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Ecke F, Golovko O, Hörnfeldt B, Ahrens L. Trophic fate and biomagnification of organic micropollutants from staple food to a specialized predator. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 261:119686. [PMID: 39067798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
The environmental burden of organic micropollutants has been shown in aquatic ecosystems, while trophic fate of many compounds in terrestrial food chains remains highly elusive. We therefore studied concentrations of 108 organic micropollutants in a common European mammal, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), and 82 of the compounds in a specialized predator, Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) relying to >90 % on voles as its prey. We studied compounds in whole voles (n = 19), pools of 4-8 bank voles (npools = 4), owl blood (n = 10) and in owl eggs (n = 10) in two regions in Sweden. For comparison, we also included previously published data on 23 PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in bank vole liver (npools = 4) from the same regions. In voles, concentrations of the organic micropollutants caffeine (maxIndividual 220 ng/g ww) and DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) (maxPool 150 ng/g ww) were 2-200 times higher in voles relative to owl blood and eggs. Conversely, concentrations of nicotine, oxazepam, salicylic acid, and tributyl citrate acetate were 1.3-440 times higher in owls. Several PFAS showed biomagnification in owls as revealed by maximum biomagnification factors (BMFs); PFNA (perfluorononanoate) BMF = 5.6, PFTeDA (perfluorotetradecanoic acid) BMF = 5.9, and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) BMF = 6.1. Concentrations of organic micropollutants, alongside calculated BMFs, and Tengmalm's owl's heavy reliance on bank vole as staple food, suggest, despite small sample size and potential spatio-temporal mismatch, accumulation of PFAS (especially PFNA, PFTeDA, and PFOS) in owls and biomagnification along the food chain. Concentrations of PFAS in owl eggs (e.g., 21 ng/g ww PFOS) highlight the likely pivotal role of maternal transfer in contaminant exposure for avian embryos. These concentrations are also of concern considering that certain predators frequently consume owl eggs, potentially leading to additional biomagnification of PFAS with yet undetermined consequences for ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Ecke
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Oksana Golovko
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE- 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE- 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Brockmann J, Kleines M, Ghaffari Laleh N, Kather JN, Wied S, Floege J, Braun GS. A simple clinical score to reduce unnecessary testing for Puumala hantavirus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304500. [PMID: 38820375 PMCID: PMC11142550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica (NE), an endemic form of transient acute renal injury (AKI). Serological testing is the mainstay of diagnosis. It was the aim of the present study to assist decision-making for serological testing by constructing a simple tool that predicts the likelihood of PUUV positivity. METHODS We conducted a comparative cohort study of all PUUV-tested cases at Aachen University tertiary care center in Germany between mid-2013 and mid-2021. N = 293 qualified for inclusion; N = 30 had a positive test result and clinical NE; N = 263 were negative. Two predictive point scores, the Aachen PUUV Score (APS) 1 and 2, respectively, were derived with the aid of logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis by determining the presence of four admission parameters. For internal validation, the internal Monte Carlo method was applied. In addition, partial external validation was performed using an independent historic cohort of N = 41 positive cases of NE. RESULTS APS1 is recommended for clinical use as it estimated the probability of PUUV positivity in the entire medical population tested. With a range from 0 to 6 points, it yielded an area under the curve of 0.94 by allotting 2 points each for fever or headache and 1 point each for AKI or LDH>300 U/L. A point sum of 0-2 safely predicted negativity for PUUV, as was confirmed in the NE validation cohort. CONCLUSION Here, we present a novel, easy-to-use tool to guide the diagnostic management of suspected PUUV infection/NE and to safely avoid unnecessary serological testing, as indicated by point sum class 0-2. Since 67% of the cohort fell into this stratum, half of the testing should be avoidable in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Brockmann
- Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Kleines
- Division of Virology, Center of Laboratory Diagnostics, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Narmin Ghaffari Laleh
- Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stephanie Wied
- Department of Medical Statistics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Floege
- Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gerald S. Braun
- Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Klinikum Coburg, Coburg, Germany
- University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
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3
