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Atasoy MO, Naggar RFE, Rohaim MA, Munir M. Zoonotic and Zooanthroponotic Potential of Monkeypox. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1451:75-90. [PMID: 38801572 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The current multicounty outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV) posed an emerging and continued challenge to already strained public healthcare sector, around the globe. Since its first identification, monkeypox disease (mpox) remained enzootic in Central and West African countries where reports of human cases are sporadically described. Recent trends in mpox spread outside the Africa have highlighted increased incidence of spillover of the MPXV from animal to humans. While nature of established animal reservoirs remained undefined, several small mammals including rodents, carnivores, lagomorphs, insectivores, non-human primates, domestic/farm animals, and several species of wildlife are proposed to be carrier of the MPXV infection. There are established records of animal-to-human (zoonotic) spread of MPXV through close interaction of humans with animals by eating bushmeat, contracting bodily fluids or trading possibly infected animals. In contrast, there are reports and increasing possibilities of human-to-animal (zooanthroponotic) spread of the MPXV through petting and close interaction with pet owners and animal care workers. We describe here the rationales and molecular factors which predispose the spread of MPXV not only amongst humans but also from animals to humans. A range of continuing opportunities for the spread and evolution of MPXV are discussed to consider risks beyond the currently identified groups. With the possibility of MPXV establishing itself in animal reservoirs, continued and broad surveillance, investigation into unconventional transmissions, and exploration of spillover events are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa O Atasoy
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Furness College, Lancaster University, Tower Ave, Bailrigg, LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Rania F El Naggar
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Furness College, Lancaster University, Tower Ave, Bailrigg, LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Mohammed A Rohaim
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Furness College, Lancaster University, Tower Ave, Bailrigg, LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Muhammad Munir
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Furness College, Lancaster University, Tower Ave, Bailrigg, LA1 4YG, UK.
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A systematic review of Rat Ecology in Urban Sewer Systems. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01292-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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3
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Guo X, Lee MJ, Byers KA, Helms L, Weinberger KR, Himsworth CG. Characteristics of the urban sewer system and rat presence in Seattle. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01255-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Esther A, Hansen SC, Klemann N, Gabriel D. Sanitary measures considerably improve the management of resistant Norway rats on livestock farms. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:1620-1629. [PMID: 34989096 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) need to be controlled to prevent transmission of pathogens and damages to stored products and material, leading to considerable economic risks and losses. Given increasing resistance in Norway rats, the most persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic anticoagulant rodenticides are widely used for management, which presents hazards to the environment especially for non-target species. We investigated how sanitary measures improved management of Norway rats on 12 paired livestock farms in a region of Germany with a high population of resistant rats for reducing application of rodenticides. We recorded food intake, and tracked activity and resistance frequency during the pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment periods. RESULTS In the post-treatment period, farms using sanitary measures had a higher control success with > 13% more bait boxes without feeding than farms not using sanitary measures. In addition, the reoccurrence of rats was delayed by 85 days. With increasing accessibility to buildings and more precise positioning of the boxes, control success improved, especially when rats could not spread from water-bearing ditches through the sewer system, and when rat-hunting animals were present. Resistant animals were more common indoors than outdoors, and there were more resistant rats recorded before and during treatment than in the post-treatment period. CONCLUSION The control success was substantially higher and reoccurrence was delayed using sanitary measures on farms. Sanitary measures can reduce resistance indirectly due to delayed re-colonization and establishment of resistant populations inside buildings. Hence, sanitary measures help to reduce economic losses, rodenticides required for rat management and environmental risk especially in the resistance area. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Esther
- Julius Kuehn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Sabine C Hansen
