1
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Simola M, Hallanvuo S, Henttonen H, Huitu O, Niemimaa J, Rossow H, Seppä-Lassila L, Ranta J. Small mammals as carriers of zoonotic bacteria on pig and cattle farms - Prevalence and risk of exposure in an integrative approach. Prev Vet Med 2024; 229:106228. [PMID: 38850871 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106228] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
To prevent foodborne infections from pigs and cattle, the whole food chain must act to minimize the contamination of products, including biosecurity measures which prevent infections via feed and the environment in production farms. Rodents and other small mammals can be reservoirs of and key vectors for transmitting zoonotic bacteria and viruses to farm animals, through direct contact but more often through environmental contamination. In line with One Health concept, we integrated results from a sampling study of small mammals in farm environments and data from a capture-recapture experiment into a probabilistic model which quantifies the degree of environmental exposure of zoonotic bacteria by small mammals to farm premises. We investigated more than 1200 small mammals trapped in and around 38 swine and cattle farm premises in Finland in 2017/2018. Regardless of the farm type, the most common species caught were the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), and house mouse (Mus musculus). Of 554 intestine samples (each pooled from 1 to 10 individuals), 33% were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. Yersinia enterocolitica was detected in 8% of the pooled samples, on 21/38 farm premises. Findings of Salmonella and the Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were rare: the pathogens were detected in only single samples from four and six farm premises, respectively. The prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia and STEC in small mammal populations was estimated as 26%/13%, 1%/0%, 2%/3%, 1%/1%, respectively, in 2017/2018. The exposure probability within the experimental period of four weeks on farms was 17-60% for Campylobacter and 0-3% for Salmonella. The quantitative model is readily applicable to similar integrative studies. Our results indicate that small mammals increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic bacteria in animal production farms, thus increasing risks also for livestock and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Otso Huitu
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Finland
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2
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Shartova N, Korennoy F, Zelikhina S, Mironova V, Wang L, Malkhazova S. Spatial and temporal patterns of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and the impact of environmental drivers in a border area of the Russian Far East. Zoonoses Public Health 2024. [PMID: 38396153 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13118] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a significant zoonotic disease transmitted by rodents. The distribution of HFRS in the European part of Russia has been studied quite well; however, much less is known about the endemic area in the Russian Far East. The mutual influence of the epidemic situation in the border regions and the possibility of cross-border transmission of infection remain poorly understood. This study aims to identify the spatiotemporal hot spots of the incidence and the impact of environmental drivers on the HFRS distribution in the Russian Far East. METHODS AND RESULTS A two-scale study design was performed. Kulldorf's spatial scan statistic was used to conduct spatiotemporal analysis at a regional scale from 2000 to 2020. In addition, an ecological niche model based on maximum entropy was applied to analyse the contribution of various factors and identify spatial favourability at the local scale. One spatiotemporal cluster that existed from 2002 to 2011 and located in the border area and one pure temporal cluster from 2004 to 2007 were revealed. The best suitability for orthohantavirus persistence was found along rivers, including those at the Chinese-Russian border, and was mainly explained by land cover, NDVI (as an indicator of vegetation density and greenness) and elevation. CONCLUSIONS Despite the stable incidence in recent years in, targeted prevention strategies are still needed due to the high potential for HRFS distribution in the southeast of the Russian Far East.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Shartova
- International Laboratory of Landscape Ecology, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Fedor Korennoy
- FGBI Federal Center for Animal Health (FGBI ARRIAH), mkr. Yurevets, Vladimir, Russia
| | | | - Varvara Mironova
- Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Li Wang
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Su F, Liu Y, Ling F, Zhang R, Wang Z, Sun J. Epidemiology of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome and Host Surveillance in Zhejiang Province, China, 1990-2021. Viruses 2024; 16:145. [PMID: 38275955 PMCID: PMC10818760 DOI: 10.3390/v16010145] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is caused by hantaviruses (HVs) and is endemic in Zhejiang Province, China. In this study, we aimed to explore the changing epidemiology of HFRS cases and the dynamics of hantavirus hosts in Zhejiang Province. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze long-term trends in the incidence of HFRS. The comparison of animal density at different stages was conducted using the Mann-Whitney Test. A comparison of HV carriage rates between stages and species was performed using the chi-square test. The incidence of HFRS shows a continuous downward trend. Cases are widely distributed in all counties of Zhejiang Province except Shengsi County. There was a high incidence belt from west to east, with low incidence in the south and north. The HFRS epidemic showed two seasonal peaks in Zhejiang Province, which were winter and summer. It showed a marked increase in the age of the incidence population. A total of 23,073 minibeasts from 21 species were captured. Positive results were detected in the lung tissues of 14 rodent species and 1 shrew species. A total of 80% of the positive results were from striped field mice and brown rats. No difference in HV carriage rates between striped field mice and brown rats was observed (χ2 = 0.258, p = 0.611).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Su
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China;
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China (R.Z.)
| | - Feng Ling
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China (R.Z.)
| | - Rong Zhang
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China (R.Z.)
| | - Zhen Wang
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China (R.Z.)
| | - Jimin Sun
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China (R.Z.)