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Kazasidis O, Geduhn A, Jacob J. High-resolution early warning system for human Puumala hantavirus infection risk in Germany. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9602. [PMID: 38671000 PMCID: PMC11053085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60144-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The fluctuation of human infections by the Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) in Germany has been linked to weather and phenology parameters that drive the population growth of its host species. We quantified the annual PUUV-outbreaks at the district level by binarizing the reported infections in the period 2006-2021. With these labels we trained a model based on a support vector machine classifier for predicting local outbreaks and incidence well in advance. The feature selection for the optimal model was performed by a heuristic method and identified five monthly weather variables from the previous two years plus the beech flowering intensity of the previous year. The predictive power of the optimal model was assessed by a leave-one-out cross-validation in 16 years that led to an 82.8% accuracy for the outbreak and a 0.457 coefficient of determination for the incidence. Prediction risk maps for the entire endemic area in Germany will be annually available on a freely-accessible permanent online platform of the German Environment Agency. The model correctly identified 2022 as a year with low outbreak risk, whereas its prediction for large-scale high outbreak risk in 2023 was not confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Kazasidis
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Rodent Research, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161, Münster, Germany.
| | - Anke Geduhn
- Laboratory for Health Pests and Their Control, German Environment Agency, Corrensplatz 1, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Rodent Research, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161, Münster, Germany
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4
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Ling J, Lundeberg EE, Wasberg A, Faria IR, Vucicevic S, Settergren B, Lundkvist Å. Nephropathia Epidemica Caused by Puumala Virus in Bank Voles, Scania, Southern Sweden. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:732-737. [PMID: 38526134 PMCID: PMC10977816 DOI: 10.3201/eid3004.231414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2018, a local case of nephropathia epidemica was reported in Scania, southern Sweden, more than 500 km south of the previously known presence of human hantavirus infections in Sweden. Another case emerged in the same area in 2020. To investigate the zoonotic origin of those cases, we trapped rodents in Ballingslöv, Norra Sandby, and Sörby in southern Sweden during 2020‒2021. We found Puumala virus (PUUV) in lung tissues from 9 of 74 Myodes glareolus bank voles by screening tissues using a hantavirus pan-large segment reverse transcription PCR. Genetic analysis revealed that the PUUV strains were distinct from those found in northern Sweden and Denmark and belonged to the Finnish PUUV lineage. Our findings suggest an introduction of PUUV from Finland or Karelia, causing the human PUUV infections in Scania. This discovery emphasizes the need to understand the evolution, cross-species transmission, and disease outcomes of this newly found PUUV variant.
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Wang YXG, Voutilainen L, Aminikhah M, Helle H, Huitu O, Laakkonen J, Lindén A, Niemimaa J, Sane J, Sironen T, Vapalahti O, Henttonen H, Kallio ER. The impact of wildlife and environmental factors on hantavirus infection in the host and its translation into human risk. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222470. [PMID: 37040809 PMCID: PMC10089723 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying factors that drive infection dynamics in reservoir host populations is essential in understanding human risk from wildlife-originated zoonoses. We studied zoonotic Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) in the host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), populations in relation to the host population, rodent and predator community and environment-related factors and whether these processes are translated into human infection incidence. We used 5-year rodent trapping and bank vole PUUV serology data collected from 30 sites located in 24 municipalities in Finland. We found that PUUV seroprevalence in the host was negatively associated with the abundance of red foxes, but this process did not translate into human disease incidence, which showed no association with PUUV seroprevalence. The abundance of weasels, the proportion of juvenile bank voles in the host populations and rodent species diversity were negatively associated with the abundance index of PUUV positive bank voles, which, in turn, showed a positive association with human disease incidence. Our results suggest certain predators, a high proportion of young bank vole individuals, and a diverse rodent community, may reduce PUUV risk for humans through their negative impacts on the abundance of infected bank voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying X. G. Wang
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Liina Voutilainen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mahdi Aminikhah
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Heikki Helle