- Julius Kuehn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Doreen Gabriel
- Julius Kuehn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Braunschweig, Germany
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Walther B, Ennen H, Geduhn A, Schlötelburg A, Klemann N, Endepols S, Schenke D, Jacob J. Effects of anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning on spatial behavior of farm dwelling Norway rats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 787:147520. [PMID: 34000553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Commensal rodent species cause damage to crops and stored products, they transmit pathogens to people, livestock and pets and threaten native flora and fauna. To minimize such adverse effects, commensal rodents are predominantly managed with anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) that can be transferred along the food chain. We tested the effect of the uptake of the AR brodifacoum (BR) by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) on spatial behavior because this helps to assess the availability of dead rats and residual BR to predators and scavengers. BR was delivered by oral gavage or free-fed bait presented in bait stations. Rats were radio-collared to monitor spatial behavior. BR residues in rat liver tissue were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Norway rats that had consumed BR decreased distances moved and had reduced home range size. Treatment effects on spatial behavior seemed to set in rapidly. However, there was no effect on habitat preference. Ninety-two percent of rats that succumbed to BR died in well-hidden locations, where removal by scavenging birds and large mammalian scavengers is unlikely. Rats that ingested bait from bait stations had 65% higher residue concentrations than rats that died from dosing with two-fold LD50. This suggests an overdosing in rats that are managed with 0.0025% BR. None of the 70 BR-loaded rats was caught/removed by wild predators/scavengers before collection of carcasses within 5-29 h. Therefore, and because almost all dead rats died in well-hidden locations, they do not seem to pose a significant risk of AR exposure to large predators/scavengers at livestock farms. Exposure of large predators may originate from AR-poisoned non-target small mammals. The few rats that died in the open are accessible and should be removed in routine searches during and after the application of AR bait to minimize transfer of AR into the wider environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Walther
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany.
| | - Hendrik Ennen
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Anke Geduhn
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany; German Environment Agency, Bötticher Straße 2 (Haus 23), Dahlemer Dreieck, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annika Schlötelburg
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany; German Environment Agency, Bötticher Straße 2 (Haus 23), Dahlemer Dreieck, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Endepols
- Bayer AG, CropScience R & D, FS - Public Health, Rodent Management and SPP, Germany
| | - Detlef Schenke
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Strasse 19, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
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Maas M, Helsloot T, Takumi K, van der Giessen J. Assessing trends in rat populations in urban and non-urban environments in the Netherlands. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Rats in urban areas pose health risks as they can transmit various zoonotic pathogens. Monitoring rat populations in urban areas is therefore a key determinant in risk assessments for taking adequate control and preventive measures. However, large-scale and long-term monitoring of rat populations is labor-intensive and time consuming. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost and low-time- consuming method to gain insight into the trends of rat populations in urban and non-urban environments in the Netherlands, and to identify potential drivers of these trends. From 2014 to 2018, local municipalities or their pest control organizations voluntarily submitted quarterly overviews of rat nuisance reports in urban areas. For non-urban areas, a nationwide record of reported bycatch species from the muskrat control was used to assess a potential trend. To identify potential drivers of observed trends, employees of nine municipalities were interviewed. Rat nuisance reports from 25 municipalities were analyzed. An increasing trend in rat nuisance reports was observed in 12, a decreasing trend in 3 and no trend in 10 municipalities. In non-urban areas, no trend in the bycatch of rats was detected. The increase in rat nuisance reports was associated with a large municipality resident size. No consistent drivers could be identified, but potential drivers were discussed in the interviews. Although it was not possible to quantify their influence on the rat population trends seen, they provide direction for future studies on drivers of rat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Maas
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Tamara Helsloot
- Department Animal Management, Van Hall Institute, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Katsuhisa Takumi
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Joke van der Giessen
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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7
