Zoonoses in wildlife integrating ecology into management

Zoonoses in wildlife not only play an important ecological role, but pose significant threats to the health of humans, domestic animals and some endangered species. More than two-thirds of emerging, or re-emerging, infectious diseases are thought to originate in wildlife. Despite this, co-ordinated surveillance schemes are rare, and most efforts at disease control operate at the level of crisis management. This review examines the pathways linking zoonoses in wildlife with infection in other hosts, using examples from a range of key zoonoses, including European bat lyssaviruses and bovine tuberculosis. Ecologically based control, including the management of conditions leading to spill-overs into target host populations, is likely to be more effective and sustainable than simple reductions in wildlife populations alone.