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Islam MM, Farag E, Hassan MM, Enan KA, Mohammadi A, Aldiqs AK, Alhussain H, Al Musalmani E, Al-Zeyara AA, Al-Romaihi H, Yassine HM, Sultan AA, Bansal D, Mkhize-Kwitshana Z. Rodent-borne parasites in Qatar: A possible risk at the human-animal-ecosystem interface. One Health 2024; 18:100708. [PMID: 38496338 PMCID: PMC10944255 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Rodents are known reservoirs for a diverse group of zoonotic pathogens that can pose a threat to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate these pathogens to institute prevention and control measures. To achieve this, the current study was conducted to investigate the frequency of different parasites in commensal rodents in Qatar. A total of 148 rodents, including Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus, and Mus musculus were captured using traps placed in different habitats such as agricultural and livestock farms, residential areas, and other localities. Blood, feces, ectoparasite, and visceral organs were collected for gross, microscopic, immunological, and molecular analysis. The study identified 10 different parasites, including Capillaria annulosa, Eimeria spp., Giardia spp., Hymenolepis diminuta, Mastophorus muris, Ornithonyssus bacoti, Taenia taeniaeformis, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma lewisi, and Xenopsylla astia. Overall, 62.2% of the rodents tested positive for at least one parasite species. Helminths were found to be the most prevalent parasites (46.0%), followed by ectoparasites (31.8%), and protozoa (10.1%). However, individually, X. astia was the most prevalent (31.8%), whereas C. annulosa was the least common (0.7%). The prevalence of X. astia and H. diminuta significantly differed between habitats (p < 0.05). The sequence analysis of Hymenolepis spp. was closely related to the previously reported H. diminuta in Iran, China, and Mexico. In conclusion, the study identified a diverse range of rodent-borne parasites that are important to public health, with most of them being recorded for the first time among commensal rodents in Qatar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mazharul Islam
- Department of Animal Resources, Ministry of Municipality, Doha, Qatar
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Elmoubashar Farag
- Department of Health Protection & Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
- Queensland Alliance for One Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chottogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram 4225, Bangladesh
| | - Khalid A. Enan
- Preventive Reference Laboratory, Department of Health Protection & Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ali Mohammadi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417613151, Iran
- National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infection Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan 6556153145, Iran
| | | | | | | | | | - Hamad Al-Romaihi
- Department of Health Protection & Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Ali A. Sultan
- Department of Microbiology and Imunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Devendra Bansal
- Department of Health Protection & Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | - Zilungile Mkhize-Kwitshana
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
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2
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Guiry E, Kennedy R, Orton D, Armitage P, Bratten J, Dagneau C, Dawdy S, deFrance S, Gaulton B, Givens D, Hall O, Laberge A, Lavin M, Miller H, Minkoff MF, Niculescu T, Noël S, Pavao-Zuckerman B, Stricker L, Teeter M, Welker M, Wilkoski J, Szpak P, Buckley M. The ratting of North America: A 350-year retrospective on Rattus species compositions and competition. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm6755. [PMID: 38569028 PMCID: PMC10990262 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm6755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
While the impacts of black (Rattus rattus) and brown (Rattus norvegicus) rats on human society are well documented-including the spread of disease, broad-scale environmental destruction, and billions spent annually on animal control-little is known about their ecology and behavior in urban areas due to the challenges of studying animals in city environments. We use isotopic and ZooMS analysis of archaeological (1550s-1900 CE) rat remains from eastern North America to provide a large-scale framework for species arrival, interspecific competition, and dietary ecology. Brown rats arrived earlier than expected and rapidly outcompeted black rats in coastal urban areas. This replacement happened despite evidence that the two species occupy different trophic positions. Findings include the earliest molecularly confirmed brown rat in the Americas and show a deep ecological structure to how rats exploit human-structured areas, with implications for understanding urban zoonosis, rat management, and ecosystem planning as well as broader themes of rat dispersal, phylogeny, evolutionary ecology, and climate impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Guiry
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, Mayor’s Walk, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Ryan Kennedy
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University Bloomington, 701 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - David Orton
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Philip Armitage
- Independent researcher, 7 Park Court, Heath Road, Brixham TQ5 9AX, UK
| | - John Bratten
- Department of Anthropology, University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Charles Dagneau
- Underwater Archaeology Team, Parks Canada, 1800 Walkley, Ottawa, ON K1H8K3, Canada
| | - Shannon Dawdy
- Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago, 1126 E 59th St, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Susan deFrance
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Barry Gaulton
- Department of Archaeology, Memorial University, Queen's College, 210 Prince Philip Dr., St. John's, NL A1B 3R6, Canada
| | - David Givens
- Jamestown Rediscovery/Preservation Virginia, 1365 Colonial Parkway, Jamestown, VA 23081, USA
| | - Olivia Hall
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Anne Laberge
- Département des sciences historiques, Université Laval, 1030 avenue des Sciences-Humaines, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Michael Lavin
- Jamestown Rediscovery/Preservation Virginia, 1365 Colonial Parkway, Jamestown, VA 23081, USA
| | - Henry Miller
- Historic St. Mary's City, St. Mary's City, MD 20686, USA
| | - Mary F. Minkoff
- Florida Public Archaeology Network, 207 E Main St., Pensacola, FL 32502, USA
| | - Tatiana Niculescu
- Office of Historic Alexandria/Alexandria Archaeology, 105 North Union Street, #327, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
| | - Stéphane Noël
- Ville de Quebec, Bureau de projet du tramway de Québec, 226-825 boul. Lebourgneuf, Québec, QC G2J 0B9, Canada
| | - Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman
- Department of Anthropology, University of Maryland, 4302 Chapel Lane, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Leah Stricker
- Jamestown Rediscovery/Preservation Virginia, 1365 Colonial Parkway, Jamestown, VA 23081, USA
| | - Matt Teeter
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Martin Welker
- Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 1013 E University Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, 1009 E South Campus Dr., Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Jennifer Wilkoski
- Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 401 W Duke of Gloucester St, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
| | - Paul Szpak
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Michael Buckley
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
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Popov Aleksandrov A, Tucovic D, Kulas J, Popovic D, Kataranovski D, Kataranovski M, Mirkov I. Toxicology of chemical biocides: Anticoagulant rodenticides - Beyond hemostasis disturbance. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 277:109841. [PMID: 38237840 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) is one of the most commonly employed management methods for pest rodents. ARs compete with vitamin K (VK) required for the synthesis of blood clotting factors in the liver, resulting in inhibition of blood coagulation and often animal death due to hemorrhage. Besides rodents (target species), ARs may affect non-target animal species and humans. Out of hemostasis disturbance, the effects of ARs may be related to the inhibition of proteins that require VK for their synthesis but are not involved in the coagulation process, to their direct cytotoxicity, and their pro-oxidant/proinflammatory activity. A survey of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of these sublethal/asymptomatic AR effects is given in this review. Data from field, clinical, and experimental studies are presented. Knowledge of these mechanisms might improve hazard characterization and identification of potential ecotoxicological risks associated with ARs, contributing to a safer use of these chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Popov Aleksandrov
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Dina Tucovic
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Jelena Kulas
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Dusanka Popovic
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Dragan Kataranovski
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Milena Kataranovski
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Ivana Mirkov
- Immunotoxicology group, Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Bulevar despota Stefana, Belgrade 11000, Serbia.
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Awoniyi AM, Barreto AM, Argibay HD, Santana JO, Palma FAG, Riviere-Cinnamond A, Dobigny G, Bertherat E, Ferguson L, Belmain S, Costa F. Systematic surveillance tools to reduce rodent pests in disadvantaged urban areas can empower communities and improve public health. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4503. [PMID: 38402250 PMCID: PMC10894258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55203-5] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Rodents are notorious pests, known for transmitting major public health diseases and causing agricultural and economic losses. The lack of site-specific and national standardised rodent surveillance in several disadvantaged communities has rendered interventions targeted towards rodent control as often ineffective. Here, by using the example from a pilot case-study in the Bahamas, we present a unique experience wherein, through multidisciplinary and community engagement, we simultaneously developed a standardised national surveillance protocol, and performed two parallel but integrated activities: (1) eight days of theoretical and practical training of selected participants; and (2) a three-month post-training pilot rodent surveillance in the urban community of Over-the-Hill, Nassau, The Bahamas. To account for social and environmental conditions influencing rodent proliferation in the Bahamas, we engaged selected influential community members through a semi-structured interview and gathered additional site-specific information using a modified Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) exterior and interior rodent evaluation form, along with other validated instruments such as tracking plates and snap trapping, to test and establish a standardised site-specific rodent surveillance protocol tailored for the Bahamas. Our engagement with community members highlighted poor disposal of animal and human food, irregular garbage collection, unapproved refuse storage, lack of accessible dumpsters, poor bulk waste management, ownership problems and structural deficiencies as major factors fuelling rodent proliferation in the study areas. Accordingly, results from our pilot survey using active rodent signs (that is, the presence of rodent runs, burrows, faecal material or gnawed material) as a proxy of rodent infestation in a generalized linear model confirmed that the variables earlier identified during the community engagement program as significantly correlated with rodent activities (and capturing) across the study areas. The successful implementation of the novel site-specific protocol by trained participants, along with the correlation of their findings with those recorded during the community engagement program, underscores its suitability and applicability in disadvantaged urban settings. This experience should serve as a reference for promoting a standardised protocol for monitoring rodent activities in many disadvantaged urban settings of the Global South, while also fostering a holistic understanding of rodent proliferation. Through this pilot case-study, we advocate for the feasibility of developing sustainable rodent control interventions that are acceptable to both local communities and public authorities, particularly through the involvement of a multidisciplinary team of professionals and community members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adedayo Michael Awoniyi
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40110-040, Brazil.
