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Backus L, Foley P, Foley J. A compartment and metapopulation model of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Infect Dis Model 2024; 9:713-727. [PMID: 38659493 PMCID: PMC11039326 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a fatal tick-borne zoonotic disease that has emerged as an epidemic in western North America since the turn of the 21st century. Along the US south-western border and across northern Mexico, the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is responsible for spreading the disease between dogs and humans. The widespread nature of the disease and the ongoing epidemics contrast with historically sporadic patterns of the disease. Because dogs are amplifying hosts for the Rickettsia rickettsii bacteria, transmission dynamics between dogs and ticks are critical for understanding the epidemic. In this paper, we developed a compartment metapopulation model and used it to explore the dynamics and drivers of RMSF in dogs and brown dog ticks in a theoretical region in western North America. We discovered that there is an extended lag-as much as two years-between introduction of the pathogen to a naïve population and epidemic-level transmission, suggesting that infected ticks could disseminate extensively before disease is detected. A single large city-size population of dogs was sufficient to maintain the disease over a decade and serve as a source for disease in surrounding smaller towns. This model is a novel tool that can be used to identify high risk areas and key intervention points for epidemic RMSF spread by brown dog ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Backus
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Foley
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Janet Foley
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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2
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Pickett STA, Simone AT, Anderson P, Sharifi A, Barau A, Hoover FA, Childers DL, McPhearson T, Muñoz-Erickson TA, Pacteau C, Grove M, Frantzeskaki N, Nagendra H, Ginsberg J. The relational shift in urban ecology: From place and structures to multiple modes of coproduction for positive urban futures. AMBIO 2024; 53:845-870. [PMID: 38643341 PMCID: PMC11058174 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-024-02001-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
This perspective emerged from ongoing dialogue among ecologists initiated by a virtual workshop in 2021. A transdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners conclude that urban ecology as a science can better contribute to positive futures by focusing on relationships, rather than prioritizing urban structures. Insights from other relational disciplines, such as political ecology, governance, urban design, and conservation also contribute. Relationality is especially powerful given the need to rapidly adapt to the changing social and biophysical drivers of global urban systems. These unprecedented dynamics are better understood through a relational lens than traditional structural questions. We use three kinds of coproduction-of the social-ecological world, of science, and of actionable knowledge-to identify key processes of coproduction within urban places. Connectivity is crucial to relational urban ecology. Eight themes emerge from the joint explorations of the paper and point toward social action for improving life and environment in urban futures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - AbdouMaliq T Simone
- Urban Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Beyond Inhabitation Lab, Polytechnic University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Pippin Anderson
- Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag x3, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Ayyoob Sharifi
- Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8529, Japan
| | - Aliyu Barau
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Bayero University Kano, PMB 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Fushcia-Ann Hoover
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Daniel L Childers
- School of Sustainability, WCPH 442, Arizona State University, POB 877904, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7904, USA
| | - Timon McPhearson
- The New School, 79 Fifth Avenue, 16th Fl., New York, NY, 10003, USA
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tischa A Muñoz-Erickson
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 1201 Calle Ceiba, Jardín Botánico Sur, Río Piedras, PR, 00926, USA
| | - Chantal Pacteau
- Institut d'Écologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, Campus Pierre et Marie Curie 4, place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Morgan Grove
- Baltimore Field Station, USDA Forest Service, 5523 Research Park Drive, Suite 350, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Niki Frantzeskaki
- Utrecht University, Vening Meinesz Building A, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Harini Nagendra
- Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Burugunte Village, Bikkanahalli Main Road, Sarjapura, Bangalore, 562125, India
| | - Joshua Ginsberg
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA
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3
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Pickett STA, Frantzeskaki N, Andersson E, Barau AS, Childers DL, Hoover FA, Lugo AE, McPhearson T, Nagendra H, Schepers S, Sharifi A. Shifting forward: Urban ecology in perspective. AMBIO 2024; 53:890-897. [PMID: 38642313 PMCID: PMC11058125 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-024-02007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The world has become urban; cities increasingly shape our worldviews, relation to other species, and the large-scale, long-term decisions we make. Cities are nature, but they need to align better with other ecosystems to avoid accelerating climate change and loss of biodiversity. We need a science to guide urban development across the diverse realities of global cities. This need can be met, in part, by shifts in urban ecology and its linkages to related sciences. This perspective is a "synthesis of syntheses", consolidating ideas from the other articles in the Special Section. It re-examines the role of urban ecology, and explores its integration with other disciplines that study cities. We conclude by summarizing the next steps in the ongoing shift in urban ecology, which is fast becoming an integral part of urban studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niki Frantzeskaki
- Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Vening Meinesz Building A, Princetonlaan 8a, 3485 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Erik Andersson
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, P.O. Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Aliyu Salisu Barau
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Bayero University Kano, PMB 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Daniel L Childers
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, POB 877904, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7904, USA
| | - Fushcia-Ann Hoover
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Ariel E Lugo
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 1201 Calle Ceiba, Jardín Botánico Sur, Río Piedras, PR, 00926-1115, USA
| | - Timon McPhearson
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA
- Urban Systems Lab, The New School, 79 Fifth Ave, 16 Floor, New York, NY, 10003, USA
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Harini Nagendra
- Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Burugunte Village, Bikkanahalli Main Road, Sarjapura, Bangalore, IN, 562125, India
| | - Selina Schepers
- Department of Environment and Sustainable Development, Stadsplein 1, 3600, Genk City, Belgium
| | - Ayyoob Sharifi
- The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8529, Japan
- School of Architecture and Design, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
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Ulsenheimer BC, Tonin AA, von Laer AE, Dos Santos HF, Sangioni LA, Fighera R, Dos Santos MY, Brayer DI, de Avila Botton S. Leptospira borgptersenii and Leptospira interrogans identified in wild mammals in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s42770-024-01348-4. [PMID: 38691328 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01348-4] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospira spp. are bacteria responsible for leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease with considerable impacts on the economy, animal health, and public health. This disease has a global distribution and is particularly prevalent in Brazil. Both rural and urban environments are habitats for Leptospira spp., which are primarily transmitted through contact with the urine of infected animals. Consequently, domestic and wild species can harbor these prokaryotes and serve as infection sources for other hosts. In the context of wild animals, there is a dearth of molecular studies elucidating the roles of various animal and bacterial species in the epidemiology of leptospirosis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the presence of Leptospira spp. DNA in different species of free-living and captive wild animals and to assess the phylogenetic relationships of the identified microorganisms in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The samples were evaluated for the presence of the gene lipL32 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the amplified fragment after which phylogenetic analyzes were carried out. DNA from Leptospira spp. was extracted from kidney tissue from wild animals (Mammalia class). Pathogenic Leptospira spp. DNA was detected in 9.6% (11/114) of the samples, originating from nine species of wild animals, including the white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris), skunk (Conepatus chinga), geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), margay (Leopardus wiedii), pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis), and european hare (Lepus europaeus). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of Leptospira borgpetersenii and Leptospira interrogans in these animals. This research is the first study contributing to the epidemiology of leptospirosis by identifying L. borgpetersenii and L. interrogans in free-living and captive wild animals in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, potentially acting as bacterial reservoirs. Additionally, our findings can inform sanitary measures for controlling and preventing the disease, thereby safeguarding public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Carolina Ulsenheimer
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária (PPGMV), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia (DMIP), Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Leptospirose (LabLepto), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Alberto Tonin
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia (DMIP), Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Leptospirose (LabLepto), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas (IFAM), Campus Manaus, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69083-000, Brasil
| | - Ana Eucares von Laer
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia (DMIP), Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Leptospirose (LabLepto), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Helton Fernandes Dos Santos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária (PPGMV), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Luís Antônio Sangioni
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária (PPGMV), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Rafael Fighera
- Departamento de Patologia. Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Matheus Yuri Dos Santos
- Departamento de Patologia. Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil
| | - Daniela Isabel Brayer
- Instituto de Biologia (IB), Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia (DMIP), Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 96010-900, Brasil
| | - Sônia de Avila Botton
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária (PPGMV), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brasil.
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia (DMIP), Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Leptospirose (LabLepto), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Santa Maria, CEP 97105-900, Brasil.
