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Gómez Villafañe IE, Bellomo CM, Rospide M, Blanco P, Coelho R, Alonso DO, Arnica D, Sanchez Loria J, Figini I, Campos J, Martínez VP, Orozco MM. Filling the gaps in the Argentinian distribution of orthohantavirus: First finding of Lechiguanas virus in rodents from Corrientes, Argentina. Zoonoses Public Health 2024; 71:210-216. [PMID: 37772451 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by orthohantaviruses in the Americas. In Argentina, since 1995, several reservoirs and virus variants have been described, but the northeastern and central endemic zones in the country include an area without human or rodent infections, despite sharing rodent species with areas with that disease. The aim of this study was to search for orthohantavirus in rodent communities that inhabit this area, which borders two endemic areas of HPS. Small rodents were captured in June of 2022 through a total effort of 644 trap nights distributed in five grids located in the Iberá National Park, Corrientes, Northeastern Argentina. All rodents were sexed, weighed, and the species was recorded. Blood samples were extracted to detect ANDV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), and to extract the RNA virus. Trimmed sequences were mapped against reference sequences from GenBank. We captured a total of 36 Oligoryzomys flavescens and 15 Oxymycterus rufus. We detected the O. flavescens species infected with Lechiguanas orthohantavirus in the camping area of the National Park. A nucleotide comparison with previously published sequences shows a 98.34% similarity to the virus obtained from a human case of HPS reported in the adjacent Misiones province. This study demonstrated, for the first time, that O. flavescens is a host of the Lechiguanas orthohantavirus in this zone and contributes to closing information gaps on the distribution of orthohantavirus in Argentina. Additionally, the high similarity with the hantavirus found in the human case of Misiones suggests that the reservoir in that province would also be O. flavescens (not previously confirmed). This information permits us to focus on the preventive measurements to protect the human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel E Gómez Villafañe
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carla M Bellomo
- Laboratorio de Hantavirus, Servicio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Malena Rospide
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula Blanco
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocío Coelho
- Laboratorio de Hantavirus, Servicio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel O Alonso
- Laboratorio de Hantavirus, Servicio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diana Arnica
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julián Sanchez Loria
- Unidad Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Iara Figini
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Josefina Campos
- Unidad Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria P Martínez
- Laboratorio de Hantavirus, Servicio de Biología Molecular, Departamento de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, ANLIS Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Marcela Orozco
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (Conicet-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Calfayan LM, Cavia R, Fraschina J, Guidobono JS, Gorosito IL, Busch M. Environmental drivers of long-term variations in the abundance of the red hocicudo mouse (Oxymycterus rufus) in Pampas agroecosystems. Integr Zool 2024; 19:37-51. [PMID: 37243424 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
During the 20th century, there has been an ongoing agricultural expansion and global warming, two of the main determinants influencing biodiversity changes in Argentina. The red hocicudo mouse (Oxymycterus rufus) inhabits subtropical grasslands and riparian habitats and has increased its abundance in recent years in central Argentina agroecosystems. This paper describes the long-term temporal changes in O. rufus abundance in Exaltación de la Cruz department, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, in relation to weather fluctuations and landscape features, as well as analyzes the spatio-temporal structure of captures of animals. We used generalized liner models, semivariograms, the Mantel test, and autocorrelation functions for the analysis of rodent data obtained from trappings conducted between 1984 and 2014. O. rufus showed an increase in abundance across the years of study, with its distribution depending on landscape features, such as habitat types and the distance to floodplains. Capture rates showed a spatio-temporal aggregation, suggesting expansion from previously occupied sites. O. rufus was more abundant at lower minimum temperatures in summer, higher precipitation in spring and summer, and lower precipitations in winter. Weather conditions affected O. rufus abundance, but there was local variation that differed from global patterns of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mariel Calfayan
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Regino Cavia
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jimena Fraschina
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Santiago Guidobono
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Irene Laura Gorosito
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Busch