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4
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Wang YXG, Voutilainen L, Aminikhah M, Helle H, Huitu O, Laakkonen J, Lindén A, Niemimaa J, Sane J, Sironen T, Vapalahti O, Henttonen H, Kallio ER. The impact of wildlife and environmental factors on hantavirus infection in the host and its translation into human risk. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222470. [PMID: 37040809 PMCID: PMC10089723 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2470] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying factors that drive infection dynamics in reservoir host populations is essential in understanding human risk from wildlife-originated zoonoses. We studied zoonotic Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) in the host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), populations in relation to the host population, rodent and predator community and environment-related factors and whether these processes are translated into human infection incidence. We used 5-year rodent trapping and bank vole PUUV serology data collected from 30 sites located in 24 municipalities in Finland. We found that PUUV seroprevalence in the host was negatively associated with the abundance of red foxes, but this process did not translate into human disease incidence, which showed no association with PUUV seroprevalence. The abundance of weasels, the proportion of juvenile bank voles in the host populations and rodent species diversity were negatively associated with the abundance index of PUUV positive bank voles, which, in turn, showed a positive association with human disease incidence. Our results suggest certain predators, a high proportion of young bank vole individuals, and a diverse rodent community, may reduce PUUV risk for humans through their negative impacts on the abundance of infected bank voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying X. G. Wang
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Liina Voutilainen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mahdi Aminikhah
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Heikki Helle
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Otso Huitu
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Laakkonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andreas Lindén
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka Niemimaa
- Research infrastructure services, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jussi Sane
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heikki Henttonen
- Wildlife Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eva R. Kallio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
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5
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Princk C, Drewes S, Meyer‐Schlinkmann KM, Saathoff M, Binder F, Freise J, Tenner B, Weiss S, Hofmann J, Esser J, Runge M, Jacob J, Ulrich RG, Dreesman J. Cluster of human Puumala orthohantavirus infections due to indoor exposure?-An interdisciplinary outbreak investigation. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:579-586. [PMID: 35312223 PMCID: PMC9539979 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12940] [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: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is the most important hantavirus species in Europe, causing the majority of human hantavirus disease cases. In central and western Europe, the occurrence of human infections is mainly driven by bank vole population dynamics influenced by beech mast. In Germany, hantavirus epidemic years are observed in 2- to 5-year intervals. Many of the human infections are recorded in summer and early autumn, coinciding with peaks in bank vole populations. Here, we describe a molecular epidemiological investigation in a small company with eight employees of whom five contracted hantavirus infections in late 2017. Standardized interviews with employees were conducted to assess the circumstances under which the disease cluster occurred, how the employees were exposed and which counteractive measures were taken. Initially, two employees were admitted to hospital and serologically diagnosed with hantavirus infection. Subsequently, further investigations were conducted. By means of a self-administered questionnaire, three additional symptomatic cases could be identified. The hospital patients' sera were investigated and revealed in one patient a partial PUUV L segment sequence, which was identical to PUUV sequences from several bank voles collected in close proximity to company buildings. This investigation highlights the importance of a One Health approach that combines efforts from human and veterinary medicine, ecology and public health to reveal the origin of hantavirus disease clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Princk
- Public Health Agency of Lower SaxonyHannoverGermany
- Present address:
Department of Clinical EpidemiologyLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPSBremenGermany
| | - Stephan Drewes
- Friedrich‐Loeffler‐InstitutFederal Research Institute for Animal HealthInstitute of Novel and Emerging Infectious DiseasesGreifswald‐Insel RiemsGermany
| | | | - Marion Saathoff
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food SafetyOldenburg/HannoverGermany
| | - Florian Binder
- Friedrich‐Loeffler‐InstitutFederal Research Institute for Animal HealthInstitute of Novel and Emerging Infectious DiseasesGreifswald‐Insel RiemsGermany
| | - Jona Freise
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food SafetyOldenburg/HannoverGermany
| | - Beate Tenner
- Institute of VirologyCharité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Sabrina Weiss
- Institute of VirologyCharité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Present address:
Centre for International Health Protection – Public Health Laboratory SupportRobert Koch‐InstituteBerlinGermany
| | - Jörg Hofmann
- Institute of VirologyCharité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Jutta Esser
- Practice of Laboratory MedicineDepartment of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine, Health TheoryUniversity OsnabrückOsnabrückGermany
| | - Martin Runge
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food SafetyOldenburg/HannoverGermany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Julius Kühn‐Institute (JKI),Federal Research Centre for Cultivated PlantsInstitute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate ResearchMünsterGermany
