Revisiting Animal Reservoirs of Hantavirus and Other Zoonotic Viruses Associated with Cruise Travel: Impact and Prevention
Abstract
The sustained growth of international maritime tourism and the expansion of the cruise industry have increased the importance of emerging zoonotic diseases as a significant challenge to global public health. Cruise ships constitute complex epidemiological settings characterized by high population density, rapid international mobility, and constant interaction between humans, animals, and coastal environments, factors that favor the introduction and spread of emerging infectious agents. Potential zoonotic concerns include orthohantaviruses and other zoonotic viruses, such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, and avian influenza, which are associated with animal reservoirs and vectors in ports, tourist destinations, and tropical ecosystems. This review examines the ecology of animal reservoirs of orthohantaviruses and other zoonotic pathogens relevant to maritime tourism, including peri-urban rodents, bats, migratory birds, and other mammals. It discusses how climate change, coastal urbanization, and environmental change affect viral transmission dynamics. It highlights epidemiological risks linked to international cruises, particularly exposure during ecotourism excursions, pathogen introduction, and challenges for maritime surveillance. The review also addresses travel medicine, biosecurity, and infection control, emphasizing a One Health approach. Strengthening integrated surveillance and prevention systems is essential to ensure safer, more sustainable, and…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Understanding the factors influencing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) damage in African smallholder maize fields and quantifying its impact on yield. A case study in Eastern Zimbabwe
- Alarming situation of emerging H5 and H7 avian influenza and effective control strategies
- Livestock and food security: vulnerability to population growth and climate change
- Atmosphere–ocean oxygen and productivity dynamics during early animal radiations
- Characterization of the global distribution and diversified plasmid reservoirs of the colistin resistance gene mcr-9
- The global seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.