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40170-115, Brazil.
| | - Ana Maria Barreto
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40170-115, Brazil
| | - Hernan Dario Argibay
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40110-040, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ana Riviere-Cinnamond
- Data Management, Analytics and Products (DMAP), Health Information and Risk Assessment Unit (HIM), PAHO Health Emergencies, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Gauthier Dobigny
- French Institute of Research for Sustainable Development (IRD), UMR CBGP, Montpellier, France
- Pasteur Institute of Madagascar, Plague Unit, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Eric Bertherat
- Department of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases, World Health Organization WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luther Ferguson
- Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Nassau City, Bahamas
| | - Steven Belmain
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Federico Costa
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40110-040, Brazil.
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40170-115, Brazil.
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT06511, USA.
- Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK.
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5
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Champer SE, Chae B, Haller BC, Champer J, Messer PW. Resource-explicit interactions in spatial population models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.13.575512. [PMID: 38293045 PMCID: PMC10827080 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.13.575512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Continuous-space population models can yield significantly different results from their panmictic counterparts when assessing evolutionary, ecological, or population-genetic processes. However, the computational burden of spatial models is typically much greater than that of panmictic models due to the overhead of determining which individuals interact with one another and how strongly they interact. Though these calculations are necessary to model local competition that regulates the population density, they can lead to prohibitively long runtimes. Here, we present a novel modeling method in which the resources available to a population are abstractly represented as an additional layer of the simulation. Instead of interacting directly with one another, individuals interact indirectly via this resource layer. We find that this method closely matches other spatial models, yet can dramatically increase the speed of the model, allowing the simulation of much larger populations. Additionally, models structured in this manner exhibit other desirable characteristics, including more realistic spatial dynamics near the edge of the simulated area, and an efficient route for modeling more complex heterogeneous landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E. Champer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Bryan Chae
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Benjamin C. Haller
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Jackson Champer
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871
| | - Philipp W. Messer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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Carrascal M, Sánchez-Jiménez E, Fang J, Pérez-López C, Ginebreda A, Barceló D, Abian J. Sewage Protein Information Mining: Discovery of Large Biomolecules as Biomarkers of Population and Industrial Activities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37463250 PMCID: PMC10399289 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology has been revealed as a powerful approach for surveying the health and lifestyle of a population. In this context, proteins have been proposed as potential biomarkers that complement the information provided by currently available methods. However, little is known about the range of molecular species and dynamics of proteins in wastewater and the information hidden in these protein profiles is still to be uncovered. In this study, we investigated the protein composition of wastewater from 10 municipalities in Catalonia with diverse populations and industrial activities at three different times of the year. The soluble fraction of this material was analyzed using liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry using a shotgun proteomics approach. The complete proteomic profile, distribution among different organisms, and semiquantitative analysis of the main constituents are described. Excreta (urine and feces) from humans, and blood and other residues from livestock were identified as the two main protein sources. Our findings provide new insights into the characterization of wastewater proteomics that allow for the proposal of specific bioindicators for wastewater-based environmental monitoring. This includes human and animal population monitoring, most notably for rodent pest control (immunoglobulins (Igs) and amylases) and livestock processing industry monitoring (albumins).
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Carrascal
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Sánchez-Jiménez
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jie Fang
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Pérez-López
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Ginebreda
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquin Abian
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
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Bedoya-Pérez MA, Westman ME, Loomes M, Chung NYN, Knobel B, Ward MP. Pathogenic Leptospira Species Are Present in Urban Rats in Sydney, Australia. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1731. [PMID: 37512903 PMCID: PMC10383884 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an emerging disease among people and dogs in Sydney, Australia. However, the routes of Leptospira transmission in these cases, and in particular the possible role of rats as reservoirs of infection in Sydney, are unknown. Rats were collected within the City of Sydney Council area and their kidneys were tested for pathogenic Leptospira DNA by real-time (q)PCR. A subset of rats also had qPCR testing performed on whole blood and urine, and Microscopic Agglutination Testing (MAT) that included a panel of 10 Leptospira serovars from nine different Leptospira serogroups was performed on a subset of serum samples. Based on qPCR testing, the proportion of rats with Leptospira DNA in their kidneys was 9/111 (8.1%). qPCR testing of blood samples (n = 9) and urine (n = 4) was negative. None of the 10 serum samples tested MAT positive. A primary cluster of qPCR-positive locations was detected based on six infected rats, which partially overlapped with a previously identified cluster of canine leptospirosis cases in Sydney. These findings suggest that rats in Sydney might play a role in the transmission of leptospirosis to dogs and people. Further testing of rats in Sydney and investigation into other possible wildlife reservoirs of infection and environmental sources of leptospires are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Bedoya-Pérez
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Mark E Westman
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI), Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia
| | - Max Loomes
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Nga Yee Natalie Chung
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Benjamin Knobel
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI), Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia
| | - Michael P Ward
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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De Ruyver C, Baert K, Cartuyvels E, Beernaert LAL, Tuyttens FAM, Leirs H, Moons CPH. Assessing animal welfare impact of fourteen control and dispatch methods for house mouse (Mus musculus ), Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus ) and black rat (Rattus rattus ). Anim Welf 2023; 32:e2. [PMID: 38487454 PMCID: PMC10937213 DOI: 10.1017/awf.2022.2] [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: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Population control of the house mouse (Mus musculus), Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and black rat (Rattus rattus) is common practice worldwide. Our objective was to assess the impact on animal welfare of lethal and non-lethal control methods, including three dispatch methods. We used the Sharp and Saunders welfare assessment model with eight experts scoring eleven control methods and three dispatch methods used on the three species. We presumed the methods were performed as prescribed, only taking into account the effect on the target animal (and not, for example, on non-target catches). We did not assess population control efficacy of the methods. Methods considered to induce the least suffering to the target animal were captive-bolt traps, electrocution traps and cervical dislocation, while those with the greatest impact were anticoagulants, cholecalciferol and deprivation. Experts indicated considerable uncertainty regarding their evaluation of certain methods, which emphasises the need for further scientific research. In particular, the impact of hydrogen cyanide, chloralose and aluminium phosphide on animal welfare ought to be investigated. The experts also stressed the need to improve Standard Operating Procedures and to incorporate animal welfare assessments in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The results of our study can help laypeople, professionals, regulatory agencies and legislators making well-informed decisions as to which methods to use when controlling commensal rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciska De Ruyver
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Ethology and Animal Welfare Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kristof Baert
- Wildlife Management and Invasive species, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Havenlaan 88 bus 73, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emma Cartuyvels
- Wildlife Management and Invasive species, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Havenlaan 88 bus 73, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lies AL Beernaert
- Department of Biotechnology, Vives University College, Wilgenstraat 32, 8800Roeselare, Belgium
| | - Frank AM Tuyttens
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Ethology and Animal Welfare Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
- Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, 9090Melle, Belgium
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Christel PH Moons
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Ethology and Animal Welfare Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
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9
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Okada S, Shoshi Y, Takashima Y, Sanjoba C, Watari Y, Miyashita T. Role of landscape context in Toxoplasma gondii infection of invasive definitive and intermediate hosts on a World Heritage Island. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 19:96-104. [PMID: 36105679 PMCID: PMC9465111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Free-ranging cats are invasive species threatening biodiversity worldwide. They may also impose an environmental risk to humans and livestock through the transmission of zoonotic diseases. We investigated antibody levels against Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging cats and black rats (definitive and representative intermediate hosts) by ELISA and determined their relationships with landscape environmental factors on Tokunoshima Island, Japan, the Natural World Heritage site. We found a higher seroprevalence (>70%) in both cats and black rats in landscapes where the cattle barn density was high. This was consistent with higher density of rats revealed in our trapping survey. The spatial scale of landscape factors affecting infection was broader in cats (1 km buffer radius) than in black rats (100 m buffer radius). Both cats and rats showed an increasing trend in optical density (OD) values with increasing body weight and landscape cattle barn density, suggesting that the antibody concentration increases as the chance of exposure to T. gondii in the environment increases. Thus, management actions to stop humans from feeding cats and to control rat populations without using cats are both necessary to reduce the human health risk as well as to conserve endangered species on the island. High seroprevalence of T. gondii was found in cats and black rats on an island. Seroprevalence was high (>70%) in landscapes where there were many cattle barns. Antibody level in cats was lower in forests and higher around residential areas. Spatial scale of environmental factors affecting infection was broader in cats.
