@article{c58625631a89433ab632e55c73e1c8bc,
title = "Preserve a Voucher Specimen! The Critical Need for Integrating Natural History Collections in Infectious Disease Studies",
abstract = "Despite being nearly 10 months into the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, the definitive animal host for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the causal agent of COVID-19, remains unknown. Unfortunately, similar problems exist for other betacoronaviruses, and no vouchered specimens exist to corroborate host species identification for most of these pathogens. This most basic information is critical to the full understanding and mitigation of emerging zoonotic diseases. To overcome this hurdle, we recommend that host-pathogen researchers adopt vouchering practices and collaborate with natural history collections to permanently archive microbiological samples and host specimens. Vouchered specimens and associated samples provide both repeatability and extension to host-pathogen studies, and using them mobilizes a large workforce (i.e., biodiversity scientists) to assist in pandemic preparedness. We review several well-known examples that successfully integrate host-pathogen research with natural history collections (e.g., yellow fever, hantaviruses, helminths). However, vouchering remains an underutilized practice in such studies. Using an online survey, we assessed vouchering practices used by microbiologists (e.g., bacteriologists, parasitologists, virologists) in host-pathogen research. A much greater number of respondents permanently archive microbiological samples than archive host specimens, and less than half of respondents voucher host specimens from which microbiological samples were lethally collected. To foster collaborations between microbiologists and natural history collections, we provide recommendations for integrating vouchering techniques and archiving of microbiological samples into host-pathogen studies. This integrative approach exemplifies the premise underlying One Health initiatives, providing critical infrastructure for addressing related issues ranging from public health to global climate change and the biodiversity crisis.",
keywords = "biorepositories, zoonoses, museums, holistic specimen, extended specimen, coronaviruses, COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Holistic specimen, Biorepositories, Museums, Coronaviruses, Zoonoses, Extended specimen",
author = "Thompson, {Cody W.} and Phelps, {Kendra L.} and Allard, {Marc W.} and Cook, {Joseph A.} and Dunnum, {Jonathan L.} and Ferguson, {Adam W.} and Magnus Gelang and Khan, {Faisal Ali Anwarali} and Paul, {Deborah L.} and Reeder, {Deeann M.} and Simmons, {Nancy B.} and Vanhove, {Maarten P. M.} and Webala, {Paul W.} and Marcelo Weksler and Kilpatrick, {C. William}",
note = "Funding Information: K.L.P. was supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA11710064), J.A.C. and J.L.D. were supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF2033482), and D.L.P. was supported by the National Science Foundation (DBI-1547229). CETAF and DiSSCo provided funding for this publication. Funding Information: Thanks to W. Addink, A. Casino, and D. Koureas for organizing the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF) and Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) COVID-19 Task Force (COVID-19 TaF). We also thank the COVID-19 TaF Metadata Practices Working Group for information regarding updates to GenBank deposits. We cordially thank the American Society of Mammalogists (Mammal-L), American Society of Parasitologists (S. Perkins), Belgian One Health Network (P. Huybrechts and H. Keune), Belgian Society of Parasitology and Protistology (G. Caljon), Belgian Wildlife Disease Society (P. Tavernier), British Society for Parasitology (J. Cable and H. Price), Soci?t? Fran?aise de Parasitologie (F. Grenouillet and J.-L. Justine), World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (R. Wall), and the EvolDir, Taxacom, and WildList mailing lists for distributing the survey. We also extend gratitude to M. De Meyer, E. Gilissen, T. Huyse, and J. Snoeks (Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium), B. Coyner (Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, USA), A. Emery (Natural History Museum, UK), A. M. R. Bezerra (Museu Paraense Em?lio Goeldi, Brazil), G. D?El?a (Universidad Austral de Chile), J. Brito (Museo del Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Ecuador), S. Solari (Colecci?n Teriol?gica, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia), A. R. Percequillo (Laborat?rio de Mam?feros da Escola Superior de Agricultura ?Luiz de Queiroz.? Universidade de S?o Paulo), and P. Soisook (Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand) for contributing information to Table S1. K.L.P. was supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA11710064), J.A.C. and J.L.D. were supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF2033482), and D.L.P. was supported by the National Science Foundation (DBI-1547229). CETAF and DiSSCo provided funding for this publication.",
year = "2021",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1128/mBio.02698-20",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "12",
pages = "1--20",
journal = "mBio",
issn = "2161-2129",
publisher = "American Society for Microbiology",
number = "1",
}