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Cossu CA, Ochai SO, Troskie M, Hartmann A, Godfroid J, de Klerk LM, Turner W, Kamath P, van Schalkwyk OL, Cassini R, Bhoora R, van Heerden H. Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogen Coinfections and Coexposures to Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Brucellosis, and Q Fever in Selected Wildlife From Kruger National Park, South Africa, and Etosha National Park, Namibia. Transbound Emerg Dis 2024; 2024:2417717. [PMID: 40303165 PMCID: PMC12016786 DOI: 10.1155/tbed/2417717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 11/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2025]
Abstract
Background: Although the rate of emerging infectious diseases that originate in wildlife has been increasing globally in recent decades, there is currently a lack of epidemiological data from wild animals. Methodology: We used serology to determine prior exposure to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), Brucella spp., and Coxiella burnetii and used genetic testing to detect blood-borne parasitic infections in the genera Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Theileria, and Babesia from wildlife in two national parks, Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, and Etosha National Park (ENP), Namibia. Serum and whole blood samples were obtained from free-roaming plains zebra (Equus quagga), greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), impala (Aepyceros melampus), and blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus). Risk factors (host species, sex, and sampling park) for infection with each pathogen were assessed, as well as the prevalence and distribution of co-occurring infections. Results: In KNP 13/29 (45%; confidence interval [CI]: 26%-64%) kudus tested positive for FMD, but none of these reacted to SAT serotypes. For brucellosis, seropositive results were obtained for 3/29 (10%; CI: 2%-27%) kudu samples. Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in 6/29 (21%; CI: 8%-40%) kudus, 14/21 (67%; CI: 43%-85%) impalas, and 18/39 (46%; CI: 30%-63%) zebras. A total of 28/28 kudus tested positive for Theileria spp. (100%; CI: 88%-100%) and 27/28 for Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. (96%; CI: 82%-100%), whereas 12/19 impalas (63%) and 2/39 zebra (5%) tested positive for Anaplasma centrale. In ENP, only 1/29 (3%; CI: 0%-18%) wildebeest samples tested positive for FMD. None of the samples tested positive for brucellosis, while C. burnetii antibodies were detected in 26/30 wildebeests (87%; CI: 69%-96%), 16/40 kudus (40%; CI: 25%-57%), and 26/26 plains zebras (100%; CI: 87%-100%). A total of 60% Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. and 35% Theileria/Babesia spp. in kudu and 37% wildebeest tested positive to Theileria sp. (sable), 30% to Babesia occultans, and 3%-7% to Anaplasma spp. The seroprevalence of Q fever was significantly higher in ENP, while Brucella spp., Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Theileria, and Babesia species were significantly higher in KNP. Significant coinfections were also identified. Conclusion: This work provided baseline serological and molecular data on 40+ pathogens in four wildlife species from two national parks in southern Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Andrea Cossu
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Sunday Ochonu Ochai
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions, Copenhagen S 2300, Denmark
| | - Milana Troskie
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Axel Hartmann
- Etosha National Park, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Etosha Ecological Institute, Okaukuejo, Namibia
| | - Jacques Godfroid
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT–The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lin-Mari de Klerk
- Office of the State Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Kruger National Park, P.O. Box 12, Skukuza 1350, South Africa
| | - Wendy Turner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison 53706, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Pauline Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono 04469, Maine, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono 04469, Maine, USA
| | - Ockert Louis van Schalkwyk
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
- Office of the State Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Kruger National Park, P.O. Box 12, Skukuza 1350, South Africa
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Rudi Cassini
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Raksha Bhoora
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
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Duncan AB, Godoy O, Michalakis Y, Zélé F, Magalhães S. Interspecific interactions among parasites in multiple infections. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:1042-1052. [PMID: 39428306 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 09/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/22/2024]
Abstract
Individual hosts and populations frequently harbour multiple parasite species simultaneously. Despite their commonness, the consequences of interspecific interactions among parasites for determining infection outcomes are still poorly understood. We review and propose several expectations for multiple infections involving different species. We highlight that interspecific interactions affect the outcome of competition within hosts and that heterospecific parasites engage in cotransmission, gene exchange, and reproductive interference. Studies specifically comparing intra- and inter-specific coinfections and knowledge from community ecology may be instrumental to fully understand the consequences of interspecific multiple infections for parasite life history, ecology, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison B Duncan
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France.
