Papers by Ayona Silva-Fletcher
Zoonoses and Public Health
This study aimed to investigate and compare the proportion of AMR Escherichia coli (E. coli) betw... more This study aimed to investigate and compare the proportion of AMR Escherichia coli (E. coli) between urban (Dompe in the Western province) and rural (Dambana in the Sabaragamuwa province) areas in Sri Lanka. The overall hypothesis of the study is that there is a difference in the proportion of AMR E. coli between the urban and the rural areas. Faecal samples were collected from healthy humans (n = 109), dairy animals (n = 103), poultry (n = 35), wild mammals (n = 81), wild birds (n = 76), soil (n = 80) and water (n = 80) from both areas. A total of 908 E. coli isolates were tested for susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials. Overall, E. coli isolated from urban area was significantly more likely to be resistant than those isolated from rural area. The human domain of the area had a significantly higher prevalence of AMR E. coli, but it was not significantly different in urban (98%) and rural (97%) areas. AMR E. coli isolated from dairy animals, wild animals and water was significantly h...
Teaching in Higher Education, May 22, 2023
UCL Press eBooks, Mar 27, 2023
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Nov 1, 2015
Food Control, May 1, 2016
CAB International eBooks, 2018
Vet record open, Apr 1, 2017
CAB International eBooks, 2018
Veterinary Record, Oct 1, 2015
THE 2012 World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) vision statement describes ‘A world that is s... more THE 2012 World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) vision statement describes ‘A world that is safe and secure from the accidental or deliberate release of animal pathogens, including zoonoses.’ Infectious disease agents and toxins found in animal populations and products are a considerable on-going threat to global animal health, agricultural economies, food security (crops and livestock) and public health. To address this threat the OIE has developed a strategy of capacity building and solidarity that seeks to ensure all OIE member countries have the capacity, expertise, resources and governance to comply with international standards, guidelines and recommendations for the reduction of risk from animal pathogens through malicious use or accidental release. This strategy is being achieved through a number of initiatives including ‘the development of twinning between veterinary education establishments in order to promote relevant concepts on bio-threat awareness and reduction, and to create a culture of responsible and ethical science among students’ (OIE 2012). It was within this context that a twinning initiative between the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) began in January 2015, with funding for an initial three year period to achieve biological threat reduction …
International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (ijet), Mar 22, 2015
Teachers' motivations behind their view on value and adoption of open educational resources (OER)... more Teachers' motivations behind their view on value and adoption of open educational resources (OER) were investigated based on 101 questionnaire answers from teachers in animal welfare, animal science and food science. A factor analysis uncovered the underlying dimensions for teachers' motives and indicated that they were complex and linked to subject area. Underlying dimensions for the motives to adopt OER were identified at three levels; individual (e.g. altruism), institutional (e.g. collaboration with peers), and societal (e.g. reaching beyond borders of the academy). The underlying dimensions for the inhibitors for adoption at individual and institutional level were challenges regarding individual competences, quality assessment and teaching practices. When using activity theory, an affinity space could be identified for teachers in animal welfare with its own norms and expectations with regards to the open educational practices. The results suggested that sharing for the benefit of others and collective collaboration with other peers were stronger incentives for teachers in the specific subject of animal welfare than it was for teachers in broader and less contested subject areas. Animal welfare teachers also had low agreement with problems such as OER being deviant to higher education and for being difficult to adapt to teaching context, and these teachers also had a higher adoption rate than other teachers. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that OER challenges the boundaries of higher education and that an affinity space can enable OER adoption.
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
UCL Press eBooks, Mar 27, 2023
Clinical Case Reports
Successful transplastron coeliotomy via a temporary cranial plastron osteotomy can be conducted i... more Successful transplastron coeliotomy via a temporary cranial plastron osteotomy can be conducted in turtles to remove foreign bodies lodged in the stomach, using basic equipment. A year later, the turtle was returned to the wild indicating that major surgeries with complete recovery can be achieved in this species.
Veterinary clinical skills manual
Veterinary clinical skills manual
Antibiotics
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, but little is known about the perceptio... more Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, but little is known about the perceptions regarding antimicrobials and AMR among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka. This research aimed to take a One Health approach to explore the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of antibiotic stewardship and AMR among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka. A qualitative study, using telephone interviews, allowing for an in-depth exploration of attitudes, beliefs and perspectives was conducted. Healthcare professionals from both the medical and veterinary sectors were included (n = 29). Interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer and were audio-recorded and transcribed. Conventional qualitative content analysis was undertaken. Four main categories were identified: (1) understanding of AMR and observing AMR, (2) barriers to antimicrobial stewardship, (3) personal factors in, and as a result of, inappropriate antibiotic usage and (4) how to tackle AMR. Healthcare profession...
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Approximately 6,000 (13%) of the global Asian elephants live in Sri Lanka and human elephant conf... more Approximately 6,000 (13%) of the global Asian elephants live in Sri Lanka and human elephant conflict (HEC) is intense. Due to HEC, around 150 elephants die and 14 elephants are orphaned per year. The Elephant Transit Home (ETH) in Sri Lanka was established in 1995 to rehabilitate orphaned elephants with the aim to release them back to the wild. The ETH management ensures minimum human contact and that calves are free to roam in a diverse habitat composed of water reservoirs, forests, and grasslands. During the last 22 years, the ETH has received 308 orphaned calves, and 178 (58%) of them were less than six months old. There were 130 (42%) and seven (4%) mortalities before and during rehabilitation, respectively. The ETH has released 103 elephant calves back to the wild and they are closely monitored using VHF and GPS collars. So far, eight deaths of released elephants and 16 births from released females have been recorded. Surviving and breeding in the wild and integrating with wild elephants are the major indicators of success of this rehabilitation program
Journal of Public Health and Emergency, 2021
Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 2016
A survey was conducted investigating the feeding practices, body condition, and faecal consistenc... more A survey was conducted investigating the feeding practices, body condition, and faecal consistency of 26 giant anteaters ( Myrmecophaga tridactyla ), 13 aardvarks ( Orycteropus afer ), and 31 armadillos (Dasypodidae spp.) from 20 zoological collections in the UK. For the latter two, scores for body condition (BCS, from 1 – emaciated – to 5 – grossly obese) and faeces (Faecal Score (FS) from 1 – solid – to 5 – diarrhoea-like) were applied. The majority of the UK collections offered a ‘complete’ feed for anteaters and aardvarks as opposed to the traditional ‘gruel’ diet. Armadillos were fed mixed diets of fruits, vegetables, eggs, dog or cat food, and various other items. Grossly obese individuals (BCS >4) were only observed in two armadillo species. The average body mass recorded for giant anteaters was above values reported for wild animals, but this was not the case in aardvarks. Anteaters received on average 75% of the amount of dry matter offered to aardvarks, although their b...
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Papers by Ayona Silva-Fletcher