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Mull N, Schexnayder A, Stolt A, Sironen T, Forbes KM. Effects of habitat management on rodent diversity, abundance, and virus infection dynamics. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10039. [PMID: 37113517 PMCID: PMC10126759 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As anthropogenic factors continue to degrade natural areas, habitat management is needed to restore and maintain biodiversity. However, the impacts of different habitat management regimes on ecosystems have largely focused on vegetation analyses, with limited evaluation of downstream effects on wildlife. We compared the effects of grassland management regimes (prescribed burning, cutting/haying, or no active management) on rodent communities and the viruses they hosted. Rodents were trapped in 13 existing grassland sites in Northwest Arkansas, USA during 2020 and 2021. Rodent blood samples were screened for antibodies against three common rodent-borne virus groups: orthohantaviruses, arenaviruses, and orthopoxviruses. We captured 616 rodents across 5953 trap nights. Burned and unmanaged sites had similarly high abundance and diversity, but burned sites had a higher proportion of grassland species than unmanaged sites; cut sites had the highest proportion of grassland species but the lowest rodent abundance and diversity. A total of 38 rodents were seropositive for one of the three virus groups (34 orthohantavirus, three arenavirus, and one orthopoxvirus). Thirty-six seropositive individuals were found in burned sites, and two orthohantavirus-seropositive individuals were found in cut sites. Cotton rats and prairie voles, two grassland species, accounted for 97% of the rodents seropositive for orthohantavirus. Our study indicates that prescribed burns lead to a diverse and abundant community of grassland rodent species compared with other management regimes; as keystone taxa, these results also have important implications for many other species in food webs. Higher prevalence of antibodies against rodent-borne viruses in burned prairies shows an unexpected consequence likely resulting from robust host population densities supported by the increased habitat quality of these sites. Ultimately, these results provide empirical evidence that can inform grassland restoration and ongoing management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Mull
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Amy Schexnayder
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Abigail Stolt
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of VirologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Department of Veterinary BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Kristian M. Forbes
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
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2
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MacNeill AL. Comparative Pathology of Zoonotic Orthopoxviruses. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080892. [PMID: 36015017 PMCID: PMC9412692 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides a brief history of the impacts that a human-specific Orthopoxvirus (OPXV), Variola virus, had on mankind, recalls how critical vaccination was for the eradication of this disease, and discusses the consequences of discontinuing vaccination against OPXV. One of these consequences is the emergence of zoonotic OPXV diseases, including Monkeypox virus (MPXV). The focus of this manuscript is to compare pathology associated with zoonotic OPXV infection in veterinary species and in humans. Efficient recognition of poxvirus lesions and other, more subtle signs of disease in multiple species is critical to prevent further spread of poxvirus infections. Additionally included are a synopsis of the pathology observed in animal models of MPXV infection, the recent spread of MPXV among humans, and a discussion of the potential for this virus to persist in Europe and the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L MacNeill
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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3
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Silva NIO, de Oliveira JS, Kroon EG, Trindade GDS, Drumond BP. Here, There, and Everywhere: The Wide Host Range and Geographic Distribution of Zoonotic Orthopoxviruses. Viruses 2020; 13:E43. [PMID: 33396609 PMCID: PMC7823380 DOI: 10.3390/v13010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The global emergence of zoonotic viruses, including poxviruses, poses one of the greatest threats to human and animal health. Forty years after the eradication of smallpox, emerging zoonotic orthopoxviruses, such as monkeypox, cowpox, and vaccinia viruses continue to infect humans as well as wild and domestic animals. Currently, the geographical distribution of poxviruses in a broad range of hosts worldwide raises concerns regarding the possibility of outbreaks or viral dissemination to new geographical regions. Here, we review the global host ranges and current epidemiological understanding of zoonotic orthopoxviruses while focusing on orthopoxviruses with epidemic potential, including monkeypox, cowpox, and vaccinia viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Betânia Paiva Drumond
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil; (N.I.O.S.); (J.S.d.O.); (E.G.K.); (G.d.S.T.)
