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Developing science-based solutions to prevent pandemics & promote conservation.

🦇🥭🐖 For decades, EcoHealth Alliance has b

🦇🥭🐖 For decades, EcoHealth Alliance has been uncovering crucial insights that protect humans and animals from Nipah virus. ⁠
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25 years ago in Malaysia, Nipah virus spilled over into a human for the first time. In 2001, along with a team of international partners, EcoHealth Alliance scientists determined that fruit bats were the original carriers of the virus – these fruit bats, or ‘flying foxes’, often live in close proximity to livestock and people, increasing the risk of potential spillover. Since then, outbreaks have been sporadic, though Nipah virus remains a pathogen of serious concern throughout the region.⁠
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Nipah virus has also caused outbreaks in Bangladesh where, since 2006, EcoHealth Alliance has partnered with local scientists, laboratories, and government agencies to screen bats, livestock, and people to better understand the behaviors that lead to Nipah virus exposure and infection. These investigations identified the consumption of date palm sap, a local delicacy, as a source of initial infection in almost all of the outbreaks.⁠
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This work is a key example of how EcoHealth Alliance’s researchers are working to realize our vision of a world without pandemics – tap the link in our bio for more details on this exciting and essential work. ⁠

🇦🇲📊⛰️ EcoHealth Alliance recently lau

🇦🇲📊⛰️ EcoHealth Alliance recently launched a series of publications that take stock of and assess #OneHealth in the South Caucasus!⁠
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The One Health Armenia report takes a deep dive into Armenian biodiversity, One Health case studies, local risk factors for emerging infectious diseases, and much more.⁠
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Read more at the link in our bio!

🇧🇷🐭🌳 #FieldWorkFriday comes to us from

🇧🇷🐭🌳 #FieldWorkFriday comes to us from Brazil this week! ⁠
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The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a hotspot for both biodiversity and emerging infectious diseases. This ecosystem in particular is a biodiversity hotspot for rodents, a group of animals associated with dozens of zoonotic diseases worldwide. Predators like the ocelot and the crab-eating fox help to mitigate disease spillover – by keeping these rodent populations in check.⁠
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EcoHealth Alliance scientists and collaborators are investigating the effects of habitat loss and forest restoration on biodiversity and pathogen spillover risk. Their work will support forest restoration efforts and conserve essential habitat for these animals and more. This research will also investigate how biodiversity and healthy ecosystems can mitigate disease risk, protecting both human and animal communities. Pictured here are the field team in action, and the large-lipped crimson-nosed rat (Bibimys labiosus), photographed before being released back into the wild. ⁠
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Check out the link in our bio for a deeper dive into this project! ⁠
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This work is supported by @nsfgov @agenciafapesp. ⁠
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Project partners and collaborators: @oficialfiocruz @ufrj.oficial @usp.oficial @PennState ⁠@ClarkUniversity @UFABC ⁠

🇻🇳📑🐹 Wildlife farming is a long-standi

🏔🤝🏥 Out now! EcoHealth Alliance is please

🏔🤝🏥 Out now! EcoHealth Alliance is pleased to launch a series of 3 publications that assess #OneHealth operations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. ⁠
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These reports include an overview of current One Health initiatives, national plans, policies, and biosurveillance systems. Each report also highlights risk factors specific to each country, to help better address possible infectious disease emergence. Be sure to check out some of the case studies diving into how we can put One Health into practice, with some real-life examples of challenges and successes. ⁠
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The reports are available in English, Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian at the link in our bio!

🌎️❇️🙌 Out now in Nature Communications

🌎️❇️🙌 Out now in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, “Co-developing pathways to protect nature, land, territory, and well-being in Amazonia” advocates for research efforts that respect Indigenous rights and knowledge. ⁠
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In this paper, a diverse group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers (including some EcoHealth Alliance scientists) emphasize the urgent need for actions to protect and preserve biodiversity that are inclusive of Indigenous perspectives, particularly in Amazonia. The Amazon is facing a complex set of crises, as the compounding effects of climate change and deforestation lead to the breakdown of crucial ecosystem services. ⁠
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Indigenous communities are often on the front line of these crises, and centering their modes of knowledge is an essential component of any effective movement trying to reverse biodiversity loss and ecological degradation. A truly integrative and inclusive approach is needed to holistically address the issues facing Amazonia and the world at large. ⁠
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Read more at the link in our bio!⁠
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📸: Dr. Paula Prist, Senior Research Scientist

🦚🏥🍃 Happy #OneHealth Day from EcoHealth A

🦚🏥🍃 Happy #OneHealth Day from EcoHealth Alliance!