| | - Oscar Godoy
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBD, CSIC, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Yannis Michalakis
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier 34394, France
| | - Flore Zélé
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Sara Magalhães
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes (cE3c), CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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3
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Lebeau E, Dunn JC. The prevalence and immune response to coinfection by avian haemosporidians in wild Eurasian blackbirds Turdus merula. Parasitology 2024; 151:1406-1415. [PMID: 39851095 PMCID: PMC12052428 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2025]
Abstract
Coinfection of a host by more than 1 parasite is more common than single infection in wild environments and can have differing impacts, although coinfections have relatively rarely been quantified. Host immune responses to coinfection can contribute to infection costs but are often harder to predict than those associated with single infection, due to the influence of within-host parasite–parasite interactions on infection virulence. To first quantify coinfection in a common bird species, and then to test for immune-related impacts of coinfection, we investigated the prevalence and immune response to avian haemosporidian (genera: Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) coinfection in wild blackbirds. Coinfection status was diagnosed using a 1-step multiplex polymerase chain reaction, immune response was quantified through white blood cell counts and heterophil: lymphocyte ratios, and parasitaemia was quantified for each infected sample. We detected high rates of haemosporidian infection and coinfection, although neither impacted immune activity, despite a significantly higher parasitaemia in individuals experiencing double vs single infection. This suggests that immune-related costs of haemosporidian single and coinfection are low in this system. This could be due to long-term host–parasite coevolution, which has decreased infection virulence, or a consequence of reduced costs associated with chronic infections compared to acute infections. Alternatively, our results may obscure immune-related costs associated with specific combinations of coinfecting haemosporidian genera, species or lineages. Future research should investigate interactions that occur between haemosporidian parasites within hosts, as well as the ways in which these interactions and resulting impacts may vary depending on parasite identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Lebeau
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Jenny C. Dunn
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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4
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Evensen C, White A, Boots M. Multispecies interactions and the community context of the evolution of virulence. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240991. [PMID: 39317313 PMCID: PMC11421928 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pairwise host-parasite relationships are typically embedded in broader networks of ecological interactions, which have the potential to shape parasite evolutionary trajectories. Understanding this 'community context' of pathogen evolution is vital for wildlife, agricultural and human systems alike, as pathogens typically infect more than one host-and these hosts may have independent ecological relationships. Here, we introduce an eco-evolutionary model examining ecological feedback across a range of host-host interactions. Specifically, we analyse a model of the evolution of virulence of a parasite infecting two hosts exhibiting competitive, mutualistic or exploitative relationships. We first find that parasite specialism is necessary for inter-host interactions to impact parasite evolution. Furthermore, we find generally that increasing competition between hosts leads to higher shared parasite virulence while increasing mutualism leads to lower virulence. In exploitative host-host interactions, the particular form of parasite specialization is critical-for instance, specialization in terms of onward transmission, host tolerance or intra-host pathogen growth rate lead to distinct evolutionary outcomes under the same host-host interactions. Our work provides testable hypotheses for multi-host disease systems, predicts how changing interaction networks may impact virulence evolution and broadly demonstrates the importance of looking beyond pairwise relationships to understand evolution in realistic community contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Evensen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andrew White
- Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mike Boots
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, CA, USA
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5
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Ontogenetic and spatial variability in parasite communities of white shrimp Penaeus setiferus (Decapoda: Penaeidae). Parasitology 2023; 150:230-239. [PMID: 36503571 PMCID: PMC10090638 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022001597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the combined effects of multi-parasite infections on their hosts is necessary for documenting parasite impacts and is particularly important for developing effective management strategies for economically important organisms. The white shrimp Penaeus setiferus supports important recreational and commercial fisheries along the southeastern and Gulf coasts of the United States and occupies an important ecological niche in estuarine and offshore habitats throughout these regions. The goal of this study was to identify and assess ontogenetic and spatial variation in white shrimp parasite communities and their relation to shrimp health. We used a series of trawl surveys in tidal creek and open water habitats of an estuary in the southeastern USA to collect and identify parasites of white shrimp using morphological and DNA sequencing techniques. Parasite communities in white shrimp were composed of organisms belonging to 6 classes: Conoidasida (gregarines), Oligohymenophorea (apostome and sessilid ciliates), Microsporea (meiodihaplophasids), Chromadorea (rhabditids), Cestoda (cyclophyllideans, lecanocephalideans and trypanorhynchs) and Trematoda (plagiorchiids). Parasite communities differed significantly among white shrimp life stages and localities. Furthermore, the health condition known as black gill occurred in some shrimp and was significantly related to parasite community structure. Infection metrics for the apostome ciliate Hyalophysa lynni, the trypanorhynch larvae Prochristianella sp. and the rhabditid larvae Hysterothylacium sp. were significantly different between shrimp exhibiting and not exhibiting black gill. These results highlight the importance of understanding parasite communities and the potential interactive effects of multiple parasite infections on shrimp health.