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4
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Fischer S, Franke A, Imholt C, Gethmann J, Spierling NG, Jacob J, Beer M, Hoffmann D, Ulrich RG. Patchy Occurrence of Cowpox Virus in Voles from Germany. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:471-475. [PMID: 32013767 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cowpox virus (CPXV), genus Orthopoxvirus, family Poxviridae, is a zoonotic pathogen in Eurasian wild rodents. High seroprevalences have been reported previously for vole and murine species in Europe. In contrast, viral DNA was only rarely detected, and very few reservoir-derived CPXV isolates exist. In this study, CPXV DNA and CPXV-reactive antibodies were monitored in wild small mammals for 5 years in four German federal states. Screening of liver tissues of 3966 animals by CPXV real-time PCR (qPCR) revealed five voles of two species positive for CPXV DNA. Two positive bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and two positive common voles (Microtus arvalis) originated from two plots in Baden-Wuerttemberg. One positive bank vole originated from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. None of the small mammals from Thuringia and North Rhine-Westphalia was positive in the qPCR. CPXV antigen-based indirect immunofluorescence assays of 654 highly diluted chest cavity fluid samples detected two bank voles and two common voles from the same sites in Baden-Wuerttemberg to be highly seroreactive. Five animals were CPXV DNA positive, and four other animals were orthopoxvirus seropositive. Our study indicates both a very low prevalence and a patchy occurrence of CPXV in common and bank voles and absence in other rodent and shrew species in Germany. The multiple detection of infected voles at one site in Baden-Wuerttemberg and continued detection in a region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania classify these regions as potential endemic foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Annika Franke
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Jörn Gethmann
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Nastasja G Spierling
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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5
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Jeske K, Weber S, Pfaff F, Imholt C, Jacob J, Beer M, Ulrich RG, Hoffmann D. Molecular Detection and Characterization of the First Cowpox Virus Isolate Derived from a Bank Vole. Viruses 2019; 11:v11111075. [PMID: 31752129 PMCID: PMC6893522 DOI: 10.3390/v11111075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cowpox virus (CPXV) is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus (OPV) that infects a wide range of mammals. CPXV-specific DNA and antibodies were detected in different vole species, such as common voles (Microtus arvalis) and bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Therefore, voles are the putative main reservoir host of CPXV. However, CPXV was up to now only isolated from common voles. Here we report the detection and isolation of a bank vole-derived CPXV strain (GerMygEK 938/17) resulting from a large-scale screening of bank voles collected in Thuringia, Germany, during 2017 and 2018. Phylogenetic analysis using the complete viral genome sequence indicated a high similarity of the novel strain to CPXV clade 3 and to OPV “Abatino” but also to Ectromeliavirus (ECTV) strains. Phenotypic characterization of CPXV GerMygEK 938/17 using inoculation of embryonated chicken eggs displayed hemorrhagic pock lesions on the chorioallantoic membrane that are typical for CPXV but not for ECTV. CPXV GerMygEK 938/17 replicated in vole-derived kidney cell lines but at lower level than on Vero76 cell line. In conclusion, the first bank vole-derived CPXV isolate provides new insights into the genetic variability of CPXV in the putative reservoir host and is a valuable tool for further studies about CPXV-host interaction and molecular evolution of OPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Jeske
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Saskia Weber
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Florian Pfaff
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Vertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Vertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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6
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Lapa D, Beltrame A, Arzese A, Carletti F, Di Caro A, Ippolito G, Capobianchi MR, Castilletti C. Orthopoxvirus Seroprevalence in Cats and Veterinary Personnel in North-Eastern Italy in 2011. Viruses 2019; 11:v11020101. [PMID: 30691058 PMCID: PMC6409756 DOI: 10.3390/v11020101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Orthopoxviruses (OPV) are emerging zoonotic pathogens, and an increasing number of human infections is currently reported in Europe and in other continents, warranting heightened attention on this topic. Following two OPV infections reported in veterinarians scratched by sick cats in 2005 and 2007 in North-Eastern-Italy, involving a previously undescribed OPV, a similar strain was isolated by a sick cat from the same territory in 2011, i.e., 6 years later, raising attention on OPV circulation in this region. A surveillance program was launched to assess the OPV seroprevalence among the veterinarians working in local veterinary clinics and in the local wild and domestic cat population; seroprevalence was 33.3% in veterinarians and 19.5% in cats. Seroprevalence in cats was unevenly distributed, peaking at 40% in the area where OPV-infected cats had been observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Lapa
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, 00149 Rome, Italy.