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Friedrich‐Loeffler‐InstitutFederal Research Institute for Animal HealthInstitute of Novel and Emerging Infectious DiseasesGreifswald‐Insel RiemsGermany
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6
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Sipari S, Khalil H, Magnusson M, Evander M, Hörnfeldt B, Ecke F. Climate change accelerates winter transmission of a zoonotic pathogen. AMBIO 2022; 51:508-517. [PMID: 34228253 PMCID: PMC8800963 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01594-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Many zoonotic diseases are weather sensitive, raising concern how their distribution and outbreaks will be affected by climate change. At northern high latitudes, the effect of global warming on especially winter conditions is strong. By using long term monitoring data (1980-1986 and 2003-2013) from Northern Europe on temperature, precipitation, an endemic zoonotic pathogen (Puumala orthohantavirus, PUUV) and its reservoir host (the bank vole, Myodes glareolus), we show that early winters have become increasingly wet, with a knock-on effect on pathogen transmission in its reservoir host population. Further, our study is the first to show a climate change effect on an endemic northern zoonosis, that is not induced by increased host abundance or distribution, demonstrating that climate change can also alter transmission intensity within host populations. Our results suggest that rainy early winters accelerate PUUV transmission in bank voles in winter, likely increasing the human zoonotic risk in the North.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saana Sipari
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Umeå University, Department of Clinical Microbiology, 901 85 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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7
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Andreassen HP, Sundell J, Ecke F, Halle S, Haapakoski M, Henttonen H, Huitu O, Jacob J, Johnsen K, Koskela E, Luque-Larena JJ, Lecomte N, Leirs H, Mariën J, Neby M, Rätti O, Sievert T, Singleton GR, van Cann J, Vanden Broecke B, Ylönen H. Population cycles and outbreaks of small rodents: ten essential questions we still need to solve. Oecologia 2021; 195:601-622. [PMID: 33369695 PMCID: PMC7940343 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04810-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Most small rodent populations in the world have fascinating population dynamics. In the northern hemisphere, voles and lemmings tend to show population cycles with regular fluctuations in numbers. In the southern hemisphere, small rodents tend to have large amplitude outbreaks with less regular intervals. In the light of vast research and debate over almost a century, we here discuss the driving forces of these different rodent population dynamics. We highlight ten questions directly related to the various characteristics of relevant populations and ecosystems that still need to be answered. This overview is not intended as a complete list of questions but rather focuses on the most important issues that are essential for understanding the generality of small rodent population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry P Andreassen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2480, Koppang, Norway
| | - Janne Sundell
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, 16900, Lammi, Finland
| | - Fraucke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Stefan Halle
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Marko Haapakoski
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Konnevesi Research Station, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Heikki Henttonen
- Terrestrial Population Dynamics, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Otso Huitu
- Terrestrial Population Dynamics, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jens Jacob
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Vertebrate Research, Julius Kühn-Institut, Toppheideweg 88, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Kaja Johnsen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2480, Koppang, Norway
| | - Esa Koskela
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Juan Jose Luque-Larena
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenierıas Agrarias, Universidad de Valladolid, Campus La Yutera, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004, Palencia, Spain
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre D'Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, 18 Avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitslain 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Joachim Mariën
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitslain 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Magne Neby
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2480, Koppang, Norway
| | - Osmo Rätti
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, 96101, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Thorbjörn Sievert
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Konnevesi Research Station, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Grant R Singleton
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Marine, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Joannes van Cann
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Bram Vanden Broecke
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitslain 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Hannu Ylönen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Konnevesi Research Station, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
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8