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Otso Huitu
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Laakkonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andreas Lindén
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka Niemimaa
- Research infrastructure services, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jussi Sane
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heikki Henttonen
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eva R. Kallio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
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Brun A, Greusard M, Reynes JM, Grenier M, Bamoulid J, Giraudoux P, Lepiller Q, Chirouze C, Bouiller K, Bailly B. Description of an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the southern Jura Mountains, France, in 2021. Infect Dis Now 2023; 53:104639. [PMID: 36621612 DOI: 10.1016/j.idnow.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to describe the 2021 Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) outbreak in the southern Jura Mountains. PATIENTS AND METHODS We included all laboratory-confirmed cases of HFRS reported between April and September 2021 in the three local hospitals. RESULTS A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the study: 73 hospitalized and 17 non-hospitalized patients. Transient myopia was only reported in non-hospitalized patients. Forty (44.4 %) patients underwent medical imaging before hantavirus diagnosis. Twenty-one patients (28.8 %) had a plasma creatinine level > 353.6 µmol/L, no patient developed severe metabolic disorder. Only one patient was dialyzed. A pacemaker was implanted before diagnosis of HFRS due to severe bradycardia in one patient. Sudden death was reported in one patient. CONCLUSION This hantavirus epidemic led to numerous hospitalizations, one dialysis treatment, and one death. Early diagnosis by rapid test could avoid unnecessary investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Brun
- Department of infectious disease, Hospital of Lons Le Saunier, F-39000 Lons Le Saunier, France
| | - M Greusard
- Department of general medicine, Hospital of Besancon, F-25000, France
| | - J M Reynes
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité Environnement et Risques Infectieux, Centre National de Référence des Hantavirus, Paris, France
| | - M Grenier
- Department of medical laboratory, Hospital of Lons Le Saunier, F-39000 Lons Le Saunier, France
| | - J Bamoulid
- Department of nephrology, University Hospital of Besancon, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - P Giraudoux
- Chrono-environment, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté/CNRS, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Q Lepiller
- Department of Virology, University Hospital of Besancon F-25000, France
| | - C Chirouze
- UMR-CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; Department of infectious disease, University Hospital of Besancon F-25000, France
| | - K Bouiller
- UMR-CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; Department of infectious disease, University Hospital of Besancon F-25000, France
| | - B Bailly
- Department of infectious disease, Hospital of Lons Le Saunier, F-39000 Lons Le Saunier, France; Department of infectious disease, University Hospital of Besancon F-25000, France.
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7
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Ecke F, Han BA, Hörnfeldt B, Khalil H, Magnusson M, Singh NJ, Ostfeld RS. Population fluctuations and synanthropy explain transmission risk in rodent-borne zoonoses. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7532. [PMID: 36477188 PMCID: PMC9729607 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35273-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Population fluctuations are widespread across the animal kingdom, especially in the order Rodentia, which includes many globally important reservoir species for zoonotic pathogens. The implications of these fluctuations for zoonotic spillover remain poorly understood. Here, we report a global empirical analysis of data describing the linkages between habitat use, population fluctuations and zoonotic reservoir status in rodents. Our quantitative synthesis is based on data collated from papers and databases. We show that the magnitude of population fluctuations combined with species' synanthropy and degree of human exploitation together distinguish most rodent reservoirs at a global scale, a result that was consistent across all pathogen types and pathogen transmission modes. Our spatial analyses identified hotspots of high transmission risk, including regions where reservoir species dominate the rodent community. Beyond rodents, these generalities inform our understanding of how natural and anthropogenic factors interact to increase the risk of zoonotic spillover in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Ecke
- grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Barbara A. Han
- grid.285538.10000 0000 8756 8029Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, 12545 USA
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hussein Khalil
- grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden ,grid.494665.c0000 0001 1534 6096Swedish Forest Agency, Box 284, SE-901 06 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Richard S. Ostfeld
- grid.285538.10000 0000 8756 8029Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, 12545 USA