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Ghersi BM, Peterson AC, Gibson NL, Dash A, Elmayan A, Schwartzenburg H, Tu W, Riegel C, Herrera C, Blum MJ. In the heart of the city: Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence in rodents across New Orleans. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:577. [PMID: 33189151 PMCID: PMC7666460 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04446-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi - the causative agent of Chagas disease - is known to circulate in commensal pests, but its occurrence in urban environments is not well understood. We addressed this deficit by determining the distribution and prevalence of T. cruzi infection in urban populations of commensal and wild rodents across New Orleans (Louisiana, USA). We assessed whether T. cruzi prevalence varies according to host species identity and species co-occurrences, and whether T. cruzi prevalence varies across mosaics of abandonment that shape urban rodent demography and assemblage structure in the city. METHODS Leveraging city-wide population and assemblage surveys, we tested 1428 rodents comprising 5 species (cotton rats, house mice, Norway rats, rice rats and roof rats) captured at 98 trapping sites in 11 study areas across New Orleans including nine residential neighborhoods and a natural area in Orleans Parish and a neighborhood in St. Bernard Parish. We also assayed Norway rats at one site in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). We used chi-square tests to determine whether infection prevalence differed among host species, among study areas, and among trapping sites according to the number of host species present. We used generalized linear mixed models to identify predictors of T. cruzi infection for all rodents and each host species, respectively. RESULTS We detected T. cruzi in all host species in all study areas in New Orleans, but not in Baton Rouge. Though overall infection prevalence was 11%, it varied by study area and trapping site. There was no difference in prevalence by species, but roof rats exhibited the broadest geographical distribution of infection across the city. Infected rodents were trapped in densely populated neighborhoods like the French Quarter. Infection prevalence seasonally varied with abandonment, increasing with greater abandonment during the summer and declining with greater abandonment during the winter. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate that T. cruzi can be widespread in urban landscapes, suggesting that transmission and disease risk is greater than is currently recognized. Our findings also suggest that there is disproportionate risk of transmission in historically underserved communities, which could reinforce long-standing socioecological disparities in New Orleans and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M. Ghersi
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Anna C. Peterson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Nathaniel L. Gibson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Asha Dash
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Ardem Elmayan
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Hannah Schwartzenburg
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Riegel
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Michael J. Blum
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
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Desvars-Larrive A, Smith S, Munimanda G, Bourhy P, Waigner T, Odom M, Gliga DS, Walzer C. Prevalence and risk factors of Leptospira infection in urban brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), Vienna, Austria. Urban Ecosyst 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-020-00957-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
AbstractLeptospirosis is a worldwide bacterial zoonosis which incidence is expected to increase in conjunction with global change. In urban ecosystems, synanthropic rats are the key source of Leptospira infection in humans and other animals. Risk assessment and prediction of human leptospirosis require investigations of the environment associated with the bacteria and infection patterns in the reservoir hosts. The objective of this study was to address the prevalence of mixed Leptospira infection in the lungs and kidneys of brown rats captured in three sites of the city centre of Vienna, Austria, between 2016 and 2018. A total of 96 brown rats were examined for the presence of Leptospira using PCR. Occurrence of mixed Leptospira infections was explored through next-generation sequencing (NGS). A logistic regression model was built to predict the individual infection status using morphological and land-use data. Overall, the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans in the kidney was 25% but varied among sites (0–36%). We did not evidence any pulmonary nor mixed infections. Host body mass and sex were strong predictors of Leptospira carriage in the sampled rats (relative variable importance (RVI) = 0.98 and 0.89, respectively) while the presence of water affected it moderately (RVI = 0.44). Our findings demonstrate that NGS is an unbiased approach to the direct characterisation of mixed leptospiral infections that could provide further insights into the ecology of Leptospira. Future surveillance programmes should consider the use of rats as sentinels for the early detection of emerging pathogenic Leptospira in urban ecosystems.