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10
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A systematic review of Rat Ecology in Urban Sewer Systems. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01292-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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11
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Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11101527. [PMID: 36290430 PMCID: PMC9598248 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
A barrier to successful ecological restoration of urban green spaces in many cities is invasive mammalian predators. We determined the fine- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics associated with the presence of five urban predators (black and brown rats, European hedgehogs, house mice, and brushtail possums) in three New Zealand cities, in spring and autumn, in three green space types: forest fragments, amenity parks, and residential gardens. Season contributed to variations in detections for all five taxa. Rodents were detected least in residential gardens; mice were detected more often in amenity parks. Hedgehogs were detected least in forest fragments. Possums were detected most often in forest fragments and least often in residential gardens. Some of this variation was explained by our models. Proximity of amenity parks to forest patches was strongly associated with presence of possums (positively), hedgehogs (positively), and rats (negatively). Conversely, proximity of residential gardens to forest patches was positively associated with rat presence. Rats were associated with shrub and lower canopy cover and mice with herb layer cover. In residential gardens, rat detection was associated with compost heaps. Successful restoration of biodiversity in these cities needs extensive, coordinated predator control programmes that engage urban residents.
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12
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Eyre MT, Souza FN, Carvalho-Pereira TSA, Nery N, de Oliveira D, Cruz JS, Sacramento GA, Khalil H, Wunder EA, Hacker KP, Hagan JE, Childs JE, Reis MG, Begon M, Diggle PJ, Ko AI, Giorgi E, Costa F. Linking rattiness, geography and environmental degradation to spillover Leptospira infections in marginalised urban settings: An eco-epidemiological community-based cohort study in Brazil. eLife 2022; 11:e73120. [PMID: 36111781 PMCID: PMC9560157 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Zoonotic spillover from animal reservoirs is responsible for a significant global public health burden, but the processes that promote spillover events are poorly understood in complex urban settings. Endemic transmission of Leptospira, the agent of leptospirosis, in marginalised urban communities occurs through human exposure to an environment contaminated by bacteria shed in the urine of the rat reservoir. However, it is unclear to what extent transmission is driven by variation in the distribution of rats or by the dispersal of bacteria in rainwater runoff and overflow from open sewer systems. Methods We conducted an eco-epidemiological study in a high-risk community in Salvador, Brazil, by prospectively following a cohort of 1401 residents to ascertain serological evidence for leptospiral infections. A concurrent rat ecology study was used to collect information on the fine-scale spatial distribution of 'rattiness', our proxy for rat abundance and exposure of interest. We developed and applied a novel geostatistical framework for joint spatial modelling of multiple indices of disease reservoir abundance and human infection risk. Results The estimated infection rate was 51.4 (95%CI 40.4, 64.2) infections per 1000 follow-up events. Infection risk increased with age until 30 years of age and was associated with male gender. Rattiness was positively associated with infection risk for residents across the entire study area, but this effect was stronger in higher elevation areas (OR 3.27 95% CI 1.68, 19.07) than in lower elevation areas (OR 1.14 95% CI 1.05, 1.53). Conclusions These findings suggest that, while frequent flooding events may disperse bacteria in regions of low elevation, environmental risk in higher elevation areas is more localised and directly driven by the distribution of local rat populations. The modelling framework developed may have broad applications in delineating complex animal-environment-human interactions during zoonotic spillover and identifying opportunities for public health intervention. Funding This work was supported by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Brazilian Ministry of Health, the National Institutes of Health of the United States (grant numbers F31 AI114245, R01 AI052473, U01 AI088752, R01 TW009504 and R25 TW009338); the Wellcome Trust (102330/Z/13/Z), and by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB/JCB0020/2016). MTE was supported by a Medical Research UK doctorate studentship. FBS participated in this study under a FAPESB doctorate scholarship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max T Eyre
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics, Lancaster University Medical SchoolLancasterUnited Kingdom
- Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Fábio N Souza
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
| | | | - Nivison Nery
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
| | - Daiana de Oliveira
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
| | - Jaqueline S Cruz
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
| | | | - Hussein Khalil
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
- Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Elsio A Wunder
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of HealthSalvadorBrazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public HealthNew HavenUnited States
| | | | - José E Hagan
- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for EuropeCopenhagenDenmark
| | - James E Childs
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of HealthSalvadorBrazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public HealthNew HavenUnited States
| | - Mitermayer G Reis
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of HealthSalvadorBrazil
| | - Mike Begon
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Peter J Diggle
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics, Lancaster University Medical SchoolLancasterUnited Kingdom
| | - Albert I Ko
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of HealthSalvadorBrazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public HealthNew HavenUnited States
| | - Emanuele Giorgi
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics, Lancaster University Medical SchoolLancasterUnited Kingdom
| | - Federico Costa
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics, Lancaster University Medical SchoolLancasterUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of BahiaSalvadorBrazil
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazilian Ministry of HealthSalvadorBrazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public HealthNew HavenUnited States
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13
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Awoniyi AM, Venegas-Vargas C, Souza FN, Zeppelini CG, Hacker KP, Carvalho-Pereira T, Marins CL, de Santana MC, Pertile AC, Begon M, Ko AI, Diggle PJ, Reis MG, Childs JE, da Silva EM, Costa F, Khalil H. Population dynamics of synanthropic rodents after a chemical and infrastructural intervention in an urban low-income community. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10109. [PMID: 35710879 PMCID: PMC9203450 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14474-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Synanthropic rodents are ubiquitous in low-income communities and pose risks for human health, as they are generally resistant to control programs. However, few or no studies have evaluated the long-term effect of chemical and infrastructural interventions on rodent population dynamics, especially in urban low-income communities, or evaluated the potential recovery of their population following interventions. We conducted a longitudinal study in a low-income community in the city of Salvador (BA, Brazil) to characterize the effect of interventions (chemical and infrastructural) on the dynamics of rodent population, and documented the post-intervention recovery of their population. We evaluated the degree of rodent infestation in 117 households/sampling points over three years (2014-2017), using tracking plates, a proxy for rodent abundance/activity. We reported a significant lower rodent activity/abundance after the chemical and infrastructural interventions (Z = -4.691 (p < 0.001)), with track plate positivity decreasing to 28% from 70% after and before interventions respectively. Therefore, the combination of chemical and infrastructural interventions significantly decreased the degree of rodent infestation in the study area. In addition, no rodent population rebound was recorded until almost a year post-intervention, and the post-intervention infestation level did not attain the pre-intervention level all through the study. Moreover, among pre-treatment conditions, access to sewer rather than the availability of food was the variable most closely associated with household rodent infestation. Our study indicates that Integrated Pest Management (IPM)-approaches are more effective in reducing rodent infestation than the use of a single method. Our findings will be useful in providing guidance for long-term rodent control programs, especially in urban low-income communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Venegas-Vargas
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Fabio Neves Souza
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Canela, Salvador, 40110-040, Brazil
| | - Caio Graco Zeppelini
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Brazil
| | - Kathryn P Hacker
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Ticiana Carvalho-Pereira
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Canela, Salvador, 40110-040, Brazil
| | - Catarina Lobo Marins
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Canela, Salvador, 40110-040, Brazil
| | - Mayara Carvalho de Santana
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
| | - Arsinoê Cristina Pertile
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
| | - Michael Begon
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Albert I Ko
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Peter J Diggle
- Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Mitermayer G Reis
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Bahia Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Praça Conselheiro Almeida Couto, s/n - Largo do Terreiro de Jesus, Salvador, 40025-010, Brazil
| | - James E Childs
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Eduardo Mendes da Silva
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN-TREE), Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Federico Costa
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
- Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Canela, Salvador, 40110-040, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies (VFM), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden.
