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Shen D, Yu Q, Xing X, Ding H, Long Y, Hui C. Distribution and survival of pathogens from different waste components and bioaerosol traceability analysis in household garbage room. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:119016. [PMID: 38677405 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119016] [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: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Household garbage rooms release abundant bioaerosols and are an important source of pathogens; however, information on the distribution and survival patterns of pathogens in different waste components is limited. In this study, a culture method and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing were used to determine bacterial communities, culturable pathogens, and human bacterial pathogens (HBPs). The results showed that abundant culturable bacteria were detected in all waste types, and a large number of S. aureus was detected on the surface of recyclable wastes, whereas S. aureus, total coliforms, Salmonella, Enterococcus, and hemolytic bacteria were detected in food waste and other waste. The activities of these detected pathogenic bacteria decreased after 24 h of storage but re-activated within one week. Factors affecting the emergence of pathogens varied with different waste components. Sequencing results showed that Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia were abundant in the waste samples, whereas Achromobacter, Exiguobacteriums, Bordetella, and Corynebacterium were the primary pathogens in the bioaerosol and wall attachment. The results of traceability analysis showed that bioaerosol microbes were mainly derived from raw kitchen waste (5.98%) and plastic and paper contaminated with food waste (19.93%) in garbage rooms. In addition, bioaerosols were the main source of microflora in the wall attachment, which possessed high HBP diversity and required more attention. These findings will help in understanding the microbial hazards in different waste components and provide guidance for the control and risk reduction of bioaerosols during waste management and recycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Shen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Xiaojing Xing
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Hening Ding
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Yuyang Long
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Cai Hui
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Non-Ferrous Metal Waste Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
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2
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Singh P, Best A. The impact of sterility-mortality tolerance and recovery-transmission trade-offs on host-parasite coevolution. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232610. [PMID: 38378150 PMCID: PMC10878805 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the coevolutionary dynamics of hosts and their parasites remains a major focus of much theoretical literature. Despite empirical evidence supporting the presence of sterility-mortality tolerance trade-offs in hosts and recovery-transmission trade-offs in parasites, none of the current models have explored the potential outcomes when both trade-offs are considered within a coevolutionary framework. In this study, we consider a model where the host evolves sterility tolerance at the cost of increased mortality and the parasite evolves higher transmission rate at the cost of increased recovery rate (reduced infection duration), and use adaptive dynamics to predict the coevolutionary outcomes under such trade-off assumptions. We particularly aim to understand how our coevolutionary dynamics compare with single species evolutionary models. We find that evolutionary branching in the host can drive the parasite population to branch, but that cycles in the population dynamics can prevent the coexisting strains from reaching their extremes. We also find that varying crowding does not impact the recovery rate when only the parasite evolves, yet coevolution reduces recovery as crowding intensifies. We conclude by discussing how different host and parasite trade-offs shape coevolutionary outcomes, underscoring the pivotal role of trade-offs in coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Singh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08648, USA
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - Alex Best
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
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3
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Richerson PJ, Boyd RT, Efferson C. Agentic processes in cultural evolution: relevance to Anthropocene sustainability. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220252. [PMID: 37952614 PMCID: PMC10645076 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0252] [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] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans have evolved culturally and perhaps genetically to be unsustainable. We exhibit a deep and consistent pattern of short-term resource exploitation behaviours and institutions. We distinguish agentic and naturally selective forces in cultural evolution. Agentic forces are quite important compared to the blind forces (random variation and natural selection) in cultural evolution and gene-culture coevolution. We need to use the agentic policy-making processes to evade the impact of blind natural selection. We argue that agentic forces became important during our Pleistocene history and into the Anthropocene present. Human creativity in the form of deliberate innovations and the deliberate selective diffusion of technical and social advances drove this process forward for a long time before planetary limits became a serious issue. We review models with multiple positive feedbacks that roughly fit this observed pattern. Policy changes in the case of large-scale existential threats like climate change are made by political and diplomatic agents grasping and moving levers of institutional power in order to avoid the operation of blind natural selection and agentic forces driven by narrow or short-term goals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Richerson
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, 95616, CA, USA
| | - Robert T. Boyd
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, 85281, AZ, USA
| | - Charles Efferson
- Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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4
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Flores P, McBride SA, Galazka JM, Varanasi KK, Zea L. Biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in spaceflight is minimized on lubricant impregnated surfaces. NPJ Microgravity 2023; 9:66. [PMID: 37587131 PMCID: PMC10432549 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00316-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The undesirable, yet inevitable, presence of bacterial biofilms in spacecraft poses a risk to the proper functioning of systems and to astronauts' health. To mitigate the risks that arise from them, it is important to understand biofilms' behavior in microgravity. As part of the Space Biofilms project, biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were grown in spaceflight over material surfaces. Stainless Steel 316 (SS316) and passivated SS316 were tested for their relevance as spaceflight hardware components, while a lubricant impregnated surface (LIS) was tested as potential biofilm control strategy. The morphology and gene expression of biofilms were characterized. Biofilms in microgravity are less robust than on Earth. LIS strongly inhibits biofilm formation compared to SS. Furthermore, this effect is even greater in spaceflight than on Earth, making LIS a promising option for spacecraft use. Transcriptomic profiles for the different conditions are presented, and potential mechanisms of biofilm reduction on LIS are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Flores
- BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| | | | - Jonathan M Galazka
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Kripa K Varanasi
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Luis Zea
- BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
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5
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Pike VL, Stevens EJ, Griffin AS, King KC. Within- and between-host dynamics of producer and non-producer pathogens. Parasitology 2023; 150:805-812. [PMID: 37394480 PMCID: PMC10478067 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000586] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
For infections to be maintained in a population, pathogens must compete to colonize hosts and transmit between them. We use an experimental approach to investigate within-and-between host dynamics using the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the animal host Caenorhabditis elegans. Within-host interactions can involve the production of goods that are beneficial to all pathogens in the local environment but susceptible to exploitation by non-producers. We exposed the nematode host to ‘producer’ and two ‘non-producer’ bacterial strains (specifically for siderophore production and quorum sensing), in single infections and coinfections, to investigate within-host colonization. Subsequently, we introduced infected nematodes to pathogen-naive populations to allow natural transmission between hosts. We find that producer pathogens are consistently better at colonizing hosts and transmitting between them than non-producers during coinfection and single infection. Non-producers were poor at colonizing hosts and between-host transmission, even when coinfecting with producers. Understanding pathogen dynamics across these multiple levels will ultimately help us predict and control the spread of infections, as well as contribute to explanations for the persistence of cooperative genotypes in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kayla C. King
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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6
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Banuet-Martinez M, Yang Y, Jafari B, Kaur A, Butt ZA, Chen HH, Yanushkevich S, Moyles IR, Heffernan JM, Korosec CS. Monkeypox: a review of epidemiological modelling studies and how modelling has led to mechanistic insight. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e121. [PMID: 37218612 PMCID: PMC10468816 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823000791] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human monkeypox (mpox) virus is a viral zoonosis that belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family, which presents with similar symptoms as those seen in human smallpox patients. Mpox is an increasing concern globally, with over 80,000 cases in non-endemic countries as of December 2022. In this review, we provide a brief history and ecology of mpox, its basic virology, and the key differences in mpox viral fitness traits before and after 2022. We summarize and critique current knowledge from epidemiological mathematical models, within-host models, and between-host transmission models using the One Health approach, where we distinguish between models that focus on immunity from vaccination, geography, climatic variables, as well as animal models. We report various epidemiological parameters, such as the reproduction number, R0, in a condensed format to facilitate comparison between studies. We focus on how mathematical modelling studies have led to novel mechanistic insight into mpox transmission and pathogenesis. As mpox is predicted to lead to further infection peaks in many historically non-endemic countries, mathematical modelling studies of mpox can provide rapid actionable insights into viral dynamics to guide public health measures and mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Banuet-Martinez
- Climate Change and Global Health Research Group, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yang Yang
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Behnaz Jafari
- Mathematics and Statistics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Avneet Kaur
- Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Zahid A. Butt
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Helen H. Chen
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Svetlana Yanushkevich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Iain R. Moyles
- Modelling Infection and Immunity Lab, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Disease Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jane M. Heffernan
- Modelling Infection and Immunity Lab, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Disease Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chapin S. Korosec
- Modelling Infection and Immunity Lab, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Disease Modelling, Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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7
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Fieldman T. Evolutionary principles for modifying pathogen virulence. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-12. [PMID: 37146153 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2203766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Current methods for combatting infectious diseases are largely limited to the prevention of infection, enhancing host immunity (via vaccination), and administration of small molecules to slow the growth of or kill pathogens (e.g. antimicrobials). Beyond efforts to deter the rise of antimicrobial resistance, little consideration is given to pathogen evolution. Natural selection will favor different levels of virulence under different circumstances. Experimental studies and a wealth of theoretical work have identified many likely evolutionary determinants of virulence. Some of these, such as transmission dynamics, are amenable to modification by clinicians and public health practitioners. In this article, we provide a conceptual overview of virulence, followed by the analysis of modifiable evolutionary determinants of virulence including vaccinations, antibiotics, and transmission dynamics. Finally, we discuss both the importance and limitations of taking an evolutionary approach to reducing pathogen virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Fieldman
- Clinical Microbiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
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8
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Hector TE, Gehman ALM, King KC. Infection burdens and virulence under heat stress: ecological and evolutionary considerations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220018. [PMID: 36744570 PMCID: PMC9900716 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a result of global change, hosts and parasites (including pathogens) are experiencing shifts in their thermal environment. Despite the importance of heat stress tolerance for host population persistence, infection by parasites can impair a host's ability to cope with heat. Host-parasite eco-evolutionary dynamics will be affected if infection reduces host performance during heating. Theory predicts that within-host parasite burden (replication rate or number of infecting parasites per host), a key component of parasite fitness, should correlate positively with virulence-the harm caused to hosts during infection. Surprisingly, however, the relationship between within-host parasite burden and virulence during heating is often weak. Here, we describe the current evidence for the link between within-host parasite burden and host heat stress tolerance. We consider the biology of host-parasite systems that may explain the weak or absent link between these two important host and parasite traits during hot conditions. The processes that mediate the relationship between parasite burden and host fitness will be fundamental in ecological and evolutionary responses of host and parasites in a warming world. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world'.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. E. Hector
