Wildlife health surveillance as a key tool in the “One health” approach

Abstract

“One Health” is a multidisciplinary approach that integrates animal, human, and environmental health
through key strategies for early disease detection, such as wildlife health surveillance. The aim of this work
was to implement these strategies in three National Parks of Argentina and their interface zones.
Opportunistic sampling of dead and/or sick animals found during patrols or reported by the local
community was carried out, complemented by case registration using the “Marandu” mobile app. In
parallel, systematic sampling of small rodents, bats, vector arthropods, and environmental matrices was
conducted. The collected samples were analyzed in the laboratory using specific techniques for the
detection of pathogens and pesticides. A total of 119 dead mammals of different species, 406 micro rodents
and 279 live bats were sampled, and 629 arthropods and 263 environmental samples were collected.
Diagnostics revealed the presence of Trypanosoma sp., T. evansi, T. theileri, Anaplasma marginale,
Theileria cervi, and more than 15 pesticides in the environment and animal tissues. These results highlight
the importance of continuous and integrated surveillance to prevent and control emerging diseases and
environmental contamination scenarios.