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Rich SN, Carpenter A, Dell B, Henderson R, Adams S, Bestul N, Grano C, Sprague B, Leopold J, Schiffman EK, Lomeli A, Zadeh H, Alarcón J, Halai UA, Nam YS, Seifu L, Slavinski S, Crum D, Mosites E, Salzer JS, Hinckley AF, McCormick DW, Marx GE. Knowledge and practices related to louse- and flea-borne diseases among staff providing services to people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Zoonoses Public Health 2024. [PMID: 38514461 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Louse-borne Bartonella quintana infection and flea-borne murine typhus are two potentially serious vector-borne diseases that have led to periodic outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Little is known about louse- and flea-borne disease awareness and prevention among staff who provide services to the population. We surveyed staff in seven US states to identify gaps in knowledge and prevention practices for these diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS Surveys were administered to 333 staff at 89 homeless shelters and outreach teams in California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Washington from August 2022 to April 2023. Most participants (>68%) agreed that body lice and fleas are a problem for people experiencing homelessness. About half were aware that diseases could be transmitted by these vectors; however, most could not accurately identify which diseases. Less than a quarter of staff could describe an appropriate protocol for managing body lice or fleas. Misconceptions included that clients must isolate or be denied services until they are medically cleared. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal significant knowledge gaps among staff who provide services to people experiencing homelessness in the prevention and control of louse- and flea-borne diseases. This demonstrates an urgent need for staff training to both reduce disease and prevent unnecessary restrictions on services and housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannan N Rich
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch, Division of Workforce Development, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Ann Carpenter
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch, Division of Workforce Development, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Bree Dell
- Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization Section, Public Health - Seattle & King County, Seattle, Washington State, USA
| | - Rachel Henderson
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sydney Adams
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nicolette Bestul
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christopher Grano
- Communicable Disease Branch, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Briana Sprague
- Communicable Disease Branch, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Josh Leopold
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Division, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elizabeth K Schiffman
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Division, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andrea Lomeli
- Medical and Preventive Services, Fulton County Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hassan Zadeh
- Medical and Preventive Services, Fulton County Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jemma Alarcón
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch, Division of Workforce Development, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Umme-Aiman Halai
- Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yoon-Sung Nam
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch, Division of Workforce Development, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Leah Seifu
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch, Division of Workforce Development, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Bureau of Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Sally Slavinski
- Bureau of Communicable Disease, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, New York, USA
| | - David Crum
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emily Mosites
- Office of the Director, Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Johanna S Salzer
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alison F Hinckley
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - David W McCormick
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Grace E Marx
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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2
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Stewart Z, Korsapathy S, Frohlich F. Crowd-sourced investigation of a potential relationship between Bartonella-associated cutaneous lesions and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1244121. [PMID: 37941969 PMCID: PMC10628448 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1244121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Preliminary studies suggest that infection with Bartonella bacteria can not only cause a characteristic rash, headache, fever, and fatigue but also neuropsychiatric symptoms. To date, this association has only been reported in case studies, and it remains unclear if this association generalizes to larger samples. Methods We used Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to crowdsource a large sample (N = 996) of individuals to ascertain the extent to which the presence of participant-identified Bartonella-associated cutaneous lesions (BACL) was associated with self-reported measures of anxiety, depression, and schizotypy. Participants were asked to select images of cutaneous lesions they had seen on their own bodies and complete a battery of self-report questionnaires to assess psychiatric symptoms. Participants were not informed that the focus of the study was on potential dermatological lesions associated with Bartonella. Point-biserial correlations were used to determine the potential relationship between selecting a BACL image and the severity of self-reported psychiatric symptoms. Results Scores of anxiety, depression, and schizotypy were positively and significantly correlated with selecting a BACL image. Furthermore, self-report scores of 10 or higher on the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, which represent the suggested clinical cutoffs for meeting criteria for a depressive or anxiety-related disorder, were also significantly associated with selecting a BACL image. Non-Bartonella-associated cutaneous legions were also significantly associated with self-reported measures of psychiatric symptoms. Discussion The current study broadens the link between the presence of BACL and the presence of psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, depression, and schizotypy and extends a potential relationship beyond the small sample sizes of previous case studies and case series. Further investigation is recommended to address limitations and expand on these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Stewart
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sanvi Korsapathy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Flavio Frohlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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3
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McCormick DW, Rassoulian-Barrett SL, Hoogestraat DR, Salipante SJ, SenGupta D, Dietrich EA, Cookson BT, Marx GE, Lieberman JA. Bartonella spp. Infections Identified by Molecular Methods, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:467-476. [PMID: 36823096 PMCID: PMC9973681 DOI: 10.3201/eid2903.221223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular methods can enable rapid identification of Bartonella spp. infections, which are difficult to diagnose by using culture or serology. We analyzed clinical test results of PCR that targeted bacterial 16S rRNA hypervariable V1-V2 regions only or in parallel with PCR of Bartonella-specific ribC gene. We identified 430 clinical specimens infected with Bartonella spp. from 420 patients in the United States. Median patient age was 37 (range 1-79) years; 62% were male. We identified B. henselae in 77%, B. quintana in 13%, B. clarridgeiae in 1%, B. vinsonii in 1%, and B. washoensis in 1% of specimens. B. quintana was detected in 83% of cardiac specimens; B. henselae was detected in 34% of lymph node specimens. We detected novel or uncommon Bartonella spp. in 9 patients. Molecular diagnostic testing can identify Bartonella spp. infections, including uncommon and undescribed species, and might be particularly useful for patients who have culture-negative endocarditis or lymphadenitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. McCormick
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Sara L. Rassoulian-Barrett
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Daniel R. Hoogestraat
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Stephen J. Salipante
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Dhruba SenGupta
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Elizabeth A. Dietrich
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
| | - Brad T. Cookson
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.W. McCormick, E.A. Dietrich, G.E. Marx)
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA (S.L. Rassoulian-Barrett, D.R. Hoogestraat, S.J. Salipante, D. SenGupta, B.T. Cookson, J.A. Lieberman)