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5
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Linnegar B, Kerlin DH, Eby P, Kemsley P, McCallum H, Peel AJ. Horse populations are severely underestimated in a region at risk of Hendra virus spillover. Aust Vet J 2024. [PMID: 38567676 DOI: 10.1111/avj.13331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the size and distribution of the horse population in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW, including changes from 2007 to 2021, to better understand populations at risk of Hendra virus transmission. METHODS Census data from the 2007 Equine Influenza (EI) outbreak were compared with data collected annually by New South Wales Local Land Services (LLS) (2011-2021), and with field observations via road line transects (2021). RESULTS The horse populations reported to LLS in 2011 (3000 horses; 0.77 horses/km2) was 145% larger than that reported during the EI outbreak in 2007 (1225 horses; 0.32 horses/km2). This was inconsistent with the 6% increase in horses recorded from 2011 to 2020 within the longitudinal LLS dataset. Linear modelling suggested the true horse population of this region in 2007 was at least double that reported at the time. Distance sampling in 2021 estimated the region's population at 10,185 horses (3.89 per km2; 95% CI = 4854-21,372). Field sampling and modelling identified higher horse densities in rural cropland, with the percentage of conservation land, modified grazing, and rural residential land identified as the best predictors of horse densities. CONCLUSIONS Data from the 2007 EI outbreak no longer correlates to the current horse population in size or distribution and was likely not a true representation at the time. Current LLS data also likely underestimates horse populations. Ongoing efforts to further quantify and map horse populations in Australia are important for estimating and managing the risk of equine zoonoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Linnegar
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - D H Kerlin
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - P Eby
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - P Kemsley
- North Coast Local Land Services, Wollongbar, New South Wales, Australia
| | - H McCallum
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - A J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
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Forero-Muñoz NR, Muylaert RL, Seifert SN, Albery GF, Becker DJ, Carlson CJ, Poisot T. The coevolutionary mosaic of bat betacoronavirus emergence risk. Virus Evol 2023; 10:vead079. [PMID: 38361817 PMCID: PMC10868545 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogen evolution is one of the least predictable components of disease emergence, particularly in nature. Here, building on principles established by the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution, we develop a quantitative, spatially explicit framework for mapping the evolutionary risk of viral emergence. Driven by interest in diseases like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we examine the global biogeography of bat-origin betacoronaviruses, and find that coevolutionary principles suggest geographies of risk that are distinct from the hotspots and coldspots of host richness. Further, our framework helps explain patterns like a unique pool of merbecoviruses in the Neotropics, a recently discovered lineage of divergent nobecoviruses in Madagascar, and-most importantly-hotspots of diversification in southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East that correspond to the site of previous zoonotic emergence events. Our framework may help identify hotspots of future risk that have also been previously overlooked, like West Africa and the Indian subcontinent, and may more broadly help researchers understand how host ecology shapes the evolution and diversity of pandemic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norma R Forero-Muñoz
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal (Québec) H2V 0B3, Canada
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences
| | - Renata L Muylaert
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie N Seifert
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Colin J Carlson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Timothée Poisot
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal (Québec) H2V 0B3, Canada
- Québec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences
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Dhivahar J, Parthasarathy A, Krishnan K, Kovi BS, Pandian GN. Bat-associated microbes: Opportunities and perils, an overview. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22351. [PMID: 38125540 PMCID: PMC10730444 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential biotechnological uses of bat-associated bacteria are discussed briefly, indicating avenues for biotechnological applications of bat-associated microbes. The uniqueness of bats in terms of their lifestyle, genomes and molecular immunology may predispose bats to act as disease reservoirs. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown several instances of bats harbouring the ancestral lineages of bacterial (Bartonella), protozoal (Plasmodium, Trypanosoma cruzi) and viral (SARS-CoV2) pathogens infecting humans. Along with the transmission of viruses from bats, we also discuss the potential roles of bat-associated bacteria, fungi, and protozoan parasites in emerging diseases. Current evidence suggests that environmental changes and interactions between wildlife, livestock, and humans contribute to the spill-over of infectious agents from bats to other hosts. Domestic animals including livestock may act as intermediate amplifying hosts for bat-origin pathogens to transmit to humans. An increasing number of studies investigating bat pathogen diversity and infection dynamics have been published. However, whether or how these infectious agents are transmitted both within bat populations and to other hosts, including humans, often remains unknown. Metagenomic approaches are uncovering the dynamics and distribution of potential pathogens in bat microbiomes, which might improve the understanding of disease emergence and transmission. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on bat zoonoses of public health concern and flag the gaps in the knowledge to enable further research and allocation of resources for tackling future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Dhivahar
- Research Department of Zoology, St. Johns College, Palayamkottai, 627002, India
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Loyola College, Chennai, 600034, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Virology, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India
| | - Anutthaman Parthasarathy
- Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, Richmond Building, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, United Kingdom
| | - Kathiravan Krishnan
- Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Virology, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India
| | - Basavaraj S. Kovi
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Yoshida Ushinomiyacho, 69, Sakyo Ward, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ganesh N. Pandian
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Yoshida Ushinomiyacho, 69, Sakyo Ward, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
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Jaramillo Ortiz L, Begeman L, Schillemans M, Kuiken T, de Boer WF. Presence of coronaviruses in the common pipistrelle (P. pipistrellus) and Nathusius´ pipistrelle (P. nathusii) in relation to landscape composition. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293649. [PMID: 38019737 PMCID: PMC10686486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in land use can modify habitat and roosting behaviour of bats, and therefore the transmission dynamics of viruses. Within bat roosts the density and contact rate among individuals increase and may facilitate the transmission of bat coronaviruses (CoVs). Landscape components supporting larger bat populations may thus lead to higher CoVs prevalence, as the number of roosts and/or roost size are likely to be higher. Hence, relationships between landscape composition and the presence of CoVs are expected to exist. To increase our understanding of the spread and shedding of coronaviruses in bat populations we studied the relationships between landscape composition and CoVs prevalence in the species Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus nathusii. Faecal samples were collected across The Netherlands, and were screened to detect the presence of CoV RNA. Coordinates were recorded for all faecal samples, so that landscape attributes could be quantified. Using a backward selection procedure on the basis of AIC, the landscape variables that best explained the presence of CoVs were selected in the final model. Results suggested that relationships between landscape composition and CoVs were likely associated with optimal foraging opportunities in both species, e.g. nearby water in P. nathusii or in areas with more grassland situated far away from forests for P. pipistrellus. Surprisingly, we found no positive association between built-up cover (where roosts are frequently found) and the presence of bat-CoVs for both species. We also show that samples collected from large bat roosts, such as maternity colonies, substantially increased the probability of finding CoVs in P. pipistrellus. Interestingly, while maternity colonies of P. nathusii are rarely present in The Netherlands, CoVs prevalence was similar in both species, suggesting that other mechanisms besides roost size, participate in the transmission of bat-CoVs. We encourage further studies to quantify bat roosts and colony networks over the different landscape compositions to better understand the ecological mechanisms involved in the transmission of bat-CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jaramillo Ortiz
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lineke Begeman
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Thijs Kuiken
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Frederik de Boer
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Takano A, Yamauchi T, Takahashi M, Shimoda H, Gotoh Y, Mizuno J, Natsume M, Kontschán J, Kováts D, Tu VT, Hornok S. Description of three new bat-associated species of hard ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) from Japan. Zookeys 2023; 1180:1-26. [PMID: 37744948 PMCID: PMC10517414 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1180.108418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In Eurasia, the geographically most widespread ixodid tick species of the bat families Rhinolophidae Gray, Vespertilionidae Gray, and Miniopteridae Dobson were considered to belong to four species, Ixodesvespertilionis Koch, I.collaris Hornok, I.ariadnae Hornok, and I.simplex Neumann. Previous data attest that bat-associated tick species from Eastern Asia show remarkable genetic difference from the above four tick species, but in the absence of detailed morphological comparison these were regarded as conspecific. In this study we compensate for this lack of data on three bat-associated tick species, reporting their morphological comparison, as well as molecular and phylogenetic relationships. According to the results we describe the females of three tick species new to science, i.e., I.nipponrhinolophi Hornok & Takano, sp. nov., I.fuliginosus Hornok & Takano, sp. nov., and I.fujitai Hornok & Takano, sp. nov. In case of all three new tick species the cytochrome c oxidase subunit (coxI) gene showed remarkably high sequence differences from the species that they previously were thought to belong to, well exceeding the average limit delineating ixodid tick species. This, as well as observed morphological differences fully justify their taxonomical status as new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, JapanYamaguchi UniversityYamaguchiJapan
| | - Takeo Yamauchi
- Laboratory of Entomology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, JapanObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
| | - Mamoru Takahashi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, JapanSaitama Medical UniversitySaitamaJapan
| | - Hiroshi Shimoda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, JapanYamaguchi UniversityYamaguchiJapan
| | - Yasuhiro Gotoh
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, JapanKyushu UniversityFukuokaJapan
| | - Junko Mizuno
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, JapanYamaguchi UniversityYamaguchiJapan
| | - Michio Natsume
- Natural Environmental Research Group, Gunma Prefecture, Gunma, JapanNatural Environmental Research GroupGunmaJapan
| | - Jenő Kontschán
- Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, HungarySzéchenyi István UniversityMosonmagyaróvárHungary
| | - Dávid Kováts
- Hungarian Biodiversity Research Society, Budapest, HungaryHungarian Biodiversity Research SocietyBudapestHungary
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, VietnamInstitute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and TechnologyHanoiVietnam
- Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, VietnamGraduate University of Science and TechnologyHanoiVietnam
| | - Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryUniversity of Veterinary MedicineBudapestHungary
- HUN-REN–UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, HungaryHUN-REN–UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research GroupBudapestHungary
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10
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Wood MR, de Vries JL, Epstein JH, Markotter W. Variations in small-scale movements of, Rousettus aegyptiacus, a Marburg virus reservoir across a seasonal gradient. Front Zool 2023; 20:23. [PMID: 37464371 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00502-2] [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: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bats are increasingly being recognized as important hosts for viruses, some of which are zoonotic and carry the potential for spillover within human and livestock populations. Biosurveillance studies focused on assessing the risk of pathogen transmission, however, have largely focused on the virological component and have not always considered the ecological implications of different species as viral hosts. The movements of known viral hosts are an important component for disease risk assessments as they can potentially identify regions of higher risk of contact and spillover. As such, this study aimed to synthesize data from both virological and ecological fields to provide a more holistic assessment of the risk of pathogen transmission from bats to people. RESULTS Using radiotelemetry, we tracked the small-scale movements of Rousettus aegyptiacus, a species of bat known to host Marburg virus and other viruses with zoonotic potential, in a rural settlement in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The tracked bats exhibited seasonal variations in their movement patterns including variable usage of residential areas which could translate to contact between bats and humans and may facilitate spillover. We identified a trend for increased usage of residential areas during the winter months with July specifically experiencing the highest levels of bat activity within residential areas. July has previously been identified as a key period for increased spillover risk for viruses associated with R. aegyptiacus from this colony and paired with the increased activity levels, illustrates the risk for spillover to human populations. CONCLUSION This study emphasizes the importance of incorporating ecological data such as movement patterns with virological data to provide a better understanding of the risk of pathogen spillover and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Wood
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J Low de Vries
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan H Epstein
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
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11
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Baranowski K, Bharti N. Habitat loss for black flying foxes and implications for Hendra virus. LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 2023; 38:1605-1618. [PMID: 37229480 PMCID: PMC10073794 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-023-01642-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Context Environmental change impacts natural ecosystems and wildlife populations. In Australia, native forests have been heavily cleared and the local emergence of Hendra virus (HeV) has been linked to land-use change, winter habitat loss, and changing bat behavior. Objectives We quantified changes in landscape factors for black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto), a reservoir host of HeV, in sub-tropical Queensland, Australia from 2000-2020. We hypothesized that native winter habitat loss and native remnant forest loss were greatest in areas with the most human population growth. Methods We measured the spatiotemporal change in human population size and native 'remnant' woody vegetation extent. We assessed changes in the observed P. alecto population and native winter habitats in bioregions where P. alecto are observed roosting in winter. We assessed changes in the amount of remnant vegetation across bioregions and within 50 km foraging buffers around roosts. Results Human populations in these bioregions grew by 1.18 M people, mostly within 50 km foraging areas around roosts. Remnant forest extent decreased overall, but regrowth was observed when policy restricted vegetation clearing. Winter habitats were continuously lost across all spatial scales. Observed roost counts of P. alecto declined. Conclusion Native remnant forest loss and winter habitat loss were not directly linked to spatial human population growth. Rather, most remnant vegetation was cleared for indirect human use. We observed forest loss and regrowth in response to state land clearing policies. Expanded flying fox population surveys will help better understand how land-use change has impacted P. alecto distribution and Hendra virus spillover. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10980-023-01642-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsee Baranowski