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9
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Byers KA, Lee MJ, Patrick DM, Himsworth CG. Rats About Town: A Systematic Review of Rat Movement in Urban Ecosystems. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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10
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Desvars-Larrive A, Baldi M, Walter T, Zink R, Walzer C. Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in urban ecosystems: are the constraints related to fieldwork a limit to their study? Urban Ecosyst 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-018-0772-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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11
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Combs M, Byers KA, Ghersi BM, Blum MJ, Caccone A, Costa F, Himsworth CG, Richardson JL, Munshi-South J. Urban rat races: spatial population genomics of brown rats ( Rattus norvegicus) compared across multiple cities. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180245. [PMID: 29875297 PMCID: PMC6015871 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization often substantially influences animal movement and gene flow. However, few studies to date have examined gene flow of the same species across multiple cities. In this study, we examine brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) to test hypotheses about the repeatability of neutral evolution across four cities: Salvador, Brazil; New Orleans, USA; Vancouver, Canada; and New York City, USA. At least 150 rats were sampled from each city and genotyped for a minimum of 15 000 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Levels of genome-wide diversity were similar across cities, but varied across neighbourhoods within cities. All four populations exhibited high spatial autocorrelation at the shortest distance classes (less than 500 m) owing to limited dispersal. Coancestry and evolutionary clustering analyses identified genetic discontinuities within each city that coincided with a resource desert in New York City, major waterways in New Orleans, and roads in Salvador and Vancouver. Such replicated studies are crucial to assessing the generality of predictions from urban evolution, and have practical applications for pest management and public health. Future studies should include a range of global cities in different biomes, incorporate multiple species, and examine the impact of specific characteristics of the built environment and human socioeconomics on gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Combs
- Louis Calder Center-Biological Field Station, Fordham University, 31 Whippoorwill Road, Armonk, NY 10504, USA
| | - Kaylee A Byers
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, The Animal Health Centre, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bruno M Ghersi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Michael J Blum
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Federico Costa
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, BA, 40296-710, Brazil
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Chelsea G Himsworth
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, The Animal Health Centre, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Jason Munshi-South
- Louis Calder Center-Biological Field Station, Fordham University, 31 Whippoorwill Road, Armonk, NY 10504, USA
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12
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Combs M, Puckett EE, Richardson J, Mims D, Munshi‐South J. Spatial population genomics of the brown rat (
Rattus norvegicus
) in New York City. Mol Ecol 2017; 27:83-98. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Combs
- Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station Fordham University Armonk NY USA
| | - Emily E. Puckett
- Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station Fordham University Armonk NY USA
| | | | - Destiny Mims
- Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station Fordham University Armonk NY USA
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station Fordham University Armonk NY USA
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13
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Angley LP, Combs M, Firth C, Frye MJ, Lipkin I, Richardson JL, Munshi-South J. Spatial variation in the parasite communities and genomic structure of urban rats in New York City. Zoonoses Public Health 2017; 65:e113-e123. [PMID: 29143489 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are a globally distributed pest. Urban habitats can support large infestations of rats, posing a potential risk to public health from the parasites and pathogens they carry. Despite the potential influence of rodent-borne zoonotic diseases on human health, it is unclear how urban habitats affect the structure and transmission dynamics of ectoparasite and microbial communities (all referred to as "parasites" hereafter) among rat colonies. In this study, we use ecological data on parasites and genomic sequencing of their rat hosts to examine associations between spatial proximity, genetic relatedness and the parasite communities associated with 133 rats at five sites in sections of New York City with persistent rat infestations. We build on previous work showing that rats in New York carry a wide variety of parasites and report that these communities differ significantly among sites, even across small geographical distances. Ectoparasite community similarity was positively associated with geographical proximity; however, there was no general association between distance and microbial communities of rats. Sites with greater overall parasite diversity also had rats with greater infection levels and parasite species richness. Parasite community similarity among sites was not linked to genetic relatedness of rats, suggesting that these communities are not associated with genetic similarity among host individuals or host dispersal among sites. Discriminant analysis identified site-specific associations of several parasite species, suggesting that the presence of some species within parasite communities may allow researchers to determine the sites of origin for newly sampled rats. The results of our study help clarify the roles that colony structure and geographical proximity play in determining the ecology of R. norvegicus as a significant urban reservoir of zoonotic diseases. Our study also highlights the spatial variation present in urban rat parasite communities, indicating that rats across New York City are not reservoirs for a homogenous set of parasites and pathogens. As a result, the epidemiological risks may be similarly heterogeneous for people in urban habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- L P Angley
