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Annual circulation of influenza viruses causes substantial disease and death worldwide, disproportionately affecting young children and older adults (2,2). Globally, influenza causes [approximately equal to] 9.4 million hospitalizations each year [...]

Species occupying dryland river ecosystems often experience "boom‐and‐bust" demographic cycles that coincide with shifts in habitat availability. Knowing whether declines are within natural thresholds versus those caused by acute human disturbance is critical for managing protected species. We investigated temporal shifts in abundance and habitat use of an endangered population of the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus in southern California, where a Mediterranean climate leads to ephemeral habitat in one of the regions' least hydrologically modified rivers, the Santa Clara River. We conducted population surveys over a period of below‐average rainfall in the upper watershed in Soledad Canyon, with predefined reaches surveyed multiple times per year to capture different hydrologic conditions. Abundances were stable across years but varied significantly depending on location, with some reaches remaining dry and others drying seasonally to varying degrees. Occupancy models showed that the presence of stable perennial reaches, drying regime, and other site‐specific factors were important predictors of habitat use, and that certain reaches may be key to ensuring source‐sink dynamics as flow dissipates over the dry season. Low occupancy in two sections was driven by different predominant mechanisms, one by diel cycles of evapotranspiration and the other by cattails (Typha spp.), with both having greater effects during the hotter, drier parts of the year. As dryland river ecosystems are vulnerable to the effects of anthropogenic‐induced climate change, this study demonstrates how temporal monitoring can delimit dry‐state benchmarks for improving management interventions (i.e., translocation and habitat restoration) for protected species under conditions that are predicted to worsen in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of species distributions and abundance are driven by a combination of species abiotic niches and biotic interactions between members of a community. Joint-species distribution models extend traditional modeling of occurrence or abundance to quantify species corelationships that may result from interspecific interactions. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, stream-associated salamander communities are thought to be structured by competitive and predatory interactions; therefore, spatial patterns in occurrence and abundance and temporal patterns in activity may reflect species associations. To evaluate the role of interspecific interactions in salamander community occurrence and abundance patterns, we conducted repeated point-count and leaf-bag surveys for adult and larval communities, respectively. We estimated adult and larval community occurrence and abundance by using the hierarchical modeling of species communities framework to identify the extent to which residual co-occurrence and correlation in abundance was present within these communities. For both adult and larval communities, we found no evidence that residual co-occurrence or correlation in abundance was present. Instead, results indicated that environmental covariates characterizing both plot- and landscape-level habitat conditions were responsible for observed patterns. In addition, we found no evidence for temporal niche partitioning, suggesting competition does not play a significant role in inter- or intraday activity patterns. Our results contrast with the accepted paradigm that extant biotic interactions drive community composition among stream-associated salamanders. Instead, our findings suggest that the effects of biotic interactions are not evident at the spatial or temporal scales associated with occurrence or abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring trends in wildlife populations is essential to effective management. Evaluating only a single metric can be cost‐effective; however, how a given metric responds to environmental variation may differ from other population‐ or individual‐level metrics. Consequently, conclusions about the effect of environmental variation on a species should consider the relationship between different metrics. We investigated how population‐level metrics (occupancy and relative abundance) and an individual‐level metric (body condition) responded to landscape variation in 3 semi‐aquatic salamander species. In the summer of 2015 and 2016, we conducted repeated count surveys at 71 streams on the Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee, USA, actively counting and measuring salamanders. We estimated occupancy and abundance of larval and post‐metamorphic animals using community‐occupancy and community‐N mixture models, respectively. We estimated body condition of the most observed life stage for each species using a standardized mass index. All models included the same set of covariates for comparison. Occupancy and abundance responses for each life stage‐by‐species combination were positively correlated for 4 of 6 combinations, with salamander abundance responding to a larger suite of covariates. Body condition was not linked to covariates in the same fashion as population‐level metrics, although consistency across species was detected for 1 covariate, watershed size. Our results indicate that inter‐specific and inter‐life stage variation in evaluated metrics is present within salamanders of this study system. Management for populations of salamanders in the region should consider monitoring multiple response metrics, to capture both population‐ and individual‐level responses, as these may not always be correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To conduct assessments of Ebola virus disease preparedness In countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region. Methods Nine of 11 countries In the region agreed to be assessed. During February to November 2015 a joint team from WHO and ministries of health conducted 4-5 day missions