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - A.-L. M. Gehman
- Hakai Institute, End of Kwakshua Channel, Calvert Island, BC Canada, V0N 1M0,Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - K. C. King
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3SZ, UK
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9
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Oswin HP, Haddrell AE, Hughes C, Otero-Fernandez M, Thomas RJ, Reid JP. Oxidative Stress Contributes to Bacterial Airborne Loss of Viability. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0334722. [PMID: 36912675 PMCID: PMC10101003 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03347-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
While the airborne decay of bacterial viability has been observed for decades, an understanding of the mechanisms driving the decay has remained elusive. The airborne transport of bacteria is often a key step in their life cycle and as such, characterizing the mechanisms driving the airborne decay of bacteria is an essential step toward a more complete understanding of microbial ecology. Using the Controlled Electrodynamic Levitation and Extraction of Bioaerosols onto a Substrate (CELEBS), it was possible to systematically evaluate the impact of different physicochemical and environmental parameters on the survival of Escherichia coli in airborne droplets of Luria Bertani broth. Rather than osmotic stress driving the viability loss, as was initially considered, oxidative stress was found to play a key role. As the droplets evaporate and equilibrate with the surrounding environment, the surface-to-volume ratio increases, which in turn increased the formation of reactive oxygen species in the droplet. These reactive oxygen species appear to play a key role in driving the airborne loss of viability of E. coli. IMPORTANCE The airborne transport of bacteria has a wide range of impacts, from disease transmission to cloud formation. By understanding the factors that influence the airborne stability of bacteria, we can better understand these processes. However, while we have known for several decades that airborne bacteria undergo a gradual loss of viability, we have not previously identified the mechanisms driving this process. In this work, we discovered that oxygen surrounding an airborne droplet facilitates the formation of reactive oxygen species within the droplet, which then gradually damage and kill bacteria within the droplet. This discovery indicates that adaptations to help bacteria deal with oxidative stress may also aid their airborne survival and be essential adaptations for bacterial airborne pathogens. Understanding the adaptations bacteria need to survive in airborne droplets could eventually lead to the development of novel antimicrobials designed to inhibit their airborne survival, helping to prevent the transmission of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry P. Oswin
- School of Chemistry, Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Allen E. Haddrell
- School of Chemistry, Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Cordelia Hughes
- School of Chemistry, Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mara Otero-Fernandez
- School of Chemistry, Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Thomas
- Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Porton Down, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P. Reid
- School of Chemistry, Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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10
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Raymenants J, Geenen C, Budts L, Thibaut J, Thijssen M, De Mulder H, Gorissen S, Craessaerts B, Laenen L, Beuselinck K, Ombelet S, Keyaerts E, André E. Indoor air surveillance and factors associated with respiratory pathogen detection in community settings in Belgium. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1332. [PMID: 36898982 PMCID: PMC10005919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36986-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, the real-life impact of indoor climate, human behaviour, ventilation and air filtration on respiratory pathogen detection and concentration are poorly understood. This hinders the interpretability of bioaerosol quantification in indoor air to surveil respiratory pathogens and transmission risk. We tested 341 indoor air samples from 21 community settings in Belgium for 29 respiratory pathogens using qPCR. On average, 3.9 pathogens were positive per sample and 85.3% of samples tested positive for at least one. Pathogen detection and concentration varied significantly by pathogen, month, and age group in generalised linear (mixed) models and generalised estimating equations. High CO2 and low natural ventilation were independent risk factors for detection. The odds ratio for detection was 1.09 (95% CI 1.03-1.15) per 100 parts per million (ppm) increase in CO2, and 0.88 (95% CI 0.80-0.97) per stepwise increase in natural ventilation (on a Likert scale). CO2 concentration and portable air filtration were independently associated with pathogen concentration. Each 100ppm increase in CO2 was associated with a qPCR Ct value decrease of 0.08 (95% CI -0.12 to -0.04), and portable air filtration with a 0.58 (95% CI 0.25-0.91) increase. The effects of occupancy, sampling duration, mask wearing, vocalisation, temperature, humidity and mechanical ventilation were not significant. Our results support the importance of ventilation and air filtration to reduce transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joren Raymenants
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Caspar Geenen
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lore Budts
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Thibaut
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marijn Thijssen
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology (Rega Institute), KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannelore De Mulder
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah Gorissen
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bastiaan Craessaerts
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies Laenen
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kurt Beuselinck
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sien Ombelet
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Els Keyaerts
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel André
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center of Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Xu Z, Wei D, Zeng Q, Zhang H, Sun Y, Demongeot J. More or less deadly? A mathematical model that predicts SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary direction. Comput Biol Med 2023; 153:106510. [PMID: 36630829 PMCID: PMC9816089 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused tremendous deaths globally. It is of great value to predict the evolutionary direction of SARS-CoV-2. In this paper, we proposed a novel mathematical model that could predict the evolutionary trend of SARS-CoV-2. We focus on the mutational effects on viral assembly capacity. A robust coarse-grained mathematical model is constructed to simulate the virus dynamics in the host body. Both virulence and transmissibility can be quantified in this model. A delicate equilibrium point that optimizes the transmissibility can be numerically obtained. Based on this model, the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 might further decrease, accompanied by an enhancement of transmissibility. However, this trend is not continuous; its virulence will not disappear but remains at a relatively stable range. A virus assembly model which simulates the virus packing process is also proposed. It can be explained why a few mutations would lead to a significant divergence in clinical performance, both in the overall particle formation quantity and virulence. This research provides a novel mathematical attempt to elucidate the evolutionary driving force in RNA virus evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin Xu
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China.
| | - Dongqing Wei
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Qiangcheng Zeng
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China
| | - Yinghui Sun
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China
| | - Jacques Demongeot
- Laboratory AGEIS EA 7407, Team Tools for e-Gnosis Medical, Faculty of Medicine, University Grenoble Alpes (UGA), 38700, La Tronche, France.
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12
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Yang R, Atkinson S, Chen Z, Cui Y, Du Z, Han Y, Sebbane F, Slavin P, Song Y, Yan Y, Wu Y, Xu L, Zhang C, Zhang Y, Hinnebusch BJ, Stenseth NC, Motin VL. Yersinia pestis and Plague: some knowns and unknowns. ZOONOSES (BURLINGTON, MASS.) 2023; 3:5. [PMID: 37602146 PMCID: PMC10438918 DOI: 10.15212/zoonoses-2022-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Since its first identification in 1894 during the third pandemic in Hong Kong, there has been significant progress of understanding the lifestyle of Yersinia pestis, the pathogen that is responsible for plague. Although we now have some understanding of the pathogen's physiology, genetics, genomics, evolution, gene regulation, pathogenesis and immunity, there are many unknown aspects of the pathogen and its disease development. Here, we focus on some of the knowns and unknowns relating to Y. pestis and plague. We notably focus on some key Y. pestis physiological and virulence traits that are important for its mammal-flea-mammal life cycle but also its emergence from the enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Some aspects of the genetic diversity of Y. pestis, the distribution and ecology of plague as well as the medical countermeasures to protect our population are also provided. Lastly, we present some biosafety and biosecurity information related to Y. pestis and plague.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifu Yang
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Steve Atkinson
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ziqi Chen
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Zongmin Du
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yanping Han
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Florent Sebbane
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Philip Slavin
- Division of History and Politics, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LJ, UK
| | - Yajun Song
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yarong Wu
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chutian Zhang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - B. Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Nils Chr. Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vladimir L. Motin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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13
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Wang L, Zhan LJ, Wise MJ. Editorial: What does not kill you makes you stronger: Interactions between environmental stresses and microbial virulence. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1127058. [PMID: 36699596 PMCID: PMC9869246 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1127058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Centre for Precision Health, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia,Liang Wang ✉
| | - Ling-Jun Zhan
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China,Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Michael J. Wise
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,*Correspondence: Michael J. Wise ✉
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14
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Hawley DM, Thomason CA, Aberle MA, Brown R, Adelman JS. High virulence is associated with pathogen spreadability in a songbird-bacterial system. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220975. [PMID: 36686556 PMCID: PMC9832288 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
How directly transmitted pathogens benefit from harming hosts is key to understanding virulence evolution. It is recognized that pathogens benefit from high within-host loads, often associated with virulence. However, high virulence may also directly augment spread of a given amount of pathogen, here termed 'spreadability'. We used house finches and the conjunctival pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum to test whether two components of virulence-the severity of conjunctival inflammation and behavioural morbidity produced-predict pathogen spreadability. We applied ultraviolet powder around the conjunctiva of finches that were inoculated with pathogen treatments of distinct virulence and measured within-flock powder spread, our proxy for 'spreadability'. When compared to uninfected controls, birds infected with a high-virulence, but not low-virulence, pathogen strain, spread significantly more powder to flockmates. Relative to controls, high-virulence treatment birds both had more severe conjunctival inflammation-which potentially facilitated powder shedding-and longer bouts on feeders, which serve as fomites. However, food peck rates and displacements with flockmates were lowest in high-virulence treatment birds relative to controls, suggesting inflammatory rather than behavioural mechanisms likely drive augmented spreadability at high virulence. Our results suggest that inflammation associated with virulence can facilitate pathogen spread to conspecifics, potentially favouring virulence evolution in this system and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana M. Hawley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131, USA
| | - Courtney A. Thomason
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131, USA
| | - Matt A. Aberle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131, USA
| | - Richard Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131, USA
| | - James S. Adelman
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
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15
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Plant Virus Adaptation to New Hosts: A Multi-scale Approach. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 439:167-196. [PMID: 36592246 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-15640-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are studied at each level of biological complexity: from within-cells to ecosystems. The same basic evolutionary forces and principles operate at each level: mutation and recombination, selection, genetic drift, migration, and adaptive trade-offs. Great efforts have been put into understanding each level in great detail, hoping to predict the dynamics of viral population, prevent virus emergence, and manage their spread and virulence. Unfortunately, we are still far from this. To achieve these ambitious goals, we advocate for an integrative perspective of virus evolution. Focusing in plant viruses, we illustrate the pervasiveness of the above-mentioned principles. Beginning at the within-cell level, we describe replication modes, infection bottlenecks, and cellular contagion rates. Next, we move up to the colonization of distal tissues, discussing the fundamental role of random events. Then, we jump beyond the individual host and discuss the link between transmission mode and virulence. Finally, at the community level, we discuss properties of virus-plant infection networks. To close this review we propose the multilayer network theory, in which elements at different layers are connected and submit to their own dynamics that feed across layers, resulting in new emerging properties, as a way to integrate information from the different levels.