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Khalil H, Ecke F, Evander M, Bucht G, Hörnfeldt B. Population Dynamics of Bank Voles Predicts Human Puumala Hantavirus Risk. ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:545-557. [PMID: 31309365 PMCID: PMC6858908 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01424-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Predicting risk of zoonotic diseases, i.e., diseases shared by humans and animals, is often complicated by the population ecology of wildlife host(s). We here demonstrate how ecological knowledge of a disease system can be used for early prediction of human risk using Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus), which causes Nephropathia epidemica (NE) in humans, as a model system. Bank vole populations at northern latitudes exhibit multiannual fluctuations in density and spatial distribution, a phenomenon that has been studied extensively. Nevertheless, existing studies predict NE incidence only a few months before an outbreak. We used a time series on cyclic bank vole population density (1972-2013), their PUUV infection rates (1979-1986; 2003-2013), and NE incidence in Sweden (1990-2013). Depending on the relationship between vole density and infection prevalence (proportion of infected animals), either overall density of bank voles or the density of infected bank voles may be used to predict seasonal NE incidence. The density and spatial distribution of voles at density minima of a population cycle contribute to the early warning of NE risk later at its cyclic peak. When bank voles remain relatively widespread in the landscape during cyclic minima, PUUV can spread from a high baseline during a cycle, culminating in high prevalence in bank voles and potentially high NE risk during peak densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7050, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, 901 85, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Göran Bucht
- Swedish Defense Research Agency, CBRN Defence and Security, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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9
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Laenen L, Vergote V, Vanmechelen B, Tersago K, Baele G, Lemey P, Leirs H, Dellicour S, Vrancken B, Maes P. Identifying the patterns and drivers of Puumala hantavirus enzootic dynamics using reservoir sampling. Virus Evol 2019; 5:vez009. [PMID: 31024739 PMCID: PMC6476162 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vez009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hantaviruses are zoonotic hemorrhagic fever viruses for which prevention of human spillover remains the first priority in disease management. Tailored intervention measures require an understanding of the drivers of enzootic dynamics, commonly inferred from distorted human incidence data. Here, we use longitudinal sampling of approximately three decades of Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) evolution in isolated reservoir populations to estimate PUUV evolutionary rates, and apply these to study the impact of environmental factors on viral spread. We find that PUUV accumulates genetic changes at a rate of ∼10−4 substitutions per site per year and that land cover type defines the dispersal dynamics of PUUV, with forests facilitating and croplands impeding virus spread. By providing reliable short-term PUUV evolutionary rate estimates, this work facilitates the evaluation of spatial risk heterogeneity starting from timed phylogeographic reconstructions based on virus sampling in its animal reservoir, thereby side-stepping the need for difficult-to-collect human disease incidence data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lies Laenen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valentijn Vergote
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Vanmechelen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Tersago
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Belgian Institute of Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Baele
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe Lemey
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Simon Dellicour
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Spatial Epidemiology Lab (spELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Bram Vrancken
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Sawatzky A, Cunsolo A, Jones-Bitton A, Middleton J, Harper SL. Responding to Climate and Environmental Change Impacts on Human Health via Integrated Surveillance in the Circumpolar North: A Systematic Realist Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E2706. [PMID: 30513697 PMCID: PMC6313572 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Environments are shifting rapidly in the Circumpolar Arctic and Subarctic regions as a result of climate change and other external stressors, and this has a substantial impact on the health of northern populations. Thus, there is a need for integrated surveillance systems designed to monitor the impacts of climate change on human health outcomes as part of broader adaptation strategies in these regions. This review aimed to identify, describe, and synthesize literature on integrated surveillance systems in Circumpolar Arctic and Subarctic regions, that are used for research or practice. Following a systematic realist review approach, relevant articles were identified using search strings developed for MEDLINE® and Web of Science™ databases, and screened by two independent reviewers. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were retained for descriptive quantitative analysis, as well as thematic qualitative analysis, using a realist lens. Of the 3431 articles retrieved in the database searches, 85 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Thematic analysis identified components of integrated surveillance systems that were categorized into three main groups: structural, processual, and relational components. These components were linked to surveillance attributes and activities that supported the operations and management of integrated surveillance. This review advances understandings of the distinct contributions of integrated surveillance systems and data to discerning the nature of changes in climate and environmental conditions that affect population health outcomes and determinants in the Circumpolar North. Findings from this review can be used to inform the planning, design, and evaluation of integrated surveillance systems that support evidence-based public health research and practice in the context of increasing climate change and the need for adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Sawatzky
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Ashlee Cunsolo
- Labrador Institute of Memorial University, 219 Hamilton River Road, P.O. Box 490, Stn. B, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL A0P 1E0, Canada.
