A comprehensive review of viruses in terrestrial animals from the Caribbean islands of Greater and Lesser Antilles.

Viruses pose a major threat to animal health worldwide, causing significant mortalities and morbidities in livestock, companion animals and wildlife, with adverse implications on human health, livelihoods, food safety and security, regional/national economies and biodiversity. The Greater and Lesser Antilles consist of a cluster of islands between the North and South Americas and is habitat to a wide variety of animal species. This review is the first to put together decades of information on different viruses circulating in companion animals, livestock and wildlife from the Caribbean islands of Greater and Lesser Antilles. Although animal viral diseases have been documented in the Caribbean region since the 1940s, we found that studies on different animal viruses are limited, inconsistent and scattered. Furthermore, a significant number of the reports were based on serological assays, yielding preliminary data. The available information was assessed to identify knowledge gaps and limitations, and accordingly, recommendations were made, with the overall goal to improve animal health and production, and combat zoonoses in the region.

Tourists perceptions of Caribbean islands facing environmental threats before the COVID-19 health crisis: Holbox Island and Archipelago of Bocas del Toro.

Knowledge gaps exist in the socio-ecological systems of small touristic islands in Latin America. Understanding tourists' perceptions of their environmental knowledge can help plan actions to prevent natural capital loss necessary for local economies. Tourists' perceptions of a touristic hotspot, Holbox Island, were documented. Surveys demonstrated that tourists are aware of their environmental impacts and are interested in minimizing these. Results were compared with results on Bocas del Toro, Panama. Tourists' perceptions had similarities among sites driven by similarities in tourists' populations with a common geographic origin. Tourists lack site-specific knowledge to steer them towards environmentally conscious decisions in both regions. Findings suggest the need to promote local actions to gain tourists' understanding about their destination and support education programs on island conservation. Addressing these needs can help build resilience to overcome the adverse socio-environmental effects of tourism, environmental disasters, and health crises as COVID-19 on small islands.

2020 family medicine postgraduate examinations at The University of the West Indies: successes and challenges in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.

Little has been published regarding postgraduate assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to graduate well-trained specialists including family physicians who play a key role in patient care. The successes and challenges encountered in mounting qualifying 2020 Family Medicine examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of the West Indies are described in this paper. Human resource, planning, use of technology and virtual environments are discussed, which enabled successful examinations at this multicampus regional site.

Use of whole slide imaging (WSI) for distance teaching.

BACKGROUND: Time, travel and financial constraints have meant that traditional visiting teaching engagements are more difficult to accomplish. This has been exacerbated with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of digital pathology and whole slide imaging (WSI) as an educational tool for distance teaching is underutilised and not fully exploited. This paper highlights the utility and feedback on the use of WSI for distance education/teaching. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Building on an existing relationship with the University of the West Indies (UWI), pathologists at University Health Network, Toronto, provided distance education using WSI, a digitised slide image hosting repository and videoconferencing facilities to provide case-based teaching to 15 UWI pathology trainees. Feedback was obtained from residents via a questionnaire and from teachers via a discussion. RESULTS: There was uniform support from teachers who felt that teaching was not hampered by the 'virtual' engagement. Comfort levels grew with each engagement and technical issues with sound diminished with the use of a portable speaker. The residents were very supportive and enthusiastic in embracing this mode of teaching. While technical glitches marred initial sessions, the process evened out especially when the slide hosting facility, teleconferencing and sound issues were changed. CONCLUSIONS: There was unanimous endorsement that use of WSI was the future, especially for distance teaching. However, it was not meant to supplant the use of glass slides in their current routine, daily practice.