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16
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AbdelMassih A, Sedky A, Shalaby A, Shalaby AF, Yasser A, Mohyeldin A, Amin B, Saleheen B, Osman D, Samuel E, Abdelfatah E, Albustami E, ElGhamry F, Khaled H, Amr H, Gaber H, Makhlouf I, Abdeldayem J, El-Beialy JW, Milad K, El Sharkawi L, Abosenna L, Safi MG, AbdelKareem M, Gaber M, Elkady M, Ihab M, AbdelRaouf N, Khaled R, Shalata R, Mahgoub R, Jamal S, El Hawary SED, ElRashidy S, El Shorbagy S, Gerges T, Kassem Y, Magdy Y, Omar Y, Shokry Y, Kamel A, Hozaien R, El-Husseiny N, El Shershaby M. From HIV to COVID-19, Molecular mechanisms of pathogens' trade-off and persistence in the community, potential targets for new drug development. BULLETIN OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE 2022; 46:194. [PMID: 35818410 PMCID: PMC9258762 DOI: 10.1186/s42269-022-00879-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND On the staggering emergence of the Omicron variant, numerous questions arose about the evolution of virulence and transmissibility in microbes. MAIN BODY OF THE ABSTRACT The trade-off hypothesis has long speculated the exchange of virulence for the sake of superior transmissibility in a wide array of pathogens. While this certainly applies to the case of the Omicron variant, along with influenza virus, various reports have been allocated for an array of pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), malaria, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and tuberculosis (TB). The latter abide to another form of trade-off, the invasion-persistence trade-off. In this study, we aim to explore the molecular mechanisms and mutations of different obligate intracellular pathogens that attenuated their more morbid characters, virulence in acute infections and invasion in chronic infections. SHORT CONCLUSION Recognizing the mutations that attenuate the most morbid characters of pathogens such as virulence or persistence can help in tailoring new therapies for such pathogens. Targeting macrophage tropism of HIV by carbohydrate-binding agents, or targeting the TMPRSS2 receptors to prevent pulmonary infiltrates of COVID-19 is an example of how important is to recognize such genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine AbdelMassih
- Pediatric Department, Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Children Hospital, Cairo University, Kasr Al Ainy Street, Cairo, 12411 Egypt
| | - Abrar Sedky
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Shalaby
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - AlAmira-Fawzia Shalaby
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alia Yasser
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Aya Mohyeldin
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Basma Amin
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Basma Saleheen
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dina Osman
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Elaria Samuel
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Emmy Abdelfatah
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eveen Albustami
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Farida ElGhamry
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Habiba Khaled
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hana Amr
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hanya Gaber
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ismail Makhlouf
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Janna Abdeldayem
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Karim Milad
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Laila El Sharkawi
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Lina Abosenna
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Madonna G. Safi
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mariam AbdelKareem
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Marwa Gaber
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mirna Elkady
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Ihab
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nora AbdelRaouf
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rawan Khaled
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reem Shalata
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rudayna Mahgoub
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sarah Jamal
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Seif El-Din El Hawary
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Shady ElRashidy
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sherouk El Shorbagy
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Tony Gerges
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yara Kassem
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasmeen Magdy
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasmin Omar
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasmine Shokry
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Aya Kamel
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rafeef Hozaien
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nadine El-Husseiny
- Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Pixagon Graphic Design Agency, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Meryam El Shershaby
- Internship Research Program (Research Accessibility Team), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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17
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Fofana AM, Hurford A. Parasite-induced shifts in host movement may explain the transient coexistence of high- and low-pathogenic disease strains. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1072-1086. [PMID: 35789020 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14053] [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: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Many parasites induce decreased host movement, known as lethargy, which can impact disease spread and the evolution of virulence. Mathematical models have investigated virulence evolution when parasites cause host death, but disease-induced decreased host movement has received relatively less attention. Here, we consider a model where, due to the within-host parasite replication rate, an infected host can become lethargic and shift from a moving to a resting state, where it can die. We find that when the lethargy and disease-induced mortality costs to the parasites are not high, then evolutionary bistability can arise, and either moderate or high virulence can evolve depending on the initial virulence and the magnitude of mutation. These results suggest, firstly, the coexistence of strains with different virulence, which may explain the transient coexistence of low- and high-pathogenic strains of avian influenza viruses, and secondly, that medical interventions to treat the symptoms of lethargy or prevent disease-induced host deaths can result in a large jump in virulence and the rapid evolution of high virulence. In complement to existing results that show bistability when hosts are heterogeneous at the population level, we show that evolutionary bistability may arise due to transmission heterogeneity at the individual host level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdou Moutalab Fofana
- Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Amy Hurford
- Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,Mathematics and Statistics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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18
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Chancharoenthana W, Kamolratanakul S, Ariyanon W, Thanachartwet V, Phumratanaprapin W, Wilairatana P, Leelahavanichkul A. Abnormal Blood Bacteriome, Gut Dysbiosis, and Progression to Severe Dengue Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:890817. [PMID: 35782108 PMCID: PMC9248029 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.890817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a well-known association between gut barrier defect (leaky gut) and several diseases, data on translocation of pathogen molecules, including bacterial DNA (blood bacteriome), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and serum (1→3)-β-D-glucan (BG), from the gut to the blood circulation (gut translocation) in dengue are still less studied. Perhaps, dengue infection might induce gut translocation of several pathogenic molecules that affect the disease severity. At the enrollment, there were 31 dengue cases in febrile and critical phases at 4.1 ± 0.3 days and 6.4 ± 1.1 days of illness, respectively, with the leaky gut as indicated by positive lactulose-to-mannitol excretion ratio. With blood bacteriome, the patients with critical phase (more severe dengue; n = 23) demonstrated more predominant abundance in Bacteroidetes and Escherichia spp. with the lower Bifidobacteria when compared with the healthy control (n = 5). Meanwhile, most of the blood bacteriome results in dengue with febrile stage (n = 8) were comparable to the control, except for the lower Bifidobacteria in dengue cases. Additionally, endotoxemia at the enrollment was demonstrated in five (62.5%) and 19 (82.6%) patients with febrile and critical phases, respectively, while serum BG was detectable in two (25%) and 20 (87%) patients with febrile and critical phases, respectively. There were higher peripheral blood non-classical monocytes and natural killer cells (NK cells) at the enrollment in patients with febrile phage than in the cases with critical stage. Then, non-classical monocytes (CD14-CD16+) and NK cells (CD56+CD16-) increased at 4 and 7 days of illness in the cases with critical and febrile stages, respectively, the elevation of LPS and/or BG in serum on day 7 was also associated with the increase in monocytes, NK cells, and cytotoxic T cells. In summary, enhanced Proteobacteria (pathogenic bacteria from blood bacteriomes) along with increased endotoxemia and serum BG (leaky gut syndrome) might be collaborated with the impaired microbial control (lower non-classical monocytes and NK cells) in the critical cases and causing more severe disease of dengue infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiwat Chancharoenthana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Tropical Immunology and Translational Research Unit, Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Wiwat Chancharoenthana, ; Asada Leelahavanichkul,
| | - Supitcha Kamolratanakul
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Tropical Immunology and Translational Research Unit, Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wassawon Ariyanon
- Cardiometabolic Centre, Department of Medicine, Bangkok Nursing Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Medicine, Banphaeo General Hospital, Samutsakhon, Thailand
| | - Vipa Thanachartwet
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Weerapong Phumratanaprapin
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Asada Leelahavanichkul
- Immunology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Translational Research in Inflammation and Immunology (CETRII), Department of Microbiology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Wiwat Chancharoenthana, ; Asada Leelahavanichkul,
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19
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He Y, Bai M, He Y, Wang S, Zhang J, Jiang S, Wang G. Suspended particles are hotspots for pathogen-related bacteria and ARGs in coastal beach waters of northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 817:153004. [PMID: 35026254 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Marine suspended particles are unique micro-habitats for diverse microbes and also hotspots of microbially metabolic activities. However, the association of bacterial pathogens, especially those carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with these particles remain largely unknown in coastal habitats. This study investigated the distribution of pathogen-related bacteria and ARGs in particle-associated (PA) and free-living (FL) fractions of samples collected at three coastal beaches using NextGen sequencing and qPCR. Suspended particles were found to harbor significantly higher abundances of bacteria of pathogen-related genera and ARGs than their counterparts. Functional analysis of microbial community suggested that antibiotic biosynthetic pathways were also more abundant among PA microbiome comparing to FL microbial community, which further facilitated the spread of ARGs. Additionally, 13 pathogen-related genera co-occurred with ARG in PA fraction while only 2 pathogen-related genera co-occurred with ARGs in FL fraction. Overall, our research revealed suspended particles harbored more abundant pathogen-related genera and ARGs comparing with surrounding waters. Thus, suspended particles are hotspots for pathogen-related genera and ARGs and may pose a greater threat to human health in coastal beach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yike He
- Center for Marine Environmental Ecology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Mohan Bai
- Center for Marine Environmental Ecology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yaodong He
- Center for Marine Environmental Ecology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Suisui Wang
- Center for Marine Environmental Ecology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiabo Zhang
- The Eighth Geological Brigade, Hebei Geological Prospecting Bureau, Qinhuangdao 066001, China; Marine Ecological Restoration and Smart Ocean Engineering Research Center of Hebei Province, Qinhuangdao 066001, China
| | - Sunny Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Guangyi Wang
- Center for Marine Environmental Ecology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Qingdao Institute Ocean Engineering of Tianjin University, Qingdao 266237, China.