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | - Nita Bharti
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
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12
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Becker DJ, Eby P, Madden W, Peel AJ, Plowright RK. Ecological conditions predict the intensity of Hendra virus excretion over space and time from bat reservoir hosts. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:23-36. [PMID: 36310377 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The ecological conditions experienced by wildlife reservoirs affect infection dynamics and thus the distribution of pathogen excreted into the environment. This spatial and temporal distribution of shed pathogen has been hypothesised to shape risks of zoonotic spillover. However, few systems have data on both long-term ecological conditions and pathogen excretion to advance mechanistic understanding and test environmental drivers of spillover risk. We here analyse three years of Hendra virus data from nine Australian flying fox roosts with covariates derived from long-term studies of bat ecology. We show that the magnitude of winter pulses of viral excretion, previously considered idiosyncratic, are most pronounced after recent food shortages and in bat populations displaced to novel habitats. We further show that cumulative pathogen excretion over time is shaped by bat ecology and positively predicts spillover frequency. Our work emphasises the role of reservoir host ecology in shaping pathogen excretion and provides a new approach to estimate spillover risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Becker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Peggy Eby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Wyatt Madden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Alison J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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13
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Tazerji SS, Nardini R, Safdar M, Shehata AA, Duarte PM. An Overview of Anthropogenic Actions as Drivers for Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonotic Diseases. Pathogens 2022; 11:1376. [PMID: 36422627 PMCID: PMC9692567 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Population growth and industrialization have led to a race for greater food and supply productivity. As a result, the occupation and population of forest areas, contact with wildlife and their respective parasites and vectors, the trafficking and consumption of wildlife, the pollution of water sources, and the accumulation of waste occur more frequently. Concurrently, the agricultural and livestock production for human consumption has accelerated, often in a disorderly way, leading to the deforestation of areas that are essential for the planet's climatic and ecological balance. The effects of human actions on other ecosystems such as the marine ecosystem cause equally serious damage, such as the pollution of this habitat, and the reduction of the supply of fish and other animals, causing the coastal population to move to the continent. The sum of these factors leads to an increase in the demands such as housing, basic sanitation, and medical assistance, making these populations underserved and vulnerable to the effects of global warming and to the emergence of emerging and re-emerging diseases. In this article, we discuss the anthropic actions such as climate changes, urbanization, deforestation, the trafficking and eating of wild animals, as well as unsustainable agricultural intensification which are drivers for emerging and re-emerging of zoonotic pathogens such as viral (Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Hendravirus, Nipah virus, rabies, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease-2), bacterial (leptospirosis, Lyme borreliosis, and tuberculosis), parasitic (leishmaniasis) and fungal pathogens, which pose a substantial threat to the global community. Finally, we shed light on the urgent demand for the implementation of the One Health concept as a collaborative global approach to raise awareness and educate people about the science behind and the battle against zoonotic pathogens to mitigate the threat for both humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Salajegheh Tazerji
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran P.O. Box. 1477893855, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elites Club Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University; Tehran P.O. Box. 1477893855, Iran
| | - Roberto Nardini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
| | - Muhammad Safdar
- Department of Breeding and Genetics, Cholistan University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Awad A. Shehata
- Avian and Rabbit Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Egypt
- Research and Development Section, PerNaturam GmbH, 56290 Gödenroth, Germany
- Prophy-Institute for Applied Prophylaxis, 59159 Bönen, Germany
| | - Phelipe Magalhães Duarte
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Bioscience, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, Pernambuco 52171-900, Brazil
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14
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Schuettenberg A, Piña A, Metrailer M, Peláez-Sánchez RG, Agudelo-Flórez P, Lopez JÁ, Ryle L, Monroy FP, Altin JA, Ladner JT. Highly Multiplexed Serology for Nonhuman Mammals. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0287322. [PMID: 36125316 PMCID: PMC9602771 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02873-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases represent a serious and ongoing threat to humans. Most emerging viruses are maintained in stable relationships with other species of animals, and their emergence within the human population results from cross-species transmission. Therefore, if we want to be prepared for the next emerging virus, we need to broadly characterize the diversity and ecology of viruses currently infecting other animals (i.e., the animal virosphere). High-throughput metagenomic sequencing has accelerated the pace of virus discovery. However, molecular assays can detect only active infections and only if virus is present within the sampled fluid or tissue at the time of collection. In contrast, serological assays measure long-lived antibody responses to infections, which can be detected within the blood, regardless of the infected tissues. Therefore, serological assays can provide a complementary approach for understanding the circulation of viruses, and while serological assays have historically been limited in scope, recent advancements allow thousands to hundreds of thousands of antigens to be assessed simultaneously using <1 μL of blood (i.e., highly multiplexed serology). The application of highly multiplexed serology for the characterization of the animal virosphere is dependent on the availability of reagents that can be used to capture or label antibodies of interest. Here, we evaluate the utility of commercial immunoglobulin-binding proteins (protein A and protein G) to enable highly multiplexed serology in 25 species of nonhuman mammals, and we describe a competitive fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA) that can be used as an initial screen for choosing the most appropriate capture protein for a given host species. IMPORTANCE Antibodies are generated in response to infections with viruses and other pathogens, and they help protect against future exposures. Mature antibodies are long lived, are highly specific, and can bind to their protein targets with high affinity. Thus, antibodies can also provide information about an individual's history of viral exposures, which has important applications for understanding the epidemiology and etiology of disease. In recent years, there have been large advances in the available methods for broadly characterizing antibody-binding profiles, but thus far, these have been utilized primarily with human samples only. Here, we demonstrate that commercial antibody-binding reagents can facilitate modern antibody assays for a wide variety of mammalian species, and we describe an inexpensive and fast approach for choosing the best reagent for each animal species. By studying antibody-binding profiles in captive and wild animals, we can better understand the distribution and prevalence of viruses that could spill over into humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Schuettenberg
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Alejandra Piña
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Morgan Metrailer
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | | | | | - Juan Álvaro Lopez
- Microbiology School, Primary Immunodeficiencies Group, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luke Ryle
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Fernando P. Monroy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - John A. Altin
- The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Jason T. Ladner
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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15
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Pulscher LA, Peel AJ, Rose K, Welbergen JA, Baker ML, Boyd V, Low‐Choy S, Edson D, Todd C, Dorrestein A, Hall J, Todd S, Broder CC, Yan L, Xu K, Peck GR, Phalen DN. Serological evidence of a pararubulavirus and a betacoronavirus in the geographically isolated Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis). Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e2366-e2377. [PMID: 35491954 PMCID: PMC9529767 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Due to their geographical isolation and small populations, insular bats may not be able to maintain acute immunizing viruses that rely on a large population for viral maintenance. Instead, endemic transmission may rely on viruses establishing persistent infections within hosts or inducing only short-lived neutralizing immunity. Therefore, studies on insular populations are valuable for developing broader understanding of viral maintenance in bats. The Christmas Island flying-fox (CIFF; Pteropus natalis) is endemic on Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory, and is an ideal model species to understand viral maintenance in small, geographically isolated bat populations. Serum or plasma (n = 190), oral swabs (n = 199), faeces (n = 31), urine (n = 32) and urine swabs (n = 25) were collected from 228 CIFFs. Samples were tested using multiplex serological and molecular assays, and attempts at virus isolation to determine the presence of paramyxoviruses, betacoronaviruses and Australian bat lyssavirus. Analysis of serological data provides evidence that the species is maintaining a pararubulavirus and a betacoronavirus. There was little serological evidence supporting the presence of active circulation of the other viruses assessed in the present study. No viral nucleic acid was detected and no viruses were isolated. Age-seropositivity results support the hypothesis that geographically isolated bat populations can maintain some paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses. Further studies are required to elucidate infection dynamics and characterize viruses in the CIFF. Lastly, apparent absence of some pathogens could have implications for the conservation of the CIFF if a novel disease were introduced into the population through human carriage or an invasive species. Adopting increased biosecurity protocols for ships porting on Christmas Island and for researchers and bat carers working with flying-foxes are recommended to decrease the risk of pathogen introduction and contribute to the health and conservation of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Pulscher
- Faculty of ScienceSydney School of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Alison J. Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food SecurityGriffith UniversityNathanQueenslandAustralia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife HealthTaronga Conservation Society AustraliaMosmanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Michelle L. Baker
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Health and Biosecurity Business UnitCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganizationGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Victoria Boyd
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Health and Biosecurity Business UnitCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganizationGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Samantha Low‐Choy
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food SecurityGriffith UniversityNathanQueenslandAustralia
- Office of the Vice ChancellorArts/Education/LawGriffith UniversityBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Dan Edson
- Department of AgricultureWater and the EnvironmentCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Christopher Todd
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Annabel Dorrestein
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jane Hall
- Australian Registry of Wildlife HealthTaronga Conservation Society AustraliaMosmanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Shawn Todd
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Health and Biosecurity Business UnitCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganizationGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Lianying Yan
- Department of MicrobiologyUniformed Services UniversityBethesdaMarylandUSA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Kai Xu
- Department of Veterinary BiosciencesCollege of Veterinary MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Grantley R. Peck
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Health and Biosecurity Business UnitCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganizationGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - David N. Phalen
- Faculty of ScienceSydney School of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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16
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Yabsley SH, Meade J, Hibburt TD, Martin JM, Boardman WSJ, Nicolle D, Walker MJ, Turbill C, Welbergen JA. Variety is the spice of life: Flying-foxes exploit a variety of native and exotic food plants in an urban landscape mosaic. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.907966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Generally, urbanization is a major threat to biodiversity; however, urban areas also provide habitats that some species can exploit. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are becoming increasingly urbanized; which is thought to be a result of increased availability and temporal stability of urban food resources, diminished natural food resources, or both. Previous research has shown that urban-roosting grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) preferentially forage in human-modified landscapes. However, which land-use areas and food plants support its presence in urban areas is unknown. We tracked nine P. poliocephalus roosting in Adelaide, South Australia, between December 2019 and May 2020, using global positioning systems (GPS), to investigate how individuals used the urban landscape mosaic for feeding. The most frequently visited land-use category was “residential” (40% of fixes) followed by “road-side,” “reserves” and “primary production” (13–14% each). However, “reserves” were visited four times more frequently than expected from their areal availability, followed by the “residential” and “road-side” categories that were visited approximately twice more than expected each; in contrast, the “primary production” category was visited approximately five times less than expected. These results suggest that while residential areas provide most foraging resources supporting Adelaide’s flying-fox population, reserves contain foraging resources that are particularly attractive to P. poliocephalus. Primary production land was relatively less utilized, presumably because it contains few food resources. Throughout, flying-foxes visited an eclectic mixture of diet plants (49 unique species), with a majority of feeding fixes (63%) to locally indigenous Australian native species; however, in residential areas 53% of feeding visits were to non-locally indigenous species, vs only 13% in reserves. Flowering and fruiting phenology records of the food plants visited further indicated that non-locally indigenous species increase the temporal availability of foraging resources for P. poliocephalus in urban Adelaide. Our findings demonstrate the importance of residential areas for urban-roosting P. poliocephalus, and suggest that the anthropogenic mixture of food resources available in the urban landscape mosaic supports the species’ year-round presence in urban areas. Our results further highlight the importance of conserving natural habitats within the urban landscape mosaic, and stress the need for accounting for wildlife responses to urban greening initiatives.