- Department of Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI, USA
| | - M Combs
- Louis Calder Center and Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, USA
| | - C Firth
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - M J Frye
- New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, USA
| | - I Lipkin
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - J L Richardson
- Department of Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI, USA
| | - J Munshi-South
- Louis Calder Center and Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, USA
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14
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Desvars-Larrive A, Pascal M, Gasqui P, Cosson JF, Benoît E, Lattard V, Crespin L, Lorvelec O, Pisanu B, Teynié A, Vayssier-Taussat M, Bonnet S, Marianneau P, Lacôte S, Bourhy P, Berny P, Pavio N, Le Poder S, Gilot-Fromont E, Jourdain E, Hammed A, Fourel I, Chikh F, Vourc’h G. Population genetics, community of parasites, and resistance to rodenticides in an urban brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) population. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184015. [PMID: 28886097 PMCID: PMC5590879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown rats are one of the most widespread urban species worldwide. Despite the nuisances they induce and their potential role as a zoonotic reservoir, knowledge on urban rat populations remains scarce. The main purpose of this study was to characterize an urban brown rat population from Chanteraines park (Hauts-de-Seine, France), with regards to haematology, population genetics, immunogenic diversity, resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides, and community of parasites. Haematological parameters were measured. Population genetics was investigated using 13 unlinked microsatellite loci. Immunogenic diversity was assessed for Mhc-Drb. Frequency of the Y139F mutation (conferring resistance to rodenticides) and two linked microsatellites were studied, concurrently with the presence of anticoagulant residues in the liver. Combination of microscopy and molecular methods were used to investigate the occurrence of 25 parasites. Statistical approaches were used to explore multiple parasite relationships and model parasite occurrence. Eighty-six rats were caught. The first haematological data for a wild urban R. norvegicus population was reported. Genetic results suggested high genetic diversity and connectivity between Chanteraines rats and surrounding population(s). We found a high prevalence (55.8%) of the mutation Y139F and presence of rodenticide residues in 47.7% of the sampled individuals. The parasite species richness was high (16). Seven potential zoonotic pathogens were identified, together with a surprisingly high diversity of Leptospira species (4). Chanteraines rat population is not closed, allowing gene flow and making eradication programs challenging, particularly because rodenticide resistance is highly prevalent. Parasitological results showed that co-infection is more a rule than an exception. Furthermore, the presence of several potential zoonotic pathogens, of which four Leptospira species, in this urban rat population raised its role in the maintenance and spread of these pathogens. Our findings should stimulate future discussions about the development of a long-term rat-control management program in Chanteraines urban park.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Desvars-Larrive
- Conservation Medicine, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michel Pascal
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Écologie et Santé des Écosystèmes (ESE), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France
| | - Patrick Gasqui
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Epidémiologie des Maladies Animales et Zoonotiques (EPIA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaire (BIPAR), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (CBGP), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), SupAgro Montpellier, France
| | - Etienne Benoît
- Contract-based Research Unit (CBRU) Rongeurs Sauvages–Risques Sanitaires et Gestion des Populations (RS2GP), VetAgro Sup, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Lyon University, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Virginie Lattard
- Contract-based Research Unit (CBRU) Rongeurs Sauvages–Risques Sanitaires et Gestion des Populations (RS2GP), VetAgro Sup, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Lyon University, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Laurent Crespin
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Epidémiologie des Maladies Animales et Zoonotiques (EPIA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | - Olivier Lorvelec
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Écologie et Santé des Écosystèmes (ESE), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France
| | - Benoît Pisanu
- Unité Mixte de Services (UMS) 2006 Patrimoine Naturel, Agence Française pour la Biodiversité (AFB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Teynié
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Epidémiologie des Maladies Animales et Zoonotiques (EPIA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaire (BIPAR), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sarah Bonnet
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaire (BIPAR), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Philippe Marianneau
- Virology Unit, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Lyon, France
| | - Sandra Lacôte