| | - Andria Jones-Bitton
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Jacqueline Middleton
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Sherilee L Harper
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 116 St. and 85 Ave., Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
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11
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Rohfritsch A, Galan M, Gautier M, Gharbi K, Olsson G, Gschloessl B, Zeimes C, VanWambeke S, Vitalis R, Charbonnel N. Preliminary insights into the genetics of bank vole tolerance to Puumala hantavirus in Sweden. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11273-11292. [PMID: 30519443 PMCID: PMC6262921 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens generally seem to be capable of tolerating infections. Tolerance and its underlying mechanisms remain difficult to assess using experiments or wildlife surveys. High-throughput sequencing technologies give the opportunity to investigate the genetic bases of tolerance, and the variability of its mechanisms in natural populations. In particular, population genomics may provide preliminary insights into the genes shaping tolerance and potentially influencing epidemiological dynamics. Here, we addressed these questions in the bank vole Myodes glareolus, the specific asymptomatic reservoir host of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV), which causes nephropathia epidemica (NE) in humans. Despite the continuous spatial distribution of M. glareolus in Sweden, NE is endemic to the northern part of the country. Northern bank vole populations in Sweden might exhibit tolerance strategies as a result of coadaptation with PUUV. This may favor the circulation and maintenance of PUUV and lead to high spatial risk of NE in northern Sweden. We performed a genome-scan study to detect signatures of selection potentially correlated with spatial variations in tolerance to PUUV. We analyzed six bank vole populations from Sweden, sampled from northern NE-endemic to southern NE-free areas. We combined candidate gene analyses (Tlr4, Tlr7, and Mx2 genes) and high-throughput sequencing of restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) markers. Outlier loci showed high levels of genetic differentiation and significant associations with environmental data including variations in the regional number of NE human cases. Among the 108 outliers that matched to mouse protein-coding genes, 14 corresponded to immune-related genes. The main biological pathways found to be significantly enriched corresponded to immune processes and responses to hantavirus, including the regulation of cytokine productions, TLR cascades, and IL-7, VEGF, and JAK-STAT signaling. In the future, genome-scan replicates and functional experimentations should enable to assess the role of these biological pathways in M. glareolus tolerance to PUUV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Rohfritsch
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Maxime Galan
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Mathieu Gautier
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Karim Gharbi
- Norwich Research ParkEarlham InstituteNorwich, NorfolkUK
| | - Gert Olsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSLUUmeåSweden
| | - Bernhard Gschloessl
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Caroline Zeimes
- Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Earth and Life InstituteUniversité Catholique de Louvain (UCL)Louvain‐la‐NeuveBelgium
| | - Sophie VanWambeke
- Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Earth and Life InstituteUniversité Catholique de Louvain (UCL)Louvain‐la‐NeuveBelgium
| | - Renaud Vitalis
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Nathalie Charbonnel
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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12
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Xiang J, Hansen A, Liu Q, Tong MX, Liu X, Sun Y, Cameron S, Hanson-Easey S, Han GS, Williams C, Weinstein P, Bi P. Impact of meteorological factors on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in 19 cities in China, 2005-2014. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 636:1249-1256. [PMID: 29913587 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the associations between meteorological factors and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in 19 cities selected from HFRS high risk areas across different climate zones in three Provinces of China. De-identified daily reports of HFRS in Anhui, Heilongjiang, and Liaoning Provinces for 2005-2014 were obtained from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Daily weather data from each study location were obtained from the China meteorological Data Sharing Service System. Generalised estimating equation models (GEE) were used to quantify the city-specific HFRS-weather associations. Multivariate random-effects meta-regression models were used to pool the city-specific HFRS-weather effect estimates. HFRS showed an overall downward trend during the study period with a slight rebound after 2010. Meteorological factors were significantly associated with HFRS incidence. HFRS was relatively more sensitive to weather variability in subtropical regions (Anhui Province) than in temperate regions (Heilongjiang and Liaoning Provinces). The size of effect estimates and the duration of lagged effects varied by locations. Pooled results of the 19 cities showed that a 1 °C increase in maximum temperature (Tmax) resulted in a 1.6% (95% CI: 1.0%-2.2%) increase in HFRS; a 1 mm increase in weekly precipitation was associated with 0.2% (95%CI: 0.1%-0.3%) increase in HFRS; a 1% increase in average relative humidity was associated with a 0.9% (95%CI: 0.5%-1.2%) increase in HFRS. The lags with the largest effects for Tmax, precipitation, and relative humidity occurred in weeks 29, 22, and 16, respectively. Lagged effects of meteorological factors did not end after an epidemic season but waned gradually in the following 3-4 epidemic seasons. Weather variability plays a significant role in HFRS transmission in China. The long duration of lagged effects indicates the necessity of continuous interventions following the epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjun Xiang
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Alana Hansen
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Qiyong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
| | - Michael Xiaoliang Tong
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
| | - Yehuan Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
| | - Scott Cameron
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Scott Hanson-Easey
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Gil-Soo Han
- Communications and Media Studies, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University, Caulfield, Victoria 3145, Australia.
| | - Craig Williams
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.
| | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
| | - Peng Bi
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
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13
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Spatiotemporal analysis and forecasting model of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in mainland China. Epidemiol Infect 2018; 146:1680-1688. [PMID: 30078384 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268818002030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by hantaviruses is a serious public health problem in China, accounting for 90% of HFRS cases reported globally. In this study, we applied geographical information system (GIS), spatial autocorrelation analyses and a seasonal autoregressive-integrated moving average (SARIMA) model to describe and predict HFRS epidemic with the objective of monitoring and forecasting HFRS in mainland China. Chinese HFRS data from 2004 to 2016 were obtained from National Infectious Diseases Reporting System (NIDRS) database and Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). GIS maps were produced to detect the spatial distribution of HFRS cases. The Moran's I was adopted in spatial global autocorrelation analysis to identify the integral spatiotemporal pattern of HFRS outbreaks, while the local Moran's Ii was performed to identify 'hotspot' regions of HFRS at province level. A fittest SARIMA model was developed to forecast HFRS incidence in the year 2016, which was selected by Akaike information criterion and Ljung-Box test. During 2004-2015, a total of 165 710 HFRS cases were reported with the average annual incidence at province level ranged from 0 to 13.05 per 100 000 persons. Global Moran's I analysis showed that the HFRS outbreaks presented spatially clustered distribution, with the degree of cluster gradually decreasing from 2004 to 2009, then turned out to be randomly distributed and reached lowest point in 2012. Local Moran's Ii identified that four provinces in northeast China contributed to a 'high-high' cluster as a traditional epidemic centre, and Shaanxi became another HFRS 'hotspot' region since 2011. The monthly incidence of HFRS decreased sharply from 2004 to 2009 in mainland China, then increased markedly from 2010 to 2012, and decreased again since 2013, with obvious seasonal fluctuations. The SARIMA ((0,1,3) × (1,0,1)12) model was the most fittest forecasting model for the dataset of HFRS in mainland China. The spatiotemporal distribution of HFRS in mainland China varied in recent years; together with the SARIMA forecasting model, this study provided several potential decision supportive tools for the control and risk-management plan of HFRS in China.
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14
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Forbes KM, Sironen T, Plyusnin A. Hantavirus maintenance and transmission in reservoir host populations. Curr Opin Virol 2017; 28:1-6. [PMID: 29024905 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hantaviruses are primarily hosted by mammalian species of the orders Rodentia, Eulipotyphla and Chiroptera. Spillover to humans is common, and understanding hantavirus maintenance and transmission in reservoir host populations is important for efforts to curtail human disease. Recent field research challenges traditional phases of virus shedding kinetics derived from laboratory rodent infection experiments. Organ infection sites in non-rodent hosts suggest similar transmission routes to rodents, but require direct assessment. Further advances have also been made in understanding virus persistence (and fadeouts) in fluctuating host populations, as well as occupational, recreational and environmental risk factors associated with spillover to humans. However, despite relevance for both intra-species and inter-species transmission, our understanding of the longevity of hantaviruses in natural environments remains limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian M Forbes
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, Helsinki FI-00290, Finland; Centre for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, Millennium Science Complex, State College, PA 16802, United States.
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, Helsinki FI-00290, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Alexander Plyusnin
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, Helsinki FI-00290, Finland
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15
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Khalil H, Olsson G, Magnusson M, Evander M, Hörnfeldt B, Ecke F. Spatial prediction and validation of zoonotic hazard through micro-habitat properties: where does Puumala hantavirus hole - up? BMC Infect Dis 2017; 17:523. [PMID: 28747170 PMCID: PMC5530527 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2618-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To predict the risk of infectious diseases originating in wildlife, it is important to identify habitats that allow the co-occurrence of pathogens and their hosts. Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is a directly-transmitted RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans, and is carried and transmitted by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). In northern Sweden, bank voles undergo 3–4 year population cycles, during which their spatial distribution varies greatly. Methods We used boosted regression trees; a technique inspired by machine learning, on a 10 – year time-series (fall 2003–2013) to develop a spatial predictive model assessing seasonal PUUV hazard using micro-habitat variables in a landscape heavily modified by forestry. We validated the models in an independent study area approx. 200 km away by predicting seasonal presence of infected bank voles in a five-year-period (2007–2010 and 2015). Results The distribution of PUUV-infected voles varied seasonally and inter-annually. In spring, micro-habitat variables related to cover and food availability in forests predicted both bank vole and infected bank vole presence. In fall, the presence of PUUV-infected voles was generally restricted to spruce forests where cover was abundant, despite the broad landscape distribution of bank voles in general. We hypothesize that the discrepancy in distribution between infected and uninfected hosts in fall, was related to higher survival of PUUV and/or PUUV-infected voles in the environment, especially where cover is plentiful. Conclusions Moist and mesic old spruce forests, with abundant cover such as large holes and bilberry shrubs, also providing food, were most likely to harbor infected bank voles. The models developed using long-term and spatially extensive data can be extrapolated to other areas in northern Fennoscandia. To predict the hazard of directly transmitted zoonoses in areas with unknown risk status, models based on micro-habitat variables and developed through machine learning techniques in well-studied systems, could be used. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2618-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Gert Olsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, 901 85, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Gerda Nilssons väg 5, 756 51, Uppsala, Sweden
