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Stone NE, Hamond C, Clegg J, McDonough RF, Bourgeois RM, Ballard R, Thornton NB, Nuttall M, Hertzel H, Anderson T, Whealy RN, Timm S, Roberts AK, Barragán V, Phipatanakul W, Leibler JH, Benson H, Specht A, White R, LeCount K, Furstenau TN, Galloway RL, Hill NJ, Madison JD, Fofanov VY, Pearson T, Sahl JW, Busch JD, Weiner Z, Nally JE, Wagner DM, Rosenbaum MH. Host population structure and rare dispersal events drive leptospirosis transmission patterns among Rattus norvegicus in Boston, Massachusetts, US. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598639. [PMID: 38915728 PMCID: PMC11195238 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Leptospirosis (caused by pathogenic bacteria in the genus Leptospira ) is prevalent worldwide but more common in tropical and subtropical regions. Transmission can occur following direct exposure to infected urine from reservoir hosts, such as rats, or a urine-contaminated environment, which then can serve as an infection source for additional rats and other mammals, including humans. The brown rat, Rattus norvegicus , is an important reservoir of leptospirosis in urban settings. We investigated leptospirosis among brown rats in Boston, Massachusetts and hypothesized that rat dispersal in this urban setting influences the movement, persistence, and diversity of Leptospira . We analyzed DNA from 328 rat kidney samples collected from 17 sites in Boston over a seven-year period (2016-2022); 59 rats representing 12 of 17 sites were positive for Leptospira . We used 21 neutral microsatellite loci to genotype 311 rats and utilized the resulting data to investigate genetic connectivity among sampling sites. We generated whole genome sequences for 28 Leptospira isolates obtained from frozen and fresh tissue from some of the 59 Leptospira -positive rat kidneys. When isolates were not obtained, we attempted Leptospira genomic DNA capture and enrichment, which yielded 14 additional Leptospira genomes from rats. We also generated an enriched Leptospira genome from a 2018 human case in Boston. We found evidence of high genetic structure and limited dispersal among rat populations that is likely influenced by major roads and/or other unknown dispersal barriers, resulting in distinct rat population groups within the city; at certain sites these groups persisted for multiple years. We identified multiple distinct phylogenetic clades of L. interrogans among rats, with specific clades tightly linked to distinct rat populations. This pattern suggests L. interrogans persists in local rat populations and movement of leptospirosis in this urban rat community is driven by rat dispersal. Finally, our genomic analyses of the 2018 human leptospirosis case in Boston suggests a link to rats as the source. These findings will be useful for guiding rat control and human leptospirosis mitigation efforts in this and other urban settings.
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Sosa CC, Arenas C, García-Merchán VH. Human Population Density Influences Genetic Diversity of Two Rattus Species Worldwide: A Macrogenetic Approach. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1442. [PMID: 37510346 PMCID: PMC10379283 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
On a planet experiencing constant human population growth, it is necessary to explore the anthropogenic effects on the genetic diversity of species, and specifically invasive species. Using an analysis that integrates comparative phylogeography, urban landscape genetics, macrogenetics and a systematic review, we explore the worldwide genetic diversity of the human commensal and anthropogenic species Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus. Based on metadata obtained considering 35 selected studies related to observed heterozygosity, measured by nuclear molecular markers (microsatellites, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs-, restrictition site-associated DNA sequencing -RAD-Seq-), socioeconomic and mobility anthropogenic factors were used as predictors of genetic diversity of R. rattus and R. norvegicus, using the Gini index, principal component analysis and Random Forest Regression as analysis methodology. Population density was on average the best predictor of genetic diversity in the Rattus species analyzed, indicating that the species respond in a particular way to the characteristics present in urban environments because of a combination of life history characteristics and human-mediated migration and colonization processes. To create better management and control strategies for these rodents and their associated diseases, it is necessary to fill the existing information gap in urban landscape genetics studies with more metadata repositories, with emphasis on tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrystian C Sosa
- Evolution, Ecology and Conservation Research Group-EECO, Biology Program, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Technologies, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia 630004, Colombia
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali 7 #40-62, Bogotá 110311, Colombia
| | - Catalina Arenas
- Evolution, Ecology and Conservation Research Group-EECO, Biology Program, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Technologies, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia 630004, Colombia
| | - Víctor Hugo García-Merchán
- Evolution, Ecology and Conservation Research Group-EECO, Biology Program, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Technologies, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia 630004, Colombia