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Billeter SA. A Review of Bartonella Infections in California-Implications for Public and Veterinary Health. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1154-1163. [PMID: 35535811 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bartonella are vector-transmitted, intracellular bacteria that infect a wide variety of blood-feeding arthropods and their vertebrate hosts. In California, more than 13 species of Bartonella have been described from companion animals, livestock, and wildlife, of which four have been associated with human disease. Infections in humans cause a range of symptoms from relatively mild to severe, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Exposure to infected domestic animals and wildlife, and their ectoparasites, may increase the risk of cross-species transmission. The objective of this review was to compile and summarize published materials on human and animal Bartonella infections in California. Medical and veterinary case reports of bartonellosis were highlighted in an effort to increase the awareness of this poorly understood and potentially under-recognized disease among healthcare professionals and veterinarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Billeter
- California Department of Public Health, Vector Borne Disease Section, 2151 Convention Center Way, Suite 226, Ontario, CA 91764, USA
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5
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Krügel M, Król N, Kempf VAJ, Pfeffer M, Obiegala A. Emerging rodent-associated Bartonella: a threat for human health? Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:113. [PMID: 35361285 PMCID: PMC8969336 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05162-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Species of the genus Bartonella are facultative intracellular alphaproteobacteria with zoonotic potential. Bartonella infections in humans range from mild with unspecific symptoms to life threatening, and can be transmitted via arthropod vectors or through direct contact with infected hosts, although the latter mode of transmission is rare. Among the small mammals that harbour Bartonella spp., rodents are the most speciose group and harbour the highest diversity of these parasites. Human–rodent interactions are not unlikely as many rodent species live in proximity to humans. However, a surprisingly low number of clinical cases of bartonellosis related to rodent-associated Bartonella spp. have thus far been recorded in humans. Methods The main purpose of this review is to determine explanatory factors for this unexpected finding, by taking a closer look at published clinical cases of bartonellosis connected with rodent-associated Bartonella species, some of which have been newly described in recent years. Thus, another focus of this review are these recently proposed species. Conclusions Worldwide, only 24 cases of bartonellosis caused by rodent-associated bartonellae have been reported in humans. Possible reasons for this low number of cases in comparison to the high prevalences of Bartonella in small mammal species are (i) a lack of awareness amongst physicians of Bartonella infections in humans in general, and especially those caused by rodent-associated bartonellae; and (ii) a frequent lack of the sophisticated equipment required for the confirmation of Bartonella infections in laboratories that undertake routine diagnostic testing. As regards recently described Bartonella spp., there are presently 14 rodent-associated Candidatus taxa. In contrast to species which have been taxonomically classified, there is no official process for the review of proposed Candidatus species and their names before they are published. This had led to the use of malformed names that are not based on the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Researchers are thus encouraged to propose Candidatus names to the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes for approval before publishing them, and only to propose new species of Bartonella when the relevant datasets allow them to be clearly differentiated from known species and subspecies. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05162-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Krügel
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,National Consiliary Laboratory for Bartonella, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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6
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Mai BHA. Seroprevalence of Bartonella quintana infection: A systematic review. J Glob Infect Dis 2022; 14:50-56. [PMID: 35910824 PMCID: PMC9336607 DOI: 10.4103/jgid.jgid_220_21] [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: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Bartonella quintana is an anaerobic bacillus whose main target is the erythrocyte. This bacterium transmitted by the body louse notably infected the soldiers of the First World War from where the name of this disease: fever of the trenches. The 90s marked the return of this bacterial infection. B. quintana infection in the homeless was reported in the literature with a high incidence in these populations worldwide. This upsurge of cases justified this study for a better understanding of B. quintana infections. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the seroprevalence of B. quintana infection by using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to collect scientific papers from PubMed and Google Scholar based on combining keywords. Results: The review included 45 articles published from April 1996 to March 2020 with 84 subpopulations of 21 countries from 4 continents; among them, 61 subpopulations had a positive rate from 0.2% to 65%. These subpopulations were divided into four main groups: homeless people, healthy people, blood donors, and symptoms/diseases. Homeless people were the main target of this infection, and three factors related to susceptibility were homeless period, age, and alcoholism. 6/11, 12/20, and 32/41 subpopulations of healthy people, blood donors, symptoms/diseases, respectively, had a positive percentage. However, factors of exposure in these three groups were not mentioned. Other reservoirs, vectors, and transmitted routes were identified to partially explain the worldwide spread of the infection, and it is important to have more further investigations to identify potential risk factors. This will help to limit contamination and prevent effectively. Conclusions: This serological overview indicated the importance of B. quintana infection that has emerged in multiple regions, touched worldwide populations.
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7
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McCormick DW, Rowan SE, Pappert R, Yockey B, Dietrich EA, Petersen JM, Hinckley AF, Marx GE. Bartonella Seroreactivity Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness During an Outbreak of Bartonella quintana in Denver, Colorado, 2020. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab230. [PMID: 34239947 PMCID: PMC8135998 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
During a recent outbreak of Bartonella quintana disease in
Denver, 15% of 241 persons experiencing homelessness who presented for severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing were seroreactive for
Bartonella. Improved recognition of B
quintana disease and prevention of louse infestation are critical
for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W McCormick
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Ryan Pappert
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Brook Yockey
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Dietrich
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jeannine M Petersen
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Alison F Hinckley
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Grace E Marx
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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8
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Anstead GM. History, Rats, Fleas, and Opossums. II. The Decline and Resurgence of Flea-Borne Typhus in the United States, 1945-2019. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 6:2. [PMID: 33379251 PMCID: PMC7839051 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Flea-borne typhus, due to Rickettsia typhi and R. felis, is an infection causing fever, headache, rash, and diverse organ manifestations that can result in critical illness or death. This is the second part of a two-part series describing the rise, decline, and resurgence of flea-borne typhus (FBT) in the United States over the last century. These studies illustrate the influence of historical events, social conditions, technology, and public health interventions on the prevalence of a vector-borne disease. Flea-borne typhus was an emerging disease, primarily in the Southern USA and California, from 1910 to 1945. The primary reservoirs in this period were the rats Rattus norvegicus and Ra. rattus and the main vector was the Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis). The period 1930 to 1945 saw a dramatic rise in the number of reported cases. This was due to conditions favorable to the proliferation of rodents and their fleas during the Depression and World War II years, including: dilapidated, overcrowded housing; poor environmental sanitation; and the difficulty of importing insecticides and rodenticides during wartime. About 42,000 cases were reported between 1931-1946, and the actual number of cases may have been three-fold higher. The number of annual cases of FBT peaked in 1944 at 5401 cases. American involvement in World War II, in the short term, further perpetuated the epidemic of FBT by the increased production of food crops in the American South and by promoting crowded and unsanitary conditions in the Southern cities. However, ultimately, World War