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Maroli M, Bellomo CM, Coelho RM, Martinez VP, Piña CI, Gómez Villafañe IE. Orthohantavirus Infection in Two Rodent Species that Inhabit Wetlands in Argentina. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:402-415. [PMID: 38091181 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01661-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Previous research conducted in central-east region of Argentina recorded potential orthohantavirus host rodents in diverse environments, but no research has focused particularly on islands, the environments that present the greatest risk to humans. For this reason, the aims of this research were to determine the orthohantavirus host in the rodent community focused on islands of Paraná River Delta, central-east region of Argentina, to identify temporal and spatial factors associated with orthohantavirus prevalence variations, to compare the functional traits of seropositive and seronegative rodents, and to explore the association between orthohantavirus prevalence and rodent community characteristics between August 2014 and May 2018. With a trapping effort of 14,600 trap-nights, a total of 348 sigmodontine rodent specimens belonging to seven species were captured 361 times. The overall antibody prevalence was 4.9%. Particularly, 14.9% of Oligoryzomys flavescens and 1.5% of Oxymycterus rufus, mainly reproductively active adult males, had antibodies against orthohantavirus. Even though O. flavescens inhabit all islands, our results suggest spatial heterogeneity in the viral distribution, with two months after periods of low temperature presenting increases in seroprevalence. This could be a response to the increased proportion of adults present in the rodent population. In addition, an association was found between the high seroprevalence and the diversity of the rodent assemblage. We also found 1.5% of O. rufus exposed to orthohantavirus, which shows us that further investigation of the ecology of the virus is needed to answer whether this species act as a spillover or a new competent host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malena Maroli
- Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, 3105, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Carla M Bellomo
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocío M Coelho
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria P Martinez
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos I Piña
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Transferencia Tecnológica a la Producción-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, 3105, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Isabel E Gómez Villafañe
- Instituto de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Vadell MV, Fischer CG, Codesido M, Carbajo A, Bilenca D, Gómez Villafañe IE. Modelling relative abundance of Oligoryzomys flavescens, an Orthohantavirus reservoir, in an endemic hantavirus pulmonary syndrome zone. Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:13-21. [PMID: 36031760 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a zoonotic emerging infectious disease caused by New World orthohantaviruses (family Hantaviridae) hosted by rodents of the family Cricetidae. In Argentina, one of its main hosts is the sigmodontine rodent Oligoryzomys flavescens, a widely distributed mouse of the Pampas, Delta and Espinal ecoregions of central-east Argentina. Because the abundance of the reservoir and its proportion in the rodent community affects both virus prevalence and human exposure risk, its estimation throughout its known geographical distribution is of key importance for the design of public health strategies to prevent HPS. The aim of this study was therefore to model the relative abundance of O. flavescens in most of the Pampas ecoregion within Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, where hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is endemic. To do this we used owl-pellet samples collected between 2006 and 2008 from 51 sites distributed throughout most of Buenos Aires province. Mammalian prey in each pellet was identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level by examination of the skulls, dentaries and molars. We modelled the frequency of O. flavescens found in each sample as a function of climatic, environmental, and topographic data of each site. The two best models were applied to a Geo referential Information System to build maps of estimated frequency (as a proxy of relative abundance) within Buenos Aires province. Estimated relative abundance of O. flavescens in Buenos Aires province was significantly associated with annual mean temperature, annual precipitation and presence of freshwater bodies, and varied among sub-regions, with the Inland and Rolling Pampas being the regions with highest frequencies. Knowing in which areas O. flavescens abundance is expected to be higher can be used to concentrate limited sanitary efforts in those areas that are most needed in order to reduce transmission and increase detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Victoria Vadell
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT) - ANLIS "Dr. Carlos G Malbrán", Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos González Fischer
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano Codesido
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aníbal Carbajo
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - David Bilenca
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Isabel E Gómez Villafañe
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (CONICET-UBA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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