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17
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Erazo D, Pedersen AB, Fenton A. The predicted impact of resource provisioning on the epidemiological responses of different parasites. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1719-1730. [PMID: 35643978 PMCID: PMC9546467 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities and natural events such as periodic tree masting can alter resource provisioning in the environment, directly affecting animals, and potentially impacting the spread of infectious diseases in wildlife. The impact of these additional resources on infectious diseases can manifest through different pathways, affecting host susceptibility, contact rate and host demography. To date however, empirical research has tended to examine these different pathways in isolation, for example by quantifying the effects of provisioning on host behaviour in the wild or changes in immune responses in controlled laboratory studies. Furthermore, while theory has investigated the interactions between these pathways, this work has focussed on a narrow subset of pathogen types, typically directly transmitted microparasites. Given the diverse ways that provisioning can affect host susceptibility, contact patterns or host demography, we may expect the epidemiological consequences of provisioning to vary among different parasite types, dependent on key aspects of parasite life history, such as the duration of infection and transmission mode. Focusing on an exemplar empirical system, the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus, and its diverse parasite community, we developed a suite of epidemiological models to compare how resource provisioning alters responses for a range of these parasites that vary in their biology (microparasite and macroparasite), transmission mode (direct, environmental and vector transmitted) and duration of infection (acute, latent and chronic) within the same host population. We show there are common epidemiological responses to host resource provisioning across all parasite types examined. In particular, the epidemiological impact of provisioning could be driven in opposite directions, depending on which host pathways (contact rate, susceptibility or host demography) are most altered by the addition of resources to the environment. Broadly, these responses were qualitatively consistent across all parasite types, emphasising the importance of identifying general trade-offs between provisioning-altered parameters. Despite the qualitative consistency in responses to provisioning across parasite types, we predicted notable quantitative differences between parasites, with directly transmitted parasites (those conforming to SIR and SIS frameworks) predicted to show the strongest responses to provisioning among those examined, whereas the vector-borne parasites showed negligible responses to provisioning. As such, these analyses suggest that different parasites may show different scales of response to the same provisioning scenario, even within the same host population. This highlights the importance of knowing key aspects of host-parasite biology, to understand and predict epidemiological responses to provisioning for any specific host-parasite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Erazo
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL)Université Libre de BruxellesBruxellesBelgium
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Amy B. Pedersen
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologySchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Andy Fenton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
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18
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Disturbance Ecology Meets Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) Epidemiology: A Before-and-After Study on the Association between Forest Clearfelling and bTB Herd Risk in Cattle Herds. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070807. [PMID: 35890051 PMCID: PMC9321662 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Disturbance ecology refers to the study of discrete processes that disrupt the structure or dynamics of an ecosystem. Such processes can, therefore, affect wildlife species ecology, including those that are important pathogen hosts. We report on an observational before-and-after study on the association between forest clearfelling and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) herd risk in cattle herds, an episystem where badgers (Meles meles) are the primary wildlife spillover host. The study design compared herd bTB breakdown risk for a period of 1 year prior to and after exposure to clearfelling across Ireland at sites cut in 2015–2017. The percent of herds positive rose from 3.47% prior to clearfelling to 4.08% after exposure. After controlling for confounders (e.g., herd size, herd type), we found that cattle herds significantly increased their odds of experiencing a bTB breakdown by 1.2-times (95%CIs: 1.07–1.36) up to 1 year after a clearfell risk period. Disturbance ecology of wildlife reservoirs is an understudied area with regards to shared endemic pathogens. Epidemiological observational studies are the first step in building an evidence base to assess the impact of such disturbance events; however, such studies are limited in inferring the mechanism for any changes in risk observed. The current cohort study suggested an association between clearfelling and bTB risk, which we speculate could relate to wildlife disturbance affecting pathogen spillback to cattle, though the study design precludes causal inference. Further studies are required. However, ultimately, integration of epidemiology with wildlife ecology will be important for understanding the underlying mechanisms involved, and to derive suitable effective management proposals, if required.
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19
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Manlove K, Wilber M, White L, Bastille‐Rousseau G, Yang A, Gilbertson MLJ, Craft ME, Cross PC, Wittemyer G, Pepin KM. Defining an epidemiological landscape that connects movement ecology to pathogen transmission and pace‐of‐life. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1760-1782. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.14032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Mark Wilber
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville Tennessee USA
| | - Lauren White
- National Socio‐Environmental Synthesis Center University of Maryland Annapolis Maryland USA
| | | | - Anni Yang
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Marie L. J. Gilbertson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Meggan E. Craft
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Bozeman Montana USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
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Vinson JE, Gottdenker NL, Chaves LF, Kaul RB, Kramer AM, Drake JM, Hall RJ. Land reversion and zoonotic spillover risk. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220582. [PMID: 35706674 PMCID: PMC9174719 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Deforestation alters wildlife communities and modifies human-wildlife interactions, often increasing zoonotic spillover potential. When deforested land reverts to forest, species composition differences between primary and regenerating (secondary) forest could alter spillover risk trajectory. We develop a mathematical model of land-use change, where habitats differ in their relative spillover risk, to understand how land reversion influences spillover risk. We apply this framework to scenarios where spillover risk is higher in deforested land than mature forest, reflecting higher relative abundance of highly competent species and/or increased human-wildlife encounters, and where regenerating forest has either very low or high spillover risk. We find the forest regeneration rate, the spillover risk of regenerating forest relative to deforested land, and how rapidly regenerating forest regains attributes of mature forest determine landscape-level spillover risk. When regenerating forest has a much lower spillover risk than deforested land, reversion lowers cumulative spillover risk, but instaneous spillover risk peaks earlier. However, when spillover risk is high in regenerating and cleared habitats, landscape-level spillover risk remains high, especially when cleared land is rapidly abandoned then slowly regenerates to mature forest. These results suggest that proactive wildlife management and awareness of human exposure risk in regenerating forests could be important tools for spillover mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Vinson
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Nicole L. Gottdenker
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Luis Fernando Chaves
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Apartado Postal 0816-15 02593, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - RajReni B. Kaul
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Andrew M. Kramer
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - John M. Drake
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Richard J. Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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21
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Mougari S, Gonzalez C, Reynard O, Horvat B. Fruit bats as natural reservoir of highly pathogenic henipaviruses: balance between antiviral defense and viral toleranceInteractions between Henipaviruses and their natural host, fruit bats. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 54:101228. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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22
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Hansen D, Hunt BE, Falvo CA, Ruiz-Aravena M, Kessler MK, Hall J, Thompson P, Rose K, Jones DN, Lunn TJ, Dale AS, Peel AJ, Plowright RK. Morphological and quantitative analysis of leukocytes in free-living Australian black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268549. [PMID: 35613104 PMCID: PMC9132326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) is a natural reservoir for Hendra virus, a paramyxovirus that causes fatal infections in humans and horses in Australia. Increased excretion of Hendra virus by flying foxes has been hypothesized to be associated with physiological or energetic stress in the reservoir hosts. The objective of this study was to explore the leukocyte profiles of wild-caught P. alecto, with a focus on describing the morphology of each cell type to facilitate identification for clinical purposes and future virus spillover research. To this end, we have created an atlas of images displaying the commonly observed morphological variations across each cell type. We provide quantitative and morphological information regarding the leukocyte profiles in bats captured at two roost sites located in Redcliffe and Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, over the course of two years. We examined the morphology of leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes of P. alecto using cytochemical staining and characterization of blood films through light microscopy. Leukocyte profiles were broadly consistent with previous studies of P. alecto and other Pteropus species. A small proportion of individual samples presented evidence of hemoparasitic infection or leukocyte morphological traits that are relevant for future research on bat health, including unique large granular lymphocytes. Considering hematology is done by visual inspection of blood smears, examples of the varied cell morphologies are included as a visual guide. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first qualitative assessment of P. alecto leukocytes, as well as the first set of published hematology reference images for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale Hansen
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brooklin E. Hunt
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Caylee A. Falvo
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Manuel Ruiz-Aravena
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Maureen K. Kessler
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Jane Hall
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul Thompson
- Taronga Wildlife Hospital, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Devin N. Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Adrienne S. Dale
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States of America
| | - Alison J. Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
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23