- Virology Unit, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Lyon, France
| | - Pascale Bourhy
- Institut Pasteur, Biology of Spirochetes Unit, National Reference Center and WHO Collaborating Center for Leptospirosis, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Berny
- Contract-based Research Unit (CBRU) Rongeurs Sauvages–Risques Sanitaires et Gestion des Populations (RS2GP), VetAgro Sup, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Lyon University, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Nicole Pavio
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Virology, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sophie Le Poder
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Virology, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Elsa Jourdain
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Epidémiologie des Maladies Animales et Zoonotiques (EPIA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | - Abdessalem Hammed
- Contract-based Research Unit (CBRU) Rongeurs Sauvages–Risques Sanitaires et Gestion des Populations (RS2GP), VetAgro Sup, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Lyon University, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Isabelle Fourel
- Contract-based Research Unit (CBRU) Rongeurs Sauvages–Risques Sanitaires et Gestion des Populations (RS2GP), VetAgro Sup, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, Lyon University, Marcy-L’Etoile, France
| | - Farid Chikh
- Conseil Départemental Hauts-de-Seine, Parc de Chanteraines, Villeneuve-la-Garenne, Paris, France
| | - Gwenaël Vourc’h
- Joint Research Unit (JRU) Epidémiologie des Maladies Animales et Zoonotiques (EPIA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
- * E-mail:
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15
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Lõhmus M, Balbus J. Making green infrastructure healthier infrastructure. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2015; 5:30082. [PMID: 26615823 PMCID: PMC4663195 DOI: 10.3402/iee.v5.30082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing urban green and blue structure is often pointed out to be critical for sustainable development and climate change adaptation, which has led to the rapid expansion of greening activities in cities throughout the world. This process is likely to have a direct impact on the citizens' quality of life and public health. However, alongside numerous benefits, green and blue infrastructure also has the potential to create unexpected, undesirable, side-effects for health. This paper considers several potential harmful public health effects that might result from increased urban biodiversity, urban bodies of water, and urban tree cover projects. It does so with the intent of improving awareness and motivating preventive measures when designing and initiating such projects. Although biodiversity has been found to be associated with physiological benefits for humans in several studies, efforts to increase the biodiversity of urban environments may also promote the introduction and survival of vector or host organisms for infectious pathogens with resulting spread of a variety of diseases. In addition, more green connectivity in urban areas may potentiate the role of rats and ticks in the spread of infectious diseases. Bodies of water and wetlands play a crucial role in the urban climate adaptation and mitigation process. However, they also provide habitats for mosquitoes and toxic algal blooms. Finally, increasing urban green space may also adversely affect citizens allergic to pollen. Increased awareness of the potential hazards of urban green and blue infrastructure should not be a reason to stop or scale back projects. Instead, incorporating public health awareness and interventions into urban planning at the earliest stages can help insure that green and blue infrastructure achieves full potential for health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mare Lõhmus
- Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - John Balbus
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
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16
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Hein S, Jacob J. Recovery of small rodent populations after population collapse. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In this review we summarise published knowledge regarding small mammal population recovery following sudden population collapse, regardless as to whether the collapse is caused by natural or man-made events. We determine recovery mechanisms, recovery time and recovery rate, and suggest how to adapt and optimise current methods to regulate small mammal population size, for pest management and/or conservation. It is vital that the principles underlying the recovery mechanisms are known for both pest control and conservation to align management methods to either maintain animal numbers at a permanent minimum level or increase population size. Collapses can be caused naturally, as in the declining phase of multi-annual fluctuations and after natural disasters, or by man-made events, such as pesticide application. In general, there are three ways population recovery can occur: (1) in situ survival and multiplication of a small remaining fraction of the population; (2) immigration; or (3) a combination of the two. The recovery mechanism strongly depends on life history strategy, social behaviour and density-dependent processes in population dynamics of the species in question. In addition, the kind of disturbance, its intensity and spatial scale, as well as environmental circumstances (e.g. the presence and distance of refuge areas) have to be taken into account. Recovery time can vary from a couple of days to several years depending on the reproductive potential of the species and the type of disturbances, regardless of whether the collapse is man made or natural. Ultimately, most populations rebound to levels equal to numbers before the collapse. Based on current knowledge, case-by-case decisions seem appropriate for small-scale conservation. For pest control, a large-scale approach seems necessary. Further investigations are required to make sound, species-specific recommendations.