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16
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Ecke F, Angeler DG, Magnusson M, Khalil H, Hörnfeldt B. Dampening of population cycles in voles affects small mammal community structure, decreases diversity, and increases prevalence of a zoonotic disease. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:5331-5342. [PMID: 28770071 PMCID: PMC5528244 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term decline and depression of density in cyclic small rodents is a recent widespread phenomenon. These observed changes at the population level might have cascading effects at the ecosystem level. Here, we assessed relationships between changing boreal landscapes and biodiversity changes of small mammal communities. We also inferred potential effects of observed community changes for increased transmission risk of Puumala virus (PUUV) spread, causing the zoonotic disease nephropatica epidemica in humans. Analyses were based on long-term (1971-2013) monitoring data of shrews and voles representing 58 time series in northern Sweden. We calculated richness, diversity, and evenness at alpha, beta, and gamma level, partitioned beta diversity into turnover (species replacement) and nestedness (species addition/removal), used similarity percentages (SIMPER) analysis to assess community structure, and calculated the cumulated number of PUUV-infected bank voles and average PUUV prevalence (percentage of infected bank voles) per vole cycle. Alpha, beta, and gamma richness and diversity of voles, but not shrews, showed long-term trends that varied spatially. The observed patterns were associated with an increase in community contribution of bank vole (Myodes glareolus), a decrease of gray-sided vole (M. rufocanus) and field vole (Microtus agrestis) and a hump-shaped variation in contribution of common shrew (Sorex araneus). Long-term biodiversity changes were largely related to changes in forest landscape structure. Number of PUUV-infected bank voles in spring was negatively related to beta and gamma diversity, and positively related to turnover of shrews (replaced by voles) and to community contribution of bank voles. The latter was also positively related to average PUUV prevalence in spring. We showed that long-term changes in the boreal landscape contributed to explain the decrease in biodiversity and the change in structure of small mammal communities. In addition, our results suggest decrease in small mammal diversity to have knock-on effects on dynamics of infectious diseases among small mammals with potential implications for disease transmission to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - David G. Angeler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and AssessmentSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
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17
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Milhano N, Korslund L, Evander M, Ahlm C, Vainio K, Dudman SG, Andreassen Å. Circulation and diagnostics of Puumala virus in Norway: nephropatia epidemica incidence and rodent population dynamics. APMIS 2017; 125:732-742. [PMID: 28585306 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hantaviruses pose a public health concern worldwide causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Puumala virus (PUUV) is the most prevalent hantavirus in Central and Northern Europe, and causes a mild form of HFRS, also known as nephropathia epidemica (NE). In nature, the main host of PUUV is the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), and transmission to humans occurs through inhalation of aerosols from rodent excreta. Nephropathia epidemica is particularly prevalent in Nordic countries, however, few studies of PUUV have been performed in Norway. The aim of this study was to analyse the dynamics of PUUV in Norway and compare with bank vole population dynamics, and also to complement the current diagnostic methodology of NE in Norway. Our results showed a significant seasonal and geographical variation of NE, and a general parallel peak trend between bank vole population densities and human NE incidence. A real-time and a nested PCR were successfully established as an invaluable diagnostic tool, with detection and sequencing of PUUV in a human serum sample for the first time in Norway. Phylogenetic analysis showed clustering of the obtained human sample with previous Norwegian bank vole isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Milhano
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Domain for Environmental Health and Infectious Disease Control, Oslo, Norway.,European Programme for Public Health Microbiology Training (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Clas Ahlm
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kirsti Vainio
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Susanne G Dudman
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild Andreassen
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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18
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Khalil H, Ecke F, Evander M, Magnusson M, Hörnfeldt B. Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31314. [PMID: 27499001 PMCID: PMC4976314 DOI: 10.1038/srep31314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The “dilution effect” implies that where species vary in susceptibility to infection by a pathogen, higher diversity often leads to lower infection prevalence in hosts. For directly transmitted pathogens, non-host species may “dilute” infection directly (1) and indirectly (2). Competitors and predators may (1) alter host behavior to reduce pathogen transmission or (2) reduce host density. In a well-studied system, we tested the dilution of the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) by two competitors and a predator. Our study was based on long-term PUUV infection data (2003–2013) in northern Sweden. The field vole (Microtus agrestis) and the common shrew (Sorex araneus) are bank vole competitors and Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus) is a main predator of bank voles. Infection probability in bank voles decreased when common shrew density increased, suggesting that common shrews reduced PUUV transmission. Field voles suppressed bank vole density in meadows and clear-cuts and indirectly diluted PUUV infection. Further, Tengmalm’s owl decline in 1980–2013 may have contributed to higher PUUV infection rates in bank voles in 2003–2013 compared to 1979–1986. Our study provides further evidence for dilution effect and suggests that owls may have an important role in reducing disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Gerda Nilssons väg 5, SE-756 51 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogmarksgränd, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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19