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Brum PHR, Gonçalves SRA, Strüssmann C, Teixido AL. A global assessment of research on urban ecology of reptiles: patterns, gaps and future directions. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- P. H. R. Brum
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
| | - S. R. A. Gonçalves
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
| | - C. Strüssmann
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
| | - A. L. Teixido
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
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15
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Sunaryo S, Priyanto D. Leptospirosis in rats and livestock in Bantul and Gunungkidul district, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Vet World 2022; 15:1449-1455. [PMID: 35993080 PMCID: PMC9375216 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.1449-1455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: The animal reservoir of leptospirosis is comprised of both domestic and wild mammals, with rats known as the most important in the spread of the disease. The occurrence of this reservoir in residential areas increases the potential for leptospirosis transmission. This study aimed to investigate the type of reservoirs and estimate the prevalence of leptospirosis in rats and livestock animals in Bantul and Gunungkidul districts, Special Region of Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: This research utilized a cross-sectional study design. Rat trapping and livestock (cattle, goat, and sheep) blood surveys were conducted at four locations in each district. Samples of rat renal and livestock blood serum were examined using the polymerase chain reaction technique to determine the presence of Leptospira bacteria. The data were analyzed descriptively by describing the species of rats trapped, the types of cattle, and the prevalence of Leptospira in the sample. Results: The rat species infected with Leptospira in Bantul district consisted of Rattus tanezumi 4.8% (3/63); Rattus norvegicus 12.5% (2/16); Bandicota indica 28.6% (2/7); and Bandicota bengalensis 50.0% (1/2). No rats were found to be positive for Leptospira in Gunungkidul district. The prevalence of Leptospira in cattle was 63.64% (7/11) in Bantul district and 50.00% (8/16) in Gunungkidul district. In goats and sheep, the prevalence of Leptospira was 22.22% (2/9) in Bantul district and 45.16% (14/31) in Gunungkidul district. Conclusion: The potential exists for transmission of leptospirosis from rats and cattle in Bantul and Gunungkidul Districts. It is necessary to increase leptospirosis awareness. Community education, especially for livestock farmers, needs to be improved to prevent the transmission of leptospirosis from livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunaryo Sunaryo
- National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Dwi Priyanto
- Banjarnegara Health Research and Development Unit, National Institute of Health Research and Development, Indonesian Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia
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16
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Delgado-Serra S, Sola J, Negre N, Paredes-Esquivel C. Angiostrongylus cantonensis Nematode Invasion Pathway, Mallorca, Spain. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1163-1169. [PMID: 35608603 PMCID: PMC9155863 DOI: 10.3201/eid2806.212344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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17
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Jalali H, Nikookar SH, Hosseini-Vasoukolaei N, Jahanifard E, Enayati AA, Motevalli-Haghi F, Yazdani-Charati J. Ecology of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in Jajarm County, an area with high risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in North Khorasan, Iran. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:14. [PMID: 37170333 PMCID: PMC10127098 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00113-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe present study was conducted to investigate the ecological aspects of sand flies in southwestern North Khorasan, in which cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major has been reported with the highest annual incidence in Iran. Sampling was carried out in four localities including: Khorasha (natural), Ghamiteh (natural), Jorbat (semi urban) and Brick kilns (urban), twice a month using 105 sticky paper traps from indoors and outdoors dwellings during May-December 2017. Specimens were removed from sticky papers, washed in acetone, preserved in 80% ethanol, mounted on microscopic slides by Puri’s medium, and identified using valid morphological keys. Simpson (D), richness (S), Menhinick (DMg), Margalef (DMn), Shannon-Weiner (H′), evenness (J’) were calculated for species diversity. The synanthropic index was determined for the first time in the area. Totally 517 specimens were collected, 47% in outdoors and 30.4% in human indoor dwellings and 22.6% in animal. Eight species of sand flies including 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 3 species of the genus Sergentomyia were identified. Phlebotomus papatasi and Sergentomyia sintoni were the most common and Eudominant species, active in all months, collected in the maximum number and percentage in September and August, respectively, and showed the highest abundance in outdoors. The synanthropic index ranged from 6.25 to 38.9 in the study area. The Shannon-Wiener index was estimated to be up to 1.4 and 1.37 in Khorasha and November, respectively, which showed the highest diversity due to maximal richness and evenness compared to other areas. High abundance of Ph. papatasi, as the main vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis, can enhance the potential risk of emerging CL in new areas, the data can be equally important when vector control measures are considered.
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18
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Combs MA, Kache PA, VanAcker MC, Gregory N, Plimpton LD, Tufts DM, Fernandez MP, Diuk-Wasser MA. Socio-ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1705-1724. [PMID: 34889003 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of pathogen spillover from wildlife to human hosts, particularly in densely populated urban centers. Prevention of future zoonotic disease is contingent on informed surveillance for known and novel threats across diverse human-wildlife interfaces. Cities are a key venue for potential spillover events because of the presence of zoonotic pathogens transmitted by hosts and vectors living in close proximity to dense human settlements. Effectively identifying and managing zoonotic hazards requires understanding the socio-ecological processes driving hazard distribution and pathogen prevalence in dynamic and heterogeneous urban landscapes. Despite increasing awareness of the human health impacts of zoonotic hazards, the integration of an eco-epidemiological perspective into public health management plans remains limited. Here we discuss how landscape patterns, abiotic conditions, and biotic interactions influence zoonotic hazards across highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in temperate climates to promote their efficient and effective management by a multi-sectoral coalition of public health stakeholders. We describe how to interpret both direct and indirect ecological processes, incorporate spatial scale, and evaluate networks of connectivity specific to different zoonotic hazards to promote biologically-informed and targeted decision-making. Using New York City, USA as a case study, we identify major zoonotic threats, apply knowledge of relevant ecological factors, and highlight opportunities and challenges for research and intervention. We aim to broaden the toolbox of urban public health stakeholders by providing ecologically-informed, practical guidance for the evaluation and management of zoonotic hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Combs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pallavi A Kache
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Meredith C VanAcker
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nichar Gregory
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laura D Plimpton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danielle M Tufts
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maria P Fernandez
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Maria A Diuk-Wasser
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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19
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Nyberg N, Duvelle É, Barry C, Spiers HJ. Spatial goal coding in the hippocampal formation. Neuron 2022; 110:394-422. [PMID: 35032426 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian hippocampal formation contains several distinct populations of neurons involved in representing self-position and orientation. These neurons, which include place, grid, head direction, and boundary-vector cells, are thought to collectively instantiate cognitive maps supporting flexible navigation. However, to flexibly navigate, it is necessary to also maintain internal representations of goal locations, such that goal-directed routes can be planned and executed. Although it has remained unclear how the mammalian brain represents goal locations, multiple neural candidates have recently been uncovered during different phases of navigation. For example, during planning, sequential activation of spatial cells may enable simulation of future routes toward the goal. During travel, modulation of spatial cells by the prospective route, or by distance and direction to the goal, may allow maintenance of route and goal-location information, supporting navigation on an ongoing basis. As the goal is approached, an increased activation of spatial cells may enable the goal location to become distinctly represented within cognitive maps, aiding goal localization. Lastly, after arrival at the goal, sequential activation of spatial cells may represent the just-taken route, enabling route learning and evaluation. Here, we review and synthesize these and other evidence for goal coding in mammalian brains, relate the experimental findings to predictions from computational models, and discuss outstanding questions and future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Nyberg
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Éléonore Duvelle
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Caswell Barry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hugo J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
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20
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Champer SE, Oakes N, Sharma R, García-Díaz P, Champer J, Messer PW. Modeling CRISPR gene drives for suppression of invasive rodents using a supervised machine learning framework. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009660. [PMID: 34965253 PMCID: PMC8716047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive rodent populations pose a threat to biodiversity across the globe. When confronted with these invaders, native species that evolved independently are often defenseless. CRISPR gene drive systems could provide a solution to this problem by spreading transgenes among invaders that induce population collapse, and could be deployed even where traditional control methods are impractical or prohibitively expensive. Here, we develop a high-fidelity model of an island population of invasive rodents that includes three types of suppression gene drive systems. The individual-based model is spatially explicit, allows for overlapping generations and a fluctuating population size, and includes variables for drive fitness, efficiency, resistance allele formation rate, as well as a variety of ecological parameters. The computational burden of evaluating a model with such a high number of parameters presents a substantial barrier to a comprehensive understanding of its outcome space. We therefore accompany our population model with a meta-model that utilizes supervised machine learning to approximate the outcome space of the underlying model with a high degree of accuracy. This enables us to conduct an exhaustive inquiry of the population model, including variance-based sensitivity analyses using tens of millions of evaluations. Our results suggest that sufficiently capable gene drive systems have the potential to eliminate island populations of rodents under a wide range of demographic assumptions, though only if resistance can be kept to a minimal level. This study highlights the power of supervised machine learning to identify the key parameters and processes that determine the population dynamics of a complex evolutionary system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E. Champer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Nathan Oakes