| | - Anna Beltrame
- IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar VR, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Arzese
- Medical Department (DAME), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
- Microbiology Laboratory Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, 33100 Udine, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Carletti
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, 00149 Rome, Italy.
| | - Antonino Di Caro
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, 00149 Rome, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Ippolito
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, 00149 Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Concetta Castilletti
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, 00149 Rome, Italy.
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7
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Franke A, Ulrich RG, Weber S, Osterrieder N, Keller M, Hoffmann D, Beer M. Experimental Cowpox Virus (CPXV) Infections of Bank Voles: Exceptional Clinical Resistance and Variable Reservoir Competence. Viruses 2017; 9:v9120391. [PMID: 29257111 PMCID: PMC5744165 DOI: 10.3390/v9120391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cowpox virus (CPXV) is a zoonotic virus and endemic in wild rodent populations in Eurasia. Serological surveys in Europe have reported high prevalence in different vole and mouse species. Here, we report on experimental CPXV infections of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from different evolutionary lineages with a spectrum of CPXV strains. All bank voles, independently of lineage, sex and age, were resistant to clinical signs following CPXV inoculation, and no virus shedding was detected in nasal or buccal swabs. In-contact control animals became only rarely infected. However, depending on the CPXV strain used, inoculated animals seroconverted and viral DNA could be detected preferentially in the upper respiratory tract. The highest antibody titers and virus DNA loads in the lungs were detected after inoculation with two strains from Britain and Finland. We conclude from our experiments that the role of bank voles as an efficient and exclusive CPXV reservoir seems questionable, and that CPXV may be maintained in most regions by other hosts, including other vole species. Further investigations are needed to identify factors that allow and modulate CPXV maintenance in bank voles and other potential reservoirs, which may also influence spill-over infections to accidental hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Franke
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Saskia Weber
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | | | - Markus Keller
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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8
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Prkno A, Hoffmann D, Goerigk D, Kaiser M, van Maanen ACF, Jeske K, Jenckel M, Pfaff F, Vahlenkamp TW, Beer M, Ulrich RG, Starke A, Pfeffer M. Epidemiological Investigations of Four Cowpox Virus Outbreaks in Alpaca Herds, Germany. Viruses 2017; 9:v9110344. [PMID: 29156539 PMCID: PMC5707551 DOI: 10.3390/v9110344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 11/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Four cowpox virus (CPXV) outbreaks occurred in unrelated alpaca herds in Eastern Germany during 2012–2017. All incidents were initially noticed due to severe, generalized, and finally lethal CPXV infections, which were confirmed by testing of tissue and serum samples. As CPXV-infection has been described in South American camelids (SACs) only three times, all four herds were investigated to gain a deeper understanding of CPXV epidemiology in alpacas. The different herds were investigated twice, and various samples (serum, swab samples, and crusts of suspicious pox lesions, feces) were taken to identify additionally infected animals. Serum was used to detect CPXV-specific antibodies by performing an indirect immunofluorescence assay (iIFA); swab samples, crusts, and feces were used for detection of CPXV-specific DNA in a real-time PCR. In total, 28 out of 107 animals could be identified as affected by CPXV, by iIFA and/or PCR. Herd seroprevalence ranged from 16.1% to 81.2%. To investigate the potential source of infection, wild small mammals were trapped around all alpaca herds. In two herds, CPXV-specific antibodies were found in the local rodent population. In the third herd, CPXV could be isolated from a common vole (Microtus arvalis) found drowned in a water bucket used to water the alpacas. Full genome sequencing and comparison with the genome of a CPXV from an alpaca from the same herd reveal 99.997% identity, providing further evidence that the common vole is a reservoir host and infection source of CPXV. Only in the remaining fourth herd, none of the trapped rodents were found to be CPXV-infected. Rodents, as ubiquitous reservoir hosts, in combination with increasingly popular alpacas, as susceptible species, suggest an enhanced risk of future zoonotic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almut Prkno
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Daniela Goerigk
- Veterinary practice Dr. Daniela Goerigk, Naundorfer Str. 9, 04668 Schkortitz, Germany.
