On behalf of the Australian Society for Parasitology and Elsevier it is my privilege to welcome you to the inaugural issue of the International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife (IJP: PAW). This new journal is a partner journal to the International Journal for Parasitology (IJP) and the International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance (IJP: DDR) and is electronic open-access, in keeping with current publication trends.
IJP: PAW will publish the results of original research on parasites of all wildlife (vertebrate and invertebrate). This includes free-ranging wild populations, as well as captive wildlife, semi-domesticated species (e.g. reindeer), and farmed populations of recently domesticated or wild-captured species (e.g. cultured fishes). Articles on all aspects of wildlife parasitology are welcomed including those covering taxonomy, biodiversity and distribution, ecology and epidemiology, conservation, population biology and host-parasite relationships.
The impact of parasites on the health and conservation of wildlife is of enormous importance worldwide, and is a central theme of the journal. Another central theme is the concept of ‘one health’ – the nature of interactions between wildlife, people and domestic animals, including disease emergence and zoonoses.
It is intended that IJP: PAW will disseminate new knowledge in all areas of the parasitology of wildlife as well as stimulate debate on matters of current controversy. Focused reviews of topical and emerging issues as well as strategically important subject areas will be also featured.
The two founding Editors-in-Chief, Andrew Thompson and Lydden Polley, will be supported by an internationally respected team of Editorial Board members spanning the many specialist research areas within the broad fields of parasitology and wildlife.
At a time of growing recognition of the impact of parasites on the health and conservation of wildlife and “one health”, the Australian Society for Parasitology is delighted to have fostered the founding of International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife (IJP: PAW). I encourage you and your colleagues to submit appropriate papers and support the growth of this unique and valuable contribution to the scientific literature.
Sincerely