to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. We collected information through guided discussions with senior technical leaders and visits to hospitals, laboratories and airports. We assessed each country's Ebola virus disease preparedness on 41 tasks under nine key components adapted from the WHO Ebola preparedness checklist of January 2015. Findings Political commitment to Ebola preparedness was high in all countries. Planning was most advanced for components that had been previously planned or tested for influenza pandemics: multilevel and multisectoral coordination; multidisciplinary rapid response teams; public communication and social mobilization; drills in international airports; and training on personal protective equipment. Major vulnerabilities included inadequate risk assessment and risk communication; gaps in data management and analysis for event surveillance; and limited capacity in molecular diagnostic techniques. Many countries had limited planning for a surge of Ebola cases. Other tasks needing improvement Included: advice to inbound travellers; adequate isolation rooms; appropriate infection control practices; triage systems in hospitals; laboratory diagnostic capacity; contact tracing; and danger pay to staff to ensure continuity of care. Conclusion Joint assessment and feedback about the functionality of Ebola virus preparedness systems help countries strengthen their core capacities to meet the International Health Regulations. Objectif Realiser des evaluations de la preparation au virus Ebola dans des pays de la region Asie du Sud-Est de l'Organlsation mondlale de la Sante (OMS). Methodes Surles 11 pays de la region, neufontaccepted'etreevalues. De fevrler a novembre 2015, une equlpe composee de membres de l'OMS et des mlnisteres de la Sante ont effectue des missions de 4 a 5 jours au Bangladesh, au Bhoutan, en Indonesie, aux Maldives, au Myanmar, au Nepal, au Sri Lanka, en Thailande et au Timor-Leste. Nous avons recueilli des informations lors de discussions guidees avec des directeurs techniques et lors de visites dans des hopitaux, des laboratolres et des aeroports. Nous avons evalue la preparation de chaque pays au virus Ebola d'apres 41 taches relevant de neuf composantes cles, insplrees de la liste de controle de l'OMS pourfaire face au virus Ebola de janvier 2015. Resultats L'engagement politique en matiere de preparation au virus Ebola etait eleve dans tous les pays. La planification etalt plus avancee vis-a-vis des composantes qui avaient deja ete planifiees ou testees pour les pandemies de grippe: coordination multisectorielle et multi-nlveaux, equipes d'interventlon rapide multidlsclplinalres, communication publique et mobilisation sociale, exercices dans les aeroports internationaux et formation au port d'equipements de protection indlvlduelle. Les principales vulnerabilites etaient une mauvaise evaluation et communication des risques, des failles dans la gestion et l'analyse des donnees en vue de la surveillance, et des capacites limitees au niveau des techniques de diagnostic moleculaire. Dans de nombreux pays, la planification etait limltee en cas deflambee du virus Ebola. D'autres taches necessitaient des ameliorations, par exemple: les consells aux voyageurs entrant dans le pays, la mise a disposition de chambres d'isolement adequates, l'adoption de pratiques conectes de lutte contre la maladle, des systemes de triage dans les hopitaux, des capacites de diagnostic dans les laboratolres, la recherche des contacts et le paiement d'une prime de risque au personnel afin d'assurer la contlnuite des soins. Conclusion L'evaluatlon conjointe et la communication au sujet de la fonctionnalite des systemes de preparation au virus Ebola permettent aux pays de renforcer leurs capacites afin de respecter le Reglement sanitaire International. Objetivo Llevar a cabo evaluaciones de 1a preparacion ante el virus del Ebola en paises de la region del sudeste asiatico de la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Metodos Nueve de once paises de la region aceptaron ser evaluados. De febrero a noviembre de 2015, un equipo conjunto de la OMS y los ministerios de sanidad llevaron a cabo misiones de entre 4 y 5 dias en Bangladesh, Butan, Indonesia, Maldivas, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tailandia y Timor-Leste. Se recopilo informacion a traves de conversaciones dirigidas con jefes tecnicos y visitas a hospitales, laboratorios y aeropuertos. Se evaluo la preparacion ante el virus del Ebola de cada pais en 41 tareas con 9 componentes clave adaptados de la lista de preparacion ante el ebola de la OMS de enero de 2015. Resultados El compromiso politico para la preparacion ante el ebola era elevado en todos los paises. La planificacion era mas avanzada para los componentes que habian sido previamente planificados o probados para pandemias de gripe: coordinacion de varios niveles y sectores, equipos de respuesta rapida multidisciplinares, comunicacion publica y movilizacion social, simulacros en aeropuertos internacionales y formacion sobre equipos de proteccion individual. Entre las principales vulnerabilidades se encontraba una evaluacion de riesgos y comunicacion de riesgos poco adecuadas, lagunas en la gestion y el analisis de datos para el control de acontecimientos y una capacidad limitada en tecnicas de diagnostico molecular. Muchos paises tenian una planificacion limitada en caso de que resurgieran casos de ebola. Entre otras tareas que necesitaban mejorar se encontraban: asesoria a viajeros entrantes, salas de aislamiento adecuadas, practicas de control de infecciones adecuadas, sistemas de clasificacion en hospitales, capacidad de diagnostico en laboratorios, localizacion de contactos y prima de peligrosidad para el personal para garantizar la continuidad de la atencion. Conclusion La evaluacion conjunta y los comentarios sobre la funcionalidad de los sistemas de preparacion ante el virus del Ebola ayudan a los paises a fortalecer sus capacidades principales para cumplir el Reglamento Sanitario Internacional., Introduction The 2013-2016 Ebola virus disease epidemic in West Africa was the largest ever reported, with 28616 cases and 11 310 deaths as of June 2016. (1) In August 2014, [...]