1
|
Strydom T, Catchen MD, Banville F, Caron D, Dansereau G, Desjardins-Proulx P, Forero-Muñoz NR, Higino G, Mercier B, Gonzalez A, Gravel D, Pollock L, Poisot T. A roadmap towards predicting species interaction networks (across space and time). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20210063. [PMID: 34538135 PMCID: PMC8450634 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Networks of species interactions underpin numerous ecosystem processes, but comprehensively sampling these interactions is difficult. Interactions intrinsically vary across space and time, and given the number of species that compose ecological communities, it can be tough to distinguish between a true negative (where two species never interact) from a false negative (where two species have not been observed interacting even though they actually do). Assessing the likelihood of interactions between species is an imperative for several fields of ecology. This means that to predict interactions between species-and to describe the structure, variation, and change of the ecological networks they form-we need to rely on modelling tools. Here, we provide a proof-of-concept, where we show how a simple neural network model makes accurate predictions about species interactions given limited data. We then assess the challenges and opportunities associated with improving interaction predictions, and provide a conceptual roadmap forward towards predictive models of ecological networks that is explicitly spatial and temporal. We conclude with a brief primer on the relevant methods and tools needed to start building these models, which we hope will guide this research programme forward. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease macroecology: parasite diversity and dynamics across the globe'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Strydom
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
| | - Michael D. Catchen
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Francis Banville
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Dominique Caron
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Gabriel Dansereau
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
| | - Philippe Desjardins-Proulx
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
| | - Norma R. Forero-Muñoz
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
| | | | - Benjamin Mercier
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Andrew Gonzalez
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Dominique Gravel
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Laura Pollock
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
- McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Timothée Poisot
- Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H2V 0B3
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences, Montréal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
López-Pérez AM, Chaves A, Sánchez-Montes S, Foley P, Uhart M, Barrón-Rodríguez J, Becker I, Suzán G, Foley J. Diversity of rickettsiae in domestic, synanthropic, and sylvatic mammals and their ectoparasites in a spotted fever-epidemic region at the western US-Mexico border. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:609-622. [PMID: 33667026 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Over one hundred cases of human rickettsiosis, many fatal, are reported annually across the US-Mexico transboundary region, representing a likely undercount. Although cases are often attributed to Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, multiple other Rickettsia pathogens are present in North America. We conducted multiple-host surveillance of domestic, synanthropic, and sylvatic mammals and their ectoparasites to investigate the ecology of Rickettsia species in this region. A total of 499 mammals, including 83 dogs, 23 wild carnivores, five lagomorphs, and 388 rodents were sampled, and 413 fleas and 447 ticks belonging to 15 and 4 species, respectively, were collected during 2017 and 2018. We detected Rickettsia spp. DNA in one blood sample of coyote (Canis latrans), 11 ear tissues of rodents (10.6%), and 79 ectoparasites (9.5%). Of the 64 Rickettsia-positive fleas, 54 were Echidnophaga gallinacea and 10 were Pulex simulans, while of the 15 ticks, 11 were Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. and four Ixodes pacificus. The DNA sequence alignment of gltA and ompB regions revealed one and ten genetic variants of Rickettsia spp., respectively. These variants were clustered in clades of zoonotic species (R. felis, R. massiliae, R. parkeri, R. rickettsii, and R. typhi) and organisms of unknown pathogenic significance (R. asembonensis and Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae). The finding of a coyote infected with R. rickettsii and the multiple zoonotic SFG rickettsial agents in the study area suggest that: 1) wild canids could serve as an amplifying host for RMSF, an alternate host for Rh. sanguineus s.l. ticks, and a means to spread infection and ticks over large areas; and 2) at least some of the human rickettsiosis cases attributed to R. rickettsii could be caused by other Rickettsia species. This study strongly supports the importance of multiple-host and vector eco-epidemiological studies and the One Health approach to better understand disease in a RMSF-epidemic region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M López-Pérez
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Andrea Chaves
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sokani Sánchez-Montes
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, México.,División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Patrick Foley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Julio Barrón-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ingeborg Becker
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, región Tuxpan, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, México
| | - Gerardo Suzán
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Elders PND, Swe MMM, Phyo AP, McLean ARD, Lin HN, Soe K, Htay WYA, Tanganuchitcharnchai A, Hla TK, Tun NN, Nwe TT, Moe MM, Thein WM, Zaw NN, Kyaw WM, Linn H, Htwe YY, Smithuis FM, Blacksell SD, Ashley EA. Serological evidence indicates widespread distribution of rickettsioses in Myanmar. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 103:494-501. [PMID: 33310022 PMCID: PMC7862081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.12.013] [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: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Diagnosis of rickettsial infections is difficult in low-resource settings; this leads to delays in receiving appropriate treatment. Before this study, the distribution of rickettsioses in Myanmar was not known. This serosurvey shows that rickettsioses are widespread in Myanmar. Particularly high prevalence of scrub typhus was found in central and northern regions.
Background Little research has been published on the prevalence of rickettsial infections in Myanmar. This study determined the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to rickettsial species in different regions of Myanmar. Methods Seven hundred leftover blood samples from patients of all ages in primary care clinics and hospitals in seven regions of Myanmar were collected. Samples were screened for scrub typhus group (STG), typhus group (TG) and spotted fever group (SFG) IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Immunofluorescence assays were performed for the same rickettsial groups to confirm seropositivity if ELISA optical density ≥0.5. Results Overall IgG seroprevalence was 19% [95% confidence interval (CI) 16–22%] for STG, 5% (95% CI 3–7%) for TG and 3% (95% CI: 2–5%) for SFG. The seroprevalence of STG was particularly high in northern and central Myanmar (59% and 19–33%, respectively). Increasing age was associated with higher odds of STG and TG seropositivity [per 10-year increase, adjusted odds ratio estimate 1.68 (p < 0.01) and 1.24 (p = 0.03), respectively]. Conclusion Rickettsial infections are widespread in Myanmar, with particularly high seroprevalence of STG IgG antibodies in central and northern regions. Healthcare workers should consider rickettsial infections as common causes of fever in Myanmar.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alistair R D McLean
- Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kyaw Soe
- Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar
| | | | - Ampai Tanganuchitcharnchai
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thel K Hla
- Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar; Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ni Ni Tun
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thin Thin Nwe
- Magway General Hospital and University of Medicine, Magway, Myanmar; University of Medicine 2, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Myat Myat Moe
- Magway General Hospital and University of Medicine, Magway, Myanmar
| | - Win May Thein
- Mandalay General Hospital and University of Medicine, Mandalay, Myanmar
| | - Ni Ni Zaw
- Mandalay General Hospital and University of Medicine, Mandalay, Myanmar
| | | | - Htun Linn
- Monywa General Hospital, Monywa, Myanmar
| | | | - Frank M Smithuis
- Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Stuart D Blacksell
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Elizabeth A Ashley
- Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic.
| |
Collapse
|