| | - Matthias Kaiser
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Anne Catherine Franscisca van Maanen
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Centre for Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Jeske
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Maria Jenckel
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Florian Pfaff
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Thomas W Vahlenkamp
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Alexander Starke
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Centre for Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Quiner CA, Nakazawa Y. Ecological niche modeling to determine potential niche of Vaccinia virus: a case only study. Int J Health Geogr 2017; 16:28. [PMID: 28784125 PMCID: PMC5547515 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-017-0100-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging and understudied pathogens often lack information that most commonly used analytical tools require, such as negative controls or baseline data; thus, new analytical strategies are needed to analyze transmission patterns and drivers of disease emergence. Zoonotic infections with Vaccinia virus (VACV) were first reported in Brazil in 1999, VACV is an emerging zoonotic Orthopoxvirus, which primarily infects dairy cattle and farmers in close contact with infected cows. Prospective studies of emerging pathogens could provide critical data that would inform public health planning and response to outbreaks. By using the location of 87-recorded outbreaks and publicly available bioclimatic data, we demonstrate one such approach. Using an ecological niche model (ENM) algorithm, we identify the environmental conditions under which VACV outbreaks have occurred, and determine additional locations in two affected countries that may be susceptible to transmission. Further, we show how suitability for the virus responds to different levels of various environmental factors and highlight the most important factors in determining its transmission. METHODS A literature review was performed and the geospatial coordinates of 87 molecularly confirmed VACV outbreaks in Brazil were identified. An ENM was generated using MaxENT software by combining principal component analysis results of 19 bioclim spatial layers, and 25 randomly selected subsets of the original list of 87 outbreaks. RESULTS The final ENM predicted all areas where Brazilian outbreaks occurred, one out of five of the Colombian outbreak regions and identified new regions within Brazil that are suitable for transmission based on bioclimatic factors. Further, the most important factors in determining transmission suitability are precipitation of the wettest quarter, annual precipitation, mean temperature of the coldest quarter and mean diurnal range. CONCLUSION The analyses here provide a means by which to study patterns of an emerging infectious disease and identify regions that are potentially suitable for its transmission, in spite of the paucity of high-quality critical data. Policy and methods for the control of infectious diseases often use a reactionary model, addressing diseases only after significant impact on human health has ensued. The methodology used in the present work allows the identification of areas where disease is likely to appear, which could be used for directed intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire A. Quiner
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Yoshinori Nakazawa
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA USA
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10
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Oldal M, Sironen T, Henttonen H, Vapalahti O, Madai M, Horváth G, Dallos B, Kutas A, Földes F, Kemenesi G, Németh V, Bányai K, Jakab F. Serologic survey of orthopoxvirus infection among rodents in hungary. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017; 15:317-22. [PMID: 25988441 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a result of discontinuing vaccination against smallpox after the late 1970s, different orthopoxviruses (OPVs), such as cowpox virus (CPXV), have become a re-emerging healthcare threat among zoonotic pathogens. In Hungary, data on OPV prevalence among its rodent host species have been absent. Here, rodents belonging to four species, i.e., striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), yellow-necked mouse (A. flavicollis), wood mouse (A. sylvaticus) and bank vole (Myodes glareolus), were live trapped at 13 sampling plots on a 149-ha area in the Mecsek Mountains, Hungary, from March to September in 2011 and 2012. Rodent sera were collected and screened for OPV-reactive antibodies with an immunfluorescence assay (IFA). Among the 1587 tested rodents, 286 (18.0%) harbored OPV-specific antibodies. Seroprevalence was the highest for the bank vole (71.4%) and the striped field mouse (66.7%). Due to a masting event in the autumn of 2011 across Central Europe, the abundance of bank voles increased drastically in the 2012 season, raising the overall OPV seroprevalence. We provide the first data on OPV occurrence and seroprevalence in rodents in Hungary. The circulation of OPV in rodents in densely populated areas warrants further studies to elucidate the zoonotic potential of OPV in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miklós Oldal