II proved to be a powerful catalyst in the control of FBT by improving standards of living and providing the tools for typhus control, such as synthetic insecticides and novel rodenticides. A vigorous program for the control of FBT was conducted by the US Public Health Service from 1945 to 1952, using insecticides, rodenticides, and environmental sanitation and remediation. Government programs and relative economic prosperity in the South also resulted in slum clearance and improved housing, which reduced rodent harborage. By 1956, the number of cases of FBT in the United States had dropped dramatically to only 98. Federally funded projects for rat control continued until the mid-1980s. Effective antibiotics for FBT, such as the tetracyclines, came into clinical practice in the late 1940s. The first diagnostic test for FBT, the Weil-Felix test, was found to have inadequate sensitivity and specificity and was replaced by complement fixation in the 1940s and the indirect fluorescent antibody test in the 1980s. A second organism causing FBT, R. felis, was discovered in 1990. Flea-borne typhus persists in the United States, primarily in South and Central Texas, the Los Angeles area, and Hawaii. In the former two areas, the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and cats have replaced rats as the primary reservoirs, with the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) now as the most important vector. In Hawaii, 73% of cases occur in Maui County because it has lower rainfall than other areas. Despite great successes against FBT in the post-World War II era, it has proved difficult to eliminate because it is now associated with our companion animals, stray pets, opossums, and the cat flea, an abundant and non-selective vector. In the new millennium, cases of FBT are increasing in Texas and California. In 2018-2019, Los Angeles County experienced a resurgence of FBT, with rats as the reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Anstead
- Medical Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System and Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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9
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Ly TDA, Louni M, Hoang VT, Dao TL, Badiaga S, Brouqui P, Tissot-Dupont H, Raoult D, Fournier PE, Gautret P. Epidemiological serosurvey of vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens among homeless people living in shelters in Marseille: cross-sectional one-day surveys (2005-2015). Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 39:1663-1672. [PMID: 32318966 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03889-6] [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: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Homeless people are often exposed to unhygienic environments as well as to animals carrying arthropods which both transmit zoonotic infections and human louse-borne pathogens. We attempted to determine the prevalence of antibodies against several vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens among homeless adults living in Marseille. During the 2005-2015 period, we collected sera samples from 821 homeless adults living in shelters. Antibodies against Bartonella quintana, Bartonella henselae, Borrelia recurrentis, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis (with a cut-off of 1:100), Rickettsia akari, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia prowazekii, and Rickettsia typhi (with a cut-off of 1:64) were searched by microimmunofluorescence (MIF). MIF-positive serum samples were confirmed by cross-adsorption to characterise cross-reacting antigens and immunoblotting. Positive sera by Western blot were further tested using qPCR. We evidenced a prevalence of 4.9% seroreactivity to at least one pathogen including phase II C. burnetii (2.1%), B. quintana (1.7%), R. conorii (0.4%), R. prowazekii (0.4%), R. typhi (0.1%), B. recurrentis (0.1%), and F. tularensis (0.1%). No DNA from any pathogens was detected. A comparison with studies conducted prior to the 2000-2003 period showed a decrease in the overall seroprevalence of several vector-borne and zoonotic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tran Duc Anh Ly
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Meriem Louni
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Van Thuan Hoang
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Family Medicine Department, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, Vietnam
| | - Thi Loi Dao
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Pneumology Department, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, Vietnam
| | - Sekene Badiaga
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, Service des urgences CHU Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France
| | - Phillipe Brouqui
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, MEPHI, Marseille, France
| | - Hervé Tissot-Dupont
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, MEPHI, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, MEPHI, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre-Edouard Fournier
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Gautret
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
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10
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Horvatits T, Ozga AK, Westhölter D, Hartl J, Manthey CF, Lütgehetmann M, Rauch G, Kriston L, Lohse AW, Bendall R, Wedemeyer H, Dalton HR, Pischke S. Hepatitis E seroprevalence in the Americas: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Liver Int 2018; 38:1951-1964. [PMID: 29660259 DOI: 10.1111/liv.13859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS While hepatitis E virus infections are a relevant topic in Europe, knowledge about epidemiology of hepatitis E virus infections in the USA and Latin America is still limited. Aim of this study was to estimate anti-hepatitis E virus IgG seroprevalence in the Americas and to assess whether low socioeconomic status is associated with hepatitis E virus exposure. METHODS We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Literature search was performed in PubMed for articles published 01/1994-12/2016. Prevalence was estimated using a mixed-effects model and reported in line with PRISMA reporting guidelines. RESULTS Seroprevalence was significantly higher in the USA than in Latin America, independently of assay, patient cohort, methodological quality or study year (OR: 1.82 (1.06-3.08), P = .03). Patients in the USA had a more than doubled estimated seroprevalence (up to 9%, confidence interval 5%-15.6%) than those in Brazil (up to 4.2%, confidence interval 2.4%-7.1%; OR: 2.27 (1.25-4.13); P = .007) and Mixed Caribbean (up to 1%, OR: 8.33 (1.15-81.61); P = .04). A comparison with published data from Europe demonstrated that anti-hepatitis E virus seroprevalence in the USA and Europe did not differ significantly (OR: 1.33 (0.81-2.19), P = .25), while rate in South America was significantly lower than that in Europe (OR: 0.67 (0.45-0.98), P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis E virus is common in the USA. Surprisingly, the risk of hepatitis E virus exposure was low in many South American countries. Seroprevalence did not differ significantly between Europe and the USA. Hence, hepatitis E virus is not limited to countries with low sanitary standards, and a higher socioeconomic status does not protect populations from hepatitis E virus exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Horvatits
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Ozga
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Westhölter
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Hartl
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin F Manthey
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Lütgehetmann
- Institute of Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel and Heidelberg Partner sites, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Geraldine Rauch
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Levente Kriston
- Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ansgar W Lohse
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel and Heidelberg Partner sites, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richard Bendall
- Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel and Heidelberg Partner sites, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Harry R Dalton
- Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Truro, UK
| | - Sven Pischke
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel and Heidelberg Partner sites, Hamburg, Germany
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11
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Jahanbakhsh F, Bagheri Amiri F, Sedaghat A, Fahimfar N, Mostafavi E. Prevalence of HAV Ab, HEV (IgG), HSV2 IgG, and Syphilis Among Sheltered Homeless Adults in Tehran, 2012. Int J Health Policy Manag 2018. [PMID: 29524951 PMCID: PMC5890067 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2017.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study investigated the prevalence for hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) and syphilis among homeless in the city of Tehran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 596 homeless were recruited in Tehran. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to study demographic data. Using enzyme-linked immunoassay, and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, we evaluated the seroprevalence of HAV anti-body, HEV IgG, herpes, HSV2 IgG, and syphilis among sheltered homeless in Tehran. The associations between the participant’s characteristics and infections were evaluated using logistic regression and chi-square.