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8
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Fabri ND, Sprong H, Heesterbeek H, Ecke F, Cromsigt JPGM, Hofmeester TR. The circulation of
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
ecotypes is associated with community composition of vertebrate hosts. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nannet Doreen Fabri
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) Bilthoven The Netherlands
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
| | - Joris Petrus Gerardus Marinus Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Tim Ragnvald Hofmeester
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
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Sipari S, Khalil H, Magnusson M, Evander M, Hörnfeldt B, Ecke F. Climate change accelerates winter transmission of a zoonotic pathogen. AMBIO 2022; 51:508-517. [PMID: 34228253 PMCID: PMC8800963 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01594-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Many zoonotic diseases are weather sensitive, raising concern how their distribution and outbreaks will be affected by climate change. At northern high latitudes, the effect of global warming on especially winter conditions is strong. By using long term monitoring data (1980-1986 and 2003-2013) from Northern Europe on temperature, precipitation, an endemic zoonotic pathogen (Puumala orthohantavirus, PUUV) and its reservoir host (the bank vole, Myodes glareolus), we show that early winters have become increasingly wet, with a knock-on effect on pathogen transmission in its reservoir host population. Further, our study is the first to show a climate change effect on an endemic northern zoonosis, that is not induced by increased host abundance or distribution, demonstrating that climate change can also alter transmission intensity within host populations. Our results suggest that rainy early winters accelerate PUUV transmission in bank voles in winter, likely increasing the human zoonotic risk in the North.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saana Sipari
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Umeå University, Department of Clinical Microbiology, 901 85 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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10
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Davidyuk YN, Kabwe E, Shamsutdinov AF, Knyazeva AV, Martynova EV, Ismagilova RK, Trifonov VA, Savitskaya TA, Isaeva GS, Urbanowicz RA, Khaiboullina SF, Rizvanov AA, Morzunov SP. The Distribution of Puumala orthohantavirus Genome Variants Correlates with the Regional Landscapes in the Trans-Kama Area of the Republic of Tatarstan. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10091169. [PMID: 34578200 PMCID: PMC8471081 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the European part of Russia, the highest number of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) cases are registered in the Volga Federal District (VFD), which includes the Republic of Tatarstan (RT). Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is the main causative agent of HFRS identified in the RT. The goal of the current study is to analyze the genetic variations of the PUUV strains and possible presence of chimeric and reassortant variants among the PUUV strains circulating in bank vole populations in the Trans-Kama area of the RT. Complete S segment CDS as well as partial M and L segment coding nucleotide sequences were obtained from 40 PUUV-positive bank voles and used for the analysis. We found that all PUUV strains belonged to RUS genetic lineage and clustered in two subclades corresponding to the Western and Eastern Trans-Kama geographic areas. PUUV strains from Western Trans-Kama were related to the previously identified strain from Teteevo in the Pre-Kama area. It can be suggested that the PUUV strains were introduced to the Teteevo area as a result of the bank voles’ migration from Western Trans-Kama. It also appears that physical obstacles, including rivers, could be overcome by migrating rodents under favorable circumstances. Based on results of the comparative and phylogenetic analyses, we propose that bank vole distribution in the Trans-Kama area occurred upstream along the river valleys, and that watersheds could act as barriers for migrations. As a result, the diverged PUUV strains could be formed in closely located populations. In times of extensive bank vole population growth, happening every 3–4 years, some regions of watersheds may become open for contact between individual rodents from neighboring populations, leading to an exchange of the genetic material between divergent PUUV strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriy N. Davidyuk
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Emmanuel Kabwe
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
- Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, 420012 Kazan, Russia; (V.A.T.); (T.A.S.); (G.S.I.)
| | - Anton F. Shamsutdinov
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Anna V. Knyazeva
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Ekaterina V. Martynova
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Ruzilya K. Ismagilova
- OpenLab “Omics Technology”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Vladimir A. Trifonov
- Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, 420012 Kazan, Russia; (V.A.T.); (T.A.S.); (G.S.I.)
- Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 420012 Kazan, Russia
| | - Tatiana A. Savitskaya
- Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, 420012 Kazan, Russia; (V.A.T.); (T.A.S.); (G.S.I.)
| | - Guzel S. Isaeva
- Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, 420012 Kazan, Russia; (V.A.T.); (T.A.S.); (G.S.I.)
| | - Richard A. Urbanowicz
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK;
| | - Svetlana F. Khaiboullina
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
- Correspondence: (S.F.K.); (S.P.M.)
| | - Albert A. Rizvanov
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Sergey P. Morzunov
- OpenLab “Gene and Cell Technologies”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (Y.N.D.); (E.K.); (A.F.S.); (A.V.K.); (E.V.M.); (A.A.R.)
- Department of Pathology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Correspondence: (S.F.K.); (S.P.M.)
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11
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Castel G, Monchatre-Leroy E, López-Roig M, Murri S, Couteaudier M, Boué F, Augot D, Sauvage F, Pontier D, Hénaux V, Marianneau P, Serra-Cobo J, Tordo N. Puumala Virus Variants Circulating in Forests of Ardennes, France: Ten Years of Genetic Evolution. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10091164. [PMID: 34578197 PMCID: PMC8472060 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In Europe, Puumala virus (PUUV) transmitted by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) is the causative agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. In France, very little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of the virus circulating within bank vole populations. The present study involved monitoring of bank vole population dynamics and PUUV microdiversity over a ten-year period (2000–2009) in two forests of the Ardennes region: Elan and Croix-Scaille. Ardennes region is characterised by different environmental conditions associated with different NE epidemiology. Bank vole density and population parameters were estimated using the capture/marking/recapture method, and blood samples were collected to monitor the overall seroprevalence of PUUV in rodent populations. Phylogenetic analyses of fifty-five sequences were performed to illustrate the genetic diversity of PUUV variants between forests. The pattern of the two forests differed clearly. In the Elan forest, the rodent survival was higher, and this limited turn-over resulted in a lower seroprevalence and diversity of PUUV sequences than in the Croix-Scaille forest. Uncovering the links between host dynamics and virus microevolution is improving our understanding of PUUV distribution in rodents and the NE risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Castel
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Université Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
- Correspondence: (G.C.); (E.M.-L.)
| | - Elodie Monchatre-Leroy
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, ANSES, 54220 Malzeville, France;
- Correspondence: (G.C.); (E.M.-L.)
| | - Marc López-Roig
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (M.L.-R.); (J.S.-C.)
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Séverine Murri
- Lyon Laboratory, ANSES, Virology Unit, University of Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France; (S.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Mathilde Couteaudier
- INSERM U1259 MAVIVH, Université de Tours and CHRU de Tours, 37032 Tours, France;
| | - Franck Boué
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, ANSES, SEEpiAS Unit, 54220 Malzéville, France;
| | - Denis Augot
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, ANSES, 54220 Malzeville, France;
- USC Vecpar, ANSES-LSA, EA 7510, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, SFR Cap Santé, Faculté de Pharmacie, 51096 Reims, France
| | - Frank Sauvage
- SEENOVATE, 69002 Lyon, France;
- UMR–CNRS 5558 Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université C. Bernard Lyon-1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France;
| | - Dominique Pontier
- UMR–CNRS 5558 Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université C. Bernard Lyon-1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France;
- LabEx Ecofect, Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics of Infectious Diseases, University of Lyon, 69622 Lyon, France
| | - Viviane Hénaux
- Lyon Laboratory, ANSES, Epidemiology and support to Surveillance Unit, University of Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France;
| | - Philippe Marianneau
- Lyon Laboratory, ANSES, Virology Unit, University of Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France; (S.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Jordi Serra-Cobo
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (M.L.-R.); (J.S.-C.)