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tarja Sironen
- 3Haartman institute and Dept of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Olli Vapalahti
- 3Haartman institute and Dept of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,5Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Finland.,6HUSLAB, HUS, Finland
| | - Mónika Madai
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Győző Horváth
- 2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Bianka Dallos
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Anna Kutas
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Fanni Földes
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kemenesi
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Viktória Németh
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Krisztián Bányai
- 7Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Jakab
- 1Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,2Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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11
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DISTRIBUTION AND SEASONAL VARIATION OF LJUNGAN VIRUS IN BANK VOLES (MYODES GLAREOLUS) IN FENNOSCANDIA. J Wildl Dis 2017; 53:552-560. [PMID: 28192046 DOI: 10.7589/2016-06-145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ljungan virus (LV) is a picornavirus originally isolated from Swedish bank voles ( Myodes glareolus ) in 1998. The association of LV with human disease has been debated ever since, but fundamental data on the ecology of the virus are still lacking. Here we present results of the first intensive study on the prevalence of LV in bank voles trapped in Fennoscandia (Sweden and Finland) from 2009-12 as determined by PCR. Using an LV-specific real-time reverse transcriptase PCR, LV was detected in the liver of 73 out of 452 (16.2%) individuals and in 13 out of 17 sampling sites across Sweden and Finland (mean per site prevalence 16%, SE 3%, range 0-50%). We found more infected animals in autumn compared to spring, and lighter and heavier individuals had a higher prevalence than those with intermediate body masses. The result that LV prevalence is also lower in heavier (i.e., older) animals suggests for the first time that LV infection is not persistent in rodents.
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12
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Heuser E, Fischer S, Ryll R, Mayer-Scholl A, Hoffmann D, Spahr C, Imholt C, Alfa DM, Fröhlich A, Lüschow D, Johne R, Ehlers B, Essbauer S, Nöckler K, Ulrich RG. Survey for zoonotic pathogens in Norway rat populations from Europe. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2017; 73:341-348. [PMID: 27299665 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Norway rat Rattus norvegicus is an important reservoir of various zoonotic pathogens, such as cowpox virus and Leptospira, but also for agents of no or unknown zoonotic potential. We describe a survey of 426 Norway rats originating from five European countries and different habitats for Leptospira spp., rickettsiae, orthopoxvirus (OPV), avian metapneumovirus subtypes A and B (aMPV) and rat polyomavirus (rat PyV). RESULTS Leptospira DNA was detected in 60 out of 420 (14.3%) rats, and Rickettsia DNA was found in three out of 369 (0.8%) rats investigated. PCR-based typing resulted in the identification of L. interrogans sequence type 17, which corresponds to the serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Rickettsia helvetica respectively. Rat PyV DNA was detected in 103 out of 421 (24.5%) rats. OPV DNA and aMPV RNA were detected in none of the rats, but OPV-specific antibodies were detected in three out of 388 (0.8%) rats. The frequency of single Leptospira and rat PyV infections and coinfections was, independent of sex, greater for adults compared with juveniles/subadults and greater at rural sites compared with urban areas. CONCLUSIONS Study results indicate a broad geographical distribution of Leptospira DNA in rats within Europe, underlining the need to investigate further the potential mechanisms leading to increased prevalence in rural habitats and to assess the relevance to public health. In contrast, rickettsia and OPV infections rarely occurred in wild rat populations. The potential influence of rat PyV on the susceptibility to infections with other pathogens should be investigated in future studies. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Heuser
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - René Ryll
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Donata Hoffmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Carina Spahr
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forestry, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Dewi Murni Alfa
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Andreas Fröhlich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Dörte Lüschow
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Poultry Diseases, Berlin, Germany
| | - Reimar Johne
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel-Insel Riems, Germany
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13