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3
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Zhang YH, Zhao L, Fu SH, Wang ZS, Zhang JX. Male pheromones and their reception by females are co-adapted to affect mating success in two subspecies of brown rats. Curr Zool 2021; 67:371-382. [PMID: 34671704 PMCID: PMC8521721 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromonal communication plays a key role in the sociosexual behavior of rodents. The coadaptation between pheromones and chemosensory systems has been well illustrated in insects but poorly investigated in rodents and other mammals. We aimed to investigate whether coadaptation between male pheromones and female reception might have occurred in brown rats Rattus norvegicus. We recently reported that major urinary protein (MUP) pheromones are associated with male mating success in a brown rat subspecies, R. n. humiliatus (Rnh). Here, we discovered that MUPs were less polymorphic and occurred at much lower concentrations in males of a parapatric subspecies, R. n. caraco (Rnc), than in Rnh males, and found no association between pheromones and paternity success. Moreover, the observation of Rnc males that experienced chronic dyadic encounters and established dominance–submission relationships revealed that the dominant males achieved greater mating success than the subordinate males, but their MUP levels did not differ by social status. These findings suggest that male mating success in Rnc rats is related to social rank rather than to pheromone levels and that low concentration of MUPs might not be a reliable signal for mate choice in Rnc rats, which is different from the findings obtained in Rnh rats. In addition, compared with Rnh females, Rnc females exhibited reduced expression of pheromone receptor genes, and a lower number of vomeronasal receptor neurons were activated by MUP pheromones, which imply that the female chemosensory reception of pheromones might be structurally and functionally coadapted with male pheromone signals in brown rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shi-Hui Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Science, Hebei University, Hebei Province, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Zhen-Shan Wang
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Hebei Province, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Jian-Xu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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4
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Byers KA, Booker TR, Combs M, Himsworth CG, Munshi‐South J, Patrick DM, Whitlock MC. Using genetic relatedness to understand heterogeneous distributions of urban rat-associated pathogens. Evol Appl 2021; 14:198-209. [PMID: 33519965 PMCID: PMC7819557 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) carry several pathogens transmissible to people. However, pathogen prevalence can vary across fine spatial scales (i.e., by city block). Using a population genomics approach, we sought to describe rat movement patterns across an urban landscape and to evaluate whether these patterns align with pathogen distributions. We genotyped 605 rats from a single neighborhood in Vancouver, Canada, and used 1,495 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms to identify parent-offspring and sibling relationships using pedigree analysis. We resolved 1,246 pairs of relatives, of which only 1% of pairs were captured in different city blocks. Relatives were primarily caught within 33 meters of each other leading to a highly leptokurtic distribution of dispersal distances. Using binomial generalized linear mixed models, we evaluated whether family relationships influenced rat pathogen status with the bacterial pathogens Leptospira interrogans, Bartonella tribocorum, and Clostridium difficile, and found that an individual's pathogen status was not predicted any better by including disease status of related rats. The spatial clustering of related rats and their pathogens lends support to the hypothesis that spatially restricted movement promotes the heterogeneous patterns of pathogen prevalence evidenced in this population. Our findings also highlight the utility of evolutionary tools to understand movement and rat-associated health risks in urban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee A. Byers
- Department of Interdisciplinary StudiesUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Canadian Wildlife Health CooperativeAnimal Health CentreBritish Columbia Ministry of AgricultureAbbotsfordBCCanada
| | - Tom R. Booker
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Matthew Combs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental BiologyColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Chelsea G. Himsworth
- Canadian Wildlife Health CooperativeAnimal Health CentreBritish Columbia Ministry of AgricultureAbbotsfordBCCanada
- School of Population and Public HealthUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Animal Health CentreBritish Columbia Ministry of AgricultureAbbotsfordBCCanada
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Louis Calder Center‐Biological Field Station and Department of Biological ScienceFordham UniversityArmonkNYUSA
| | - David M. Patrick
- School of Population and Public HealthUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease ControlVancouverBCCanada
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5