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6
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Makau DN, Lycett S, Michalska-Smith M, Paploski IAD, Cheeran MCJ, Craft ME, Kao RR, Schroeder DC, Doeschl-Wilson A, VanderWaal K. Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of multi-strain RNA viruses. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1414-1422. [PMID: 36138206 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01860-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Potential interactions among co-circulating viral strains in host populations are often overlooked in the study of virus transmission. However, these interactions probably shape transmission dynamics by influencing host immune responses or altering the relative fitness among co-circulating strains. In this Review, we describe multi-strain dynamics from ecological and evolutionary perspectives, outline scales in which multi-strain dynamics occur and summarize important immunological, phylogenetic and mathematical modelling approaches used to quantify interactions among strains. We also discuss how host-pathogen interactions influence the co-circulation of pathogens. Finally, we highlight outstanding questions and knowledge gaps in the current theory and study of ecological and evolutionary dynamics of multi-strain viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis N Makau
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Igor A D Paploski
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Maxim C-J Cheeran
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Rowland R Kao
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Declan C Schroeder
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | | | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
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7
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Evidence of co-exposure with Brucella spp, Coxiella burnetii, and Rift Valley fever virus among various species of wildlife in Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010596. [PMID: 35939503 PMCID: PMC9359551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Co-infection, especially with pathogens of dissimilar genetic makeup, may result in a more devastating impact on the host. Investigations on co-infection with neglected zoonotic pathogens in wildlife are necessary to inform appropriate prevention and control strategies to reduce disease burden in wildlife and the potential transmission of these pathogens between wildlife, livestock and humans. This study assessed co-exposure of various Kenyan wildflife species with Brucella spp, Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Methodology A total of 363 sera from 16 different wildlife species, most of them (92.6%) herbivores, were analysed by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgG antibodies against Brucella spp, C. burnetii and RVFV. Further, 280 of these were tested by PCR to identify Brucella species. Results Of the 16 wildlife species tested, 15 (93.8%) were seropositive for at least one of the pathogens. Mean seropositivities were 18.9% (95% CI: 15.0–23.3) for RVFV, 13.7% (95% CI: 10.3–17.7) for Brucella spp and 9.1% (95% CI: 6.3–12.5) for C. burnetii. Buffaloes (n = 269) had higher seropositivity for Brucella spp. (17.1%, 95% CI: 13.0–21.7%) and RVFV (23.4%, 95% CI: 18.6–28.6%), while giraffes (n = 36) had the highest seropositivity for C. burnetii (44.4%, 95% CI: 27.9–61.9%). Importantly, 23 of the 93 (24.7%) animals positive for at least one pathogen were co-exposed, with 25.4% (18/71) of the positive buffaloes positive for brucellosis and RVFV. On molecular analysis, Brucella DNA was detected in 46 (19.5%, CI: 14.9–24.7) samples, with 4 (8.6%, 95% CI: 2.2–15.8) being identified as B. melitensis. The Fisher’s Exact test indicated that seropositivity varied significantly within the different animal families, with Brucella (p = 0.013), C. burnetii (p = <0.001) and RVFV (p = 0.007). Location was also significantly associated (p = <0.001) with Brucella spp. and C. burnetii seropositivities. Conclusion Of ~20% of Kenyan wildlife that are seropositive for Brucella spp, C. burnetii and RVFV, almost 25% indicate co-infections with the three pathogens, particularly with Brucella spp and RVFV. Infection of an animal with more than one pathogen may result into a more devastating impact. Only few studies have investigated co-infection with multiple pathogens in wildlife, despite their key role as reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. Therefore, there is need for investigations on co-infection with neglected zoonotic pathogens in wildlife to inform prevention and control approaches and reduce disease impact in wildlife and potential transmission of these pathogens between wildlife, livestock, and humans. This study assessed co-exposure of various Kenyan wildlife species with three zoonotic pathogens, including Brucella spp, Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Results from this study revealed widespread, but varied exposure levels to the three individual pathogens within the several wildlife species. Likewise, the study also found the presence of co-exposure with the three pathogens. The findings from this study points to the need for establishment of surveillance and control programmes that target multiple pathogens in the wildlife populations to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious pathogens in wildlife and their zoonotic transmission.
