Conservation Medicine
Conservation Medicine is a multidisciplinary field that studies the pathogenic relationships between humans, animals and ecosystems by developing and implementing health management practices, policies and programmes. Its ultimate goal is to promote human and animal health by maintaining a suitable environmental balance.
Veterinarians, physicians, ecologists, biologists and conservation professionals work together to support and develop research and educational programmes focused on interspecies disease transmission and the influence of abiotic factors on species susceptibility to pathogens.
To find out more about this new field, please click on the following links
Triade.org
Tufts University
The University of Edinburgh
Recommended reading
Aguirre, A.A., Ostfeld, R.S., Tabor, G.M., House, C., Pearl, M.C. (2002). Conservation
Medicine: Ecological Health in Practice. New York, Oxford University Press. ISBN-10: 0195150937
Aguirre, A.A., Ostfeld, R.S., Daszak (2012). New Directions in Conservation Medicine: Applied Cases of Ecological Health. Oxford University Press. ISBN-10: 0199731470
Macdonald, M., Service, K. (2007). Key Topics in Conservation Biology. Blackwell Publications, Oxford. ISBN-10: 1405122498
Boasting an extensive knowledge in the field of veterinary medicine, acquired over more than 17 years of caring for its animal collection and sharing ideas with other entities operating in this field, the Oceanário de Lisboa develops, coordinates and participates in several in situ, ex situ and sorta situ studies focused on conservation medicine.
Moreover, the Oceanário de Lisboa seeks to introduce conservation medicine issues into the conservation projects it sponsors, by providing training on pathogen screening techniques and medical procedures, as well as habitat use and species distribution studies.
Read more about the efforts undertaken by the Oceanário de Lisboa within the field of conservation medicine:
SADA Programme on the Príncipe Island
A multidisciplinary team was formed within the scope of this project for the purpose of studying sea turtle populations in the area and investigating a disease occurring worldwide, fibropapillomatosis.
Despite the large number of parasites, symbionts and diseases affecting sea turtles, nothing causes as much concern as fibropapillomatosis, a disease that is posing an increasing threat to the survival of this species. Fibropapillomatosis is a potentially fatal infectious disease associated with a virus (Herpes virus) that causes the growth of tumours on the skin. These tumours are mostly found on soft tissue areas, particularly the fore flippers, eyes and neck.
The project team, which includes the Oceanário’s veterinary physician and scientists specialised in the fields of virology, anatomical pathology and bacteriology, has designed protocols for the description and documentation of lesions, as well as the collection and storage of samples to be subsequently analysed in Portugal. Part of the samples collected were used in a project developed by the University of Puerto Rico.
Scientific publications resulting from this project
First histological and virological report of Fibropapilloma associated with Herpesvirus in Chelonia mydas at Príncipe Island, West Africa
Phylogeography and Evolution of the Chelonid Fibropapilloma-associated Herpesvirus
Sunfish (Mola mola) behaviour, predator-prey interactions and interactions with fishing activities
Oceanário de Lisboa played a key role in this project by providing advice concerning the use of external telemetric devices to study this species.
Moreover, Oceanário de Lisboa stressed the importance of studying the bacterial flora of captured specimens, thus allowing for conservation medicine issues to be addressed. The first specimens have been captured and are currently undergoing analysis.
Environmental health project focused on Portuguese amphibian and reptile species
Oceanário de Lisboa participates in this project, which is coordinated by the Portuguese Herpetological Association, by designing sample collection, pathogen screening and contaminated waste treatment protocols.