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Schmidt S, Essbauer SS, Mayer-Scholl A, Poppert S, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Klempa B, Henning K, Schares G, Groschup MH, Spitzenberger F, Richter D, Heckel G, Ulrich RG. Multiple infections of rodents with zoonotic pathogens in Austria. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:467-75. [PMID: 24915446 PMCID: PMC4098071 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents are important reservoirs for a large number of zoonotic pathogens. We examined the occurrence of 11 viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents in rodent populations in Austria, including three different hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox virus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Toxoplasma gondii. In 2008, 110 rodents of four species (40 Clethrionomys glareolus, 29 Apodemus flavicollis, 26 Apodemus sylvaticus, and 15 Microtus arvalis) were trapped at two rural sites in Lower Austria. Chest cavity fluid and samples of lung, spleen, kidney, liver, brain, and ear pinna skin were collected. We screened selected tissue samples for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, Leptospira, Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella spp., C. burnetii, and T. gondii by RT-PCR/PCR and detected nucleic acids of Tula hantavirus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia afzelii, Rickettsia spp., and different Bartonella species. Serological investigations were performed for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, and Rickettsia spp. Here, Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus-, Tula hantavirus-, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-, orthopox virus-, and rickettsia-specific antibodies were demonstrated. Puumala hantavirus, C. burnetii, and T. gondii were neither detected by RT-PCR/PCR nor by serological methods. In addition, multiple infections with up to three pathogens were shown in nine animals of three rodent species from different trapping sites. In conclusion, these results show that rodents in Austria may host multiple zoonotic pathogens. Our observation raises important questions regarding the interactions of different pathogens in the host, the countermeasures of the host's immune system, the impact of the host-pathogen interaction on the fitness of the host, and the spread of infectious agents among wild rodents and from those to other animals or humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schmidt
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald–Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sandra S. Essbauer
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Department of Virology & Rickettsiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Sven Poppert
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany and German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Boris Klempa
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Slovakia, and Institute of Virology, Charité Medical School, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Henning
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald–Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Dania Richter
- Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gerald Heckel
- Computational and Molecular Population Genetics (CMPG), Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Genopode, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald–Insel Riems, Germany
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14
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Essbauer SS, Krautkrämer E, Herzog S, Pfeffer M. A new permanent cell line derived from the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) as cell culture model for zoonotic viruses. Virol J 2011; 8:339. [PMID: 21729307 PMCID: PMC3145595 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-8-339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2011] [Accepted: 07/05/2011] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Approximately 60% of emerging viruses are of zoonotic origin, with three-fourths derived from wild animals. Many of these zoonotic diseases are transmitted by rodents with important information about their reservoir dynamics and pathogenesis missing. One main reason for the gap in our knowledge is the lack of adequate cell culture systems as models for the investigation of rodent-borne (robo) viruses in vitro. Therefore we established and characterized a new cell line, BVK168, using the kidney of a bank vole, Myodes glareolus, the most abundant member of the Arvicolinae trapped in Germany. Results BVK168 proved to be of epithelial morphology expressing tight junctions as well as adherence junction proteins. The BVK168 cells were analyzed for their infectability by several arbo- and robo-viruses: Vesicular stomatitis virus, vaccinia virus, cowpox virus, Sindbis virus, Pixuna virus, Usutu virus, Inkoo virus, Puumalavirus, and Borna disease virus (BDV). The cell line was susceptible for all tested viruses, and most interestingly also for the difficult to propagate BDV. Conclusion In conclusion, the newly established cell line from wildlife rodents seems to be an excellent tool for the isolation and characterization of new rodent-associated viruses and may be used as in vitro-model to study properties and pathogenesis of these agents.