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Cattadori IM. Spatial scaling of gregarious host populations and nonlinearities in infectious disease transmission. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:912-915. [PMID: 35509202 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Research Highlight: Lunn, T. J., Peel, A. J., Eby, P., Brooks, R., Plowright, R. K., Kessler, M. K., & McCallum, H. (2021). Counterintuitive scaling between population abundance and local density: Implications for modelling transmission of infectious diseases in bat populations. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13634. Quantifying the transmission of an infectious disease is often difficult and for natural animal systems it can be a major challenge. Animals move over time and space changing their degree of aggregation and rate of contact, which, in turn, affects the risk of infection and the onward spread of the pathogen. Capturing the fundamentals of these processes requires the identification of both the correct spatial scale at which the processes take place and what constitutes a meaningful host population unit. Lunn et al. collected data on the gregarious Pteropus (flying foxes) bats from roost sites in Australia and investigated whether total bat abundance at the roost level, the spatial scale commonly used to model pathogen spread in bat populations, was representative of bat measurements at the tree level, the scale at which pathogen transmission between bats most likely occurs. Their findings showed that bat population measurements at the sub-plot level were strong predictors for potential transmission at the tree scale, while roost-level measurements were less robust. This study suggests that bat abundance at roost is inadequate to capture the gregarious structure of bat populations and the fundamental processes of transmission at lower scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
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24
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Wegner GI, Murray KA, Springmann M, Muller A, Sokolow SH, Saylors K, Morens DM. Averting wildlife-borne infectious disease epidemics requires a focus on socio-ecological drivers and a redesign of the global food system. EClinicalMedicine 2022; 47:101386. [PMID: 35465645 PMCID: PMC9014132 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A debate has emerged over the potential socio-ecological drivers of wildlife-origin zoonotic disease outbreaks and emerging infectious disease (EID) events. This Review explores the extent to which the incidence of wildlife-origin infectious disease outbreaks, which are likely to include devastating pandemics like HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, may be linked to excessive and increasing rates of tropical deforestation for agricultural food production and wild meat hunting and trade, which are further related to contemporary ecological crises such as global warming and mass species extinction. Here we explore a set of precautionary responses to wildlife-origin zoonosis threat, including: (a) limiting human encroachment into tropical wildlands by promoting a global transition to diets low in livestock source foods; (b) containing tropical wild meat hunting and trade by curbing urban wild meat demand, while securing access for indigenous people and local communities in remote subsistence areas; and (c) improving biosecurity and other strategies to break zoonosis transmission pathways at the wildlife-human interface and along animal source food supply chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia I. Wegner
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Kris A. Murray
- MRC Unit the Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Gambia
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Marco Springmann
- Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food and Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, 34 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK
| | - Adrian Muller
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Sonneggstrasse 33, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Ackerstrasse 113, Frick 5070, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H. Sokolow
- Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Jerry Yang & Akiko Yamazaki Environment & Energy Building, MC 4205, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150, USA
| | - Karen Saylors
- Labyrinth Global Health, 15th Ave NE, St Petersburg, FL 33704, USA
| | - David M. Morens
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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25
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Combs MA, Kache PA, VanAcker MC, Gregory N, Plimpton LD, Tufts DM, Fernandez MP, Diuk-Wasser MA. Socio-ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1705-1724. [PMID: 34889003 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of pathogen spillover from wildlife to human hosts, particularly in densely populated urban centers. Prevention of future zoonotic disease is contingent on informed surveillance for known and novel threats across diverse human-wildlife interfaces. Cities are a key venue for potential spillover events because of the presence of zoonotic pathogens transmitted by hosts and vectors living in close proximity to dense human settlements. Effectively identifying and managing zoonotic hazards requires understanding the socio-ecological processes driving hazard distribution and pathogen prevalence in dynamic and heterogeneous urban landscapes. Despite increasing awareness of the human health impacts of zoonotic hazards, the integration of an eco-epidemiological perspective into public health management plans remains limited. Here we discuss how landscape patterns, abiotic conditions, and biotic interactions influence zoonotic hazards across highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in temperate climates to promote their efficient and effective management by a multi-sectoral coalition of public health stakeholders. We describe how to interpret both direct and indirect ecological processes, incorporate spatial scale, and evaluate networks of connectivity specific to different zoonotic hazards to promote biologically-informed and targeted decision-making. Using New York City, USA as a case study, we identify major zoonotic threats, apply knowledge of relevant ecological factors, and highlight opportunities and challenges for research and intervention. We aim to broaden the toolbox of urban public health stakeholders by providing ecologically-informed, practical guidance for the evaluation and management of zoonotic hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Combs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pallavi A Kache
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Meredith C VanAcker
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nichar Gregory
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laura D Plimpton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danielle M Tufts
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maria P Fernandez
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Maria A Diuk-Wasser
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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26
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Pérez‐Umphrey AA, Jonsson CB, Bonisoli‐Alquati A, Snider AM, Stouffer PC, Taylor SS. Sex and habitat drive hantavirus prevalence in marsh rice rat populations impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Pérez‐Umphrey
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University and AgCenter Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Colleen B. Jonsson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, University of Tennessee Memphis Tennessee USA
| | - Andrea Bonisoli‐Alquati
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University and AgCenter Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
- Department of Biological Sciences California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Pomona California USA
| | - Allison M. Snider
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University and AgCenter Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Philip C. Stouffer
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University and AgCenter Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Sabrina S. Taylor
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University and AgCenter Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
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27
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Reaser JK, Hunt BE, Ruiz‐Aravena M, Tabor GM, Patz JA, Becker D, Locke H, Hudson PJ, Plowright RK. Fostering landscape immunity to protect human health: A science‐based rationale for shifting conservation policy paradigms. Conserv Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie K. Reaser
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation Bozeman Montana USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy George Mason University Fairfax Virginia USA
| | - Brooklin E. Hunt
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Manuel Ruiz‐Aravena
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Gary M. Tabor
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Jonathan A. Patz
- Global Health Institute, Nelson Institute, and the Department of Population Health Sciences University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Daniel Becker
- Department of Biology University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Harvey Locke
- Beyond the Aichi Targets Task Force IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative Banff Alberta Canada
| | - Peter J. Hudson
- Department of Biology Pennsylvania State University State College Pennsylvania USA
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
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28
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Teitelbaum CS, Altizer S, Hall RJ. Habitat Specialization by Wildlife Reduces Pathogen Spread in Urbanizing Landscapes. Am Nat 2021; 199:238-251. [DOI: 10.1086/717655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire S. Teitelbaum
- Odum School of Ecology and Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology and Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Richard J. Hall
- Odum School of Ecology and Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
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29
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Cappelle J, Furey N, Hoem T, Ou TP, Lim T, Hul V, Heng O, Chevalier V, Dussart P, Duong V. Longitudinal monitoring in Cambodia suggests higher circulation of alpha and betacoronaviruses in juvenile and immature bats of three species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24145. [PMID: 34921180 PMCID: PMC8683416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03169-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that coronaviruses circulate widely in Southeast Asian bat species and that the progenitors of the SARS-Cov-2 virus could have originated in rhinolophid bats in the region. Our objective was to assess the diversity and circulation patterns of coronavirus in several bat species in Southeast Asia. We undertook monthly live-capture sessions and sampling in Cambodia over 17 months to cover all phases of the annual reproduction cycle of bats and test specifically the association between their age and CoV infection status. We additionally examined current information on the reproductive phenology of Rhinolophus and other bat species presently known to occur in mainland southeast China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Results from our longitudinal monitoring (573 bats belonging to 8 species) showed an overall proportion of positive PCR tests for CoV of 4.2% (24/573) in cave-dwelling bats from Kampot and 4.75% (22/463) in flying-foxes from Kandal. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the PCR amplicon sequences of CoVs (n = 46) obtained clustered in Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus. Interestingly, Hipposideros larvatus sensu lato harbored viruses from both genera. Our results suggest an association between positive detections of coronaviruses and juvenile and immature bats in Cambodia (OR = 3.24 [1.46-7.76], p = 0.005). Since the limited data presently available from literature review indicates that reproduction is largely synchronized among rhinolophid and hipposiderid bats in our study region, particularly in its more seasonal portions (above 16° N), this may lead to seasonal patterns in CoV circulation. Overall, our study suggests that surveillance of CoV in insectivorous bat species in Southeast Asia, including SARS-CoV-related coronaviruses in rhinolophid bats, could be targeted from June to October for species exhibiting high proportions of juveniles and immatures during these months. It also highlights the need to develop long-term longitudinal surveys of bats and improve our understanding of their ecology in the region, for both biodiversity conservation and public health reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Cappelle
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE (Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques, Ecosystèmes), TA A 117/E, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398, Montpellier CEDEX 5, France.