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ronin Sharma
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Pablo García-Díaz
- Manaaki Whenua–Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand and School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Jackson Champer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Philipp W. Messer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Douglas KO, Payne K, Sabino-Santos G, Agard J. Influence of Climatic Factors on Human Hantavirus Infections in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review. Pathogens 2021; 11:pathogens11010015. [PMID: 35055965 PMCID: PMC8778283 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the current climate change crisis and its influence on infectious disease transmission there is an increased desire to understand its impact on infectious diseases globally. Hantaviruses are found worldwide, causing infectious diseases such as haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS)/hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in tropical regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). These regions are inherently vulnerable to climate change impacts, infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters. Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses present in multiple rodent hosts resident in Neotropical ecosystems within LAC and are involved in hantavirus transmission. METHODS We conducted a systematic review to assess the association of climatic factors with human hantavirus infections in the LAC region. Literature searches were conducted on MEDLINE and Web of Science databases for published studies according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The inclusion criteria included at least eight human hantavirus cases, at least one climatic factor and study from > 1 LAC geographical location. RESULTS In total, 383 papers were identified within the search criteria, but 13 studies met the inclusion criteria ranging from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Panama in Latin America and a single study from Barbados in the Caribbean. Multiple mathematical models were utilized in the selected studies with varying power to generate robust risk and case estimates of human hantavirus infections linked to climatic factors. Strong evidence of hantavirus disease association with precipitation and habitat type factors were observed, but mixed evidence was observed for temperature and humidity. CONCLUSIONS The interaction of climate and hantavirus diseases in LAC is likely complex due to the unknown identity of all vertebrate host reservoirs, circulation of multiple hantavirus strains, agricultural practices, climatic changes and challenged public health systems. There is an increasing need for more detailed systematic research on the influence of climate and other co-related social, abiotic, and biotic factors on infectious diseases in LAC to understand the complexity of vector-borne disease transmission in the Neotropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk Osmond Douglas
- Centre for Biosecurity Studies, Cave Hill Campus, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, St. Michael BB11000, Barbados
- Correspondence:
| | - Karl Payne
- Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, Cave Hill Campus, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, St. Michael BB11000, Barbados;
| | - Gilberto Sabino-Santos
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1324 Tulane Ave Suite 517, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
- Centre for Virology Research, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 3900 Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirao Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
| | - John Agard
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago;
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22
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Pettengill JB, Kase JA, Murray MH. The Population Genetics, Virulence, and Public Health Concerns of Escherichia coli Collected From Rats Within an Urban Environment. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:631761. [PMID: 34777266 PMCID: PMC8585510 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.631761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-existence of rats and humans in urban environments has long been a cause for concern regarding human health because of the potential for rats to harbor and transmit disease-causing pathogens. Here, we analyze whole-genome sequence (WGS) data from 41 Escherichia coli isolates collected from rat feces from 12 locations within the city of Chicago, IL, United States to determine the potential for rats to serve as a reservoir for pathogenic E. coli and describe its population structure. We identified 25 different serotypes, none of which were isolated from strains containing significant virulence markers indicating the presence of Shiga toxin-producing and other disease-causing E. coli. Nor did the E. coli isolates harbor any particularly rare stress tolerant or antimicrobial resistance genes. We then compared the isolates against a public database of approximately 100,000 E. coli and Shigella isolates of primarily food, food facility, or clinical origin. We found that only one isolate was genetically similar to genome sequences in the database. Phylogenetic analyses showed that isolates cluster by serotype, and there was little geographic structure (e.g., isolation by distance) among isolates. However, a greater signal of isolation by distance was observed when we compared genetic and geographic distances among isolates of the same serotype. This suggests that E. coli serotypes are independent lineages and recombination between serotypes is rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Pettengill
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Office of Analytics and Outreach, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, United States
| | - J A Kase
- Division of Microbiology, Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, United States
| | - M H Murray
- Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States
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Santana JA, Colombo SA, Silva BA, Diniz AN, de Almeida LR, Oliveira Junior CA, Lobato FCF, de Souza Trindade G, Paglia AP, Silva ROS. Clostridioides difficile and multi-drug-resistant staphylococci in free-living rodents and marsupials in parks of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 53:401-410. [PMID: 34761356 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00640-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The global emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious threat to human and animal health. Recent studies have shown that synanthropic animals can act as reservoirs and disseminators of pathogens and resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococcal species and Clostridioides difficile isolated from the feces of free-living rodents and marsupials from two urban parks in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. During a 12-month period, fecal samples from 159 free-living animals, including 136 rodents and 23 marsupials, were collected from two urban parks in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Staphylococcus spp. were more likely to be isolated from rodents than marsupials (p = 0.0164). Eight different staphylococcal species were isolated from 36 (26.5%) rodents and one marsupial (4.3%). S. saprophyticus (48.6%) was the most frequently isolated species, and almost a quarter of the isolates (24.3%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, four (10.8%) of which were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Two (5.4%) strains were resistant to cefoxitin and were then classified as methicillin-resistant staphylococci, and one also tested positive for the mecA gene. C. difficile was isolated from two rodents (1.5%), and one strain was toxigenic and classified as ribotype 064. One isolate was resistant to rifampicin, but both strains were susceptible to all other antimicrobials tested, including metronidazole and vancomycin. All C. difficile isolates and all staphylococcal strains resistant to antimicrobials were recovered from the same park. The present study suggests that free-living rodents in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) are mainly colonized by S. saprophyticus and may act as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and C. difficile strains. This is the first study to evaluate the presence of staphylococci and C. difficile from free-living opossums and suggest a low fecal shedding of these organisms by these mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordana Almeida Santana
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Salene Angelini Colombo
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Brendhal Almeida Silva
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Amanda Nádia Diniz
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Lara Ribeiro de Almeida
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, Belo Horizonte, MG, 662731270-901, Brazil
| | - Carlos Augusto Oliveira Junior
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Giliane de Souza Trindade
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, Belo Horizonte, MG, 662731270-901, Brazil
| | - Adriano Pereira Paglia
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, Belo Horizonte, MG, 662731270-901, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Otávio Silveira Silva
- Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Awoniyi AM, Souza FN, Zeppelini CG, Xavier BIA, Barreto AM, Santiago DCC, Santana JO, da Silva EM, Costa F, Begon M, Khalil H. Using Rhodamine B to assess the movement of small mammals in an urban slum. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Juliet Oliveira Santana
- Instituto de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz Fundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da Saúde Salvador Bahia Brasil
| | - Eduardo Mendes da Silva
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal da Bahia Salvador Brasil
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal da Bahia and National Institute of Science and Technology on Interdisciplinary Studies of Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN‐TREE) Salvador Brazil
| | - Federico Costa
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal da Bahia Salvador Brasil
- Instituto de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz Fundação Oswaldo CruzMinistério da Saúde Salvador Bahia Brasil
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva Universidade Federal da Bahia Salvador Brasil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases Yale School of Public Health New Haven CT USA
- Lancaster Medical School Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Michael Begon
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife Fish and Environmental Studies (VFM) Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Uppsala Sweden
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Assessment of dispersal and population structure of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) in a seaport setting. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01171-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSeaports are introduction hotspots for invasive alien species (IAS). This is especially true for rodents, which have accompanied humans around the globe since the earliest days of ocean-going voyages. The rapid spread of IAS soon after arrival in a new environment is facilitated by further human-mediated transport or landscape features, like roads. By measuring genetic diversity and structure to investigate dispersal pathways, we gained insight into the transport, spread and establishment stages of a biological invasion, leveraging the most common rodent species (R. norvegicus) in this setting. We characterized the genetic structure of three Norway rat populations along a busy industrial road used by trucks to access the Port area in Paranaguá city (Brazil). A total of 71 rats were genotyped using 11 microsatellite markers. The results revealed a pattern of gene flow contrary to the expected stepping-stone model along the linear transect, with the two furthest apart populations being clustered together. We hypothesize that the observed outcome is explained by natural dispersal along the corridor being lower than human-mediated transport. The sampled area furthest from the port is a gas station frequented by trucks which are considered the most likely mode of transportation. In terms of management strategies, we suggest more emphasis should be put on cargo surveillance to lower the risk of Norway rat dispersal, not only for biosecurity, but also for sanitary reasons, as this port is a major grain trading point.