Results: A total of 569 homeless, 78 women (13.7%) and 491 men (86.3%) were enrolled into the study from June to August 2012. Their age mean was 42 years and meantime of being homeless was 24 months. Seroprevalence of syphilis, HEV IgG, HSV2 IgG and HAV Ab was 0.55%, 24.37%, 16.48%, and 94.34%, respectively. History of drug abuse was reported in 77.70%; 46.01% of them were using a drug during the study and 26.87% of them had history of intravenous drug abuse. Among people who had intravenous drug abuse, 48.25% had history of syringe sharing.
Conclusion: The prevalence of HAV, HEV and HSV2 were higher than the general population while low prevalence of syphilis was seen among homeless peoples who are at high risk of sexually transmitted infection (STD). Our findings highlighted that significant healthcare needs of sheltered homeless people in Tehran are unmet and much more attention needs to be paid for the health of homeless people.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fahimeh Bagheri Amiri
- Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Sedaghat
- Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran.,Center for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Noushin Fahimfar
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ehsan Mostafavi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.,HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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12
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Leibler JH, Zakhour CM, Gadhoke P, Gaeta JM. Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infections Among Urban Homeless and Marginalized People in the United States and Europe, 1990-2014. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:435-44. [PMID: 27159039 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In high-income countries, homeless individuals in urban areas often live in crowded conditions with limited sanitation and personal hygiene. The environment of homelessness in high-income countries may result in intensified exposure to ectoparasites and urban wildlife, which can transmit infections. To date, there have been no systematic evaluations of the published literature to assess vector-borne and zoonotic disease risk to these populations. OBJECTIVES The primary objectives of this study were to identify diversity, prevalence, and risk factors for vector-borne and zoonotic infections among people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in urban areas of high-income countries. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of published epidemiologic studies of zoonotic and vector-borne infections among urban homeless and very poor people in the United States and Europe from 1990 to 2014. RESULTS Thirty-one observational studies and 14 case studies were identified (n = 45). Seroprevalence to the human louse-borne pathogen Bartonella quintana (seroprevalence range: 0-37.5%) was identified most frequently, with clinical disease specifically observed among HIV-positive individuals. Seropositivity to Bartonella henselae (range: 0-10.3%) and Rickettsia akari (range: 0-16.2%) was noted in multiple studies. Serological evidence of exposure to Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella elizabethae, West Nile virus, Borellia recurrentis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Wohlfartiimonas chitiniclastica, Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), and Leptospira species was also identified in published studies, with SEOV associated with chronic renal disease later in life. HIV infection, injection drug use, and heavy drinking were noted across multiple studies as risk factors for infection with vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens. CONCLUSIONS B. quintana was the most frequently reported vector-borne infection identified in our article. Delousing efforts and active surveillance among HIV-positive individuals, who are at elevated risk of complication from B. quintana infection, are advised to reduce morbidity. Given documented exposure to rodent-borne zoonoses among urban homeless and marginalized people, reducing human contact with rodents remains an important public health priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica H Leibler
- 1 Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christine M Zakhour
- 2 Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Preety Gadhoke
- 3 College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. Johns University , Queens, New York
| | - Jessie M Gaeta
- 4 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts.,5 Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Detection of zoonotic pathogens and characterization of novel viruses carried by commensal Rattus norvegicus in New York City. mBio 2014; 5:e01933-14. [PMID: 25316698 PMCID: PMC4205793 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01933-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are globally distributed and concentrate in urban environments, where they live and feed in closer proximity to human populations than most other mammals. Despite the potential role of rats as reservoirs of zoonotic diseases, the microbial diversity present in urban rat populations remains unexplored. In this study, we used targeted molecular assays to detect known bacterial, viral, and protozoan human pathogens and unbiased high-throughput sequencing to identify novel viruses related to agents of human disease in commensal Norway rats in New York City. We found that these rats are infected with bacterial pathogens known to cause acute or mild gastroenteritis in people, including atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, and Salmonella enterica, as well as infectious agents that have been associated with undifferentiated febrile illnesses, including Bartonella spp., Streptobacillus moniliformis, Leptospira interrogans, and Seoul hantavirus. We also identified a wide range of known and novel viruses from groups that contain important human pathogens, including sapoviruses, cardioviruses, kobuviruses, parechoviruses, rotaviruses, and hepaciviruses. The two novel hepaciviruses discovered in this study replicate in the liver of Norway rats and may have utility in establishing a small animal model of human hepatitis C virus infection. The results of this study demonstrate the diversity of microbes carried by commensal rodent species and highlight the need for improved pathogen surveillance and disease monitoring in urban environments. The observation that most emerging infectious diseases of humans originate in animal reservoirs has led to wide-scale microbial surveillance and discovery programs in wildlife, particularly in the developing world. Strikingly, less attention has been focused on commensal animals like rats, despite their abundance in urban centers and close proximity to human populations. To begin to explore the zoonotic disease risk posed by urban rat populations, we trapped and surveyed Norway rats collected in New York City over a 1-year period. This analysis revealed a striking diversity of known pathogens and novel viruses in our study population, including multiple agents associated with acute gastroenteritis or febrile illnesses in people. Our findings indicate that urban rats are reservoirs for a vast diversity of microbes that may affect human health and indicate a need for increased surveillance and awareness of the disease risks associated with urban rodent infestation.