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Richardson JL, Silveira G, Soto Medrano I, Arietta AZ, Mariani C, Pertile AC, Carvalho Pereira T, Childs JE, Ko AI, Costa F, Caccone A. Significant Genetic Impacts Accompany an Urban Rat Control Campaign in Salvador, Brazil. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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6
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Benavidez KM, Guerra T, Torres M, Rodriguez D, Veech JA, Hahn D, Miller RJ, Soltero FV, Ramírez AEP, Perez de León A, Castro-Arellano I. The prevalence of Leptospira among invasive small mammals on Puerto Rican cattle farms. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007236. [PMID: 31107872 PMCID: PMC6544380 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira, is thought to be the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. A first step in preventing the spread of Leptospira is delineating the animal reservoirs that maintain and disperse the bacteria. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods targeting the LipL32 gene were used to analyze kidney samples from 124 House mice (Mus musculus), 94 Black rats (Rattus rattus), 5 Norway rats (R. norvegicus), and 89 small Indian mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) from five cattle farms in Puerto Rico. Renal carriage of Leptospira was found in 38% of the sampled individuals, with 59% of the sampled mice, 34% of Black rats, 20% of Norway rats, and 13% of the mongooses. A heterogeneous distribution of prevalence was also found among sites, with the highest prevalence of Leptospira-positive samples at 52% and the lowest at 30%. Comparative sequence analysis of the LipL32 gene from positive samples revealed the presence of two species of Leptospira, L. borgpetersenii and L. interrogans in mice, detected in similar percentages in samples from four farms, while samples from the fifth farm almost exclusively harbored L. interrogans. In rats, both Leptospira species were found, while mongooses only harbored L. interrogans. Numbers tested for both animals, however, were too small (n = 7 each) to relate prevalence of Leptospira species to location. Significant associations of Leptospira prevalence with anthropogenic landscape features were observed at farms in Naguabo and Sabana Grande, where infected individuals were closer to human dwellings, milking barns, and ponds than were uninfected individuals. These results show that rural areas of Puerto Rico are in need of management and longitudinal surveillance of Leptospira in order to prevent continued infection of focal susceptible species (i.e. humans and cattle).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Benavidez
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Trina Guerra
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Madison Torres
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - David Rodriguez
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Joseph A. Veech
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dittmar Hahn
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Miller
- Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, MAB 6419, Edinburg, Texas, United States of America
| | - Fred V. Soltero
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service PR and USVI SPRS District 2, United States Department of Agriculture, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
| | - Alejandro E. Pérez Ramírez
- Agrological Laboratory Analysis & Registration of Agricultural Materials PR Dept. of Agriculture 7 Carr. 693 Dorado, PR
| | - Adalberto Perez de León
- Knippling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Kerrville, Texas, United States of America
- Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Kerrville, TX, United States of America
| | - Iván Castro-Arellano
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
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7
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Sex pheromone levels are associated with paternity rate in brown rats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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8
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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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9
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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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10
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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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11
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Richardson JL, Burak MK, Hernandez C, Shirvell JM, Mariani C, Carvalho‐Pereira TSA, Pertile AC, Panti‐May JA, Pedra GG, Serrano S, Taylor J, Carvalho M, Rodrigues G, Costa F, Childs JE, Ko AI, Caccone A. Using fine-scale spatial genetics of Norway rats to improve control efforts and reduce leptospirosis risk in urban slum environments. Evol Appl 2017; 10:323-337. [PMID: 28352293 PMCID: PMC5367079 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a key pest species globally and responsible for seasonal outbreaks of the zoonotic bacterial disease leptospirosis in the tropics. The city of Salvador, Brazil, has seen recent and dramatic increases in human population residing in slums, where conditions foster high rat density and increasing leptospirosis infection rates. Intervention campaigns have been used to drastically reduce rat numbers. In planning these interventions, it is important to define