The world around us has changed rapidly since the emergence of COVID-19. We are working harder than ever with our global network of partners to meet the challenges of the pandemic era and uphold our commitment to scientific research. Every day, our scientists are working in more than 30 countries around the world, producing cutting-edge research and promoting strong international collaborations.

Now more than ever, we see that the health of humans, animals, and the planet are all intertwined, and the only way to truly protect any one of them is to protect them all. At EcoHealth Alliance, we are proudly committed to finding the solutions that will prevent pandemics at their source and ensure the conservation of our planet’s environments and the amazing animals that we share them with.

#OneHealthDay2023

🦇📚💚 On the last day of Bat Week, take ano

🦇📚💚 On the last day of Bat Week, take another look at Living Safely with Bats! In addition to its use as an educational tool, it is also featured on PANORAMA as one of EcoHealth Alliance’s key solutions. PANORAMA is an initiative focused on showcasing and sharing groundbreaking solutions in sustainable development and conservation – it allows experts from various fields to share their knowledge, exchange ideas, and learn from each other. ⁠
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Thanks for following along with us throughout #BatWeek2023! But remember, it doesn’t need to be Bat Week to recognize the essential contributions bats make to the world. We hope the next time you see one of these flying mammals, it’s with a new appreciation for their unique place in our living environment.⁠
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Read more about Living Safely with Bats and PANORAMA at the link in our bio, and see an excerpt from the solutions page below:⁠
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"Living Safely with Bats is an educational and risk communication resource that was developed with the goal of mitigating infectious disease spillover from bats through accessible risk communication. This educational tool which aims at addressing behavior, knowledge and attitudes around risky human-bat interfaces, is an example of essential primary prevention efforts towards pandemic prevention. Stopping spillover is the most cost effective and timely strategy for the pressing challenge of mitigating epidemic and pandemic risk to avoid crises like COVID-19, and offers under-utilized strategies compared to post-emergence strategies like vaccines and drug therapies. From school sessions to town halls, to government-facing conferences, the resource was used in countries throughout Asia and Africa as both the focal point of educational programs and as a supporting resource for larger One Health efforts. The book had increased impact as it is a low-barrier resource which is easily translated or used as a visual aid in instances where literacy is low."⁠
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Featured here is the Kiswahili version of "Living Safely with Bats".

🦇🏥🌱 Did you know that bats have one of th

🦇🏥🌱 Did you know that bats have one of the most unique immune systems in the animal kingdom? Unlike most mammals, they often don't get sick when infected with often-deadly viruses.

We humans experience a strong inflammatory response and produce antibodies when infected with a virus. These antibodies will protect us if we are re-infected, but an inflammatory response can be fatal if it's too strong. Bats can have a milder reaction to viral infection and also show a weaker antibody response – but they can produce a more robust antibody response when immunized against a virus instead of being infected naturally.

Many questions remain unanswered about how bats cope with infection. Imagine reducing or even preventing diseases caused by these viruses! Cracking the code of bat immunology could be the key to medical breakthroughs that protect human health. Let's keep exploring the fascinating world of bat immune systems and the potential it holds for our collective well-being.

Pictured here is the lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythii), found throughout Southern Europe and Western Asia.

#BatWeek #batresearch #batfacts

The Western Asia Bat Research Network (or WAB-Net

The Western Asia Bat Research Network (or WAB-Net for short) is a multinational research initiative that seeks to enhance both the conservation of bats and the early detection of zoonotic diseases. The network coordinates research in seven different countries, focused on bats, zoonotic diseases, and host-virus dynamics. ⁠
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Through this work, EcoHealth Alliance scientists collaborate with partner institutions in multiple fields, from conservation to virology to public health. They are working to connect bat research with public health initiatives to accomplish the twin goals of zoonotic disease prevention and bat conservation: a true example of the One Health approach. Pictured here are Rhinolophus clivosus, photographed in Oman, and David’s myotis (Myotis davidii), photographed in Georgia. ⁠
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#BatWeek2023 #batconservation #WABNet⁠
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This work is supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. ⁠

Interested in the #nonprofit space? EcoHealth Alli

Interested in the #nonprofit space? EcoHealth Alliance is #hiring for a Development Coordinator!⁠
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This role will be responsible for managing EcoHealth Alliance’s revenue generation, constituent outreach, and maximizing foundation and individual relationships. Development of unrestricted revenue and effectively communicating EcoHealth Alliance’s work and goals are essential to the overall success of our mission. ⁠
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Read more and apply at the link in our bio!⁠
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#nonprofitjobs #developmentjobs #newposition

🦇📸🙂 Smile! Say hello to the Egyptian frui

🦇📸🙂 Smile! Say hello to the Egyptian fruit bat.