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14
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Cross RW, Waffa B, Freeman A, Riegel C, Moses LM, Bennett A, Safronetz D, Fischer ER, Feldmann H, Voss TG, Bausch DG. Old World hantaviruses in rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 90:897-901. [PMID: 24639295 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Seoul virus, an Old World hantavirus, is maintained in brown rats and causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. We captured rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana and tested them for the presence of Old World hantaviruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with sequencing, cell culture, and electron microscopy; 6 (3.4%) of 178 rodents captured--all brown rats--were positive for a Seoul virus variant previously coined Tchoupitoulas virus, which was noted in rodents in New Orleans in the 1980s. The finding of Tchoupitoulas virus in New Orleans over 25 years since its first discovery suggests stable endemicity in the city. Although the degree to which this virus causes human infection and disease remains unknown, repeated demonstration of Seoul virus in rodent populations, recent cases of laboratory-confirmed HFRS in some US cities, and a possible link with hypertensive renal disease warrant additional investigation in both rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Cross
- Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; New Orleans Termite, Mosquito, and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, Louisiana; Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana
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15
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Billeter SA, Borchert JN, Atiku LA, Mpanga JT, Gage KL, Kosoy MY. Bartonella species in invasive rats and indigenous rodents from Uganda. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:182-8. [PMID: 24575846 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of bartonellae in invasive rats (Rattus rattus) and indigenous rodents (Arvicanthis niloticus and Cricetomys gambianus) from two districts in Uganda, Arua and Zombo, was examined by PCR detection and culture. Blood from a total of 228 R. rattus, 31 A. niloticus, and 5 C. gambianus was screened using genus-specific primers targeting the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region. Furthermore, rodent blood was plated on brain heart infusion blood agar, and isolates were verified as Bartonella species using citrate synthase gene- (gltA) specific primers. One hundred and four fleas recovered from R. rattus were also tested for the presence of Bartonella species using the same gltA primer set. An overall prevalence of 1.3% (three of 228) was obtained in R. rattus, whereas 61.3% of 31 A. niloticus and 60% of five C. gambianus were positive for the presence of Bartonella species. Genotypes related to Bartonella elizabethae, a known zoonotic pathogen, were detected in three R. rattus and one C. gambianus. Bartonella strains, similar to bacteria detected in indigenous rodents from other African countries, were isolated from the blood of A. niloticus. Bartonellae, similar to bacteria initially cultured from Ornithodorus sonrai (soft tick) from Senegal, were found in two C. gambianus. Interestingly, bartonellae detected in fleas from invasive rats were similar to bacteria identified in indigenous rodents and not their rat hosts, with an overall prevalence of 6.7%. These results suggest that if fleas are competent vectors of these bartonellae, humans residing in these two districts of Uganda are potentially at greater risk for exposure to Bartonella species from native rodents than from invasive rats. The low prevalence of bartonellae in R. rattus was quite surprising, in contrast, to the detection of these organisms in a large percentage of Rattus species from other geographical areas. A possible reason for this disparity is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Billeter
- 1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado
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16
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Kim BJ, Kim SJ, Kang JG, Ko S, Won S, Kim H, Kim HC, Kim MS, Chong ST, Klein TA, Lee S, Chae JS. First Report for the Seasonal and Annual Prevalence of Flea-BorneBartonellafrom Rodents and Soricomorphs in the Republic of Korea. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:457-67. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Baek-Jun Kim
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su-Jin Kim
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jun-Gu Kang
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sungjin Ko
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sohyun Won
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyewon Kim
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA
| | - Myung-Soon Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA
| | - Terry A. Klein
- Public Health Command Region-Pacific, Camp Zama, Japan, 65thMedical Brigade Unit 15281, APO AP 96205-5244, USA
| | - Sanghun Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Joon-Seok Chae
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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17
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Colton L, Kabeya H, Kosoy M. Experimental infection of three laboratory mouse stocks with a shrew origin Bartonella elizabethae strain: an evaluation of bacterial host switching potential. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2012; 2:IEE-2-17132. [PMID: 22957127 PMCID: PMC3426323 DOI: 10.3402/iee.v2i0.17132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2012] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella elizabethae has been reported as a causative agent of human illnesses and strains of this bacterium are commonly isolated from commensal small mammals in Asia. METHODS Since the zoonotic potential of a pathogen is often related to its host switching ability, we explored the capacity of a B. elizabethae strain to host switch by subcutaneously inoculating groups of Swiss Webster, BALB/c, and C57BL/6 mice with the bacteria at a range of doses. RESULTS A low number of mice in each of the three groups showed susceptibility to infection at high doses (10(5) and 10(6) bacteria), and developed bacteremias of 6-8 weeks duration. CONCLUSION The capacity of this B. elizabethae strain to switch hosts can have important public health consequences for humans in areas of Asia where many small mammal populations have high bartonellae infection prevalences and live as commensals with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Colton
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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18
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Gundi VAKB, Billeter SA, Rood MP, Kosoy MY. Bartonella spp. in rats and zoonoses, Los Angeles, California, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18:631-3. [PMID: 22469313 PMCID: PMC3309692 DOI: 10.3201/eid1804.110816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella spp. were detected in rats (Rattus norvegicus) trapped in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA. Of 200 rats tested, putative human pathogens, B. rochalimae and B. tribocorum were found in 37 (18.5%) and 115 (57.5%) rats, respectively. These bacteria among rodents in a densely populated urban area are a public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay A K B Gundi
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
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19
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Plyusnina A, Heyman P, Baert K, Stuyck J, Cochez C, Plyusnin A. Genetic characterization of seoul hantavirus originated from norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) captured in Belgium. J Med Virol 2012; 84:1298-303. [DOI: 10.1002/jmv.23321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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20
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Badiaga S, Benkouiten S, Hajji H, Raoult D, Brouqui P. Murine typhus in the homeless. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 35:39-43. [PMID: 22093517 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2011] [Revised: 09/27/2011] [Accepted: 09/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Homeless populations are particularly exposed to many vector-borne diseases because of their poor living conditions. We tested sera from 299 homeless people recruited in 2010 and 2011 in Marseilles, France for antibodies to Rickettsia typhi by microimmunofluorescence using a titer of 1:25 as a cut-off titer, and we confirmed the results by Western blot and cross-adsorption studies. Sixty-three persons (22%) had antibodies against R. typhi. The murine typhus seroprevalence rates have significantly increased in homeless populations between the 2000-2003 and 2010-2011 periods. These findings indicate that the homeless are increasingly exposed to flea-borne murine typhus in Marseilles. One might suggest that multiple strikes of sanitation workers resulting in the increase of waste and construction sites combined with the poor living conditions of the homeless expose this population to rodents and their fleas. Further annual studies are necessary to follow rodent-associated diseases among homeless people in Marseille.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sékéné Badiaga
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Marseille, France
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21
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Roig IL, Musher DM, Tweardy DJ. Severe pulmonary involvement in a case attributed to domestically acquired Seoul hantavirus in the United States. Clin Infect Dis 2011; 54:91-4. [PMID: 22042876 DOI: 10.1093/cid/cir748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hantavirus is known to cause 2 distinct clinical syndromes: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Seoul virus is an Old World hantavirus known to cause HFRS. We report a case attributed to domestically acquired Seoul hantavirus with prominent pulmonary involvement and a fatal outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid L Roig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
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22
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Restricted enzooticity of hepatitis E virus genotypes 1 to 4 in the United States. J Clin Microbiol 2011; 49:4164-72. [PMID: 21998412 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.05481-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E is recognized as a zoonosis, and swine are known reservoirs, but how broadly enzootic its causative agent, hepatitis E virus (HEV), is remains controversial. To determine the prevalence of HEV infection in animals, a serological assay with capability to detect anti-HEV-antibody across a wide variety of animal species was devised. Recombinant antigens comprising truncated capsid proteins generated from HEV-subgenomic constructs that represent all four viral genotypes were used to capture anti-HEV in the test sample and as an analyte reporter. To facilitate development and validation of the assay, serum samples were assembled from blood donors (n = 372), acute hepatitis E patients (n = 94), five laboratory animals (rhesus monkey, pig, New Zealand rabbit, Wistar rat, and BALB/c mouse) immunized with HEV antigens, and four pigs experimentally infected with HEV. The assay was then applied to 4,936 sera collected from 35 genera of animals that were wild, feral, domesticated, or otherwise held captive in the United States. Test positivity was determined in 457 samples (9.3%). These originated from: bison (3/65, 4.6%), cattle (174/1,156, 15%), dogs (2/212, 0.9%), Norway rats (2/318, 0.6%), farmed swine (267/648, 41.2%), and feral swine (9/306, 2.9%). Only the porcine samples yielded the highest reactivities. HEV RNA was amplified from one farmed pig and two feral pigs and characterized by nucleotide sequencing to belong to genotype 3. HEV infected farmed swine primarily, and the role of other animals as reservoirs of its zoonotic spread appears to be limited.