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Cilia G, Flaminio S, Zavatta L, Ranalli R, Quaranta M, Bortolotti L, Nanetti A. Occurrence of Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera L.) Pathogens in Wild Pollinators in Northern Italy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:907489. [PMID: 35846743 PMCID: PMC9280159 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.907489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases contribute to the decline of pollinator populations, which may be aggravated by the interspecific transmission of honey bee pests and pathogens. Flowers increase the risk of transmission, as they expose the pollinators to infections during the foraging activity. In this study, both the prevalence and abundance of 21 honey bee pathogens (11 viruses, 4 bacteria, 3 fungi, and 3 trypanosomatids) were assessed in the flower-visiting entomofauna sampled from March to September 2021 in seven sites in the two North-Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. A total of 1,028 specimens were collected, identified, and analysed. Of the twenty-one pathogens that were searched for, only thirteen were detected. Altogether, the prevalence of the positive individuals reached 63.9%, with Nosema ceranae, deformed wing virus (DWV), and chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) as the most prevalent pathogens. In general, the pathogen abundance averaged 5.15 * 106 copies, with CBPV, N. ceranae, and black queen cell virus (BQCV) as the most abundant pathogens, with 8.63, 1.58, and 0.48 * 107 copies, respectively. All the detected viruses were found to be replicative. The sequence analysis indicated that the same genetic variant was circulating in a specific site or region, suggesting that interspecific transmission events among honey bees and wild pollinators are possible. Frequently, N. ceranae and DWV were found to co-infect the same individual. The circulation of honey bee pathogens in wild pollinators was never investigated before in Italy. Our study resulted in the unprecedented detection of 72 wild pollinator species as potential hosts of honey bee pathogens. Those results encourage the implementation of monitoring actions aiming to improve our understanding of the environmental implications of such interspecific transmission events, which is pivotal to embracing a One Health approach to pollinators' welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rosa Ranalli
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
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9
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Armitage SA, Genersch E, McMahon DP, Rafaluk-Mohr C, Rolff J. Tripartite interactions: how immunity, microbiota and pathogens interact and affect pathogen virulence evolution. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 50:100871. [PMID: 34999035 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The bipartite interactions between insect hosts and their bacterial gut microbiota, or their bacterial pathogens, are empirically and theoretically well-explored. However, direct, and indirect tripartite interactions will also likely occur inside a host. These interactions will almost certainly affect the trajectory of pathogen virulence evolution, an area that is currently under researched. The interactions within tripartite associations can be competitive, that is, exploitative-competition, interference-competition or apparent-competition. Competitive interactions will be significantly influenced by non-competitive effects, for example, immunopathology, immunosuppression, and microbiota-mediated tolerance. Considering a combination of these interactions and effects, will enable an increased understanding of the evolution of pathogen virulence. This new perspective allows us to identify several novel research questions, which we hope will be a useful framework for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Ao Armitage
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Elke Genersch
- Institute for Bee Research, Friedrich-Engels-Straße 32, 16540 Hohen Neuendorf, Germany; Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Straße 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dino P McMahon
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Department for Materials and Environment, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Rafaluk-Mohr
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Middlebrook EA, Romero AT, Bett B, Nthiwa D, Oyola SO, Fair JM, Bartlow AW. Identification and distribution of pathogens coinfecting with Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus in humans, livestock and wildlife. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:175-194. [PMID: 35034427 PMCID: PMC9303618 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases, such as brucellosis, Q fever and Rift Valley fever (RVF) caused by Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii and RVF virus, respectively, can have devastating effects on human, livestock, and wildlife health and cause economic hardship due to morbidity and mortality in livestock. Coinfection with multiple pathogens can lead to more severe disease outcomes and altered transmission dynamics. These three pathogens can alter host immune responses likely leading to increased morbidity, mortality and pathogen transmission during coinfection. Developing countries, such as those commonly afflicted by outbreaks of brucellosis, Q fever and RVF, have high disease burden and thus common coinfections. A literature survey provided information on case