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Bats constitute a large proportion of Cambodia’s mammal fauna with 83 species currently confirmed in the kingdom (Furey et al. 2021, Csorba & Furey 2022, Furey unpubl. data). This figure will almost certainly increase with further research in the country’s under-studied border regions. Roughly half of the species presently known to occur in Cambodia comprise species that are frequently found in caves and other subterranean sites and because these bats spend at least half their lives inside caves, protection of such sites is essential for their conservation.

One Health is a holistic approach to health that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental well-being. Community engagement is central to the success of One Health initiatives.

This blog post explores the pivotal role of community involvement in One Health initiatives, with a special emphasis on its socio-economic aspects and the potential impact on preventing and managing zoonotic diseases

Our team, consisting of Dr. Marine Combe, Dr. Claudia Bommarito and Prof. Rudy E. Gozlan from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development in Montpellier (France), just returned from a mission in Guadeloupe for the BCOMING project, which took place between the 22nd and the 28^th of October.

As part of the BCOMING project, a series of aquatic (freshwater) samplings were performed in Ivory Coast (May 2023), Cambodia (July 2023) and Guadeloupe (October 2023) to identify the patterns of biodiversity of the aquatic communities and their parasites in tropical areas along a gradient of urbanisation, with the aim of i) identifying drivers of disease emergence and ii) preventing disease risk. Our team consist of Dr. Marine Combe (CR, IRD), Dr. Claudia Bommarito (PostDoc, IRD), Prof. Rudy E. Gozlan (DR, IRD) and Ms. Chloé Lefebvre (Technician, IRD) from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), France. As responsible team of the aquatic sampling, it was exciting to finalize together the last details of the sampling, prepare and ship the material, and finally see the field campaigns taking place.

September is synonym of back-to-school time, so let’s refresh some #BCOMING key concepts!

This September marks the 1st anniversary of BCOMING’s launch! To celebrate, let’s look back together and see how much we accomplished in a year. 

Climate change and biodiversity loss are urgent challenges. To find solutions, we can learn from indigenous peoples who have lived in harmony with nature for generations.

Did you know? Food-borne trematodoses are zoonoses that can cause more than two million years of lost or disabled life worldwide each year.

Following the first field trip to Guinea I joined the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC)  field team from May 2^nd  to 8^th to Stung Treng, one of the main study site for the whole BCOMING project.

BCOMING team in Cambodia is thrilled to share that the bats field activities have kicked off! From May 2nd to 8th, 2023, the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) and the Forestry Administration (FA, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery) collaborated to conduct the first field work in a selected are in Stung Treng Province. Stung Treng province, is located in northeast of Cambodia at the border of  Laos at around 350  kilometers to Phnom Penh. This location has been closely monitored for potentially zoonotic viruses since 2020. During this mission, the primary goal was to capture and sample bats, with a special focus on Rhinolophus shameli individuals.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5 June, is a global initiative that brings together individuals, businesses, governments, and organisations to raise awareness and act on pressing environmental issues.

After months of preparation with the partners of the BCOMING project, the first field activities are finally starting.