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Neil Furey
- Harrison Institute, Sevenoaks, Kent, England
- Fauna and Flora International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Thavry Hoem
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Tey Putita Ou
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Thona Lim
- Free the Bears, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Vibol Hul
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207), Marseille, France
| | - Oudam Heng
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Véronique Chevalier
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE (Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques, Ecosystèmes), TA A 117/E, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398, Montpellier CEDEX 5, France
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Philippe Dussart
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Institut Pasteur International Network, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Veasna Duong
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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30
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Lunn TJ, Peel AJ, Eby P, Brooks R, Plowright RK, Kessler MK, McCallum H. Counterintuitive scaling between population abundance and local density: Implications for modelling transmission of infectious diseases in bat populations. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:916-932. [PMID: 34778965 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Models of host-pathogen interactions help to explain infection dynamics in wildlife populations and to predict and mitigate the risk of zoonotic spillover. Insights from models inherently depend on the way contacts between hosts are modelled, and crucially, how transmission scales with animal density. Bats are important reservoirs of zoonotic disease and are among the most gregarious of all mammals. Their population structures can be highly heterogeneous, underpinned by ecological processes across different scales, complicating assumptions regarding the nature of contacts and transmission. Although models commonly parameterise transmission using metrics of total abundance, whether this is an ecologically representative approximation of host-pathogen interactions is not routinely evaluated. We collected a 13-month dataset of tree-roosting Pteropus spp. from 2,522 spatially referenced trees across eight roosts to empirically evaluate the relationship between total roost abundance and tree-level measures of abundance and density-the scale most likely to be relevant for virus transmission. We also evaluate whether roost features at different scales (roost level, subplot level, tree level) are predictive of these local density dynamics. Roost-level features were not representative of tree-level abundance (bats per tree) or tree-level density (bats per m2 or m3 ), with roost-level models explaining minimal variation in tree-level measures. Total roost abundance itself was either not a significant predictor (tree-level 3D density) or only weakly predictive (tree-level abundance). This indicates that basic measures, such as total abundance of bats in a roost, may not provide adequate approximations for population dynamics at scales relevant for transmission, and that alternative measures are needed to compare transmission potential between roosts. From the best candidate models, the strongest predictor of local population structure was tree density within roosts, where roosts with low tree density had a higher abundance but lower density of bats (more spacing between bats) per tree. Together, these data highlight unpredictable and counterintuitive relationships between total abundance and local density. More nuanced modelling of transmission, spread and spillover from bats likely requires alternative approaches to integrating contact structure in host-pathogen models, rather than simply modifying the transmission function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamika J Lunn
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Alison J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Peggy Eby
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Remy Brooks
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Hamish McCallum
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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31
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Yabsley SH, Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259395. [PMID: 34723974 PMCID: PMC8559981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban expansion is a major threat to natural ecosystems but also creates novel opportunities that adaptable species can exploit. The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a threatened, highly mobile species of bat that is increasingly found in human-dominated landscapes, leading to many management and conservation challenges. Flying-fox urbanisation is thought to be a result of diminishing natural foraging habitat or increasing urban food resources, or both. However, little is known about landscape utilisation of flying-foxes in human-modified areas, and how this may differ in natural areas. Here we examine positional data from 98 satellite-tracked P. poliocephalus for up to 5 years in urban and non-urban environments, in relation to vegetation data and published indices of foraging habitat quality. Our findings indicate that human-modified foraging landscapes sustain a large proportion of the P. poliocephalus population year-round. When individuals roosted in non-urban and minor-urban areas, they relied primarily on wet and dry sclerophyll forest, forested wetlands, and rainforest for foraging, and preferentially visited foraging habitat designated as high-quality. However, our results highlight the importance of human-modified foraging habitats throughout the species' range, and particularly for individuals that roosted in major-urban environments. The exact plant species that exist in human-modified habitats are largely undocumented; however, where this information was available, foraging by P. poliocephalus was associated with different dominant plant species depending on whether individuals roosted in 'urban' or 'non-urban' areas. Overall, our results demonstrate clear differences in urban- and non-urban landscape utilisation by foraging P. poliocephalus. However, further research is needed to understand the exact foraging resources used, particularly in human-modified habitats, and hence what attracts flying-foxes to urban areas. Such information could be used to modify the urban foraging landscape, to assist long-term habitat management programs aimed at minimising human-wildlife conflict and maximising resource availability within and outside of urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha H. Yabsley
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - John M. Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Sweeny AR, Albery GF, Becker DJ, Eskew EA, Carlson CJ. Synzootics. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2744-2754. [PMID: 34546566 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ecologists increasingly recognise coinfection as an important component of emergent epidemiological patterns, connecting aspects of ecoimmunology, behaviour, ecosystem function and even extinction risk. Building on syndemic theory in medical anthropology, we propose the term 'synzootics' to describe co-occurring enzootic or epizootic processes that produce worse health outcomes in wild animals. Using framing from syndemic theory, we describe how the synzootic concept offers new insights into the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases. We then recommend a set of empirical criteria and lines of evidence that can be used to identify synzootics in nature. We conclude by exploring how synzootics could indirectly drive the emergence of novel pathogens in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Sweeny
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Evan A Eskew
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Colin J Carlson
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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33
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Murray MH, Hernandez SM, Rozier RS, Kidd AD, Hepinstall-Cymerman J, Curry SE, Yabsley MJ, Adams H, Ellison T, Welch CN, Lipp EK. Site Fidelity is Associated with Food Provisioning and Salmonella in an Urban Wading Bird. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:345-358. [PMID: 34453242 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01543-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Food provisioning can change wildlife pathogen dynamics by altering host susceptibility via nutrition and/or through shifts in foraging behavior and space use. We used the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a wading bird increasingly observed in urban parks, as a model to study synergistic relationships between food provisioning and infection risk across an urban gradient in South Florida. We tested whether Salmonella prevalence was associated with changes in ibis diet (stable isotope analysis), space use (site fidelity via GPS tracking), and local density (flock size). We compared the relative importance of these mechanisms by ranking candidate models using logistic regression. We detected Salmonella in 27% of white ibises (n = 233) sampled at 15 sites. Ibises with diets higher in anthropogenic food exhibited higher site fidelity. Salmonella prevalence was higher at sites where ibises exhibited greater site fidelity and Salmonella was more prevalent in soil and water. Overlap in Salmonella serotypes between ibises and soil or water also was more likely at sites where ibises exhibited higher site fidelity. Our results suggest that repeated use of foraging areas may increase Salmonella exposure for birds if foraging areas are contaminated from animal feces, human waste, or other bacterial sources. Limiting wildlife feeding in parks-perhaps best achieved through understanding the motivations for feeding, education, and enforcement-may reduce health risks for wildlife and the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen H Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA.
| | - Sonia M Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - R Scott Rozier
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Anjelika D Kidd
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | | | - Shannon E Curry
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Henry Adams
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Taylor Ellison
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Catharine N Welch
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Erin K Lipp
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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Common Themes in Zoonotic Spillover and Disease Emergence: Lessons Learned from Bat- and Rodent-Borne RNA Viruses. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081509. [PMID: 34452374 PMCID: PMC8402684 DOI: 10.3390/v13081509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents (order Rodentia), followed by bats (order Chiroptera), comprise the largest percentage of living mammals on earth. Thus, it is not surprising that these two orders account for many of the reservoirs of the zoonotic RNA viruses discovered to date. The spillover of these viruses from wildlife to human do not typically result in pandemics but rather geographically confined outbreaks of human infection and disease. While limited geographically, these viruses cause thousands of cases of human disease each year. In this review, we focus on three questions regarding zoonotic viruses that originate in bats and rodents. First, what biological strategies have evolved that allow RNA viruses to reside in bats and rodents? Second, what are the environmental and ecological causes that drive viral spillover? Third, how does virus spillover occur from bats and rodents to humans?
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Lunn TJ, Peel AJ, McCallum H, Eby P, Kessler MK, Plowright RK, Restif O. Spatial dynamics of pathogen transmission in communally roosting species: Impacts of changing habitats on bat-virus dynamics. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2609-2622. [PMID: 34192345 PMCID: PMC8441687 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The spatial organization of populations determines their pathogen dynamics. This is particularly important for communally roosting species, whose aggregations are often driven by the spatial structure of their environment. We develop a spatially explicit model for virus transmission within roosts of Australian tree‐dwelling bats (Pteropus spp.), parameterized to reflect Hendra virus. The spatial structure of roosts mirrors three study sites, and viral transmission between groups of bats in trees was modelled as a function of distance between roost trees. Using three levels of tree density to reflect anthropogenic changes in bat habitats, we investigate the potential effects of recent ecological shifts in Australia on the dynamics of zoonotic viruses in reservoir hosts. We show that simulated infection dynamics in spatially structured roosts differ from that of mean‐field models for equivalently sized populations, highlighting the importance of spatial structure in disease models of gregarious taxa. Under contrasting scenarios of flying‐fox roosting structures, sparse stand structures (with fewer trees but more bats per tree) generate higher probabilities of successful outbreaks, larger and faster epidemics, and shorter virus extinction times, compared to intermediate and dense stand structures with more trees but fewer bats per tree. These observations are consistent with the greater force of infection generated by structured populations with less numerous but larger infected groups, and may flag an increased risk of pathogen spillover from these increasingly abundant roost types. Outputs from our models contribute insights into the spread of viruses in structured animal populations, like communally roosting species, as well as specific insights into Hendra virus infection dynamics and spillover risk in a situation of changing host ecology. These insights will be relevant for modelling other zoonotic viruses in wildlife reservoir hosts in response to habitat modification and changing populations, including coronaviruses like SARS‐CoV‐2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamika J Lunn
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Alison J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Peggy Eby
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Maureen K Kessler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Olivier Restif