This species lives in colonies with anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand other bats, and is one of the few megabats that uses echolocation to navigate. They can consume more than double their body mass in fruit each night, when they leave their roost to forage in surrounding fields and forests.

They are a vital pollinator and seed disperser across their range, which stretches from South Africa to the Middle East, with some populations in Turkey, Cyprus, and Pakistan. They tend to call forested areas home – but depending on food availability and habitat quality, they can also be found in deserts and other arid environments. Like many bat species, they can host viruses and are perceived as agricultural pests, but they are an essential part of their ecosystem. While this species is not currently endangered, human activity poses a persistent threat to bat species and their habitats.

#BatWeek2023 #batconservation #batecology

These photos were taken as a part of the WAB-Net project in Turkey – keep following along this week for more details on this work! The second photo was taken by Unsal Karhan.

🏡🦇🪴 This #BatWeek, let’s revisit “Liv

🏡🦇🪴 This #BatWeek, let’s revisit “Living Safely with Bats”! ⁠
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"Living Safely with Bats" is a book developed by EcoHealth Alliance to help prevent the spread of zoonotic disease carried by bats and ensure that humans and wildlife stay safe. As with all wild animals, it is important to remember that interactions between humans and bats should always come with proper precautions and best practices. The book is available in a dozen languages, and was developed by an international, interdisciplinary team, supplemented by feedback from local teams in more than 15 countries. ⁠
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The book celebrates the importance of bats to our ecosystems, providing irreplaceable pollination and seed dispersion ecosystem services. Read up at the link in our bio!⁠

🦇❤️🗺️ Happy #BatWeek from EcoHealth Al

🦇❤️🗺️ Happy #BatWeek from EcoHealth Alliance!

Bats are incredibly important animals for our environment, with more than 1400 species – almost 20% of all mammals. Those that eat insects control the populations of mosquitoes and pests, protecting human health and agriculture. Those that eat fruit and nectar act as pollinators and seed dispersers, supporting the health of our rainforests and crops.

Despite their importance, bat populations are declining worldwide due to disease, habitat loss, and other factors. Bat conservation preserves biodiversity and some truly essential ecosystem services worldwide.

Follow along this week as we celebrate these incredible and unique animals! Pictured here is Pteropus giganteus, one of the largest bats in the world, endemic to India.

#batweek2024 #batconservation #batresearch

🇿🇦🤝❤️‍🩹 Registration is open for

🇿🇦🤝❤️‍🩹 Registration is open for the #OneHealth Economics Mini-Congress in Pretoria, South Africa! ⁠
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This inaugural hybrid event will shine a light on One Health knowledge and practice, working to promote a broader understanding and implementation of One Health in South Africa and beyond. EcoHealth Alliance is proud to present this event in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council. ⁠
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This event will run from November 15 - 16. Virtual and in-person attendees are welcome! Sign up at the link in our bio. ⁠
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#OneHealth #globalhealth #conference ⁠

🐸🧪🏥 Have you ever heard of Batrachochytri

🐸🧪🏥 Have you ever heard of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans? Bsal, as it’s more commonly known, is a pathogen that poses a major threat to salamanders in the United States – like the fire salamander pictured on the first slide. In 2016, the United States took action to restrict the wildlife trade for twenty different salamander genera. ⁠
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EcoHealth Alliance scientists, in a new paper published in Nature Communications, collated valuable data on amphibian imports from 1999 to 2021, revealing that the ban effectively reduced trade in the targeted taxa. Yet, millions of live amphibians continue to be traded annually, posing a risk of Bsal introduction. ⁠
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It's clear that further policy measures, particularly focusing on Bsal carriers like frogs in the genus Rana (in the second photo), are needed to protect North American salamanders. Let's continue our efforts to safeguard these vital species. Read more at the link in our bio!⁠
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#amphibianconservation #biodiversity #wildlifetrade⁠

🌍💻🏥 It’s not quite field work, but none

🌍💻🏥 It’s not quite field work, but nonetheless, today’s #FieldWorkFriday comes to us from EcoHealth Alliance’s Science and Outreach Team, who recently visited the Africa CDC headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In partnership with Africa CDC’s Surveillance and Disease Intelligence programs, this project addresses gaps in the early detection, analysis and mitigation of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), particularly those originating in animals. The project will build a research information gateway which contains key information about scientific research being conducted on the African continent that has particular relevance to understanding, detecting and responding to zoonotic pathogens. A robust analysis of this database will be used to inform targeted trainings and capacity building of national public health systems.