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Parsons MH, Richardson JL, Kiyokawa Y, Stryjek R, Corrigan RM, Deutsch MA, Ootaki M, Tanikawa T, Parsons FE, Munshi-South J. Rats and the COVID-19 pandemic: considering the influence of social distancing on a global commensal pest. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [PMCID: PMC8500081 DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Rats contaminate foods and spread pathogens. Thus, changes in rat populations have consequences for society, especially in densely-populated cities. Following widespread social distancing and lockdown measures to curtail SARS-CoV-2, worldwide media outlets reported increased sightings of rats. To document possible changes in rat populations, we: (i) examined public service requests in the 6 years before, and during, ‘lockdown’ in New York City; (ii) used spatial analyses to identify calls in proximity to food service establishments (FSE); and (iii) surveyed pest-management companies. Over 6 years prior to the pandemic, we found a consistent moderate spatial association (r = 0.35) between FSE and rat-related calls. During the early stages of the pandemic, the association between rat reports and food services did not decrease as would be expected by restaurant closures, but instead modestly increased (r = 0.45). There was a 29.5% decrease in rat reports, overall. However, hotspot analysis showed that new reports were highly localized, yet absent in several industrial areas they were previously observed in, potentially masking a higher proportion of calls in neighborhoods near closed restaurants. Additionally, 37% of pest management companies surveyed reported that, unlike previous years, 50–100% of requests were from new clients and addresses. The finding that hotspots remained nearby dense clusters of restaurants does not support the common narrative that rats moved long distances. Rather, our results are consistent with rats finding nearby alternative food resources. Tracking these dynamics as the COVID-19 pandemic abates will be an important step to identifying how rats respond to society returning to normal activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H Parsons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Yasushi Kiyokawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rafal Stryjek
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Michael A Deutsch
- Medical and Applied Entomology, Arrow Exterminating Company, Inc., Lynbrook, NY, USA
| | - Masato Ootaki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Faith E Parsons
- CareSet Systems, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jason Munshi-South
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Louis Calder Center—Biological Field Station, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, USA
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Murray MH, Sánchez CA. Urban rat exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides and zoonotic infection risk. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210311. [PMID: 34376077 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) deployed to control rodent pest populations can increase the risk of pathogen infection for some wildlife. However, it is unknown whether ARs also increase infection risk for target rodents, which are common hosts for zoonotic (animal-to-human transmitted) pathogens. In this study, we tested whether rats exposed to ARs were more likely to be infected with zoonotic pathogens, specifically Leptospira spp. or Escherichia coli, after controlling for known predictors of infection (i.e. sex, age, body condition). We collected biological samples from 99 rats trapped in Chicago alleys and tested these for Leptospira infection, E. coli shedding and AR exposure. We found that rats that had been exposed to ARs and survived until the time of trapping, as well as older rats, were significantly more likely to be infected with Leptospira spp. than other rats. We found no significant association between E. coli shedding and any predictors. Our results show that human actions to manage rats can affect rat disease ecology and public health risks in unintended ways, and more broadly, contribute to a growing awareness of bidirectional relationships between humans and natural systems in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen H Murray
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| | - Cecilia A Sánchez
- EcoHealth Alliance, 520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10018, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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The effect of COVID19 pandemic restrictions on an urban rodent population. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12957. [PMID: 34155237 PMCID: PMC8217515 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92301-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Shortly after the enactment of restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19, various local government and public health authorities around the world reported an increased sighting of rats. Such reports have yet to be empirically validated. Here we combined data from multi-catch rodent stations (providing data on rodent captures), rodent bait stations (providing data on rodent activity) and residents' complaints to explore the effects of a six week lockdown period on rodent populations within the City of Sydney, Australia. The sampling interval encompassed October 2019 to July 2020 with lockdown defined as the interval from April 1st to May 15th, 2020. Rodent captures and activity (visits to bait stations) were stable prior to lockdown. Captures showed a rapid increase and then decline during the lockdown, while rodent visits to bait stations declined throughout this period. There were no changes in the frequency of complaints during lockdown relative to before and after lockdown. There was a non-directional change in the geographical distribution of indices of rodent abundance suggesting that rodents redistributed in response to resource scarcity. We hypothesize that lockdown measures initially resulted in increased rodent captures due to sudden shortage of human-derived food resources. Rodent visits to bait stations might not show this pattern due to the nature of the binary data collected, namely the presence or absence of a visit. Relocation of bait stations driven by pest management goals may also have affected the detection of any directional spatial effect. We conclude that the onset of COVID-19 may have disrupted commensal rodent populations, with possible implications for the future management of these ubiquitous urban indicator species.
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Neville V, Mounty J, Benato L, Hunter K, Mendl M, Paul ES. Pet rat welfare in the United Kingdom: The good, the bad and the ugly. Vet Rec 2021; 189:e559. [PMID: 34101201 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To date, despite the substantial literature investigating how rats prefer to be kept in captivity, no research has been conducted to assess the housing, husbandry and health of pet rats. METHODS To better understand the United Kingdom's pet rat population and the welfare issues they face, we conducted an online survey of pet rat owners. The survey included questions about the owner and their opinions about pet rats, and about their rats' health, husbandry and housing. RESULTS The results, from 677 complete responses, highlighted areas of rat care that were "good", "bad" and "ugly" (i.e. likely to be highly detrimental to welfare). The good was that many rats were provided with a social companion and enrichment; the bad was that we could not be certain whether rats had a sufficiently nutritious diet or sufficient opportunities to explore or adequate nesting substrate; and the ugly included cases of exposure of rats to predator species within the home and a generally high prevalence of disease. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that there is much cause for concern about the welfare of pet rats in the United Kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikki Neville
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jessica Mounty
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Livia Benato
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,City Vets, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Michael Mendl
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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30
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Motevalli-Haghi SF, Ozbaki GM, Hosseini-Vasoukolaei N, Nikookar SH, Dehghan O, Yazdani-Charati J, Siahsarvie R, Dehbandi R, Fazeli-Dinan M, Enayati A. Rodent Species Diversity and Occurrence of Leishmania in Northeastern Iran. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.1.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Farzad Motevalli-Haghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ghorban Mohammad Ozbaki
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Nasibeh Hosseini-Vasoukolaei
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Hassan Nikookar
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Omid Dehghan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Jamshid Yazdani-Charati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute,Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Reza Dehbandi
- Department of Environmental Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Fazeli-Dinan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmadali Enayati
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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Sánchez CA, Rios MJ, Murray MH. Social and environmental correlates of rat complaints in Chicago. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urban rats are widely distributed pests that have negative effects on public health and property. It is crucial to understand their distribution to inform control efforts and address drivers of rat presence. Analysing public rat complaints can help assess urban rat distribution and identify factors supporting rat populations. Both social and environmental factors could promote rat complaints and must be integrated to understand rat distributions. We analysed rat complaints made between 2011 and 2017 in Chicago, a city with growing rat problems and stark wealth inequality. We examined whether rat complaints at the census tract level are associated with factors that could influence rat abundance, rats’ visibility to humans, and the likelihood of people making a complaint. Complaints were significantly positively correlated with anthropogenic factors hypothesized to promote rat abundance (restaurants, older buildings, garbage complaints, and dog waste complaints) or rat visibility (building construction/demolition activity), and factors hypothesized to increase the likelihood of complaining (human population density, more owner-occupied homes); we also found that complaints were highest in the summer. Our results suggest that conflicts between residents and rats are mainly driven by seasonal variation in rat abundance and human activity and could be mitigated with strategies such as securing food waste from residential and commercial sources. Accounting for social factors such as population density, construction and demolition activity, and home ownership versus rental can also help cities more accurately predict blocks at higher risk of rat conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A Sánchez
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E. Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, 140 E. Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - María Jazmín Rios
- DePaul University, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, USA
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| | - Maureen H Murray
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
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Awoniyi AM, Thompson A, Ferguson L, Mckenzie M, Souza FN, Zeppelini CG, Costa F. Effect of chemical and sanitary intervention on rat sightings in urban communities of New Providence, the Bahamas. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42452-021-04459-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractRats are invasive pest species that commonly infest low-income urban environments. Their association with humans constitutes a threat of rodent-borne disease transmission. We evaluated the outcome of a chemical and sanitary intervention on rat sightings in seven low-income urban settlements of New Providence, the Bahamas. The intervention consisted of rodenticide application, education about environmental sanitation, and improvement in waste disposal. Rat sightings were systematically recorded by trained staff before and three months after the intervention. The intervention slightly decreased rat sightings, with an average of 2.7-fold with varied effectiveness across locations. Four out of seven locations (57%) registered a decrease in rat sightings. Our results suggest that social and environmental differences among communities may be responsible for the mixed efficacy observed in the current rodent management practice in urban communities of the Bahamas. However, a new set of control measures needs to be developed for areas where rodent decline was not observed. This study provides novel data on how rat population behaves post-intervention in a unique ecological setting like the Bahamas, presenting an informed judgment for their management, especially in the event of a natural disaster.
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Predicting the Presence of Leptospires in Rodents from Environmental Indicators Opens Up Opportunities for Environmental Monitoring of Human Leptospirosis. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13020325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis, an environmental infectious disease of bacterial origin, is the infectious disease with the highest associated mortality in Seychelles. In small island territories, the occurrence of the disease is spatially heterogeneous and a better understanding of the environmental factors that contribute to the presence of the bacteria would help implement targeted control. The present study aimed at identifying the main environmental parameters correlated with animal reservoirs distribution and Leptospira infection in order to delineate habitats with highest prevalence. We used a previously published dataset produced from a large collection of rodents trapped during the dry and wet seasons in most habitats of Mahé, the main island of Seychelles. A land use/land cover analysis was realized in order to describe the various environments using SPOT-5 images by remote sensing (object-based image analysis). At each sampling site, landscape indices were calculated and combined with other geographical parameters together with rainfall records to be used in a multivariate statistical analysis. Several environmental factors were found to be associated with the carriage of leptospires in Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus, namely low elevations, fragmented landscapes, the proximity of urbanized areas, an increased distance from forests and, above all, increased precipitation in the three months preceding trapping. The analysis indicated that Leptospira renal carriage could be predicted using the species identification and a description of landscape fragmentation and rainfall, with infection prevalence being positively correlated with these two environmental variables. This model may help decision makers in implementing policies affecting urban landscapes and/or in balancing conservation efforts when designing pest control strategies that should also aim at reducing human contact with Leptospira-laden rats while limiting their impact on the autochthonous fauna.
