pomacea canaliculate, Liaoning, Heilongjiang. Anhui, Fujian, Hainan, Tianjin, Sichuan, Henan, Shandong, Hubei, Guizhou, Xinjiang, Hebei, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Shanxi, Beijing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Gansu, Zhejiang. More efforts about associated problems should be paid in both researching and administration For those species which has already caused some zoonotic diseases, compulsory measures to control the species should be conducted to ensure the safety of public and some eradication methods ought to be considered for some more dangerous disease. For those species capable of transmitting parasites with no specific case reported yet, the screening surveys and control measures should be strictly fulfilled periodically to guarantee the safety of those species. Additional file 1: Multilingual abstracts in the five official working languages of the United Nations. (PDF 602 kb)

Background

Findings