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20
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Pandey A, Mideo N, Platt TG. Virulence Evolution of Pathogens That Can Grow in Reservoir Environments. Am Nat 2022; 199:141-158. [DOI: 10.1086/717177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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21
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Bhardwaj J, Hong S, Jang J, Han CH, Lee J, Jang J. Recent advancements in the measurement of pathogenic airborne viruses. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 420:126574. [PMID: 34252679 PMCID: PMC8256664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Air-transmissible pathogenic viruses, such as influenza viruses and coronaviruses, are some of the most fatal strains and spread rapidly by air, necessitating quick and stable measurements from sample air volumes to prevent further spread of diseases and to take appropriate steps rapidly. Measurements of airborne viruses generally require their collection into liquids or onto solid surfaces, with subsequent hydrosolization and then analysis using the growth method, nucleic-acid-based techniques, or immunoassays. Measurements can also be performed in real time without sampling, where species-specific determination is generally disabled. In this review, we introduce some recent advancements in the measurement of pathogenic airborne viruses. Air sampling and measurement technologies for viral aerosols are reviewed, with special focus on the effects of air sampling on damage to the sampled viruses and their measurements. Measurement of pathogenic airborne viruses is an interdisciplinary research area that requires understanding of both aerosol technology and biotechnology to effectively address the issues. Hence, this review is expected to provide some useful guidelines regarding appropriate air sampling and virus detection methods for particular applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Bhardwaj
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Junbeom Jang
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Ho Han
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaegil Lee
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesung Jang
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, UNIST, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Singh NK, Karisto P, Croll D. Population-level deep sequencing reveals the interplay of clonal and sexual reproduction in the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34617882 PMCID: PMC8627204 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens cause significant challenges to global food security. On annual crops, pathogens must re-infect from environmental sources in every growing season. Fungal pathogens have evolved mixed reproductive strategies to cope with the distinct challenges of colonizing growing plants. However, how pathogen diversity evolves during growing seasons remains largely unknown. Here, we performed a deep hierarchical sampling in a single experimental wheat field infected by the major fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. We analysed whole genome sequences of 177 isolates collected from 12 distinct cultivars replicated in space at three time points of the growing season to maximize capture of genetic diversity. The field population was highly diverse with 37 SNPs per kilobase, a linkage disequilibrium decay within 200-700 bp and a high effective population size. Using experimental infections, we tested a subset of the collected isolates on the dominant cultivar planted in the field. However, we found no significant difference in virulence of isolates collected from the same cultivar compared to isolates collected on other cultivars. About 20 % of the isolate genotypes were grouped into 15 clonal groups. Pairs of clones were disproportionally found at short distances (<5 m), consistent with experimental estimates for per-generation dispersal distances performed in the same field. This confirms predominant leaf-to-leaf transmission during the growing season. Surprisingly, levels of clonality did not increase over time in the field although reproduction is thought to be exclusively asexual during the growing season. Our study shows that the pathogen establishes vast and stable gene pools in single fields. Monitoring short-term evolutionary changes in crop pathogens will inform more durable strategies to contain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Kumar Singh
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Petteri Karisto
- Plant Health, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Daniel Croll
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Daniel Croll,
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23
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Li F, Xiong XS, Yang YY, Wang JJ, Wang MM, Tang JW, Liu QH, Wang L, Gu B. Effects of NaCl Concentrations on Growth Patterns, Phenotypes Associated With Virulence, and Energy Metabolism in Escherichia coli BW25113. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:705326. [PMID: 34484145 PMCID: PMC8415458 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.705326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the sit-and-wait hypothesis, long-term environmental survival is positively correlated with increased bacterial pathogenicity because high durability reduces the dependence of transmission on host mobility. Many indirectly transmitted bacterial pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Burkhoderia pseudomallei, have high durability in the external environment and are highly virulent. It is possible that abiotic stresses may activate certain pathways or the expressions of certain genes, which might contribute to bacterial durability and virulence, synergistically. Therefore, exploring how bacterial phenotypes change in response to environmental stresses is important for understanding their potentials in host infections. In this study, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of salt (sodium chloride, NaCl), on survival ability, phenotypes associated with virulence, and energy metabolism of the lab strain Escherichia coli BW25113. In particular, we investigated how NaCl concentrations influenced growth patterns, biofilm formation, oxidative stress resistance, and motile ability. In terms of energy metabolism that is central to bacterial survival, glucose consumption, glycogen accumulation, and trehalose content were measured in order to understand their roles in dealing with the fluctuation of osmolarity. According to the results, trehalose is preferred than glycogen at high NaCl concentration. In order to dissect the molecular mechanisms of NaCl effects on trehalose metabolism, we further checked how the impairment of trehalose synthesis pathway (otsBA operon) via single-gene mutants influenced E. coli durability and virulence under salt stress. After that, we compared the transcriptomes of E. coli cultured at different NaCl concentrations, through which differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential pathways with statistical significance were identified, which provided molecular insights into E. coli responses to NaCl concentrations. In sum, this study explored the in vitro effects of NaCl concentrations on E. coli from a variety of aspects and aimed to facilitate our understanding of bacterial physiological changes under salt stress, which might help clarify the linkages between bacterial durability and virulence outside hosts under environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Li
- Medical Technology School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xue-Song Xiong
- Medical Technology School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ying-Ying Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jun-Jiao Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Meng-Meng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jia-Wei Tang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qing-Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Gu
- Medical Technology School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Dawson D, Rasmussen D, Peng X, Lanzas C. Inferring environmental transmission using phylodynamics: a case-study using simulated evolution of an enteric pathogen. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210041. [PMID: 34102084 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Indirect (environmental) and direct (host-host) transmission pathways cannot easily be distinguished when they co-occur in epidemics, particularly when they occur on similar time scales. Phylodynamic reconstruction is a potential approach to this problem that combines epidemiological information (temporal, spatial information) with pathogen whole-genome sequencing data to infer transmission trees of epidemics. However, factors such as differences in mutation and transmission rates between host and non-host environments may obscure phylogenetic inference from these methods. In this study, we used a network-based transmission model that explicitly models pathogen evolution to simulate epidemics with both direct and indirect transmission. Epidemics were simulated according to factorial combinations of direct/indirect transmission proportions, host mutation rates and conditions of environmental pathogen growth. Transmission trees were then reconstructed using the phylodynamic approach SCOTTI (structured coalescent transmission tree inference) and evaluated. We found that although insufficient diversity sets a lower bound on when accurate phylodynamic inferences can be made, transmission routes and assumed pathogen lifestyle affected pathogen population structure and subsequently influenced both reconstruction success and the likelihood of direct versus indirect pathways being reconstructed. We conclude that prior knowledge of the likely ecology and population structure of pathogens in host and non-host environments is critical to fully using phylodynamic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Dawson
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David Rasmussen
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Xinxia Peng
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Cristina Lanzas
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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25
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Bonadonna L, Briancesco R, Coccia AM, Meloni P, Rosa GL, Moscato U. Microbial Air Quality in Healthcare Facilities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6226. [PMID: 34207509 PMCID: PMC8296088 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that indoor air quality and contaminated surfaces provide an important potential source for transmission of pathogens in hospitals. Airborne hospital microorganisms are apparently harmless to healthy people. Nevertheless, healthcare settings are characterized by different environmental critical conditions and high infective risk, mainly due to the compromised immunologic conditions of the patients that make them more vulnerable to infections. Thus, spread, survival and persistence of microbial communities are important factors in hospital environments affecting health of inpatients as well as of medical and nursing staff. In this paper, airborne and aerosolized microorganisms and their presence in hospital environments are taken into consideration, and the factors that collectively contribute to defining the infection risk in these facilities are illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Bonadonna
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (A.M.C.); (P.M.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Rossella Briancesco
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (A.M.C.); (P.M.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Anna Maria Coccia
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (A.M.C.); (P.M.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Pierluigi Meloni
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (A.M.C.); (P.M.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (A.M.C.); (P.M.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Umberto Moscato
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Section of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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26
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Soil Reservoir Dynamics of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the Causative Agent of Snake Fungal Disease. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060461. [PMID: 34201162 PMCID: PMC8226778 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife diseases pose an ever-growing threat to global biodiversity. Understanding how wildlife pathogens are distributed in the environment and the ability of pathogens to form environmental reservoirs is critical to understanding and predicting disease dynamics within host populations. Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging conservation threat to North American snake populations. The causative agent, Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo), is detectable in environmentally derived soils. However, little is known about the distribution of Oo in the environment and the persistence and growth of Oo in soils. Here, we use quantitative PCR to detect Oo in soil samples collected from five snake dens. We compare the detection rates between soils collected from within underground snake hibernacula and associated, adjacent topsoil samples. Additionally, we used microcosm growth assays to assess the growth of Oo in soils and investigate whether the detection and growth of Oo are related to abiotic parameters and microbial communities of soil samples. We found that Oo is significantly more likely to be detected in hibernaculum soils compared to topsoils. We also found that Oo was capable of growth in sterile soil, but no growth occurred in soils with an active microbial community. A number of fungal genera were more abundant in soils that did not permit growth of Oo, versus those that did. Our results suggest that soils may display a high degree of both general and specific suppression of Oo in the environment. Harnessing environmental suppression presents opportunities to mitigate the impacts of SFD in wild snake populations.