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Desenclos JC, Laporte A, Brouqui P. Les infections humaines transmises par les poux. Med Mal Infect 2011; 41:295-300. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medmal.2011.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2009] [Revised: 12/13/2010] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kaba M, Brouqui P, Richet H, Badiaga S, Gallian P, Raoult D, Colson P. Hepatitis E virus infection in sheltered homeless persons, France. Emerg Infect Dis 2011; 16:1761-3. [PMID: 21029538 PMCID: PMC3294504 DOI: 10.3201/eid1611.091890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among sheltered homeless persons in Marseille, France, we retrospectively tested 490 such persons. A total of 11.6% had immunoglobulin (Ig) G and 2.5% had IgM against HEV; 1 person had HEV genotype 3f. Injection drug use was associated with IgG against HEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamadou Kaba
- Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Timone, Marseille, France
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25
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Abramowicz KF, Rood MP, Krueger L, Eremeeva ME. Urban focus of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis in Los Angeles, California. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 11:979-84. [PMID: 21142968 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Classic murine typhus, caused by Rickettsia typhi, is endemic in the continental United States in areas of Texas and southern California. We conducted an environmental investigation in an urban area of Los Angeles identified as the probable exposure site for a case of murine typhus. Four Rattus norvegicus heavily infested with Xenopsylla cheopis (average 32.5 fleas per animal, range 20-42) were trapped, and fleas, blood, and tissues were collected. DNAs from all specimens were tested for R. typhi and Rickettsia felis using a TaqMan assay targeting the rickettsial citrate synthase gene. Although rickettsiemia was not detected, DNA of R. felis was detected in at least one tissue from each rat. Tissues from 3 rats were also positive for R. typhi DNA. R. typhi and R. felis DNAs were detected in fleas collected from each animal with average minimal infection rates of 10% and 32.3%, respectively. Although R. typhi still circulates in urban Los Angeles in the classic Oriental flea-rat cycle, R. felis is more prevalent, even in this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle F Abramowicz
- National Center for Zoonotic and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Gerogia 30333, USA
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26
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McGill S, Wesslén L, Hjelm E, Holmberg M, Auvinen MK, Berggren K, Grandin-Jarl B, Johnson U, Wikström S, Friman G. Bartonella spp. seroprevalence in healthy Swedish blood donors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 37:723-30. [PMID: 16191889 DOI: 10.1080/00365540510012152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Serum samples were collected from healthy blood donors in 5 regions in Sweden in 1999, i.e. from the local Blood Centres (collecting facilities) in Boden, Jönköping, Lund, Skövde, and Uppsala. In total, 498 serum samples (63% males, 37% females) were received and tested by immunofluorescence assay for antibodies against B. elizabethae, B. grahamii, B. henselae (Houston-1), B. henselae (Marseille), B. quintana, and B. vinsonii subsp. vinsonii. An overall Bartonella spp. seroprevalence of 16.1% was found, with a predominance of immunoreactivity to B. elizabethae, at 14.1%; B. grahamii, 2.6%; B. henselae (Houston-1), 1.2%; B. henselae (Marseille), 1.8%; B. quintana, 0.2%; and B. vinsonii subsp. vinsonii, 0.0%. Univariate and multivariate analyses of epidemiological and demographical information revealed an increased rate of B. elizabethae seropositivity in blood donors working outdoors, being out in the wild a minimum of once a week, hunting moose, having cat contact, and travelling to Eastern Europe. Living in the southern region of Sweden (Lund area) was associated with decreased seropositivity to B. elizabethae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svena McGill
- Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala
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27
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Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A. Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health. Crit Rev Microbiol 2009; 35:221-70. [DOI: 10.1080/10408410902989837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Heyman P, Baert K, Plyusnina A, Cochez C, Lundkvist A, Esbroeck MV, Goossens E, Vandenvelde C, Plyusnin A, Stuyck J. Serological and genetic evidence for the presence of Seoul hantavirus in Rattus norvegicus in Flanders, Belgium. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 41:51-6. [PMID: 18821445 DOI: 10.1080/00365540802459994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), carried by Rattus rattus (black rat) and R. norvegicus (Norway, brown rat), was reported to circulate as well as cause HFRS cases in Asia. As Rattus sp. are present worldwide, SEOV has the potential to cause human disease worldwide. In Europe however, only SEOV prevalence in rats from France was reported and no confirmed cases of SEOV infection were published. We here report genetic and serological evidence for the presence of SEOV virus in brown rat populations in Belgium. We also serologically screened an at-risk group that was in contact with R. norvegicus on a daily basis and found no evidence for SEOV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Heyman
- Research Laboratory for Vector-borne Diseases, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Bruynstraat, Brussels, Belgium.
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Abstract
Hepatitis E is endemic in many developing countries where it causes substantial morbidity. In industrialised countries, it is considered rare, and largely confined to travellers returning from endemic areas. However, there is now a growing body of evidence that challenges this notion. Autochthonous hepatitis E in developed countries is far more common than previously recognised, and might be more common than hepatitis A. Hepatitis E has a predilection for older men in whom it causes substantial morbidity and mortality. The disease has a poor prognosis in the context of pre-existing chronic liver disease, and is frequently misdiagnosed as drug-induced liver injury. The source and route of infection remain uncertain, but it might be a porcine zoonosis. Patients with unexplained hepatitis should be tested for hepatitis E, whatever their age or travel history.