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Wikramanayake E, Pfeiffer DU, Magouras I, Conan A, Ziegler S, Bonebrake TC, Olson D. A tool for rapid assessment of wildlife markets in the Asia-Pacific Region for risk of future zoonotic disease outbreaks. One Health 2021; 13:100279. [PMID: 34195344 PMCID: PMC8220562 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Decades of warnings that the trade and consumption of wildlife could result in serious zoonotic pandemics have gone largely unheeded. Now the world is ravaged by COVID-19, with tremendous loss of life, economic and societal disruption, and dire predictions of more destructive and frequent pandemics. There are now calls to tightly regulate and even enact complete wildlife trade bans, while others call for more nuanced approaches since many rural communities rely on wildlife for sustenance. Given pressures from political and societal drivers and resource limitations to enforcing bans, increased regulation is a more likely outcome rather than broad bans. But imposition of tight regulations will require monitoring and assessing trade situations for zoonotic risks. We present a tool for relevant stakeholders, including government authorities in the public health and wildlife sectors, to assess wildlife trade situations for risks of potentially serious zoonoses in order to inform policies to tightly regulate and control the trade, much of which is illegal in most countries. The tool is based on available knowledge of different wildlife taxa traded in the Asia-Pacific Region and known to carry highly virulent and transmissible viruses combined with relative risks associated with different broad categories of market types and trade chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Wikramanayake
- WWF Asia-Pacific Counter-Illegal Wildlife Trade Hub (IWT Hub), WWF-Hong Kong, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Dirk U. Pfeiffer
- Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Ioannis Magouras
- Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Anne Conan
- Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Stefan Ziegler
- WWF-Germany, Taunusanlage 8, 60329 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Timothy C. Bonebrake
- Division for Ecology & Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - David Olson
- WWF Asia-Pacific Counter-Illegal Wildlife Trade Hub (IWT Hub), WWF-Hong Kong, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
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37
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McEvoy JF, Kishbaugh JC, Valitutto MT, Aung O, Tun KYN, Win YT, Maw MT, Thein WZ, Win HH, Chit AM, Vodzak ME, Murray S. Movements of Indian Flying Fox in Myanmar as a Guide to Human-Bat Interface Sites. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:204-216. [PMID: 34448977 PMCID: PMC8390844 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01544-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Frugivorous bats play a vital role in tropical ecosystems as pollinators and seed dispersers but are also important vectors of zoonotic diseases. Myanmar sits at the intersection of numerous bioregions and contains habitats that are important for many endangered and endemic species. This rapidly developing country also forms a connection between hotspots of emerging human diseases. We deployed Global Positioning System collars to track the movements of 10 Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) in the agricultural landscapes of central Myanmar. We used clustering analysis to identify foraging sites and high-utilization areas. As part of a larger viral surveillance study in bats of Myanmar, we also collected oral and rectal swab samples from 29 bats to test for key emerging viral diseases in this colony. There were no positive results detected for our chosen viruses. We analyzed their foraging movement behavior and evaluated selected foraging sites for their potential as human-wildlife interface sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
| | - Jennifer C Kishbaugh
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Marc T Valitutto
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Ohnmar Aung
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Kyaw Yan Naing Tun
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ye Tun Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Min Thein Maw
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Zin Thein
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htay Htay Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Myo Chit
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Megan E Vodzak
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Suzan Murray
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
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38
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Baranowski K, Faust C, Eby P, Bharti N. Quantifying the impacts of Australian bushfires on native forests and gray-headed flying foxes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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39
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Tao Y, Hite JL, Lafferty KD, Earn DJD, Bharti N. Transient disease dynamics across ecological scales. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2021; 14:625-640. [PMID: 34075317 PMCID: PMC8156581 DOI: 10.1007/s12080-021-00514-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of transient dynamics are critical to understanding infectious disease transmission and persistence. Identifying and predicting transients across scales, from within-host to community-level patterns, plays an important role in combating ongoing epidemics and mitigating the risk of future outbreaks. Moreover, greater emphases on non-asymptotic processes will enable timely evaluations of wildlife and human diseases and lead to improved surveillance efforts, preventive responses, and intervention strategies. Here, we explore the contributions of transient analyses in recent models spanning the fields of epidemiology, movement ecology, and parasitology. In addition to their roles in predicting epidemic patterns and endemic outbreaks, we explore transients in the contexts of pathogen transmission, resistance, and avoidance at various scales of the ecological hierarchy. Examples illustrate how (i) transient movement dynamics at the individual host level can modify opportunities for transmission events over time; (ii) within-host energetic processes often lead to transient dynamics in immunity, pathogen load, and transmission potential; (iii) transient connectivity between discrete populations in response to environmental factors and outbreak dynamics can affect disease spread across spatial networks; and (iv) increasing species richness in a community can provide transient protection to individuals against infection. Ultimately, we suggest that transient analyses offer deeper insights and raise new, interdisciplinary questions for disease research, consequently broadening the applications of dynamical models for outbreak preparedness and management. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12080-021-00514-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Tao
- Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
| | - Jessica L. Hite
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Kevin D. Lafferty
- Western Ecological Research Center at UCSB Marine Science Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, CA 93106 Santa Barbara, USA
| | - David J. D. Earn
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Nita Bharti
- Department of Biology Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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40
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Keck F, Lainé N, Morvan A, Ruhlmann S. Social representations of animal diseases: anthropological approaches to pathogens crossing species barriers. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:35. [PMID: 33835021 PMCID: PMC8034248 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Debates about emerging infectious diseases often oppose natural conceptions of zoonotic reservoirs with cultural practices bringing humans into contact with animals. This article compares the representations of cross-species pathogens at ontological levels below the opposition between nature and culture. It describes the perceptions of distinctions between interiority and physicality, between wild and domestic, and between sick and dead in three different contexts where human societies manage animal diseases: Australia, Laos and Mongolia. Our article also argues that zoonotic pathogens are one of the entities mobilized by local knowledge to attenuate troubles in ordinary relations with animals, and shows that the conservation of cultural heritage is a tool of mitigation for infectious diseases emerging in animal reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Keck
- UMR 7130 - LAS - CNRS/EHESS/Collège de France, 52 rue Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Lainé
- UMR 208 - IRD/MNHN - "Patrimoines Locaux Environnement et Globalisation", Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Département Homme et Environnement, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Arnaud Morvan
- UMR 7130 - LAS - CNRS/EHESS/Collège de France, 52 rue Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris, France
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Wu T. The socioeconomic and environmental drivers of the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. AMBIO 2021; 50:822-833. [PMID: 33507498 PMCID: PMC7841383 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01497-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been an intensification of the socioeconomic and environmental drivers of pandemics, including ecosystem conversion, meat consumption, urbanization, and connectivity among cities and countries. This paper reviews how these four systemic drivers help explain the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent emerging infectious diseases, and the policies that can be adopted to mitigate their risks. Land-use change and meat consumption increase the likelihood of pathogen spillover from animals to people. The risk that such zoonotic outbreaks will then spread to become pandemics is magnified by growing urban populations and the networks of trade and travel within and among countries. Zoonotic spillover can be mitigated through habitat protection and restrictions on the wildlife trade. Containing infectious disease spread requires a high degree of coordination among institutions across geographic jurisdictions and economic sectors, all backed by international investment and cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China.
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42
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Bombieri G, Penteriani V, Delgado MDM, Groff C, Pedrotti L, Jerina K. Towards understanding bold behaviour of large carnivores: the case of brown bears in human‐modified landscapes. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Bombieri
- MUSE ‐ Museo delle Scienze Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati Trento Italy
| | - V Penteriani
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, CSIC‐UO‐PA) Oviedo University ‐ Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
| | - M. del Mar Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, CSIC‐UO‐PA) Oviedo University ‐ Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
| | - C. Groff
- Forest and Wildlife Service Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Italy
| | - L. Pedrotti
- Forest and Wildlife Service Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Italy
| | - K. Jerina
- University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty Ljubljana Slovenia
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Tsang SM, Low DHW, Wiantoro S, Smith I, Jayakumar J, Simmons NB, Vijaykrishna D, Lohman DJ, Mendenhall IH. Detection of Tioman Virus in Pteropus vampyrus Near Flores, Indonesia. Viruses 2021; 13:v13040563. [PMID: 33810446 PMCID: PMC8067168 DOI: 10.3390/v13040563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse paramyxoviruses have coevolved with their bat hosts, including fruit bats such as flying foxes (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Several of these viruses are zoonotic, but the diversity and distribution of Paramyxoviridae are poorly understood. We screened pooled feces samples from three Pteropus vampyrus colonies and assayed tissues, rectal swabs, and oral swabs from 95 individuals of 23 pteropodid species sampled at 17 sites across the Indonesian archipelago with a conventional paramyxovirus PCR; all tested negative. Samples from 43 individuals were screened with next generation sequencing (NGS), and a single Pteropus vampyrus collected near Flores had Tioman virus sequencing reads. Tioman virus is a bat-borne virus in the genus Pararubulavirus with prior evidence of spillover to humans. This work expands the known range of Tioman virus, and it is likely that this isolated colony likely has sustained intergenerational transmission over a long period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Tsang
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA; (S.M.T.); (N.B.S.)
- Zoology Division, National Museum of Natural History, Manila 1000, Philippines;
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Biology Department, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Dolyce H. W. Low
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; (D.H.W.L.); (J.J.)
- Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
| | - Sigit Wiantoro
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, West Java 16911, Indonesia;
| | - Ina Smith
- Health and Biosecurity, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Black Mountain, ACT 2601, Australia;
| | - Jayanthi Jayakumar
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; (D.H.W.L.); (J.J.)
| | - Nancy B. Simmons
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA; (S.M.T.); (N.B.S.)
| | - Dhanasekaran Vijaykrishna
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - David J. Lohman
- Zoology Division, National Museum of Natural History, Manila 1000, Philippines;
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Biology Department, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Ian H. Mendenhall
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; (D.H.W.L.); (J.J.)
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore 168753, Singapore
- Correspondence:
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Alvarez-Munoz S, Upegui-Porras N, Gomez AP, Ramirez-Nieto G. Key Factors That Enable the Pandemic Potential of RNA Viruses and Inter-Species Transmission: A Systematic Review. Viruses 2021; 13:537. [PMID: 33804942 PMCID: PMC8063802 DOI: 10.3390/v13040537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses play a primary role as etiological agents of pandemics worldwide. Although there has been progress in identifying the molecular features of both viruses and hosts, the extent of the impact these and other factors have that contribute to interspecies transmission and their relationship with the emergence of diseases are poorly understood. The objective of this review was to analyze the factors related to the characteristics inherent to RNA viruses accountable for pandemics in the last 20 years which facilitate infection, promote interspecies jump, and assist in the generation of zoonotic infections with pandemic potential. The search resulted in 48 research articles that met the inclusion criteria. Changes adopted by RNA viruses are influenced by environmental and host-related factors, which define their ability to adapt. Population density, host distribution, migration patterns, and the loss of natural habitats, among others, have been associated as factors in the virus-host interaction. This review also included a critical analysis of the Latin American context, considering its diverse and unique social, cultural, and biodiversity characteristics. The scarcity of scientific information is striking, thus, a call to local institutions and governments to invest more resources and efforts to the study of these factors in the region is key.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gloria Ramirez-Nieto
- Microbiology and Epidemiology Research Group, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia; (S.A.-M.); (N.U.-P.); (A.P.G.)