reports and studies investigating coinfections involving the three focal diseases. Fifty five studies were collected demonstrating coinfections of Brucella spp., C. burnetii or RVFV with 50 different pathogens, of which 64% were zoonotic. While the literature search criteria involved ‘coinfection’, only 24/55 studies showed coinfections with direct pathogen detection methods (microbiology, PCR and antigen test), while the rest only reported detection of antibodies against multiple pathogens, which only indicate a history of co‐exposure, not concurrent infection. These studies lack the ability to test whether coinfection leads to changes in morbidity, mortality or transmission dynamics. We describe considerations and methods for identifying ongoing coinfections to address this critical blind spot in disease risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Earl A Middlebrook
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Alicia T Romero
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Bernard Bett
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Nthiwa
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
| | - Samuel O Oyola
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jeanne M Fair
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Andrew W Bartlow
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
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O'Keeffe KR, Simha A, Mitchell CE. Indirect interactions among co-infecting parasites and a microbial mutualist impact disease progression. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211313. [PMID: 34375557 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions among parasites and other microbes within hosts can impact disease progression, yet study of such interactions has been mostly limited to pairwise combinations of microbes. Given the diversity of microbes within hosts, indirect interactions among more than two microbial species may also impact disease. To test this hypothesis, we performed inoculation experiments that investigated interactions among two fungal parasites, Rhizoctonia solani and Colletotrichum cereale, and a systemic fungal endophyte, Epichloë coenophiala, within the grass, tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum). Both direct and indirect interactions impacted disease progression. While the endophyte did not directly influence R. solani disease progression or C. cereale symptom development, the endophyte modified the interaction between the two parasites. The magnitude of the facilitative effect of C. cereale on the growth of R. solani tended to be greater when the endophyte was present. Moreover, this interaction modification strongly affected leaf mortality. For plants lacking the endophyte, parasite co-inoculation did not increase leaf mortality compared to single-parasite inoculations. By contrast, for endophyte-infected plants, parasite co-inoculation increased leaf mortality compared to inoculation with R. solani or C. cereale alone by 1.9 or 4.9 times, respectively. Together, these results show that disease progression can be strongly impacted by indirect interactions among microbial symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh R O'Keeffe
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anita Simha
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Charles E Mitchell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Environment, Ecology and Energy Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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A Mathematical Framework for Predicting Lifestyles of Viral Pathogens. Bull Math Biol 2020; 82:54. [PMID: 32350621 PMCID: PMC7189636 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-020-00730-1] [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: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite being similar in structure, functioning, and size, viral pathogens enjoy very different, usually well-defined ways of life. They occupy their hosts for a few days (influenza), for a few weeks (measles), or even lifelong (HCV), which manifests in acute or chronic infections. The various transmission routes (airborne, via direct physical contact, etc.), degrees of infectiousness (referring to the viral load required for transmission), antigenic variation/immune escape and virulence define further aspects of pathogenic lifestyles. To survive, pathogens must infect new hosts; the success determines their fitness. Infection happens with a certain likelihood during contact of hosts, where contact can also be mediated by vectors. Besides structural aspects of the host-contact network, three parameters appear to be key: the contact rate and the infectiousness during contact, which encode the mode of transmission, and third the immunity of susceptible hosts. On these grounds, what can be said about the reproductive success of viral pathogens? This is the biological question addressed in this paper. The answer extends earlier results of the author and makes explicit connection to another basic work on the evolution of pathogens. A mathematical framework is presented that models intra- and inter-host dynamics in a minimalistic but unified fashion covering a broad spectrum of viral pathogens, including those that cause flu-like infections, childhood diseases, and sexually transmitted infections. These pathogens turn out as local maxima of numerically simulated fitness landscapes. The models involve differential and integral equations, agent-based simulation, networks, and probability.
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