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Des Roches S, Brans KI, Lambert MR, Rivkin LR, Savage AM, Schell CJ, Correa C, De Meester L, Diamond SE, Grimm NB, Harris NC, Govaert L, Hendry AP, Johnson MTJ, Munshi‐South J, Palkovacs EP, Szulkin M, Urban MC, Verrelli BC, Alberti M. Socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics in cities. Evol Appl 2021; 14:248-267. [PMID: 33519968 PMCID: PMC7819562 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities are uniquely complex systems regulated by interactions and feedbacks between nature and human society. Characteristics of human society-including culture, economics, technology and politics-underlie social patterns and activity, creating a heterogeneous environment that can influence and be influenced by both ecological and evolutionary processes. Increasing research on urban ecology and evolutionary biology has coincided with growing interest in eco-evolutionary dynamics, which encompasses the interactions and reciprocal feedbacks between evolution and ecology. Research on both urban evolutionary biology and eco-evolutionary dynamics frequently focuses on contemporary evolution of species that have potentially substantial ecological-and even social-significance. Still, little work fully integrates urban evolutionary biology and eco-evolutionary dynamics, and rarely do researchers in either of these fields fully consider the role of human social patterns and processes. Because cities are fundamentally regulated by human activities, are inherently interconnected and are frequently undergoing social and economic transformation, they represent an opportunity for ecologists and evolutionary biologists to study urban "socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics." Through this new framework, we encourage researchers of urban ecology and evolution to fully integrate human social drivers and feedbacks to increase understanding and conservation of ecosystems, their functions and their contributions to people within and outside cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Des Roches
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | - Kristien I. Brans
- Department of BiologyLaboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Max R. Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - L. Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
| | - Amy Marie Savage
- Department of BiologyCenter for Computational and Integrative BiologyRutgers UniversityCamdenNJUSA
| | - Christopher J. Schell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and SciencesUniversity of Washington TacomaTacomaWAUSA
| | - Cristian Correa
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos NaturalesInstituto de Conservación Biodiversidad y TerritorioUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
- Centro de Humedales Río CrucesUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Luc De Meester
- Department of BiologyLaboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Institute of BiologyFreie UniversitätBerlinGermany
- Leibniz Institut für Gewasserökologie und BinnenfischereiBerlinGermany
| | - Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of BiologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Nancy B. Grimm
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Lynn Govaert
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Aquatic EcologySwiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and TechnologyDuebendorfSwitzerland
| | - Andrew P. Hendry
- Department of BiologyRedpath MuseumMcGill UniversityMontrealQCCanada
| | - Marc T. J. Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Department of Biological Sciences and Louis Calder CenterFordham UniversityArmonkNYUSA
| | - Eric P. Palkovacs
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta CruzCAUSA
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Mark C. Urban
- Center of Biological Risk and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Life Sciences EducationVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVAUSA
| | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
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Schell CJ, Stanton LA, Young JK, Angeloni LM, Lambert JE, Breck SW, Murray MH. The evolutionary consequences of human-wildlife conflict in cities. Evol Appl 2021; 14:178-197. [PMID: 33519964 PMCID: PMC7819564 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-wildlife interactions, including human-wildlife conflict, are increasingly common as expanding urbanization worldwide creates more opportunities for people to encounter wildlife. Wildlife-vehicle collisions, zoonotic disease transmission, property damage, and physical attacks to people or their pets have negative consequences for both people and wildlife, underscoring the need for comprehensive strategies that mitigate and prevent conflict altogether. Management techniques often aim to deter, relocate, or remove individual organisms, all of which may present a significant selective force in both urban and nonurban systems. Management-induced selection may significantly affect the adaptive or nonadaptive evolutionary processes of urban populations, yet few studies explicate the links among conflict, wildlife management, and urban evolution. Moreover, the intensity of conflict management can vary considerably by taxon, public perception, policy, religious and cultural beliefs, and geographic region, which underscores the complexity of developing flexible tools to reduce conflict. Here, we present a cross-disciplinary perspective that integrates human-wildlife conflict, wildlife management, and urban evolution to address how social-ecological processes drive wildlife adaptation in cities. We emphasize that variance in implemented management actions shapes the strength and rate of phenotypic and evolutionary change. We also consider how specific management strategies either promote genetic or plastic changes, and how leveraging those biological inferences could help optimize management actions while minimizing conflict. Investigating human-wildlife conflict as an evolutionary phenomenon may provide insights into how conflict arises and how management plays a critical role in shaping urban wildlife phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Schell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and SciencesUniversity of Washington TacomaTacomaWAUSA
| | - Lauren A. Stanton
- Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWYUSA
- Program in EcologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWYUSA
| | - Julie K. Young
- USDA‐WS‐National Wildlife Research Center‐Predator Research FacilityMillvilleUTUSA
| | | | - Joanna E. Lambert
- Program in Environmental Studies and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Stewart W. Breck
- USDA‐WS‐National Wildlife Research CenterFort CollinsCOUSA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Maureen H. Murray
- Urban Wildlife Institute and Davee Center for Epidemiology and EndocrinologyChicagoILUSA
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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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Rached A, Moriceau MA, Serfaty X, Lefebvre S, Lattard V. Biomarkers Potency to Monitor Non-target Fauna Poisoning by Anticoagulant Rodenticides. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:616276. [PMID: 33426034 PMCID: PMC7785832 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.616276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The widespread use of pesticides to control agricultural pests is a hot topic on the public scene of environmental health. Selective pest control for minimum environmental impact is a major goal of the environmental toxicology field, notably to avoid unintended poisoning in different organisms. Anticoagulant rodenticides cause abnormal blood coagulation process; they have been widely used to control rodents, allowing inadvertent primary and secondary exposure in domestic animals and non-target predatory wildlife species through direct ingestion of rodenticide-containing bait or by consumption of poisoned prey. To report toxic effect, the most common approach is the measurement of liver or plasma residues of anticoagulant rodenticides in dead or intoxicated animals showing clinical symptoms. However, one major challenge is that literature currently lacks a hepatic or plasma concentration threshold value for the differentiation of exposure from toxicity. Regarding the variation in pharmacology properties of anticoagulant rodenticides inter- and intra-species, the dose-response relationship must be defined for each species to prejudge the relative risk of poisoning. Beyond that, biomarkers are a key solution widely used for ecological risk assessment of contaminants. Since anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) have toxic effects at the biochemical level, biomarkers can serve as indicators of toxic exposure. In this sense, toxicological knowledge of anticoagulant rodenticides within organisms is an important tool for defining sensitive, specific, and suitable biomarkers. In this review, we provide an overview of the toxicodynamic and toxicokinetic parameters of anticoagulant rodenticides in different animal species. We examine different types of biomarkers used to characterize and differentiate the exposure and toxic effects of anticoagulant rodenticide, showing the strengths and weaknesses of the assays. Finally, we describe possible new biomarkers and highlight their capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Virginie Lattard
- USC 1233 RS2GP, VetAgro Sup, INRA, University of Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, France
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Maas M, Helsloot T, Takumi K, van der Giessen J. Assessing trends in rat populations in urban and non-urban environments in the Netherlands. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Rats in urban areas pose health risks as they can transmit various zoonotic pathogens. Monitoring rat populations in urban areas is therefore a key determinant in risk assessments for taking adequate control and preventive measures. However, large-scale and long-term monitoring of rat populations is labor-intensive and time consuming. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost and low-time- consuming method to gain insight into the trends of rat populations in urban and non-urban environments in the Netherlands, and to identify potential drivers of these trends. From 2014 to 2018, local municipalities or their pest control organizations voluntarily submitted quarterly overviews of rat nuisance reports in urban areas. For non-urban areas, a nationwide record of reported bycatch species from the muskrat control was used to assess a potential trend. To identify potential drivers of observed trends, employees of nine municipalities were interviewed. Rat nuisance reports from 25 municipalities were analyzed. An increasing trend in rat nuisance reports was observed in 12, a decreasing trend in 3 and no trend in 10 municipalities. In non-urban areas, no trend in the bycatch of rats was detected. The increase in rat nuisance reports was associated with a large municipality resident size. No consistent drivers could be identified, but potential drivers were discussed in the interviews. Although it was not possible to quantify their influence on the rat population trends seen, they provide direction for future studies on drivers of rat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Maas
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Tamara Helsloot
- Department Animal Management, Van Hall Institute, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Katsuhisa Takumi
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Joke van der Giessen
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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Ghersi BM, Peterson AC, Gibson NL, Dash A, Elmayan A, Schwartzenburg H, Tu W, Riegel C, Herrera C, Blum MJ. In the heart of the city: Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence in rodents across New Orleans. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:577. [PMID: 33189151 PMCID: PMC7666460 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04446-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi - the causative agent of Chagas disease - is known to circulate in commensal pests, but its occurrence in urban environments is not well understood. We addressed this deficit by determining the distribution and prevalence of T. cruzi infection in urban populations of commensal and wild rodents across New Orleans (Louisiana, USA). We assessed whether T. cruzi prevalence varies according to host species identity and species co-occurrences, and whether T. cruzi prevalence varies across mosaics of abandonment that shape urban rodent demography and assemblage structure in the city. METHODS Leveraging city-wide population and assemblage surveys, we tested 1428 rodents comprising 5 species (cotton rats, house mice, Norway rats, rice rats and roof rats) captured at 98 trapping sites in 11 study areas across New Orleans including nine residential neighborhoods and a natural area in Orleans Parish and a neighborhood in St. Bernard Parish. We also assayed Norway rats at one site in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). We used chi-square tests to determine whether infection prevalence differed among host species, among study areas, and among trapping sites according to the number of host species present. We used generalized linear mixed models to identify predictors of T. cruzi infection for all rodents and each host species, respectively. RESULTS We detected T. cruzi in all host species in all study areas in New Orleans, but not in Baton Rouge. Though overall infection prevalence was 11%, it varied by study area and trapping site. There was no difference in prevalence by species, but roof rats exhibited the broadest geographical distribution of infection across the city. Infected rodents were trapped in densely populated neighborhoods like the French Quarter. Infection prevalence seasonally varied with abandonment, increasing with greater abandonment during the summer and declining with greater abandonment during the winter. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate that T. cruzi can be widespread in urban landscapes, suggesting that transmission and disease risk is greater than is currently recognized. Our findings also suggest that there is disproportionate risk of transmission in historically underserved communities, which could reinforce long-standing socioecological disparities in New Orleans and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M. Ghersi
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Anna C. Peterson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Nathaniel L. Gibson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
| | - Asha Dash
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Ardem Elmayan
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Hannah Schwartzenburg
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Riegel
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Michael J. Blum
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA
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Regnery J, Schulz RS, Parrhysius P, Bachtin J, Brinke M, Schäfer S, Reifferscheid G, Friesen A. Heavy rainfall provokes anticoagulant rodenticides' release from baited sewer systems and outdoor surfaces into receiving streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 740:139905. [PMID: 32563868 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Prevalent findings of anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) residues in liver tissue of freshwater fish recently emphasized the existence of aquatic exposure pathways. Thus, a comprehensive wastewater treatment plant and surface water monitoring campaign was conducted at two urban catchments in Germany in 2018 and 2019 to investigate potential emission sources of ARs into the aquatic environment. Over several months, the occurrence and fate of all eight ARs authorized in the European Union as well as two pharmaceutical anticoagulants was monitored in a variety of aqueous, solid, and biological environmental matrices during and after widespread sewer baiting with AR-containing bait. As a result, sewer baiting in combined sewer systems, besides outdoor rodent control at the surface, was identified as a substantial contributor of these biocidal active ingredients in the aquatic environment. In conjunction with heavy or prolonged precipitation during bait application in combined sewer systems, a direct link between sewer baiting and AR residues in wastewater treatment plant influent, effluent, and the liver of freshwater fish was established. Moreover, study results confirmed insufficient removal of anticoagulants during conventional wastewater treatment and thus indirect exposure of aquatic organisms in receiving streams via tertiary treated effluents and combined sewer overflows. Nevertheless, further research is required to determine the ecological implications and risks for aquatic organisms as well as fish-eating predators from chronic AR exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Regnery
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany.