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Morway C, Kosoy M, Eisen R, Montenieri J, Sheff K, Reynolds PJ, Powers N. A longitudinal study of Bartonella infection in populations of woodrats and their fleas. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2008; 33:353-364. [PMID: 19263856 DOI: 10.3376/1081-1710-33.2.353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Rodent-borne bartonellae have been identified as human pathogens. Little is known about Bartonella infections in woodrat hosts and their fleas and how woodrat-flea associations may affect the dynamics of Bartonella infections. We collected blood samples and fleas from two species of woodrats (Neotoma micropus and N. albigula) from Santa Fe County, NM, from 2002-2005. The most predominant flea species were Orchopeas sexdentatus and O. neotomae. Bartonella prevalence in woodrats was 64% overall, with a lower prevalence occurring in the pre-reproductive period compared to the early and late reproductive periods. A negative correlation between Bartonella prevalence in N. micropus and weight of N. micropus was observed. Flea load in Neotoma species was highest in the early reproductive period compared to the pre- and late reproductive periods and was higher in N. micropus compared to N. albigula. Bartonella prevalence in fleas was highest in the early reproductive period and lowest in the late reproductive period, and it was higher in fleas collected from N. micropus than in fleas collected from N. albigula. Abundance of O. sexdentatus was significantly higher in N. micropus compared to N. albigula, and abundance of O. sexdentatus and O. neotomae was highest in the early reproductive period. No direct correlations were found either between Bartonella prevalence in woodrats and in fleas or between Bartonella prevalence in woodrats and flea loads. Out of 25 partially characterized Bartonella isolates from Neotoma woodrats, 24 belonged to one genogroup based on sequencing of the gltA gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Morway
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
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31
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Casman EA, Fischhoff B. Risk communication planning for the aftermath of a plague bioattack. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2008; 28:1327-1342. [PMID: 18564992 DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2008.01080.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
We create an influence diagram of how a plague bioattack could unfold and then use it to identify factors shaping infection risks in many possible scenarios. The influence diagram and associated explanations provide a compact reference that allows risk communicators to identify key messages for pre-event preparation and testing. It can also be used to answer specific questions in whatever unique situations arise, considering both the conditions of the attack and the properties of the attacked populations. The influence diagram allows a quick, visual check of the factors that must be covered when evaluating audience information needs. The documentation provides content for explaining the resultant advice. We show how these tools can help in preparing for crises and responding to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Casman
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA.
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Lamas C, Curi A, Bóia MN, Lemos ERS. Human bartonellosis: seroepidemiological and clinical features with an emphasis on data from Brazil - A review. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2008; 103:221-35. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762008000300001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2007] [Accepted: 05/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C Lamas
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses; Fiocruz, Brasil
| | | | | | - ERS Lemos
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses
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33
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Abstract
Homeless people are particularly exposed to ectoparasite. The living conditions and the crowded shelters provide ideal conditions for the spread of lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. Body lice have long been recognized as human parasites and although typically prevalent in rural communities in upland areas of countries close to the equator, it is now increasingly encountered in developed countries especially in homeless people or inner city economically deprived population. Fleas are widespread but are not adapted to a specific host and may occasionally bite humans. Most common fleas that parasite humans are the cat, the rat, and the human fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, Xenopsylla cheopis, and Pulex irritans, respectively. Ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae, in particular, the genera Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus, and Ixodes, are frequent parasites in humans. Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis is a mite (Arachnida class) responsible for scabies. It is an obligate parasite of human skin. The hematophagic-biting mite, Liponyssoides sanguineus, is a mite of the rat, mouse, and other domestic rodents but can also bite humans. Finally, the incidence of skin disease secondary to infestation with the human bedbug, Cimex lectularius, has increased recently. Bacteria, such as Wolbacchia spp. have been detected in bedbug. The threat posed by the ectoparasite in homeless is not the ectoparasite themselves but the associated infectious diseases that they may transmit to humans. Except for scabies all these ectoparasites are potential vectors for infectious agents. Three louse-borne diseases are known at this time. Trench fever caused by Bartonella quintana (B. quintana), epidemic typhus caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, and relapsing fever caused by the spirochete Borrelia recurrentis. Fleas transmit plague (Xenopsylla cheopis and Pulex irritans), murine typhus (Xenopsylla cheopis), flea-borne spotted rickettsiosis on account of the recently described species Rickettsia felis (C. felis), and occasionally cat scratch disease on account of Bartonella henselae (C. felis). The role of fleas as potential vector of B. quintana has recently been suggested. Among the hematophagic-biting mites, L. sanguineus, is responsible for the transmission of Rickettsia akari, the etiologic agent of rickettsialpox. Virtually, no data are available on tick-borne disease in this population. This article will deal with epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these ectoparasite and the infectious diseases they transmit to the homeless people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Brouqui
- Unité des rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de médecine, 27 bd, J Moulin, 13385 Marseille, cedex 5, France.