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noël Tordo
- Institut Pasteur, Antiviral Strategies Unit, Department of Virology, 75015 Paris, France;
- Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Conakry BP 4416, Guinea
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12
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Aminikhah M, Forsman JT, Koskela E, Mappes T, Sane J, Ollgren J, Kivelä SM, Kallio ER. Rodent host population dynamics drive zoonotic Lyme Borreliosis and Orthohantavirus infections in humans in Northern Europe. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16128. [PMID: 34373474 PMCID: PMC8352996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95000-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases, caused by pathogens transmitted between other vertebrate animals and humans, pose a major risk to human health. Rodents are important reservoir hosts for many zoonotic pathogens, and rodent population dynamics affect the infection dynamics of rodent-borne diseases, such as diseases caused by hantaviruses. However, the role of rodent population dynamics in determining the infection dynamics of rodent-associated tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria, have gained limited attention in Northern Europe, despite the multiannual abundance fluctuations, the so-called vole cycles, that characterise rodent population dynamics in the region. Here, we quantify the associations between rodent abundance and LB human cases and Puumala Orthohantavirus (PUUV) infections by using two time series (25-year and 9-year) in Finland. Both bank vole (Myodes glareolus) abundance as well as LB and PUUV infection incidence in humans showed approximately 3-year cycles. Without vector transmitted PUUV infections followed the bank vole host abundance fluctuations with two-month time lag, whereas tick-transmitted LB was associated with bank vole abundance ca. 12 and 24 months earlier. However, the strength of association between LB incidence and bank vole abundance ca. 12 months before varied over the study years. This study highlights that the human risk to acquire rodent-borne pathogens, as well as rodent-associated tick-borne pathogens is associated with the vole cycles in Northern Fennoscandia, yet with complex time lags.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Aminikhah
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, PO Box 3000, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Jukka T Forsman
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), University of Oulu, Paavo Havaksen tie 3, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Esa Koskela
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jussi Sane
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka Ollgren
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sami M Kivelä
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, PO Box 3000, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Eva R Kallio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
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13
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Schneider J, Hoffmann B, Fevola C, Schmidt ML, Imholt C, Fischer S, Ecke F, Hörnfeldt B, Magnusson M, Olsson GE, Rizzoli A, Tagliapietra V, Chiari M, Reusken C, Bužan E, Kazimirova M, Stanko M, White TA, Reil D, Obiegala A, Meredith A, Drexler JF, Essbauer S, Henttonen H, Jacob J, Hauffe HC, Beer M, Heckel G, Ulrich RG. Geographical Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Bank Vole Hepaciviruses in Europe. Viruses 2021; 13:1258. [PMID: 34203238 PMCID: PMC8310187 DOI: 10.3390/v13071258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of new diagnostic methods resulted in the discovery of novel hepaciviruses in wild populations of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus, syn. Clethrionomys glareolus). The naturally infected voles demonstrate signs of hepatitis similar to those induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) in humans. The aim of the present research was to investigate the geographical distribution of bank vole-associated hepaciviruses (BvHVs) and their genetic diversity in Europe. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) screening revealed BvHV RNA in 442 out of 1838 (24.0%) bank voles from nine European countries and in one of seven northern red-backed voles (Myodes rutilus, syn. Clethrionomys rutilus). BvHV RNA was not found in any other small mammal species (n = 23) tested here. Phylogenetic and isolation-by-distance analyses confirmed the occurrence of both BvHV species (Hepacivirus F and Hepacivirus J) and their sympatric occurrence at several trapping sites in two countries. The broad geographical distribution of BvHVs across Europe was associated with their presence in bank voles of different evolutionary lineages. The extensive geographical distribution and high levels of genetic diversity of BvHVs, as well as the high population fluctuations of bank voles and occasional commensalism in some parts of Europe warrant future studies on the zoonotic potential of BvHVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schneider
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.L.S.); (S.F.)