This work is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

🇻🇳🗒️🔬 EcoHealth Alliance President &

🇻🇳🗒️🔬 EcoHealth Alliance President & CEO, Dr. Peter Daszak, and Dr. Cadhla Firth, Senior Research Scientist & Program Coordinator, were in Vietnam this month visiting with our partners at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Hanoi – part of a busy slate of projects taking them from the field to the office and back again.⁠
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For more details on our #OneHealth work in Vietnam, check out the link in our bio!

🇧🇷🌴🐆Today’s #FieldWorkFriday takes u

🇧🇷🌴🐆Today’s #FieldWorkFriday takes us to Brazil, where Dr. Paula Prist, Senior Research Scientist, is working on one of our newest projects, investigating the impact of forest restoration on zoonotic disease risk. ⁠
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The Brazilian Atlantic Forest was once one of the largest forests in the Western Hemisphere, but today retains less than a third of its original area. Human-driven land use change has created a patchwork of small forest fragments and plunged this region into ecological crisis. #Deforestation not only destroys habitat for plant and animal species, but increases the risk of zoonotic disease by bringing humans and animals into more frequent contact. Land use change can be linked to more than 40% of emerging infectious diseases, and research in the Brazilian Amazon has shown that every square kilometer of forest cleared can lead to dozens of new malaria cases.⁠
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Forest restoration has become increasingly recognized as essential in renewing ecosystem services, from cleaning our water to cooling the planet. Healthier, intact forests can also help mitigate the risk of disease spillover from animals, preventing future pandemics.⁠
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Our researchers are investigating just how significant forest restoration efforts are when it comes to reducing levels of zoonotic disease risk and restoring ecosystem services. This essential #OneHealth work will inform future conservation efforts in the region while providing critical support to global forest restoration and pandemic prevention efforts. Check out the link in our bio for more details!⁠
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This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, and is done in collaboration with the Biota Synthesis working group.

🇻🇳🌴🦠 This week’s #FieldWorkFriday co

🇻🇳🌴🦠 This week’s #FieldWorkFriday comes to us from Vietnam!

Dr. Cadhla Firth, Senior Research Scientist and Program Coordinator, is in the field working with our local partners to get ahead of the next pandemic.

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s highest-risk disease hotspots and home to the origin of the 2002 SARS outbreak, repeated outbreaks of novel influenza strains, and dangerous viral pathogens like Nipah virus. This is driven by high levels of wildlife diversity and a rapidly expanding human footprint that brings people and animals into frequent close contact. Substantial evidence has shown that diverse families of viruses are circulating in wildlife in Southeast Asia. These viruses likely infect people regularly, but are often unreported or misdiagnosed, and as such their potential to cause pandemics is unknown and underestimated.

This project takes a cross-disciplinary, collaborative approach, working closely with scientists, governments, and local communities in Vietnam. The results, stemming from a focus on virology, ecology, and community surveys, will serve to better anticipate future virus emergence, design public health interventions, and make it possible to disrupt outbreaks at the earliest instances of community spread.

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EcoHealth Alliance MISSION

EcoHealth Alliance develops science-based solutions to prevent pandemics and promote conservation.

One Health in the South Caucasus

An assessment of One Health operations and capacities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia EcoHealth…
New Research Suggests Forest Restoration Can Decrease Zoonotic Spillover Risk, But Caution is Needed

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EcoHealth Alliance Receives NIH Renewal Grant for Collaborative Research to Understand the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Spillover Emergence

May 8 2023 – Zoonotic coronaviruses (CoVs) represent a significant threat to global health,…
Dr. Paula Prist, EcoHealth Alliance Scientist, Wins British Ecological Society journal prize

MAY 1, 2023 – The British Ecological Society (BES) has announced the winners of…