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17
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ZHANG M, WANG Y, LI B, GUO C, HUANG G, SHEN G, ZHOU X. Small mammal community succession on the beach of Dongting Lake, China after the Three Gorges Project. Integr Zool 2014; 9:294-308. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meiwen ZHANG
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in the Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changsha China
| | - Yong WANG
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in the Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changsha China
| | - Bo LI
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in the Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changsha China
| | - Cong GUO
- College of Life Science; Sichuan University; Chengdu China
| | - Guoxian HUANG
- Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Guo SHEN
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in the Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changsha China
| | - Xunjun ZHOU
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in the Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changsha China
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18
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Capizzi D, Bertolino S, Mortelliti A. Rating the rat: global patterns and research priorities in impacts and management of rodent pests. Mamm Rev 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dario Capizzi
- Regional Park Agency - Latium Region; Via del Pescaccio 96 00166 Rome Italy
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Department of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Entomology & Zoology; University of Turin; Via L. da Vinci 44 10095 Grugliasco (TO) Italy
| | - Alessio Mortelliti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘Charles Darwin’; University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’; Viale dell'Università 32 00185 Rome Italy
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19
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Kajdacsi B, Costa F, Hyseni C, Porter F, Brown J, Rodrigues G, Farias H, Reis MG, Childs JE, Ko AI, Caccone A. Urban population genetics of slum-dwelling rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Salvador, Brazil. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:5056-70. [PMID: 24118116 PMCID: PMC3864905 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Revised: 07/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the developing world, urban centres with sprawling slum settlements are rapidly expanding and invading previously forested ecosystems. Slum communities are characterized by untended refuse, open sewers and overgrown vegetation, which promote rodent infestation. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are reservoirs for epidemic transmission of many zoonotic pathogens of public health importance. Understanding the population ecology of R. norvegicus is essential to formulate effective rodent control strategies, as this knowledge aids estimation of the temporal stability and spatial connectivity of populations. We screened for genetic variation, characterized the population genetic structure and evaluated the extent and patterns of gene flow in the urban landscape using 17 microsatellite loci in 146 rats from nine sites in the city of Salvador, Brazil. These sites were divided between three neighbourhoods within the city spaced an average of 2.7 km apart. Surprisingly, we detected very little relatedness among animals trapped at the same site and found high levels of genetic diversity, as well as structuring across small geographical distances. Most F(ST) comparisons among sites were statistically significant, including sites <400 m apart. Bayesian analyses grouped the samples in three genetic clusters, each associated with distinct sampling sites from different neighbourhoods or valleys within neighbourhoods. These data indicate the existence of complex genetic structure in R. norvegicus in Salvador, linked to the heterogeneous urban landscape. Future rodent control measures need to take into account the spatial and temporal linkage of rat populations in Salvador, as revealed by genetic data, to develop informed eradication strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney Kajdacsi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Federico Costa
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, USA
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Chaz Hyseni
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Fleur Porter
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Julia Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gorete Rodrigues
- Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Helena Farias
- Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Mitermeyer G. Reis
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - James E. Childs
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Albert I. Ko
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, USA
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT, USA
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