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Abstract
Background: Pathogens are often assumed to evolve towards reduced virulence, but counterexamples abound. Faced with a new pathogen, such as SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial to be able to forecast the case fatality rate (CFR) and the overall disease burden. Considerable effort has been invested towards developing a mathematical framework for predicting virulence evolution. Although many approaches accurately recapitulate complex outcomes, most rely on an assumed trade-off between CFR and infection rate. It is often impractical to empirically validate this constraint for human pathogens. Methods: A compartment model with parameters tuning the degree to which symptomatic individuals are isolated and the duration of immunity is constructed and evaluated at both short timescales and at equilibrium. Results: We reveal kinetic constraints whereby variation of multiple parameters in concert leads to decreased CFR and increased pathogen fitness, whereas independent variation of the parameters decreases pathogen fitness. Smallpox, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza are analyzed as diverse representatives of human respiratory viruses. We show that highly virulent viruses, such as smallpox, are often constrained by the host behavior, whereas moderately virulent viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, appear to be typically constrained by the relationship between the duration of immunity and CFR. Conclusions: Evolution of human respiratory epidemics appears to be often kinetically constrained and a reduction in CFR should not be assumed. These results agree with previous work demonstrating an increase in virulence for smallpox and further predict that SARS-CoV-2 is likely to continue presenting a substantial disease burden. Herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and viruses with similar life history traits might be unachievable without vaccination. However, partial isolation of symptomatic individuals can have a major effect on the epidemic dynamics not only by reducing the number of fatalities in the short term but also by changing the evolutionary trajectory of moderate CFR viruses towards reduced CFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nash Rochman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
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28
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Abstract
Background: It is often assumed that pathogens evolve towards reduced virulence, but counterexamples abound. Faced with a new pathogen, such as SARS-CoV-2, it is highly desirable to be able to forecast the case fatality rate (CFR) and overall disease burden into the future. Considerable effort has been invested towards the development of a mathematical framework for predicting virulence evolution. Although many approaches accurately recapitulate complex outcomes, most rely on an assumed trade-off between CFR and infection rate. It is often impractical to empirically validate this constraint for human pathogens. Methods: A compartment model with parameters tuning the degree to which symptomatic individuals are isolated and the duration of immunity is constructed and evaluated at both short timescales and at equilibrium (when it exists). Results: We reveal kinetic constraints where the variation of multiple parameters in concert leads to decreased CFR and increased pathogen fitness, whereas independent variation of the parameters decreases pathogen fitness. Smallpox, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza are analyzed as diverse representatives of human respiratory viruses. We show that highly virulent viruses, such as smallpox, are likely often constrained by host behavior, whereas moderately virulent viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, appear to be typically constrained by the relationship between the duration of immunity and CFR. Conclusions: Evolution of human respiratory epidemics appears to be often kinetically constrained and a reduction in CFR should not be assumed. Our findings imply that, without continued public health intervention, SARS-CoV-2 is likely to continue presenting a substantial disease burden. The existence of a parameter regime admitting endemic equilibrium suggests that herd immunity is unachievable. However, we demonstrate that even partial isolation of symptomatic individuals can have a major effect not only by reducing the number of fatalities in the short term but also by potentially changing the evolutionary trajectory of the virus towards reduced CFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nash Rochman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
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29
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Turner WC, Kamath PL, van Heerden H, Huang YH, Barandongo ZR, Bruce SA, Kausrud K. The roles of environmental variation and parasite survival in virulence-transmission relationships. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210088. [PMID: 34109041 PMCID: PMC8170194 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Disease outbreaks are a consequence of interactions among the three components of a host-parasite system: the infectious agent, the host and the environment. While virulence and transmission are widely investigated, most studies of parasite life-history trade-offs are conducted with theoretical models or tractable experimental systems where transmission is standardized and the environment controlled. Yet, biotic and abiotic environmental factors can strongly affect disease dynamics, and ultimately, host-parasite coevolution. Here, we review research on how environmental context alters virulence-transmission relationships, focusing on the off-host portion of the parasite life cycle, and how variation in parasite survival affects the evolution of virulence and transmission. We review three inter-related 'approaches' that have dominated the study of the evolution of virulence and transmission for different host-parasite systems: (i) evolutionary trade-off theory, (ii) parasite local adaptation and (iii) parasite phylodynamics. These approaches consider the role of the environment in virulence and transmission evolution from different angles, which entail different advantages and potential biases. We suggest improvements to how to investigate virulence-transmission relationships, through conceptual and methodological developments and taking environmental context into consideration. By combining developments in life-history evolution, phylogenetics, adaptive dynamics and comparative genomics, we can improve our understanding of virulence-transmission relationships across a diversity of host-parasite systems that have eluded experimental study of parasite life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy C. Turner
- US Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Zoe R. Barandongo
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Spencer A. Bruce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Kyrre Kausrud
- Section for Epidemiology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, 0454 Oslo, Norway
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30
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Catalan-Moreno A, Cela M, Menendez-Gil P, Irurzun N, Caballero CJ, Caldelari I, Toledo-Arana A. RNA thermoswitches modulate Staphylococcus aureus adaptation to ambient temperatures. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3409-3426. [PMID: 33660769 PMCID: PMC8034633 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermoregulation of virulence genes in bacterial pathogens is essential for environment-to-host transition. However, the mechanisms governing cold adaptation when outside the host remain poorly understood. Here, we found that the production of cold shock proteins CspB and CspC from Staphylococcus aureus is controlled by two paralogous RNA thermoswitches. Through in silico prediction, enzymatic probing and site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrated that cspB and cspC 5′UTRs adopt alternative RNA structures that shift from one another upon temperature shifts. The open (O) conformation that facilitates mRNA translation is favoured at ambient temperatures (22°C). Conversely, the alternative locked (L) conformation, where the ribosome binding site (RBS) is sequestered in a double-stranded RNA structure, is folded at host-related temperatures (37°C). These structural rearrangements depend on a long RNA hairpin found in the O conformation that sequesters the anti-RBS sequence. Notably, the remaining S. aureus CSP, CspA, may interact with a UUUGUUU motif located in the loop of this long hairpin and favour the folding of the L conformation. This folding represses CspB and CspC production at 37°C. Simultaneous deletion of the cspB/cspC genes or their RNA thermoswitches significantly decreases S. aureus growth rate at ambient temperatures, highlighting the importance of CspB/CspC thermoregulation when S. aureus transitions from the host to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arancha Catalan-Moreno
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Marta Cela
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Pilar Menendez-Gil
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Naiara Irurzun
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Carlos J Caballero
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
| | - Isabelle Caldelari
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UPR 9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Alejandro Toledo-Arana
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, IdAB, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Avda. de Pamplona 123, 31192 Mutilva, Navarra, Spain
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31
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Wargo AR, Kurath G, Scott RJ, Kerr B. Virus shedding kinetics and unconventional virulence tradeoffs. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009528. [PMID: 33970967 PMCID: PMC8109835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tradeoff theory, which postulates that virulence provides both transmission costs and benefits for pathogens, has become widely adopted by the scientific community. Although theoretical literature exploring virulence-tradeoffs is vast, empirical studies validating various assumptions still remain sparse. In particular, truncation of transmission duration as a cost of virulence has been difficult to quantify with robust controlled in vivo studies. We sought to fill this knowledge gap by investigating how transmission rate and duration were associated with virulence for infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Using host mortality to quantify virulence and viral shedding to quantify transmission, we found that IHNV did not conform to classical tradeoff theory. More virulent genotypes of the virus were found to have longer transmission durations due to lower recovery rates of infected hosts, but the relationship was not saturating as assumed by tradeoff theory. Furthermore, the impact of host mortality on limiting transmission duration was minimal and greatly outweighed by recovery. Transmission rate differences between high and low virulence genotypes were also small and inconsistent. Ultimately, more virulent genotypes were found to have the overall fitness advantage, and there was no apparent constraint on the evolution of increased virulence for IHNV. However, using a mathematical model parameterized with experimental data, it was found that host culling resurrected the virulence tradeoff and provided low virulence genotypes with the advantage. Human-induced or natural culling, as well as host population fragmentation, may be some of the mechanisms by which virulence diversity is maintained in nature. This work highlights the importance of considering non-classical virulence tradeoffs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Wargo
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Gael Kurath
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Scott
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Kerr
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Morimura A, Hamaguchi S, Akeda Y, Tomono K. Mechanisms Underlying Pneumococcal Transmission and Factors Influencing Host-Pneumococcus Interaction: A Review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:639450. [PMID: 33996623 PMCID: PMC8113816 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.639450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus) is not only a commensal that frequently colonizes the human upper respiratory tract but also a pathogen that causes pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. The mechanism of pneumococcal infection has been extensively studied, but the process of transmission has not been fully elucidated because of the lack of tractable animal models. Novel animal models of transmission have enabled further progress in investigating pneumococcal transmission mechanisms including the processes such as pneumococcal shedding, survival in the external environment, and adherence to the nasopharynx of a new host. Herein, we present a review on these animal models, recent research findings about pneumococcal transmission, and factors influencing the host-pneumococcus interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Morimura
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigeto Hamaguchi
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Akeda
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka, Japan.,Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazunori Tomono
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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33
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Yilbas BS, Hassan G, Yilbas AE, Abubakar AA, Al-Qahtani H. On the Mechanism of Human Saliva Interaction with Environmental Dust in Relation to Spreading of Viruses. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:4714-4726. [PMID: 33835806 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Environmental effects such as dust mitigation can amplify the spread of viruses via inhaling infected dust particles. Infusion and the spreading rate of human saliva over the dust particles can play a critical role in contiguous virus spread. In the present study, mechanical and chemical interactions of human saliva with environmental dust particles are considered. The saliva droplet impact on dust particles is examined while mimicking saliva droplet spreading during coughing in a dusty ambience. The mechanisms of saliva infusion and cloaking on the dust particles are explored. The characteristics of saliva droplet normal and oblique impacts on a dust particle are examined experimentally and numerically to evaluate the amount of saliva residues on the impacted particle surface. The findings reveal that the saliva liquid infuses and cloaks the dust particle surfaces. The saliva droplet impact on the dust particles leaves a considerable amount of saliva residues on the impacted surfaces, which remain undried for a prolonged period in indoor environments. Weak adhesion of the saliva-infected dust particles on surfaces, such as glass surfaces, enables saliva-infected dust particles to rejoin neighboring ambient air while possessing a high potential for virus spreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bekir Sami Yilbas
