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Schmidt S, Reil D, Jeske K, Drewes S, Rosenfeld UM, Fischer S, Spierling NG, Labutin A, Heckel G, Jacob J, Ulrich RG, Imholt C. Spatial and Temporal Dynamics and Molecular Evolution of Tula orthohantavirus in German Vole Populations. Viruses 2021; 13:1132. [PMID: 34208398 PMCID: PMC8231151 DOI: 10.3390/v13061132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tula orthohantavirus (TULV) is a rodent-borne hantavirus with broad geographical distribution in Europe. Its major reservoir is the common vole (Microtus arvalis), but TULV has also been detected in closely related vole species. Given the large distributional range and high amplitude population dynamics of common voles, this host-pathogen complex presents an ideal system to study the complex mechanisms of pathogen transmission in a wild rodent reservoir. We investigated the dynamics of TULV prevalence and the subsequent potential effects on the molecular evolution of TULV in common voles of the Central evolutionary lineage. Rodents were trapped for three years in four regions of Germany and samples were analyzed for the presence of TULV-reactive antibodies and TULV RNA with subsequent sequence determination. The results show that individual (sex) and population-level factors (abundance) of hosts were significant predictors of local TULV dynamics. At the large geographic scale, different phylogenetic TULV clades and an overall isolation-by-distance pattern in virus sequences were detected, while at the small scale (<4 km) this depended on the study area. In combination with an overall delayed density dependence, our results highlight that frequent, localized bottleneck events for the common vole and TULV do occur and can be offset by local recolonization dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schmidt
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Daniela Reil
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany;
| | - Kathrin Jeske
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Stephan Drewes
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Ulrike M. Rosenfeld
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Nastasja G. Spierling
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Anton Labutin
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (G.H.)
| | - Gerald Heckel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (G.H.)
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), 48161 Münster, Germany;
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (S.S.); (K.J.); (S.D.); (U.M.R.); (S.F.); (N.G.S.); (R.G.U.)
| | - Christian Imholt
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), 48161 Münster, Germany;
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Fischer S, Franke A, Imholt C, Gethmann J, Spierling NG, Jacob J, Beer M, Hoffmann D, Ulrich RG. Patchy Occurrence of Cowpox Virus in Voles from Germany. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:471-475. [PMID: 32013767 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cowpox virus (CPXV), genus Orthopoxvirus, family Poxviridae, is a zoonotic pathogen in Eurasian wild rodents. High seroprevalences have been reported previously for vole and murine species in Europe. In contrast, viral DNA was only rarely detected, and very few reservoir-derived CPXV isolates exist. In this study, CPXV DNA and CPXV-reactive antibodies were monitored in wild small mammals for 5 years in four German federal states. Screening of liver tissues of 3966 animals by CPXV real-time PCR (qPCR) revealed five voles of two species positive for CPXV DNA. Two positive bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and two positive common voles (Microtus arvalis) originated from two plots in Baden-Wuerttemberg. One positive bank vole originated from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. None of the small mammals from Thuringia and North Rhine-Westphalia was positive in the qPCR. CPXV antigen-based indirect immunofluorescence assays of 654 highly diluted chest cavity fluid samples detected two bank voles and two common voles from the same sites in Baden-Wuerttemberg to be highly seroreactive. Five animals were CPXV DNA positive, and four other animals were orthopoxvirus seropositive. Our study indicates both a very low prevalence and a patchy occurrence of CPXV in common and bank voles and absence in other rodent and shrew species in Germany. The multiple detection of infected voles at one site in Baden-Wuerttemberg and continued detection in a region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania classify these regions as potential endemic foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Annika Franke
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Jörn Gethmann
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Nastasja G Spierling
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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Helmy YA, Spierling NG, Schmidt S, Rosenfeld UM, Reil D, Imholt C, Jacob J, Ulrich RG, Aebischer T, Klotz C. Occurrence and distribution of Giardia species in wild rodents in Germany. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:213. [PMID: 29587877 PMCID: PMC5870188 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2802-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Giardiasis is an important gastrointestinal parasitic disease in humans and other mammals caused by the protozoan Giardia duodenalis. This species complex is represented by genetically distinct groups (assemblages A-H) with varying zoonotic potential and host preferences. Wild rodents can harbor potentially zoonotic assemblages A and B, and the rodent-specific assemblage G. Other Giardia spp. found in these animals are Giardia muris and Giardia microti. For the latter, only limited information on genetic typing is available. It has been speculated that wild rodents might represent an important reservoir for parasites causing human giardiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of Giardia spp. and assemblage types in wild rodents from different study sites in Germany. RESULTS Screening of 577 wild rodents of the genera Apodemus, Microtus and Myodes, sampled at eleven study sites in Germany, revealed a high overall Giardia prevalence. Giardia species determination at the SSU rDNA gene locus revealed that Apodemus mice, depending on species, were predominantly infected with one of two distinct G. muris sequence types. Giardia microti was the predominant parasite species found in voles of the genera Microtus and Myodes. Only a few animals were positive for potentially zoonotic G. duodenalis. Subtyping at the beta-giardin (bg) and glutamine dehydrogenase (gdh) genes strongly supported the existence of different phylogenetic subgroups of G. microti that are preferentially harbored by distinct host species. CONCLUSIONS The present study highlights the preference of G. muris for Apodemus, and G. microti for Microtus and Myodes hosts and argues for a very low prevalence of zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblages in wild rodents in Germany. It also provides evidence that G. muris and G. microti subdivide into several phylogenetically distinguishable subgroups, each of which appears to be preferentially harbored by species of a particular rodent host genus. Finally, the study expands the database of sequences relevant for sequence typing of G. muris and G. microti isolates which will greatly help future analyses of these parasites' population structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosra A Helmy