| | - Robert S Schulz
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Pia Parrhysius
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Julia Bachtin
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Marvin Brinke
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Sabine Schäfer
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Reifferscheid
- Department of Biochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Anton Friesen
- Section IV 1.2 Biocides, German Environment Agency, 06813 Dessau-Rosslau, Germany
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Schell CJ, Dyson K, Fuentes TL, Des Roches S, Harris NC, Miller DS, Woelfle-Erskine CA, Lambert MR. The ecological and evolutionary consequences of systemic racism in urban environments. Science 2020; 369:science.aay4497. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aay4497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Urban areas are dynamic ecological systems defined by interdependent biological, physical, and social components. The emergent structure and heterogeneity of urban landscapes drives biotic outcomes in these areas, and such spatial patterns are often attributed to the unequal stratification of wealth and power in human societies. Despite these patterns, few studies have effectively considered structural inequalities as drivers of ecological and evolutionary outcomes and have instead focused on indicator variables such as neighborhood wealth. In this analysis, we explicitly integrate ecology, evolution, and social processes to emphasize the relationships that bind social inequities—specifically racism—and biological change in urbanized landscapes. We draw on existing research to link racist practices, including residential segregation, to the heterogeneous patterns of flora and fauna observed by urban ecologists. In the future, urban ecology and evolution researchers must consider how systems of racial oppression affect the environmental factors that drive biological change in cities. Conceptual integration of the social and ecological sciences has amassed considerable scholarship in urban ecology over the past few decades, providing a solid foundation for incorporating environmental justice scholarship into urban ecological and evolutionary research. Such an undertaking is necessary to deconstruct urbanization’s biophysical patterns and processes, inform equitable and anti-racist initiatives promoting justice in urban conservation, and strengthen community resilience to global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Schell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
| | - Karen Dyson
- College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Dendrolytics, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Tracy L. Fuentes
- College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Simone Des Roches
- College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Danica Sterud Miller
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
| | - Cleo A. Woelfle-Erskine
- School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, College of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Max R. Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Ingravalle F, Ceballos LA, D'Errico V, Mirabelli D, Capella S, Belluso E, Pezzolato M, Bozzetta E, Dondo A, Di Blasio A, Meistro S, Vizio C, Fraccaro E, Ardizzone M, Seghesio A, Ru G. Wild rats as urban detectives for latent sources of asbestos contamination. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 729:138925. [PMID: 32371204 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Based on a large body of evidence asbestos minerals have been classified as carcinogens. Despite the Italian ban on asbestos in 1992 and the subsequent remediation activities, latent sources of contamination may still represent a hazard where asbestos were particularly used. Using wild rats as sentinel animals, this study aimed at uncovering sites with the greatest potential for non-occupational exposure to asbestos in the city of Casale Monferrato (Piedmont Region, Italy), where the largest Italian manufacturing plant of asbestos-cement had been active. During the study period (2013-2015) a total of 40 wild rats were captured from 16 sampling capture points. The lungs of wild rats have been investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The SEM-EDS detected the presence of asbestos fibers (tremolite/actinolite, amosite, and chrysotile) in rats' lungs from 11 sampling points. The hypothetical rats' home-range and the observed site-specific concentration of asbestos fibers per gram of dry lung tissue were used to identify areas to be targeted by additional search of latent sources of asbestos. In conclusion, our results showed that the use of wild rats as sentinel animals may effectively integrate the strategies currently in use to reduce the exposure to asbestos.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Ingravalle
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - L A Ceballos
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
| | - V D'Errico
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy; SC Sanità animale, ASL TO5, Turin, Italy
| | - D Mirabelli
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Giovanni Battista di Torino, SCDU Epidemiologia Tumori, Turin, Italy
| | - S Capella
- Università degli Studi di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra and Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi "G. Scansetti", Turin, Italy
| | - E Belluso
- Università degli Studi di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra and Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi "G. Scansetti", Turin, Italy
| | - M Pezzolato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - E Bozzetta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - A Dondo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - A Di Blasio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - S Meistro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
| | - C Vizio
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Giovanni Battista di Torino, SCDU Epidemiologia Tumori, Turin, Italy; Cella Monte, Alessandria, Italy
| | - E Fraccaro
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Giovanni Battista di Torino, SCDU Epidemiologia Tumori, Turin, Italy
| | - M Ardizzone
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Giovanni Battista di Torino, SCDU Epidemiologia Tumori, Turin, Italy; European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
| | - A Seghesio
- Presidio Multizonale di Profilassi e Polizia Veterinaria di Alessandria ed Asti, Alessandria, Italy
| | - G Ru
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy
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Murray MH, Fidino M, Fyffe R, Byers KA, Pettengill JB, Sondgeroth KS, Killion H, Magle SB, Rios MJ, Ortinau N, Santymire RM. City sanitation and socioeconomics predict rat zoonotic infection across diverse neighbourhoods. Zoonoses Public Health 2020; 67:673-683. [PMID: 32583624 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Rat-associated zoonoses transmitted through faeces or urine are of particular concern for public health because environmental exposure in homes and businesses may be frequent and undetected. To identify times and locations with greater public health risks from rats, we investigated whether rat characteristics, environmental features, socioeconomic factors, or season could predict rat infection risk across diverse urban neighbourhoods. In partnership with a pest management company, we sampled rats in 13 community areas along an income gradient in Chicago, a large city where concern about rats has increased in recent years. We collected kidneys for Leptospira spp. testing and colon contents for aerobic bacteria such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. Of 202 sampled rats, 5% carried Leptospira spp. and 22% carried E. coli. Rats were significantly more likely to carry Leptospira spp. on blocks with more standing water complaints in higher-income neighbourhoods (OR = 6.74, 95% CI: 1.54-29.39). Rats were significantly more likely to carry E. coli on blocks with more food vendors (OR = 9.94, 2.27-43.50) particularly in low-income neighbourhoods (OR = 0.26, 0.09-0.82) and in the spring (OR = 15.96, 2.90-88.62). We detected a high diversity of E. coli serovars but none contained major virulence factors. These associations between environmental features related to sanitation and infection risk in rats support transmission through water for Leptospira spp. and faecal-oral transmission for E. coli. We also found opposing relationships between zoonotic infection risk and income for these two pathogens. Thus, our results highlight the importance of sanitation for predicting zoonotic disease risks and including diverse urban areas in pathogen surveillance to mitigate public health risks from rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen H Murray
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mason Fidino
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Kaylee A Byers
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Animal Health Centre, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - James B Pettengill
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Seth B Magle
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maria Jazmin Rios
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nora Ortinau
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rachel M Santymire
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
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