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de Cock MP, Baede VO, Esser HJ, Fonville M, de Vries A, de Boer WF, Mehl C, Ulrich RG, Schares G, Hakze-van der Honing RW, van der Poel WHM, Sprong H, Maas M. T(r)icky Environments: Higher Prevalence of Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Rodents from Natural Areas Compared with Urban Areas. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2024. [PMID: 38853708 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2023.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Urban areas are unique ecosystems with stark differences in species abundance and composition compared with natural ecosystems. These differences can affect pathogen transmission dynamics, thereby altering zoonotic pathogen prevalence and diversity. In this study, we screened small mammals from natural and urban areas in the Netherlands for up to 19 zoonotic pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoan parasites. Materials and Methods: In total, 578 small mammals were captured, including wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), bank voles (Myodes glareolus), yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), house mice (Mus musculus), common voles (Microtus arvalis), and greater white-toothed shrews (Crocidura russula). We detected a wide variety of zoonotic pathogens in small mammals from both urban and natural areas. For a subset of these pathogens, in wood mice and bank voles, we then tested whether pathogen prevalence and diversity were associated with habitat type (i.e., natural versus urban), degree of greenness, and various host characteristics. Results: The prevalence of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens (Borrelia spp. and Neoehrlichia mikurensis) was significantly higher in wood mice from natural areas. In contrast, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. was higher in wood mice from urban areas, but this difference was not statistically significant. Pathogen diversity was higher in bank voles from natural habitats and increased with body weight for both rodent species, although this relationship depended on sex for bank voles. In addition, we detected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus for the first time in rodents in the Netherlands. Discussion: The differences between natural and urban areas are likely related to differences in the abundance and diversity of arthropod vectors and vertebrate community composition. With increasing environmental encroachment and changes in urban land use (e.g., urban greening), it is important to better understand transmission dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in urban environments to reduce potential disease risks for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke P de Cock
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Valérie O Baede
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Helen J Esser
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Manoj Fonville
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Ankje de Vries
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Willem F de Boer
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Calvin Mehl
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Wim H M van der Poel
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Miriam Maas
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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Tan CS, Adrus M, Rahman SPH, Azman HIM, Abang RAA. Seroevidence of SARS-CoV-2 spillback to rodents in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:161. [PMID: 38678268 PMCID: PMC11055293 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03892-5] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated from a spillover event, where the virus jumped from bats to humans, leading to an epidemic that quickly escalated into a pandemic by early 2020. Despite the implementation of various public health measures, such as lockdowns and widespread vaccination efforts, the virus continues to spread. This is primarily attributed to the rapid emergence of immune escape variants and the inadequacy of protection against reinfection. Spillback events were reported early in animals with frequent contact with humans, especially companion, captive, and farmed animals. Unfortunately, surveillance of spillback events is generally lacking in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by investigating the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in wild rodents in Sarawak, Malaysia. RESULTS We analysed 208 archived plasma from rodents collected between from 2018 to 2022 to detect neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a surrogate virus neutralisation test, and discovered two seropositive rodents (Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus), which were sampled in 2021 and 2022, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus may be susceptible to natural SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, there is currently no evidence supporting sustainable rodent-to-rodent transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Siang Tan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia.
| | - Madinah Adrus
- Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia
| | | | - Haziq Izzuddin Muhamad Azman
- Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia
| | - Riz Anasthasia Alta Abang
- Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia
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Martínez-Hernández F, Gonzalez-Arenas NR, Cervantes JAO, Villalobos G, Olivo-Diaz A, Rendon-Franco E, Maravilla P, Valdovinos MR, Muñoz-Garcia CI. Identification of SARS-CoV-2 in urban rodents from Southern Mexico City at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2024; 66:e8. [PMID: 38324874 PMCID: PMC10846537 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946202466008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are some concerns about the situation and, in particular, about the future of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. Rodents are an example of synanthropic animals in urban environments that harbor important zoonoses. Although the molecular identification of SARS-CoV-2 in Rattus norvegicus from New York City had been reported, in other studies, urban wild rodents infected with this virus have not been found. This study aimed to molecularly identify the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in urban wild rodents from Mexico City, trapped along a water channel of a public park as part of a pest control program, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during the fall and winter of 2020. Up to 33 Mus musculus and 52 R. norvegicus were captured and euthanized, large intestine samples with feces from the animals were obtained. RNAs were obtained and subjected to qRT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 identification and threshold cycle (Ct) values were obtained. Four mice (12.1%) and three rats (5.8%) were positive, three rodents exhibited Ct<30. Our results on the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 in urban rats are in line with other previous reports. Thus, similar to other authors, we suggest that surveillance for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in urban wild rodents, as sentinel animals, should be maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José Antonio Ocampo Cervantes
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas y Acuícolas de Cuemanco, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Guiehdani Villalobos
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - Emilio Rendon-Franco