- Unit 16 Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Department Panel Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Animal Hygiene, Zoonoses and Animal Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41511, Egypt
| | - Nastasja G Spierling
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schmidt
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.,German Society of Tissue Transplantation, Kruppstraße 98, 45145, Essen, Germany
| | - Ulrike M Rosenfeld
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Daniela Reil
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Toni Aebischer
- Unit 16 Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Klotz
- Unit 16 Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
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Fischer S, Mayer-Scholl A, Imholt C, Spierling NG, Heuser E, Schmidt S, Reil D, Rosenfeld UM, Jacob J, Nöckler K, Ulrich RG. Leptospira Genomospecies and Sequence Type Prevalence in Small Mammal Populations in Germany. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:188-199. [PMID: 29470107 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease caused by zoonotic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Numerous mammals, including domestic and companion animals, can be infected by Leptospira spp., but rodents and other small mammals are considered the main reservoir. The annual number of recorded human leptospirosis cases in Germany (2001-2016) was 25-166. Field fever outbreaks in strawberry pickers, due to infection with Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa, were reported in 2007 and 2014. To identify the most commonly occurring Leptospira genomospecies, sequence types (STs), and their small mammal host specificity, a monitoring study was performed during 2010-2014 in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of kidney tissues of 3,950 animals by PCR targeting the lipl32 gene revealed 435 rodents of 6 species and 89 shrews of three species positive for leptospiral DNA. PCR-based analyses resulted in the identification of the genomospecies L. kirschneri (62.7%), Leptospira interrogans (28.3%), and Leptospira borgpetersenii (9.0%), which are represented by four, one, and two STs, respectively. The average Leptospira prevalence was highest (∼30%) in common voles (Microtus arvalis) and field voles (Microtus agrestis). Both species were exclusively infected with L. kirschneri. In contrast, in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), DNA of all three genomospecies was detected, and in common shrews (Sorex araneus) DNA of L. kirschneri and L. borgpetersenii was identified. The association between individual infection status and demographic factors varied between species; infection status was always positively correlated to body weight. In conclusion, the study confirmed a broad geographical distribution of Leptospira in small mammals and suggested an important public health relevance of common and field voles as reservoirs of L. kirschneri. Furthermore, the investigations identified seasonal, habitat-related, as well as individual influences on Leptospira prevalence in small mammals that might impact public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anne Mayer-Scholl
- 2 Department for Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- 3 Vertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute , Münster, Germany
| | - Nastasja G Spierling
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Elisa Heuser
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schmidt
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Daniela Reil
- 3 Vertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute , Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrike M Rosenfeld
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- 3 Vertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute , Münster, Germany
| | - Karsten Nöckler
- 2 Department for Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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Fischer S, Spierling NG, Heuser E, Kling C, Schmidt S, Rosenfeld UM, Reil D, Imholt C, Jacob J, Ulrich RG, Essbauer S. High prevalence of Rickettsia helvetica in wild small mammal populations in Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:500-505. [PMID: 29398604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Since the beginning of the 21st century, spotted fever rickettsioses are known as emerging diseases worldwide. Rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropod vectors. The ecology of Rickettsia species has not been investigated in detail, but small mammals are considered to play a role as reservoirs. Aim of this study was to monitor rickettsiae in wild small mammals over a period of five years in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of ear pinna tissues of 3939 animals by Pan-Rick real-time PCR targeting the citrate synthase (gltA) gene revealed 296 rodents of seven species and 19 shrews of two species positive for rickettsial DNA. Outer membrane protein gene (ompB, ompAIV) PCRs based typing resulted in the identification of three species: Rickettsia helvetica (90.9%) was found as the dominantly occurring species in the four investigated federal states, but Rickettsia felis (7.8%) and Rickettsia raoultii (1.3%) were also detected. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in rodents of the genus Apodemus was found to be higher (approximately 14%) than in all other rodent and shrew species at all investigated sites. General linear mixed model analyses indicated that heavier (older) individuals of yellow-necked mice and male common voles seem to contain more often rickettsial DNA than younger ones. Furthermore, rodents generally collected in forests in summer and autumn more often carried rickettsial DNA. In conclusion, this study indicated a high prevalence of R. helvetica in small mammal populations and suggests an age-dependent increase of the DNA prevalence in some of the species and in animals originating from forest habitats. The finding of R. helvetica and R. felis DNA in multiple small mammal species may indicate frequent trans-species transmission by feeding of vectors on different species. Further investigations should target the reason for the discrepancy between the high rickettsial DNA prevalence in rodents and the so far almost absence of clinical apparent human infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Nastasja G Spierling
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Elisa Heuser
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christopher Kling
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Department Virology and Rickettsiology, Neuherbergstr. 11, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schmidt
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Ulrike M Rosenfeld
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Daniela Reil
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sandra Essbauer
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Department Virology and Rickettsiology, Neuherbergstr. 11, 80937 Munich, Germany.
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