- Mechanical Engineering Department, KFUPM, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy (CoRE-RE), KFUPM, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- Senior Researcher at K.A.CARE Energy Research & Innovation Center, DTV, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ghassan Hassan
- Mechanical Engineering Department, KFUPM, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- Researcher at K.A.CARE Energy Research & Innovation Center, DTV, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayse Elif Yilbas
- University of Ottawa, General Surgery, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Abba A Abubakar
- Mechanical Engineering Department, KFUPM, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
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34
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Ogbunugafor CB, Miller-Dickson MD, Meszaros VA, Gomez LM, Murillo AL, Scarpino SV. Variation in microparasite free-living survival and indirect transmission can modulate the intensity of emerging outbreaks. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20786. [PMID: 33247174 PMCID: PMC7695845 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77048-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in free-living microparasite survival can have a meaningful impact on the ecological dynamics of established and emerging infectious diseases. Nevertheless, resolving the importance of indirect and environmental transmission in the ecology of epidemics remains a persistent challenge. It requires accurately measuring the free-living survival of pathogens across reservoirs of various kinds and quantifying the extent to which interaction between hosts and reservoirs generates new infections. These questions are especially salient for emerging pathogens, where sparse and noisy data can obfuscate the relative contribution of different infection routes. In this study, we develop a mechanistic, mathematical model that permits both direct (host-to-host) and indirect (environmental) transmission and then fit this model to empirical data from 17 countries affected by an emerging virus (SARS-CoV-2). From an ecological perspective, our model highlights the potential for environmental transmission to drive complex, nonlinear dynamics during infectious disease outbreaks. Summarizing, we propose that fitting alternative models with indirect transmission to real outbreak data from SARS-CoV-2 can be useful, as it highlights that indirect mechanisms may play an underappreciated role in the dynamics of infectious diseases, with implications for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Brandon Ogbunugafor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA.
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA.
| | - Miles D Miller-Dickson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
| | - Victor A Meszaros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
| | - Lourdes M Gomez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
| | - Anarina L Murillo
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, 02912, USA
- Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, 02903, USA
| | - Samuel V Scarpino
- Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, 02115, USA
- Roux Institute, Northeastern University, Portland, 04101, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, 87501, USA
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35
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Bonneaud C, Tardy L, Hill GE, McGraw KJ, Wilson AJ, Giraudeau M. Experimental evidence for stabilizing selection on virulence in a bacterial pathogen. Evol Lett 2020; 4:491-501. [PMID: 33312685 PMCID: PMC7719545 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The virulence‐transmission trade‐off hypothesis has provided a dominant theoretical basis for predicting pathogen virulence evolution, but empirical tests are rare, particularly at pathogen emergence. The central prediction of this hypothesis is that pathogen fitness is maximized at intermediate virulence due to a trade‐off between infection duration and transmission rate. However, obtaining sufficient numbers of pathogen isolates of contrasting virulence to test the shape of relationships between key pathogen traits, and doing so without the confounds of evolved host protective immunity (as expected at emergence), is challenging. Here, we inoculated 55 isolates of the bacterial pathogen, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, into non‐resistant house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) from populations that have never been exposed to the disease. Isolates were collected over a 20‐year period from outbreak in disease‐exposed populations of house finches and vary markedly in virulence. We found a positive linear relationship between pathogen virulence and transmission rate to an uninfected sentinel, supporting the core assumption of the trade‐off hypothesis. Further, in support of the key prediction, there was no evidence for directional selection on a quantitative proxy of pathogen virulence and, instead, isolates of intermediate virulence were fittest. Surprisingly, however, the positive relationship between virulence and transmission rate was not underpinned by variation in pathogen load or replication rate as is commonly assumed. Our results indicate that selection favors pathogens of intermediate virulence at disease emergence in a novel host species, even when virulence and transmission are not linked to pathogen load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bonneaud
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE United Kingdom
| | - Luc Tardy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama 36849-5414, United States of America
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287-4501, United States of America
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE United Kingdom
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE United Kingdom.,School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287-4501, United States of America
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36
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Grund A, Rautenschlein S, Jung A. Tenacity of Enterococcus cecorum at different environmental conditions. J Appl Microbiol 2020; 130:1494-1507. [PMID: 33064913 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Our aim was to analyse the survival of Enterococcus cecorum (EC) at various temperatures, relative air humidities and on different substrates commonly existing in broiler houses. METHODS AND RESULTS A pathogenic EC isolate (EC14) was used to inoculate sterile litter, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and dust samples. Incubation at 37, 25 or 15°C with either 32% relative humidity (RH) or 78% RH followed. At defined time points (0-4272 h post-inoculation), samples were examined in triplicate for the total viable count. Selected combinations were repeated for a non-pathogenic and two additional pathogenic EC strains. For EC14, the measured survival time ranged from 48 to 4272 h (178 days) depending on the substrate-humidity-temperature combination. The longevity was the highest on litter, followed by dust and then PVC. Lower temperatures facilitated its survival, lower relative air humidity favoured the survival only in combination with 25 or 15°C. All three pathogenic strains showed longer survival times (up to 432 h, 18 days) compared to the non-pathogenic EC strain (168 h, 7 days) under the same conditions. CONCLUSIONS Enterococcus cecorum demonstrates a high persistence in the environment especially at 15°C and 32% RH. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Hygiene management plans should consider the durability of EC and the risk of a carry-over to control consecutive EC outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemarie Grund
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Silke Rautenschlein
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arne Jung
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Wang M, Liu Q, Kang X, Zhu Z, Yang H, Xi X, Zhang X, Du Y, Guo M, Tang D, Wang L. Glycogen Metabolism Impairment via Single Gene Mutation in the glgBXCAP Operon Alters the Survival Rate of Escherichia coli Under Various Environmental Stresses. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:588099. [PMID: 33101261 PMCID: PMC7546213 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.588099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycogen is a highly branched polysaccharide that is widely present in all life domains. It has been identified in many bacterial species and functions as an important energy storage compound. In addition, it plays important roles in bacterial transmission, pathogenicity, and environmental viability. There are five essential enzymes (coding genes) directly involved in bacterial glycogen metabolism, which forms a single operon glgBXCAP with a suboperonic promoter in glgC gene in Escherichia coli. Currently, there is no comparative study of how the disruptions of the five glycogen metabolism genes influence bacterial phenotypes, such as growth rate, biofilm formation, and environmental survival, etc. In this study, we systematically and comparatively studied five E. coli single-gene mutants (ΔglgC, ΔglgA, ΔglgB, ΔglgP, ΔglgX) in terms of glycogen metabolism and explored their phenotype changes with a focus on environmental stress endurance, such as nutrient deprivation, low temperature, desiccation, and oxidation, etc. Biofilm formation in wild-type and mutant strains was also compared. E. coli wild-type stores the highest glycogen content after around 20-h culture while disruption of degradation genes (glgP, glgX) leads to continuous accumulation of glycogen. However, glycogen primary structure was abnormally changed in ΔglgP and ΔglgX. Meanwhile, increased accumulation of glycogen facilitates the growth of E. coli mutants but reduces glucose consumption in liquid culture and vice versa. Glycogen metabolism disruption also significantly and consistently increases biofilm formation in all the mutants. As for environmental stress endurance, glycogen over-accumulating mutants have enhanced starvation viability and reduced desiccation viability while all mutants showed decreased survival rate at low temperature. No consistent results were found for oxidative stress resistance in terms of glycogen metabolism disruptions, though ΔglgA shows highest resistance toward oxidation with unknown mechanisms. In sum, single gene disruptions in glgBXCAP operon significantly influence bacterial growth and glucose consumption during culture. Accumulation and structure of intracellular glycogen were also significantly altered. In addition, we observed significant changes in E. coli environmental viabilities due to the deletions of certain genes in the operon. Further investigations shall be focused on the molecular mechanisms behind these phenotype changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xingxing Kang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zuobin Zhu
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Huan Yang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiangyu Xi
- Xuzhou Infectious Disease Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yan Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Mengzhe Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Daoquan Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Bioinformatics, School of Medical Informatics and Engineering, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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38
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Gomez LM, Meszaros VA, Turner WC, Ogbunugafor CB. The Epidemiological Signature of Pathogen Populations That Vary in the Relationship between Free-Living Parasite Survival and Virulence. Viruses 2020; 12:E1055. [PMID: 32971954 PMCID: PMC7551987 DOI: 10.3390/v12091055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between parasite virulence and transmission is a pillar of evolutionary theory that has implications for public health. Part of this canon involves the idea that virulence and free-living survival (a key component of transmission) may have different relationships in different host-parasite systems. Most examinations of the evolution of virulence-transmission relationships-Theoretical or empirical in nature-Tend to focus on the evolution of virulence, with transmission being a secondary consideration. Even within transmission studies, the focus on free-living survival is a smaller subset, though recent studies have examined its importance in the ecology of infectious diseases. Few studies have examined the epidemic-scale consequences of variation in survival across different virulence-survival relationships. In this study, we utilize a mathematical model motivated by aspects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) natural history to investigate how evolutionary changes in survival may influence several aspects of disease dynamics at the epidemiological scale. Across virulence-survival relationships (where these traits are either positively or negatively correlated), we found that small changes (5% above and below the nominal value) in survival can have a meaningful effect on certain outbreak features, including R0, and on the size of the infectious peak in the population. These results highlight the importance of properly understanding the mechanistic relationship between virulence and parasite survival, as the evolution of increased survival across different relationships with virulence may have considerably different epidemiological signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes M. Gomez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA;
| | - Victor A. Meszaros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA;
| | - Wendy C. Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany–State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA;
| | - C. Brandon Ogbunugafor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA;
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39