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Monchatre-Leroy E, Crespin L, Boué F, Marianneau P, Calavas D, Hénaux V. Spatial and Temporal Epidemiology of Nephropathia Epidemica Incidence and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Rodent Hosts: Identification of the Main Environmental Factors in Europe. Transbound Emerg Dis 2016; 64:1210-1228. [PMID: 26996739 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In Europe, the increasing number of nephropathia epidemica (NE) infections in humans, caused by Puumala virus carried by bank voles (Myodes glareolus), has triggered studies of environmental factors driving these infections. NE infections have been shown to occur in specific geographical areas characterized by environmental factors that influence the distribution and dynamics of host populations and virus persistence in the soil. Here, we review the influence of environmental conditions (including climate factors, food availability and habitat conditions) with respect to incidence in humans and seroprevalence in rodents, considering both direct and indirect transmission pathways. For each type of environmental factor, results and discrepancies between studies are presented and examined in the light of biological hypotheses. Overall, food availability and temperature appear to be the main drivers of host seroprevalence and NE incidence, but data quality and statistical approaches varied greatly among studies. We highlight the issues that now need to be addressed and suggest improvements for study design in regard to the current knowledge on hantavirus epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - L Crespin
- INRA, UR346 d'Epidémiologie Animale, F63122 Saint Genès Champanelle, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France.,CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - F Boué
- Laboratoire de la rage et de la faune sauvage, ANSES, Nancy, France
| | - P Marianneau
- Unité de virologie, Laboratoire de Lyon, ANSES, Lyon, France
| | - D Calavas
- Unité d'épidémiologie, Laboratoire de Lyon, ANSES, Lyon, France
| | - V Hénaux
- Unité d'épidémiologie, Laboratoire de Lyon, ANSES, Lyon, France
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Khalil H, Ecke F, Evander M, Hörnfeldt B. Selective predation on hantavirus-infected voles by owls and confounding effects from landscape properties. Oecologia 2016; 181:597-606. [PMID: 26873607 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3580-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that predators may protect human health through reducing disease-host densities or selectively preying on infected individuals from the population. However, this has not been tested empirically. We hypothesized that Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) selectively preys on hantavirus-infected individuals of its staple prey, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). Bank voles are hosts of Puumala hantavirus, which causes a form of hemorrhagic fever in humans. Selective predation by owls on infected voles may reduce human disease risk. We compared the prevalence of anti-Puumala hantavirus antibodies (seroprevalence), in bank voles cached by owls in nest boxes to seroprevalence in voles trapped in closed-canopy forest around each nest box. We found no general difference in seroprevalence. Forest landscape structure could partly account for the observed patterns in seroprevalence. Only in more connected forest patches was seroprevalence in bank voles cached in nest boxes higher than seroprevalence in trapped voles. This effect disappeared with increasing forest patch isolation, as seroprevalence in trapped voles increased with forest patch isolation, but did not in cached voles. Our results suggest a complex relationship between zoonotic disease prevalence in hosts, their predators, and landscape structure. Some mechanisms that may have caused the seroprevalence patterns in our results include higher bank vole density in isolated forest patches. This study offers future research potential to shed further light on the contribution of predators and landscape properties to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Khalil
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, 901 85, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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Magnusson M, Ecke F, Khalil H, Olsson G, Evander M, Niklasson B, Hörnfeldt B. Spatial and temporal variation of hantavirus bank vole infection in managed forest landscapes. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00039.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Reil D, Imholt C, Drewes S, Ulrich RG, Eccard JA, Jacob J. Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany? Zoonoses Public Health 2015; 63:83-8. [PMID: 26177110 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bank voles can harbour Puumala virus (PUUV) and vole populations usually peak in years after beech mast. A beech mast occurred in 2014 and a predictive model indicates high vole abundance in 2015. This pattern is similar to the years 2009/2011 when beech mast occurred, bank voles multiplied and human PUUV infections increased a year later. Given similar environmental conditions in 2014/2015, increased risk of human PUUV infections in 2015 is likely. Risk management measures are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Reil
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Münster, Germany.,University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - C Imholt
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Münster, Germany
| | - S Drewes
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - R G Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - J A Eccard
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - J Jacob
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Münster, Germany
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