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15
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Kinnunen PM, Henttonen H, Hoffmann B, Kallio ER, Korthase C, Laakkonen J, Niemimaa J, Palva A, Schlegel M, Ali HS, Suominen P, Ulrich RG, Vaheri A, Vapalahti O. Orthopox virus infections in Eurasian wild rodents. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011; 11:1133-40. [PMID: 21453121 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Orthopoxvirus includes variola (smallpox) virus and zoonotic cowpox virus (CPXV). All orthopoxviruses (OPV) are serologically cross-reactive and cross-protective, and after the cessation of smallpox vaccination, CPXV and other OPV infections represent an emerging threat to human health. In this respect CPXV, with its reservoir in asymptomatically infected wild rodents, is of special importance. In Europe, clinical cowpox has been diagnosed in both humans and animals. The main objective of this study was to elucidate the prevalence of OPV infections in wild rodents in different parts of Eurasia and to compare the performance of three real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods in detecting OPV DNA in wildlife samples. We investigated 962 wild rodents from Northern Europe (Finland), Central Europe (Germany), and Northern Asia (Siberia, Russia) for the presence of OPV antibodies. According to a CPXV antigen-based immunofluorescence assay, animals from 13 of the 17 locations (76%) showed antibodies. Mean seroprevalence was 33% in Finland (variation between locations 0%-69%), 32% in Germany (0%-43%), and 3.2% (0%-15%) in Siberia. We further screened tissue samples from 513 of the rodents for OPV DNA using up to three real-time PCRs. Three rodents from two German and one Finnish location were OPV DNA positive. The amplicons were 96% to 100% identical to available CPXV sequences. Further, we demonstrated OPV infections as far east as the Baikal region and occurring in hamster and two other rodent species, ones previously unnoticed as possible reservoir hosts. Based on serological and PCR findings, Eurasian wild rodents are frequently but nonpersistently infected with OPVs. Results from three real-time PCR methods were highly concordant. This study extends the geographic range and wildlife species diversity in which OPV (or CPXV) viruses are naturally circulating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M Kinnunen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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16
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Schex S, Dobler G, Riehm J, Müller J, Essbauer S. Rickettsia spp. in wild small mammals in Lower Bavaria, South-Eastern Germany. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 11:493-502. [PMID: 20925521 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
So far, data on the natural cycle of rickettsiae of the tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG) in Central Europe are barely available. Some studies showed the occurrence of different Rickettsia species in their arthropod vectors, but it is unclear which animals might have any kind of reservoir function. This survey was therefore set up to provide information on the occurrence of SFG rickettsiae in small mammals in Germany. A total of 124 rodents and insectivores were collected over a period of 3 years in Lower Bavaria, South-Eastern Germany. Screening for Rickettsia antibodies was performed using immunofluorescence with Rickettsia conorii and R. helvetica slides, and the comparability of sera and body fluids (transudates) was investigated in these assays. Further, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for screening of Rickettsial DNA in rodents and insectivores. Ear versus liver tissue was compared to evaluate the more suitable tissue for detection of specific DNA. Further, a new PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal nucleic acid was established as internal control. The results indicated that transudates are a sufficient alternative to proof infection in cases where no sera are available. Rickettsial DNA, that is, Rickettsia felis and R. helvetica, was found in seven animals with the ears proving to be a proper choice for PCR. Statistical analyses revealed that the presence of ectoparasites and the body size positively correlated with the occurrence of rickettsial DNA. Overall, our study suggests that rodents and other small mammals may act as reservoir hosts for Rickettsia. However, with the course of infection and its transmission in wild animals still unknown, further investigations are needed to better understand the natural cycle of SFG rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Schex
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
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