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Pablo Maravilla
- Hospital General “Dr. Manuel Gea González”, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mirza Romero Valdovinos
- Hospital General “Dr. Manuel Gea González”, Departamento de Biología Molecular e Histocompatibilidad, Laboratorio de Patógenos Emergentes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Claudia Irais Muñoz-Garcia
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Apaa T, Withers AJ, Mackenzie L, Staley C, Dessi N, Blanchard A, Bennett M, Bremner-Harrison S, Chadwick EA, Hailer F, Harrison SWR, Lambin X, Loose M, Mathews F, Tarlinton R. Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat ( Mustela erminea) Minacovirus. J Gen Virol 2023; 104:001917. [PMID: 38059490 PMCID: PMC10770931 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeat spillover of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into new hosts has highlighted the critical role of cross-species transmission of coronaviruses and establishment of new reservoirs of virus in pandemic and epizootic spread of coronaviruses. Species particularly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 spillover include Mustelidae (mink, ferrets and related animals), cricetid rodents (hamsters and related animals), felids (domestic cats and related animals) and white-tailed deer. These predispositions led us to screen British wildlife with sarbecovirus-specific quantitative PCR and pan coronavirus PCR assays for SARS-CoV-2 using samples collected during the human pandemic to establish if widespread spillover was occurring. Fourteen wildlife species (n=402) were tested, including: two red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 101 badgers (Meles meles), two wild American mink (Neogale vison), 41 pine marten (Martes martes), two weasels (Mustela nivalis), seven stoats (Mustela erminea), 108 water voles (Arvicola amphibius), 39 bank voles (Myodes glareolous), 10 field voles (Microtus agrestis), 15 wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), one common shrew (Sorex aranaeus), two pygmy shrews (Sorex minutus), two hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and 75 Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra). No cases of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in any animals, but a novel minacovirus related to mink and ferret alphacoronaviruses was detected in stoats recently introduced to the Orkney Islands. This group of viruses is of interest due to pathogenicity in ferrets. The impact of this virus on the health of stoat populations remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ternenge Apaa
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, Surrey, UK
| | - Amy J. Withers
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, Surrey, UK
| | - Laura Mackenzie
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Ceri Staley
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Nicola Dessi
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Sand Hutton, York, UK
| | - Adam Blanchard
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Malcolm Bennett
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Samantha Bremner-Harrison
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, UK
- Vincent Wildlife Trust, Eastnor, Ledbury, UK
| | | | - Frank Hailer
- Organisms and Environment, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Stephen W. R. Harrison
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, UK
| | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Matthew Loose
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Rachael Tarlinton
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
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de Cock MP, de Vries A, Fonville M, Esser HJ, Mehl C, Ulrich RG, Joeres M, Hoffmann D, Eisenberg T, Schmidt K, Hulst M, van der Poel WHM, Sprong H, Maas M. Increased rat-borne zoonotic disease hazard in greener urban areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165069. [PMID: 37392874 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Urban greening has benefits for both human and environmental health. However, urban greening might also have negative effects as the abundance of wild rats, which can host and spread a great diversity of zoonotic pathogens, increases with urban greenness. Studies on the effect of urban greening on rat-borne zoonotic pathogens are currently unavailable. Therefore, we investigated how urban greenness is associated with rat-borne zoonotic pathogen prevalence and diversity, and translated this to human disease hazard. We screened 412 wild rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) from three cities in the Netherlands for 18 different zoonotic pathogens: Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Spiroplasma spp., Streptobacillus moniliformis, Coxiella burnetii, Salmonella spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli, rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV), Seoul orthohantavirus, Cowpox virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia spp. We modelled the relationships between pathogen prevalence and diversity and urban greenness. We detected 13 different zoonotic pathogens. Rats from greener urban areas had a significantly higher prevalence of Bartonella spp. and Borrelia spp., and a significantly lower prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli and ratHEV. Rat age was positively correlated with pathogen diversity while greenness was not related to pathogen diversity. Additionally, Bartonella spp. occurrence was positively correlated with that of Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia spp. occurrence was also positively correlated with that of Rickettsia spp. Our results show an increased rat-borne zoonotic disease hazard in greener urban areas, which for most pathogens was driven by the increase in rat abundance rather than pathogen prevalence. This highlights the importance of keeping rat densities low and investigating the effects of urban greening on the exposure to zoonotic pathogens in order to make informed decisions and to take appropriate countermeasures preventing zoonotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke P de Cock
- Centre for Infectious diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Gelderland, the Netherlands.
| | - Ankje de Vries
- Centre for Infectious diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Helen J Esser
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Gelderland, the Netherlands.
| | - Calvin Mehl
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Germany; Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Greifswald-Insel Riems, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Germany; Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Greifswald-Insel Riems, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
| | - Maike Joeres
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
| | - Tobias Eisenberg
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Hessian State Laboratory, Giessen, Hessen, Germany.
| | - Katja Schmidt
- Microbiological Diagnostics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
| | - Marcel Hulst
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Flevoland, the Netherlands.
| | - Wim H M van der Poel
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Gelderland, the Netherlands; Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Flevoland, the Netherlands.
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Miriam Maas
- Centre for Infectious diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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