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Kiene F, Springer A, Andriatsitohaina B, Ramsay MS, Rakotondravony R, Strube C, Radespiel U. Filarial infections in lemurs: Evidence for a wide geographical distribution and low host specificity among lemur species. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23458. [PMID: 36504317 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The relevance of emerging infectious diseases continues to grow worldwide as human activities increasingly extend into formerly remote natural areas. This is particularly noticeable on the island of Madagascar. As closest relatives to humans on the island, lemurs are of particular relevance as a potential origin of zoonotic pathogen spillover. Knowledge of pathogens circulating in lemur populations is, however, very poor. Particularly little is known about lemur hemoparasites. To infer host range, ecological and geographic spread of the recently described hemoparasitic nematode Lemurfilaria lemuris in northwestern Madagascar, a total of 942 individuals of two mouse lemur species (Microcebus murinus [n = 207] and Microcebus ravelobensis [n = 433]) and two rodent species (the endemic Eliurus myoxinus [n = 118] and the invasive Rattus rattus [n = 184]) were captured in two fragmented forest landscapes (Ankarafantsika National Park and Mariarano Classified Forest) in northwestern Madagascar for blood sample examination. No protozoan hemoparasites were detected by microscopic blood smear screening. Microfilaria were present in 1.0% (2/207) of M. murinus and 2.1% (9/433) of M. ravelobensis blood samples but not in rodent samples. Internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences were identical to an unnamed Onchocercidae species previously described to infect a larger lemur species, Propithecus verreauxi, about 650 km further south. In contrast to expectations, L. lemuris was not detected. The finding of a pathogen in a distantly related host species, at a considerable geographic distance from the location of its original detection, instead of a microfilaria species previously described for one of the studied host species in the same region, illustrates our low level of knowledge of lemur hemoparasites, their host ranges, distribution, modes of transmission, and their zoonotic potential. Our findings shall stimulate new research that will be of relevance for both conservation medicine and human epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Kiene
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.,Centre for Infection Medicine, Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.,Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Springer
- Centre for Infection Medicine, Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Bertrand Andriatsitohaina
- Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels (EDEN), University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar.,Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Malcolm S Ramsay
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Romule Rakotondravony
- Ecole Doctorale Ecosystèmes Naturels (EDEN), University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar.,Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l'Environnement, University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Christina Strube
- Centre for Infection Medicine, Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
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Leo SST, Gonzalez A, Millien V. Multi-taxa integrated landscape genetics for zoonotic infectious diseases: deciphering variables influencing disease emergence. Genome 2016; 59:349-61. [PMID: 27074898 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2016-0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic disease transmission systems involve sets of species interacting with each other and their environment. This complexity impedes development of disease monitoring and control programs that require reliable identification of spatial and biotic variables and mechanisms facilitating disease emergence. To overcome this difficulty, we propose a framework that simultaneously examines all species involved in disease emergence by integrating concepts and methods from population genetics, landscape ecology, and spatial statistics. Multi-taxa integrated landscape genetics (MTILG) can reveal how interspecific interactions and landscape variables influence disease emergence patterns. We test the potential of our MTILG-based framework by modelling the emergence of a disease system across multiple species dispersal, interspecific interaction, and landscape scenarios. Our simulations showed that both interspecific-dependent dispersal patterns and landscape characteristics significantly influenced disease spread. Using our framework, we were able to detect statistically similar inter-population genetic differences and highly correlated spatial genetic patterns that imply species-dependent dispersal. Additionally, species that were assigned coupled-dispersal patterns were affected to the same degree by similar landscape variables. This study underlines the importance of an integrated approach to investigating emergence of disease systems. MTILG is a robust approach for such studies and can identify potential avenues for targeted disease management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S T Leo
- a Department of Biology, McGill University, Stewart Biology Building, 1205 Docteur Penfield Ave., Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada.,b Redpath Museum, McGill University, 859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Andrew Gonzalez
- a Department of Biology, McGill University, Stewart Biology Building, 1205 Docteur Penfield Ave., Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Virginie Millien
- b Redpath Museum, McGill University, 859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
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Morand S, Dujardin JP, Lefait-Robin R, Apiwathnasorn C. Bridging the Gap Between Conservation and Health. SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 2015. [PMCID: PMC7120371 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-287-527-3_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Health is frequently in the news, whether it is the “bird flu” headlines or woven into the core of climate change reports. And in these articles, health is the common thread that connects humans, animals, and the environment; however, this underlying link is often undervalued, leaving a “gap” that challenges our ability to prevent and mitigate major global catastrophes. The Ebola virus disease has ravaged West Africa, leaving a swath of devastation and unanswered questions in its wake, but it highlights the alarming potential of a zoonotic disease, one of hundreds that pass between animals and humans. Climate change continues to fuel controversy, but it is undeniable that our exploitation of the Earth is impacting the fundamental resources that form the foundation of our existence. The state of our ecosystems is integral to the conservation and sustainable management of our wildlife and natural resources. The health of the environment cannot be segregated from our own health; thus, we need to examine health from a global stance. Our traditional perspectives of “health” and “disease” are outdated, and it is prime time for us to reevaluate our approaches to engage a comprehensive audience as well as holistic strategies to address these issues as “One Health.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Morand
- CNRS ISEM - CIRAD AGIRs, Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Jean-Pierre Dujardin
- Institut de Recherches pour le Développement, IRD, UMR17 IRD-CIRAD INTERTRYP, Montpellier, France
| | - Régine Lefait-Robin
- Haut Conseil de la santé publique, Ministère des affaires sociales et de la santé, Paris, France
| | - Chamnarn Apiwathnasorn
- Department of Medical Entomolgy, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Alves DMCC, Terribile LC, Brito D. The potential impact of white-nose syndrome on the conservation status of north american bats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107395. [PMID: 25203391 PMCID: PMC4159351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
White-Nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent infectious disease that has already killed around six million bats in North America and has spread over two thousand kilometers from its epicenter. However, only a few studies on the possible impacts of the fungus on bat hosts were conducted, particularly concerning its implications for bat conservation. We predicted the consequences of WNS spread by generating a map with potential areas for its occurrence based on environmental conditions in sites where the disease already occurs, and overlaid it with the geographic distribution of all hibernating bats in North America. We assumed that all intersection localities would negatively affect local bat populations and reassessed their conservation status based on their potential population decline. Our results suggest that WNS will not spread widely throughout North America, being mostly restricted to the east and southeast regions. In contrast, our most pessimistic scenario of population decline indicated that the disease would threaten 32% of the bat species. Our results could help further conservation plans to preserve bat diversity in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davi M. C. C. Alves
- Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica e Síntese, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil
- * E-mail:
| | - Levi C. Terribile
- Laboratório de Macroecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Jataí, Goiás, Brasil
| | - Daniel Brito
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada e Conservação, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil
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