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Hooshmand S, Kargozar S, Ghorbani A, Darroudi M, Keshavarz M, Baino F, Kim HW. Biomedical Waste Management by Using Nanophotocatalysts: The Need for New Options. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 13:E3511. [PMID: 32784877 PMCID: PMC7476041 DOI: 10.3390/ma13163511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Biomedical waste management is getting significant consideration among treatment technologies, since insufficient management can cause danger to medicinal service specialists, patients, and their environmental conditions. The improvement of waste administration protocols, plans, and policies are surveyed, despite setting up training programs on legitimate waste administration for all healthcare service staff. Most biomedical waste substances do not degrade in the environment, and may also not be thoroughly removed through treatment processes. Therefore, the long-lasting persistence of biomedical waste can effectively have adverse impact on wildlife and human beings, as well. Hence, photocatalysis is gaining increasing attention for eradication of pollutants and for improving the safety and clearness of the environment due to its great potential as a green and eco-friendly process. In this regard, nanostructured photocatalysts, in contrast to their regular counterparts, exhibit significant attributes such as non-toxicity, low cost and higher absorption efficiency in a wider range of the solar spectrum, making them the best candidate to employ for photodegradation. Due to these unique properties of nanophotocatalysts for biomedical waste management, we aim to critically evaluate various aspects of these materials in the present review and highlight their importance in healthcare service settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hooshmand
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 917794-8564, Iran; (S.H.); (A.G.)
| | - Saeid Kargozar
- Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG), Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 917794-8564, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ghorbani
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 917794-8564, Iran; (S.H.); (A.G.)
| | - Majid Darroudi
- Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 917794-8564, Iran;
| | - Meysam Keshavarz
- Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College London, Bessemer Building, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
| | - Francesco Baino
- Institute of Materials Physics and Engineering, Applied Science and Technology Department, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea;
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
- Department of Biomaterials Science, School of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
- UCL Eastman-Korea Dental Medicine Innovation Centre, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
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40
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Olaimat AN, Shahbaz HM, Fatima N, Munir S, Holley RA. Food Safety During and After the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1854. [PMID: 32849446 PMCID: PMC7417330 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a clinical syndrome caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 due to its rapid and extensive spread among many countries through its very contagious nature and its high mortality among the elderly and infirm. Recently, data on the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces has been reported, but there is none on the survival of COVID-19 on food surfaces and packages. The potential survival and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 on/via food and packages are discussed based on data available for other respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. However, studies are needed to explore its transmission via food and survival on food packaging materials. The implementation of food safety management systems such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are important to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. Cleaning, sanitation, good hygienic practices, and active packaging are also needed from farm to fork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin N. Olaimat
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Hafiz M. Shahbaz
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Nayab Fatima
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Munir
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Richard A. Holley
- Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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41
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Ogbunugafor CB, Miller-Dickson MD, Meszaros VA, Gomez LM, Murillo AL, Scarpino SV. Variation in SARS-CoV-2 free-living survival and environmental transmission can modulate the intensity of emerging outbreaks. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020. [PMID: 32511513 PMCID: PMC7273281 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.04.20090092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Variation in free-living, microparasite survival can have a meaningful impact on the ecological dynamics of established and emerging infectious diseases. Nevertheless, resolving the importance of environmental transmission in the ecology of epidemics remains a persistent challenge, requires accurate measuring the free-living survival of pathogens across reservoirs of various kinds, and quantifying the extent to which interaction between hosts and reservoirs generates new infections. These questions are especially salient for emerging pathogens, where sparse and noisy data can obfuscate the relative contribution of different infection routes. In this study, we develop a mechanistic, mathematical model that permits both direct (host-to-host) and indirect (environmental) transmission and then fit this model to empirical data from 17 countries affected by an emerging virus (SARS-CoV-2). From an ecological perspective, our model highlights the potential for environmental transmission to drive complex, non-linear dynamics during infectious disease outbreaks. Summarizing, we propose that fitting such models with environmental transmission to real outbreak data from SARS-CoV-2 transmission highlights that variation in environmental transmission is an underappreciated aspect of the ecology of infectious disease, and an incomplete understanding of its role has consequences for public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Brandon Ogbunugafor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University 06520.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University 02912.,Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University 02912
| | | | - Victor A Meszaros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University 02912
| | - Lourdes M Gomez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University 06520.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University 02912
| | - Anarina L Murillo
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University 02912.,Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health 02903
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42
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Dujon AM, Gatenby RA, Bramwell G, MacDonald N, Dohrmann E, Raven N, Schultz A, Hamede R, Gérard AL, Giraudeau M, Thomas F, Ujvari B. Transmissible Cancers in an Evolutionary Perspective. iScience 2020; 23:101269. [PMID: 32592998 PMCID: PMC7327844 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inter-individual transmission of cancer cells represents an intriguing and unexplored host-pathogen system, with significant ecological and evolutionary ramifications. The pathogen consists of clonal malignant cell lines that spread horizontally as allografts and/or xenografts. Although only nine transmissible cancer lineages in eight host species from both terrestrial and marine environments have been investigated, they exhibit evolutionary dynamics that may provide novel insights into tumor-host interactions particularly in the formation of metastases. Here we present an overview of known transmissible cancers, discuss the necessary and sufficient conditions for cancer transmission, and provide a comprehensive review on the evolutionary dynamics between transmissible cancers and their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine M Dujon
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Robert A Gatenby
- Department of Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Georgina Bramwell
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Nick MacDonald
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Erin Dohrmann
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Nynke Raven
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Aaron Schultz
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Hamede
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Anne-Lise Gérard
- CREEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- CREEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- CREEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Deakin University, Geelong, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
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43
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Lanzas C, Davies K, Erwin S, Dawson D. On modelling environmentally transmitted pathogens. Interface Focus 2020; 10:20190056. [PMID: 31897293 PMCID: PMC6936006 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2019.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many pathogens are able to replicate or survive in abiotic environments. Disease transmission models that include environmental reservoirs and environment-to-host transmission have used a variety of functional forms and modelling frameworks without a clear connection to pathogen ecology or space and time scales. We present a conceptual framework to organize microparasites based on the role that abiotic environments play in their lifecycle. Mean-field and individual-based models for environmental transmission are analysed and compared. We show considerable divergence between both modelling approaches when conditions do not facilitate well mixing and for pathogens with fast dynamics in the environment. We conclude with recommendations for modelling environmentally transmitted pathogens based on the pathogen lifecycle and time and spatial scales of the host-pathogen system under consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Lanzas
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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44
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Brierley L, Pedersen AB, Woolhouse MEJ. Tissue tropism and transmission ecology predict virulence of human RNA viruses. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000206. [PMID: 31770368 PMCID: PMC6879112 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel infectious diseases continue to emerge within human populations. Predictive studies have begun to identify pathogen traits associated with emergence. However, emerging pathogens vary widely in virulence, a key determinant of their ultimate risk to public health. Here, we use structured literature searches to review the virulence of each of the 214 known human-infective RNA virus species. We then use a machine learning framework to determine whether viral virulence can be predicted by ecological traits, including human-to-human transmissibility, transmission routes, tissue tropisms, and host range. Using severity of clinical disease as a measurement of virulence, we identified potential risk factors using predictive classification tree and random forest ensemble models. The random forest approach predicted literature-assigned disease severity of test data with mean accuracy of 89.4% compared to a null accuracy of 74.2%. In addition to viral taxonomy, the ability to cause systemic infection was the strongest predictor of severe disease. Further notable predictors of severe disease included having neural and/or renal tropism, direct contact or respiratory transmission, and limited (0 < R0 ≤ 1) human-to-human transmissibility. We present a novel, to our knowledge, comparative perspective on the virulence of all currently known human RNA virus species. The risk factors identified may provide novel perspectives in understanding the evolution of virulence and elucidating molecular virulence mechanisms. These risk factors could also improve planning and preparedness in public health strategies as part of a predictive framework for novel human infections. Comparative analysis using machine learning shows that specificity of tissue tropism and transmission biology can act as predictive risk factors for the virulence of human RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Brierley
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Amy B. Pedersen
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mark E. J. Woolhouse
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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45
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Environmental investigation of respiratory pathogens during the Hajj 2016 and 2018. Travel Med Infect Dis 2019; 33:101500. [PMID: 31600567 PMCID: PMC7110696 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.101500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Respiratory tract infections are common in the context of the Hajj pilgrimage and respiratory pathogens can be transmitted via contact with contaminated surfaces. We sampled surfaces during the Hajj to detect the presence of respiratory bacteria and viruses. METHODS Frequently touched surfaces at Mecca, Mina, Arafat and Medina were sampled. The common respiratory pathogens were tested by qPCR. RESULTS 70/142 (49.3%) environmental samples collected were positive for at least one respiratory pathogen. Among the positive samples, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the bacterium most frequently tested positive (57.1%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (12.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (10.0%) and Haemophilus influenzae (7.1%). 32.9% positive samples tested positive for rhinovirus and 1.4% for coronavirus. Surfaces with the highest rates of positive samples were kitchen tables (100%), water fountain faucet (73.3%) and edge of water coolers lid (84.6%). Samples collected in Mina were the most frequently contaminated with 68.8% being positive for at least one pathogen and 18.8% positive for a combination of multiple pathogens. CONCLUSION These preliminary results indicate that respiratory pathogens are common in environmental surfaces from areas frequented by Hajj pilgrims. Further larger-scale studies are needed to better assess the possible role of environmental respiratory pathogens in respiratory infections in Hajj pilgrims.