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Bernd Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (B.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Cristina Fevola
- Research and Innovation Centre, Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy; (C.F.); (A.R.); (V.T.); (H.C.H.)
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marie Luisa Schmidt
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.L.S.); (S.F.)
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Christian Imholt
- Vertebrate Research, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany; (C.I.); (D.R.); (J.J.)
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.L.S.); (S.F.)
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden; (F.E.); (B.H.); (M.M.); (G.E.O.)
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden; (F.E.); (B.H.); (M.M.); (G.E.O.)
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden; (F.E.); (B.H.); (M.M.); (G.E.O.)
| | - Gert E. Olsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden; (F.E.); (B.H.); (M.M.); (G.E.O.)
- Unit for Nature Conservation, County Administrative Board of Halland County, 30004 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Research and Innovation Centre, Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy; (C.F.); (A.R.); (V.T.); (H.C.H.)
| | - Valentina Tagliapietra
- Research and Innovation Centre, Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy; (C.F.); (A.R.); (V.T.); (H.C.H.)
| | - Mario Chiari
- Direzione Generale Welfare, U.O. Veterinaria, Piazza Città di Lombardia 1, 20124 Milan, Italy;
| | - Chantal Reusken
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 Bilthoven, The Netherlands;
| | - Elena Bužan
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, 6000 Koper, Slovenia;
- Environmental Protection College, 3320 Velenje, Slovenia
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), 81438 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - Thomas A. White
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA2 0QZ, UK;
| | - Daniela Reil
- Vertebrate Research, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany; (C.I.); (D.R.); (J.J.)
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Anna Meredith
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, UK;
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jan Felix Drexler
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Associated Partner Site Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Essbauer
- Department Virology and Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937 Munich, Germany;
| | - Heikki Henttonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), 00791 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Jens Jacob
- Vertebrate Research, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany; (C.I.); (D.R.); (J.J.)
| | - Heidi C. Hauffe
- Research and Innovation Centre, Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy; (C.F.); (A.R.); (V.T.); (H.C.H.)
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (B.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Gerald Heckel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (M.L.S.); (S.F.)
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14
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Němcová L, Marková S, Kotlík P. Gene Expression Variation of Candidate Endogenous Control Genes Across Latitudinal Populations of the Bank Vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.562065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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15
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Ecke F, Johansson A, Forsman M, Khalil H, Magnusson M, Hörnfeldt B. Selective Predation by Owls on Infected Bank Voles ( Myodes glareolus) as a Possible Sentinel of Tularemia Outbreaks. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:630-632. [PMID: 32349636 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tularemia is a widely spread zoonotic disease in the northern hemisphere, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. In humans, tularemia is an acute febrile illness with incidence peaks in late summer to early autumn of outbreak years, but there is no early warning system in place that can reduce the impact of disease by providing timely risk information. In this study, we revisit previously unpublished data on F. tularensis in water, sediment, soil, and small mammals from 1984 in northern Sweden. In addition, we used human case data from the national surveillance system for tularemia in the same year. In the environmental and small mammal material, bank vole (Myodes glareolus) samples from urine and bladder were the only samples that tested positive for F. tularensis. The prevalence of F. tularensis among trapped bank voles was 13.5%, although all six bank voles that were retrieved from owl nest boxes in early May tested positive. Forty-two human tularemia cases were reported from August to December in 1984. Based on these results, we encourage investigating the potential role of tularemia-infected bank voles retrieved from owl nest boxes in spring as an early warning for outbreaks of tularemia among humans in summer and autumn of the same year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anders Johansson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mats Forsman
- Division of CBRN Defence and Security, Department of Biological Agents, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, Sweden
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