the eradication units - the spatial scale at which rats constitute continuous populations and from where rats are likely recolonizing, post-intervention. To provide this information, we applied spatial genetic analyses to 706 rats collected across Salvador and genotyped at 16 microsatellite loci. We performed spatially explicit analyses and estimated migration levels to identify distinct genetic units and landscape features associated with genetic divergence at different spatial scales, ranging from valleys within a slum community to city-wide analyses. Clear genetic breaks exist between rats not only across Salvador but also between valleys of slums separated by <100 m-well within the dispersal capacity of rats. The genetic data indicate that valleys may be considered separate units and identified high-traffic roads as strong impediments to rat movement. Migration data suggest that most (71-90%) movement is contained within valleys, with no clear source population contributing to migrant rats. We use these data to recommend eradication units and discuss the importance of carrying out individual-based analyses at different spatial scales in urban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary K. Burak
- Department of BiologyProvidence CollegeProvidenceRIUSA
| | | | - James M. Shirvell
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Carol Mariani
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | | | - Arsinoê C. Pertile
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Jesus A. Panti‐May
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Gabriel G. Pedra
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Soledad Serrano
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Josh Taylor
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Mayara Carvalho
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Gorete Rodrigues
- Centro de Controle de ZoonosesSecretaria Municipal de SaúdeMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
| | - Federico Costa
- Instituto de Saúde ColetivaUniversidade Federal da Bahia, UFBASalvadorBrazil
| | - James E. Childs
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial DiseaseYale School of Public HealthNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Albert I. Ko
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo MonizFundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da SaúdeSalvadorBrazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial DiseaseYale School of Public HealthNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
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12
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Panti-May JA, Carvalho-Pereira TSA, Serrano S, Pedra GG, Taylor J, Pertile AC, Minter A, Airam V, Carvalho M, Júnior NN, Rodrigues G, Reis MG, Ko AI, Childs JE, Begon M, Costa F. A Two-Year Ecological Study of Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) in a Brazilian Urban Slum. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152511. [PMID: 27015422 PMCID: PMC4807843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is among the most ubiquitous of rodents. However, the lack of studies describing Norway rat populations from tropical areas have limited our understanding regarding their demography and seasonal dynamics. In this study, we describe seasonal pattern in the abundance, reproductive parameters, and morphometrics of Norway rat populations in Salvador, Brazil. Rodents were trapped over four seasonal trapping periods (2013-2014) from three valleys. A total of 802 Norway rats were trapped over the course of the study over 7653 trap-nights. Norway rat abundance was high, but there was no significant differences between seasons. The reproductive parameters (e.g. frequency of pregnant and lactating females) did not show statistical differences between seasons. Female rats collected in the rainy season were heavier and older than females from the dry season. Salvador rats had a high incidence of pregnancy and birth rate (estimated birth rate of 79 young per year) compared to previous studies. The information generated is critical for the understanding of the ecology of Norway rat, the main reservoir of Leptospira in Salvador. However, future studies examining the effect of rodent control programs aimed at reducing populations, and determining rates of recovery, will further clarify our understanding of population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús A. Panti-May
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Soledad Serrano
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Gabriel G. Pedra
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Josh Taylor
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Arsinoê C. Pertile
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Amanda Minter
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir Airam
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Mayara Carvalho
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Nivison N. Júnior
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Gorete Rodrigues
- Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Mitermayer G. Reis
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Albert I. Ko
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - James E. Childs
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Mike Begon
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Costa
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Brazil
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
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