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34
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Easterbrook JD, Kaplan JB, Vanasco NB, Reeves WK, Purcell RH, Kosoy MY, Glass GE, Watson J, Klein SL. A survey of zoonotic pathogens carried by Norway rats in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Epidemiol Infect 2007; 135:1192-9. [PMID: 17224086 PMCID: PMC2870671 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268806007746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) carry several zoonotic pathogens and because rats and humans live in close proximity in urban environments, there exists potential for transmission. To identify zoonotic agents carried by rats in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, we live-trapped 201 rats during 2005-2006 and screened them for a panel of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Antibodies against Seoul virus (57.7%), hepatitis E virus (HEV, 73.5%), Leptospira interrogans (65.3%), Bartonella elizabethae (34.1%), and Rickettsia typhi (7.0%) were detected in Norway rats. Endoparasites, including Calodium hepatica (87.9%) and Hymenolepis sp. (34.4%), and ectoparasites (13.9%, primarily Laelaps echidninus) also were present. The risk of human exposure to these pathogens is a significant public health concern. Because these pathogens cause non-specific and often self-limiting symptoms in humans, infection in human populations is probably underdiagnosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Easterbrook
- The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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35
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Hepatitis E, a disease transmitted by hepatitis E virus, is increasingly recognized as being indigenous to affluent, temperate-zone countries. Issues pertaining to disease acquisition and hepatitis E virus infection, particularly in Western countries, are reviewed and highlighted. RECENT FINDINGS Clinical hepatitis E in the West, as in Japan, manifests more commonly in older people (>60 years) and in men, but fulminant hepatitis appears less frequent than in Japan. There, specific gastronomic and culinary risk factors associated with disease are being identified, but in the West, data implicating hepatitis E as being foodborne have yet to emerge. While hepatitis E virus subgenomic sequences in Western case patients are found to be closely related to swine hepatitis E virus, a porcine linkage to their infection remains to be established. Weak associations between occupational contact with pigs and risk of infection have been noted. Findings from earlier studies implicating animals that cohabitate with humans as reservoirs, and sewage as vehicles of infection await confirmation. SUMMARY Hepatitis E indigenous to developed countries is a distinct clinico-epidemiological entity. Humans, animals, food and the environment contribute and interact to cause human disease, and to sustain hepatitis E virus endemicity and enzooticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Gee Teo
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
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36
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García-García JA, Baquerizo R, Vargas J, Mira JA, Merchante N, Macías J, Pineda JA. Prevalencia de anticuerpos séricos frente a Bartonella spp. en una polación sana del área sur de la provincia de Sevilla. Rev Clin Esp 2005; 205:541-4. [PMID: 16381097 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-2565(05)72634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To know the prevalence of serum antibodies against Bartonella spp. in a healthy population from south of Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS A clinical-epidemiological survey was conducted among 146 healthy individuals. An indirect immunofluorescence commercial technique was used in a sample of serum from each individual to detect the present of IgG type serum antibodies against Bartonella spp., considering a result equal to or greater than 1:128 as positive. RESULTS Thirty six (24.7%) of all the subjects studied were asymptomatic carriers of antibodies against Bartonella spp. No crossed reactions against Chlamydia trachomatis, C. pneumoniae or Coxiella burnetti were observed. No significant association was found between the presence of seropositivity for Bartonella spp. and other factors. CONCLUSION There is an elevated frequency of asymptomatic carriers of antibodies against Bartonella spp. among the healthy population of our area. This suggests that most of the infections by Bartonella are subclinical.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A García-García
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Valme, Sevilla
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37
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Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging pathogen belonging to a newly recognized family of RNA viruses (Hepeviridae). HEV is an important enterically transmitted human pathogen with a worldwide distribution. It can cause sporadic cases as well as large epidemics of acute hepatitis. Epidemics are primarily waterborne in areas where water supplies are contaminated with HEV of human origin. There is increasing evidence, however, that many animal species are infected with an antigenically similar virus. A recently isolated swine virus is the best candidate for causing a zoonotic form of hepatitis E. The virus is serologically cross-reactive with human HEV and genetically very similar, and the human and swine strains seem to be cross-infective. Very recent evidence has also shown that swine HEV, and possibly a deer strain of HEV, can be transmitted to humans by consumption of contaminated meat. In this review, we discuss the prevalence, pathogenicity, diagnosis and control of human HEV, swine HEV, the related avian HEV and HEV in other hosts and potential reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Denise Goens
- Environmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA
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38
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Carter MJ. Enterically infecting viruses: pathogenicity, transmission and significance for food and waterborne infection. J Appl Microbiol 2005; 98:1354-80. [PMID: 15916649 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2005.02635.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M J Carter
- School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU27XH, UK.
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39
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Brouqui P, Stein A, Dupont HT, Gallian P, Badiaga S, Rolain JM, Mege JL, La Scola B, Berbis P, Raoult D. Ectoparasitism and vector-borne diseases in 930 homeless people from Marseilles. Medicine (Baltimore) 2005; 84:61-68. [PMID: 15643300 DOI: 10.1097/01.md.0000152373.07500.6e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeless people are particularly exposed to ectoparasites, but their exposure to arthropod-borne diseases has not been evaluated systematically. A medical team of 27 persons (7 nurses, 6 infectious disease residents or fellows, 2 dermatologists, and 12 infectious disease specialists) visited the 2 shelters in Marseilles, France, for 4 consecutive years. Homeless volunteers were interviewed, examined, and received care; and blood was sampled for cell counts and detection of bacteremia, antibodies to louse-borne (Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis), flea-borne (R. typhi, R. felis), mite-borne (R. akari), and tick-borne (R. conorii) bacterial agents. We selected sex- and age-adjusted controls among healthy blood donors. Over 4 years, 930 homeless people were enrolled. Lice were found in 22% and were associated with hypereosinophilia (odds ratio, 5.7; 95% confidence intervals, 1.46-22.15). Twenty-seven patients (3%) with scabies were treated with ivermectin. Bartonella quintana was isolated from blood culture in 50 patients (5.3%), 36 of whom were treated effectively. The number of bacteremic patient increased from 3.4% to 8.4% (p = 0.02) over the 4 years of the study. We detected a higher seroprevalence to Borrelia recurrentis, R. conorii, and R. prowazekii antibodies in the homeless. Our study shows a high prevalence of louse-borne infections in the homeless and a high degree of exposure to tick-borne diseases and scabies. Despite effective treatment for Bartonella quintana bacteremia and the efforts made to delouse this population, Bartonella quintana remains endemic, and we found hallmarks of epidemic typhus and relapsing fever. The uncontrolled louse infestation of this population should alert the community to the possibility of severe re-emerging louse-borne infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Brouqui
- From Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales (P Brouqui), Service des Urgences (SB), Service de Dermatologie (P Berbis), CHU Nord, AP-HM; Unité des Rickettsies (P Brouqui, AS, HTD, JMR, JLM, BLS, DR), CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine; Service des Maladies Infectieuses (AS, HTD), CHU Conception, AP-HM; Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine (PG); Marseilles, France
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40
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Chomel BB, Boulouis HJ, Breitschwerdt EB. Cat scratch disease and other zoonotic Bartonella infections. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004; 224:1270-9. [PMID: 15112775 DOI: 10.2460/javma.2004.224.1270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno B Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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41
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Lledó L, Gegúndez MI, Saz JV, Beltrán M. Seroprevalencia de anticuerpos frente al virus Seoul en grupos laborales de riesgo. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2004; 22:217-9. [PMID: 15056437 DOI: 10.1016/s0213-005x(04)73069-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A seroprevalence study was performed to determine the percentage of people exposed to Seoul virus among biologists and police officers (n = 226), whose work might put them into contact with viral reservoirs. Detection of specific IgG antibodies was performed by indirect immunofluorescence and western-blot. There was one positive result among the biologists (4.54%). This study confirms Seoul virus exposure in one of the employment groups studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Lledó
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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