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46
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Miller-Dickson MD, Meszaros VA, Almagro-Moreno S, Brandon Ogbunugafor C. Hepatitis C virus modelled as an indirectly transmitted infection highlights the centrality of injection drug equipment in disease dynamics. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190334. [PMID: 31480919 PMCID: PMC6769301 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic often occurs through the persistence of injection drug use. Mathematical models have been useful in understanding various aspects of the HCV epidemic, and especially, the importance of new treatment measures. Until now, however, few models have attempted to understand HCV in terms of an interaction between the various actors in an HCV outbreak-hosts, viruses and the needle injection equipment. In this study, we apply perspectives from the ecology of infectious diseases to model the transmission of HCV among a population of injection drug users. The products of our model suggest that modelling HCV as an indirectly transmitted infection-where the injection equipment serves as an environmental reservoir for infection-facilitates a more nuanced understanding of disease dynamics, by animating the underappreciated actors and interactions that frame disease. This lens may allow us to understand how certain public health interventions (e.g. needle exchange programmes) influence HCV epidemics. Lastly, we argue that this model is of particular importance in the light of the modern opioid epidemic, which has already been associated with outbreaks of viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victor A. Meszaros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
| | - Salvador Almagro-Moreno
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
- National Center for Integrated Coastal Research, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - C. Brandon Ogbunugafor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
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Brouwer AF, Eisenberg MC, Love NG, Eisenberg JNS. Phenotypic variations in persistence and infectivity between and within environmentally transmitted pathogen populations impact population-level epidemic dynamics. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:449. [PMID: 31113377 PMCID: PMC6530054 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-4054-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human pathogens transmitted through environmental pathways are subject to stress and pressures outside of the host. These pressures may cause pathogen pathovars to diverge in their environmental persistence and their infectivity on an evolutionary time-scale. On a shorter time-scale, a single-genotype pathogen population may display wide variation in persistence times and exhibit biphasic decay. METHODS We use a transmission modeling framework to develop an infectious disease model with biphasic pathogen decay. We take a differential algebra approach to assessing model identifiability, calculate basic reproduction numbers by the next generation method, and use simulation to explore model dynamics. RESULTS For both long and short time-scales, we demonstrate that epidemic-potential-preserving trade-offs have implications for epidemic dynamics: less infectious, more persistent pathogens cause epidemics to progress more slowly than more infectious, less persistent (labile) pathogens, even when the overall risk is the same. Using identifiability analysis, we show that the usual disease surveillance data does not sufficiently inform these underlying pathogen population dynamics, even when combined with basic environmental monitoring data. However, risk could be indirectly ascertained by developing methods to separately monitor labile and persistent subpopulations. Alternatively, determining the relative infectivity of persistent pathogen subpopulations and the rates of phenotypic conversion will help ascertain how much disease risk is associated with the long tails of biphasic decay. CONCLUSION A better understanding of persistence-infectivity trade-offs and associated dynamics can improve our ecological understanding of environmentally transmitted pathogens, as well as our risk assessment and disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Brouwer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Abor, 48109, MI, USA.
| | - Marisa C Eisenberg
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Abor, 48109, MI, USA
| | - Nancy G Love
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 1351 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA
| | - Joseph N S Eisenberg
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Abor, 48109, MI, USA
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Suen LKP, Siu GKH, Guo YP, Yeung SKW, Lo KYK, O’Donoghue M. The public washroom - friend or foe? An observational study of washroom cleanliness combined with microbiological investigation of hand hygiene facilities. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2019; 8:47. [PMID: 30867901 PMCID: PMC6396476 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-019-0500-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many people use handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms under the impression that these amenities are hygienic. However, such facilities may be potential sites for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to examine the hygiene facilities provided including handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms. Total bacterial counts and species identification were determined for hand-drying facilities. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were performed. Methods The bacterial contamination levels of 55 public washrooms ranging in category from low class communities to high end establishments, were examined. The hygienic environment and facilities of the washrooms were analysed using an electronic checklist to facilitate immediate data entry. Pre-moistened sterile swabs were used to collect samples from areas around the outlet of paper towel dispensers, air outlet of air dryers, exit door handles and paper towels in the washrooms. Total bacterial counts were performed and isolates identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion. Results The high and middle-income categories washrooms generally had cleaner facilities and environment followed by those in low categories. Fifty-two bacterial species were identified from the 55 investigated washrooms. Over 97% of the pathogenic Staphylococcus spp. tested were resistant to at least one first-line antimicrobial therapeutic agent, including penicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole, clindamycin and gentamicin, and 22.6% demonstrated co-resistance to at least three antimicrobial agents, with co-resistance to penicillin, erythromycin and clindamycin being the most common. Conclusion Our findings suggest that hand-drying facilities in public washrooms can act as reservoirs of drug-resistant bacteria. The importance of frequent cleaning and maintenance of public washrooms to promote safe hand hygiene practices for the public are emphasised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna K. P. Suen
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Gilman K. H. Siu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Yue Ping Guo
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Simon K. W. Yeung
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Kiki Y. K. Lo
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Margaret O’Donoghue
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, SAR China
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Abstract
Why some parasites evolve and maintain extreme levels of virulence is a question that remains largely unanswered. A body of theory predicts that parasites that form long-lived spores able to persist in the environment evolve higher virulence, known as the sit and wait hypothesis. Such parasites can obliterate their local host population and wait in the environment for further hosts to arrive, reducing some of the costs of high virulence. On the other hand, some models predict the opposite to be true, that virulence and environmental persistence are both costly and traded off, the resource allocation hypothesis. I conducted a meta-analysis on published data on the relationship between environmental persistence and virulence collected to date. I first examined all data available to date and then conducted a smaller analysis focussing on just those studies testing the specific predictions of the sit and wait hypothesis. Empirical work supports both hypotheses; however, the direction of the effect is largely associated with parasite type. In both analyses, viruses tend to show evidence of resource allocation trade-offs, these traits are positively correlated in bacterial and fungal parasites.
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Walker JT. The influence of climate change on waterborne disease and Legionella: a review. Perspect Public Health 2019; 138:282-286. [PMID: 30156484 DOI: 10.1177/1757913918791198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is predicted to have a major impact on people's lives with the recent extreme weather events and varying abnormal temperature profiles across the world raising concerns. The impacts of global warming are already being observed, from rising sea levels and melting snow and ice to changing weather patterns. Scientists state unequivocally that these trends cannot be explained by natural variability in climate alone. Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have warmed the earth by dramatically increasing concentrations of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere; as these concentrations increase, the more the earth will warm. Climate change and related extreme weather events are being exacerbated sooner than has previously been considered and are already adversely affecting ecosystems and human health by increasing the burden and type of disease at a local level. Changes to the marine environment and freshwater supplies already affect significant parts of the world's population and warmer temperatures, especially in more temperate regions, may see an increased spread and transmission of diseases usually associated with warmer climes including, for example, cholera and malaria; these impacts are likely to become more severe in a greater number of countries. This review discusses the impacts of climate change including changes in infectious disease transmission, patterns of waterborne diseases and the likely consequences of climate change due to warmer water, drought, higher rainfall, rising sea levels and flooding.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Walker
- Public Health England, Porton, Salisbury SP1 3DX, UK
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