In Nepal, rapid urbanization and rural-to-urban migration especially due to internal civil conflict have catalyzed the development of temporary settlements, often along rivers on undeveloped land. This study conducted surveillance for viruses in small mammals and assessed potential risks for virus transmission to people in urban settlements along rivers in Kathmandu, Nepal. We collected samples from 411 small mammals (100 rodents and 311 shrews) at four riverside settlement sites and detected six viruses from four virus families including Thottapalayam virus; a strain of murine coronavirus; two new paramyxoviruses; and two new rhabdoviruses. Additionally, we conducted surveys of 264 residents to characterize animal–human contact. Forty-eight percent of individuals reported contact with wildlife, primarily with rodents and shrews (91%). Our findings confirm that rodents and shrews should be considered a health threat for residents of temporary settlements, and that assessment of disease transmission risk coupled with targeted surveillance for emerging pathogens could lead to improved disease control and health security for urban populations. Additionally, interventions focused on disease prevention should consider the unique urban ecology and social dynamics in temporary settlements, along with the importance of community engagement for identifying solutions that address specific multi-dimensional challenges that life on the urban river margins presents.

在尼泊尔，快速的城市化和农村到城市的迁移，特别是由于内部冲突导致了临时定居点的发展，这些定居点通常位于未开发土地上的河流沿岸。这项研究对小型哺乳动物中的病毒进行了监测，并评估了病毒传播给尼泊尔加德满都河流沿岸城市居民点的潜在风险。我们在四个河边定居点采集了 411 只小型哺乳动物（100 只啮齿动物和 311 只鼩鼱）的样本，并检测到来自四个病毒科的六种病毒，包括 Thottapalayam 病毒；一种鼠冠状病毒株；两种新的副粘病毒；和两种新的弹状病毒。此外，我们对 264 名居民进行了调查，以描述动物与人类接触的特征。48% 的人报告与野生动物接触，主要是啮齿动物和鼩鼱（91%）。我们的研究结果证实，啮齿动物和鼩鼱应被视为临时定居点居民的健康威胁，疾病传播风险评估以及对新出现病原体的针对性监测可能会改善城市人口的疾病控制和健康安全。此外，以疾病预防为重点的干预措施应考虑临时住区中独特的城市生态和社会动态，以及社区参与对于确定解决城市河流边缘生活所面临的特定多维挑战的解决方案的重要性。对疾病传播风险的评估以及对新出现病原体的有针对性的监测可能会改善城市人口的疾病控制和健康安全。此外，以疾病预防为重点的干预措施应考虑临时住区中独特的城市生态和社会动态，以及社区参与对于确定解决城市河流边缘生活所面临的特定多维挑战的解决方案的重要性。对疾病传播风险的评估以及对新出现病原体的有针对性的监测可能会改善城市人口的疾病控制和健康安全。此外，以疾病预防为重点的干预措施应考虑临时住区中独特的城市生态和社会动态，以及社区参与对于确定解决城市河流边缘生活所面临的特定多维挑战的解决方案的重要性。