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Urbanization's influence on the distribution of mange in a carnivore revealed with multistate occupancy models. Oecologia 2021; 195:105-116. [PMID: 33538881 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04803-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Increasing urbanization and use of urban areas by synanthropic wildlife has increased human and domestic animal exposure to zoonotic diseases and exacerbated epizootics within wildlife populations. Consequently, there is a need to improve wildlife disease surveillance programs to rapidly detect outbreaks and refine inferences regarding spatiotemporal disease dynamics. Multistate occupancy models can address potential shortcomings in surveillance programs by accounting for imperfect detection and the misclassification of disease states. We used these models to explore the relationship between urbanization, slope, and the spatial distribution of sarcoptic mange in coyotes (Canis latrans) inhabiting Fort Irwin, California, USA. We deployed remote cameras across 180 sites within the desert surrounding the populated garrison and classified sites by mange presence or absence depending on whether a symptomatic or asymptomatic coyote was photographed. Coyotes selected flatter sites closer to the urban area with a high probability of use (0.845, 95% credible interval (CRI): 0.728, 0.944); site use decreased as the distance to urban areas increased (standardized [Formula: see text] = - 1.354, 95% CRI - 2.423, - 0.619). The probability of correctly classifying mange presence at a site also decreased further from the urban area and was probably related to the severity of mange infection. Severely infected coyotes, which were more readily identified as symptomatic, resided closer to the urban area and were most likely dependent on urban resources for survival; urban resources probably contributed to sustaining the disease. Multistate occupancy models represent a flexible framework for estimating the occurrence and spatial extent of observable infectious diseases, which can improve wildlife disease surveillance programs.
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Guenther SK, Shanahan EA. Communicating risk in human-wildlife interactions: How stories and images move minds. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244440. [PMID: 33370410 PMCID: PMC7769453 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Effectively communicating risk is critical to reducing conflict in human-wildlife interactions. Using a survey experiment fielded in the midst of contentious public debate over flying fox management in urban and suburban areas of Australia, we find that stories with characters (i.e., narratives) are more effective than descriptive information at mobilizing support for different forms of bat management, including legal protection, relocation, and habitat restoration. We use conditional process analysis to show that narratives, particularly with accompanying images, are effective because they cause emotional reactions that influence risk perception, which in turn drives public opinion about strategies for risk mitigation. We find that prior attitudes towards bats matter in how narrative messages are received, in particular in how strongly they generate shifts in affective response, risk perception, and public opinion. Our results suggest that those with warm prior attitudes towards bats report greater support for bat dispersal when they perceive impacts from bats to be more likely, while those with cool priors report greater support for bat protection when they perceive impacts from bats to be more positive, revealing 1) potential opportunities for targeted messaging to boost public buy-in of proposals to manage risks associated with human-wildlife interactions, and 2) potential vulnerabilities to disinformation regarding risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K. Guenther
- Department of Political Science, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Shanahan
- Department of Political Science, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
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Interface between Bats and Pigs in Heavy Pig Production. Viruses 2020; 13:v13010004. [PMID: 33375071 PMCID: PMC7822039 DOI: 10.3390/v13010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are often claimed to be a major source for future viral epidemics, as they are associated with several viruses with zoonotic potential. Here we describe the presence and biodiversity of bats associated with intensive pig farms devoted to the production of heavy pigs in northern Italy. Since chiropters or signs of their presence were not found within animal shelters in our study area, we suggest that fecal viruses with high environmental resistance have the highest likelihood for spillover through indirect transmission. In turn, we investigated the circulation of mammalian orthoreoviruses (MRVs), coronaviruses (CoVs) and astroviruses (AstVs) in pigs and bats sharing the same environment. Results of our preliminary study did not show any bat virus in pigs suggesting that spillover from these animals is rare. However, several AstVs, CoVs and MRVs circulated undetected in pigs. Among those, one MRV was a reassortant strain carrying viral genes likely acquired from bats. On the other hand, we found a swine AstV and a MRV strain carrying swine genes in bat guano, indicating that viral exchange at the bat–pig interface might occur more frequently from pigs to bats rather than the other way around. Considering the indoor farming system as the most common system in the European Union (EU), preventive measures should focus on biosecurity rather than displacement of bats, which are protected throughout the EU and provide critical ecosystem services for rural settings.
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48
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Yuen KY, Fraser NS, Henning J, Halpin K, Gibson JS, Betzien L, Stewart AJ. Hendra virus: Epidemiology dynamics in relation to climate change, diagnostic tests and control measures. One Health 2020; 12:100207. [PMID: 33363250 PMCID: PMC7750128 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hendra virus (HeV) continues to pose a serious public health concern as spillover events occur sporadically. Terminally ill horses can exhibit a range of clinical signs including frothy nasal discharge, ataxia or forebrain signs. Early signs, if detected, can include depression, inappetence, colic or mild respiratory signs. All unvaccinated ill horses in areas where flying foxes exist, may potentially be infected with HeV, posing a significant risk to the veterinary community. Equivac® HeV vaccine has been fully registered in Australia since 2015 (and under an Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority special permit since 2012) for immunization of horses against HeV and is the most effective and direct solution to prevent disease transmission to horses and protect humans. No HeV vaccinated horse has tested positive for HeV infection. There is no registered vaccine to prevent, or therapeutics to treat, HeV infection in humans. Previous equine HeV outbreaks tended to cluster in winter overlapping with the foaling season (August to December), when veterinarians and horse owners have frequent close contact with horses and their bodily fluids, increasing the chance of zoonotic disease transmission. The most southerly case was detected in 2019 in the Upper Hunter region in New South Wales, which is Australia's Thoroughbred horse breeding capital. Future spillover events are predicted to move further south and inland in Queensland and New South Wales, aligning with the moving distribution of the main reservoir hosts. Here we (1) review HeV epidemiology and climate change predicted infection dynamics, (2) present a biosecurity protocol for veterinary clinics and hospitals to adopt, and (3) describe diagnostic tests currently available and those under development. Major knowledge and research gaps have been identified, including evaluation of vaccine efficacy in foals to assess current vaccination protocol recommendations. Hendra virus (HeV) continues to pose a serious public health threat to the equine and veterinary industries. HeV cases are likely to expand further south and inland due to climate change. Strict HeV specific biosecurity protocols should be implemented to protect veterinary staff. Research into HeV vaccination protocols in foals is required for evidence-based recommendations. Point-of-care and other diagnostic tests for HeV are currently under development.
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Key Words
- Biosecurity
- Climate change
- HeV, Hendra virus
- Infectious disease
- LAMP, Loop-mediated isothermal amplification
- MFI, Median fluorescent intensity
- NSW, New South Wales
- NiV, Nipah virus
- OIE, World Organization for Animal Health
- One health
- PC, Physical containment
- PPE, Personal protective equipment
- QLD, Queensland
- RNA, Ribonucleic acid
- SNT, Serum neutralization test
- Se, Sensitivity
- Sp, Specificity
- Vaccine
- Zoonosis
- iELISA, Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- qRT-PCR, Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
- sG, Soluble G
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Y Yuen
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Natalie S Fraser
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Joerg Henning
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Kim Halpin
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organization (CSIRO), Geelong, VIC 3219, Australia
| | - Justine S Gibson
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Lily Betzien
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Allison J Stewart
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
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Teitelbaum CS, Hepinstall-Cymerman J, Kidd-Weaver A, Hernandez SM, Altizer S, Hall RJ. Urban specialization reduces habitat connectivity by a highly mobile wading bird. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:49. [PMID: 33372623 PMCID: PMC7720518 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00233-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobile animals transport nutrients and propagules across habitats, and are crucial for the functioning of food webs and for ecosystem services. Human activities such as urbanization can alter animal movement behavior, including site fidelity and resource use. Because many urban areas are adjacent to natural sites, mobile animals might connect natural and urban habitats. More generally, understanding animal movement patterns in urban areas can help predict how urban expansion will affect the roles of highly mobile animals in ecological processes. METHODS Here, we examined movements by a seasonally nomadic wading bird, the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), in South Florida, USA. White ibis are colonial wading birds that forage on aquatic prey; in recent years, some ibis have shifted their behavior to forage in urban parks, where they are fed by people. We used a spatial network approach to investigate how individual movement patterns influence connectivity between urban and non-urban sites. We built a network of habitat connectivity using GPS tracking data from ibis during their non-breeding season and compared this network to simulated networks that assumed individuals moved indiscriminately with respect to habitat type. RESULTS We found that the observed network was less connected than the simulated networks, that urban-urban and natural-natural connections were strong, and that individuals using urban sites had the least-variable habitat use. Importantly, the few ibis that used both urban and natural habitats contributed the most to connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Habitat specialization in urban-acclimated wildlife could reduce the exchange of propagules and nutrients between urban and natural areas, which has consequences both for beneficial effects of connectivity such as gene flow and for detrimental effects such as the spread of contaminants or pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anjelika Kidd-Weaver
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Present address: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Sonia M Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Relationship between Land Use/Land-Use Change and Human Health in Australia: A Scoping Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238992. [PMID: 33276662 PMCID: PMC7730177 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We undertook a scoping study to map the relevant evidence, summarise the findings, and to help identify gaps in the knowledge base on the relationship between land use/land-use change and human health in Australia. Our systematic search of the scientific literature for relevant articles up to August 2020 identified 37 articles. All 37 articles meeting our inclusion criteria were published after 2003. Zoonotic or vector-borne disease constituted the most common health outcome type studied. Agriculture/grazing was the land use/land-use change type most frequently represented in the literature, followed by coal seam gas extraction and open cut coal mining. The relationship between land use/land use change and human health in Australia, is not conclusive from the existing evidence. This is because of (1) a lack of comprehensive coverage of the topic, (2) a lack of coverage of the geography, (3) a lack of coverage of study types, and (4) conflicting results in the research already undertaken. If we are to protect human health and the ecosystems which support life, more high-quality, specific, end-user driven research is needed to support land management decisions in Australia. Until the health effects of further land use change are better known and understood, caution ought to be practiced in land management and land conversion.
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