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Colombo VC, Antoniazzi LR, Cicuttin GL, De Salvo MN, Beldomenico PM, Monje LD. Cattle Farming and Plantation Forest are Associated with Bartonella Occurrence in Wild Rodents. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:381-389. [PMID: 38194169 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01671-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Bartonella spp. are intracellular hemotropic bacteria primarily transmitted by arthropod vectors to various mammalian hosts, including humans. In this study, we conducted a survey on wild populations of sigmodontine rodents, Akodon azarae and Oxymycterus rufus, inhabiting the Paraná River delta region. The study involved eight grids organized in a crossed 2 × 2 design, where four of the grids were exposed to cattle while the other four were not, and four grids were located in implanted forest while the remaining four were in natural grasslands. Our objective was to examine whether the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in rodents was associated with silvopastoral activities (cattle raising associated with timber production) conducted in the region. Additionally, we evaluated the associations between Bartonella infection and other environmental and host factors. We present compelling evidence of a significant positive association between Bartonella prevalence and the presence of implanted forests and cattle. Furthermore, we identified the presence of a Bartonella genotype related to the pathogen Bartonella rochalimaea, infecting both A. azarae and Ox. rufus. These findings suggest that anthropogenic land-use changes, particularly the development of silvopastoral practices in the region, may disrupt the dynamics of Bartonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria C Colombo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Leandro R Antoniazzi
- Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA (IBIGEO), Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas (UNSa-CONICET), Salta, Argentina
| | - Gabriel L Cicuttin
- Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María N De Salvo
- Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, UNL, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Lucas D Monje
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, UNL, Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Fuhrmann G. Drug delivery as a sustainable avenue to future therapies. J Control Release 2023; 354:746-754. [PMID: 36690037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and the need for sustainable, technological developments are the greatest challenges facing humanity in the coming decades. To address these issues, in 2015 the United Nations have established 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Anthropogenic climate change will not only affect everyone personally in the coming years, it will also reinforce the need to become more sustainable within drug delivery research. In 2021, I was appointed professor for pharmaceutical biology at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg. Our research is at the interface between developing biogenic therapies and understanding of bacterial infections. In this contribution to the Orations - New Horizons of the Journal of Controlled Release, I would like to underline the need for future sustainable approaches in our research area, by highlighting selected examples from the fields of infection research, natural product characterisation and extracellular vesicles. My aim is to put into perspective current issues for these research topics, but also encourage our current student-training framework to contribute to education for sustainable development. This contribution is a personal statement to increase the overall awareness for sustainability challenges in drug delivery and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Fuhrmann
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Pharmaceutical Biology, Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
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New Genetic Variants of Leptospira spp Characterized by MLST from Peruvian Isolates. J Trop Med 2022; 2022:4184326. [PMID: 36249734 PMCID: PMC9553527 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4184326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the genus Leptospira, presenting complex and dynamic epidemiology. To determine the genetic variability and its phylogenetic relationship of Leptospira spp isolates from three sources in Iquitos (Peruvian Amazon) from 2002 to 2013, seven MLST genes were analyzed to obtain the Sequence Type (ST) and these sequences were concatenated for phylogenetic analysis. The genetic relationship between STs was determined with the goeBURST algorithm and genetic diversity was determined using DnaSP. Of 51 isolates, 48 were pathogenic belonging to five different species: Leptospira interrogans Nascimento 2004, Leptospira santarosai Feil 2004, Leptospira noguchii Haake 2021, Leptospira borgpetersenii Levett 2021, and Leptospira kirschneri Levett 2021. Of 20 STs identified, 60% corresponded to new genotypes circulating only in Peru. The genotypes ST17, ST37, and ST301 were recorded in rodents and humans. A high intraspecific genetic diversity was demonstrated in L. noguchi. The goeBURST analysis revealed three clonal complexes (CCs) and 16 singletons. The STs were found to show high genetic variability and phylogenetic and goeBURST analysis determined that the genotypes found did not form specific groups according to the source of infection or origin, which confirms the zoonotic potential of these STs in an area highly endemic for leptospirosis.
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FREQUENT LEPTOSPIRA SPP. DETECTION BUT ABSENCE OF TULA ORTHOHANTAVIRUS IN MICROTUS SPP. VOLES, NORTHWESTERN SPAIN. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:733-742. [PMID: 34320644 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is a major agricultural pest in Europe and is a reservoir for several zoonotic agents, such as Leptospira spp. and Tula orthohantavirus (TULV). However, little is known about the occurrence of those pathogens in voles from Spain, where the species has largely expanded its distribution range in the past decades, causing agricultural pests and zoonotic diseases. For a molecular survey, 580 common voles and six Lusitanian pine voles (Microtus lusitanicus) were collected in 26 localities from four provinces of northwestern Spain. We assessed the presence of Leptospira spp. DNA in kidney tissue by PCR targeting the lipL32 gene, detecting a prevalence of 7.9% (95% confidence interval, 5.9-10.4) for common voles and of 33.3% (95% confidence interval, 4.3-77.7) for Lusitanian pine voles. We identified Leptospira kirschneri in 24 animals and Leptospira borgpetersenii in two animals, using secY gene-specific PCR. We analyzed environmental and demographic factors (such as age class, weight, and sex) and population dynamics data for their potential effect on the Leptospira spp. prevalence in those voles. The Leptospira spp. DNA detection rate in common voles increased significantly with maximum air temperature, vole weight, and amount of accumulated rainfall during the 90 d before capture and within the peak phase of the population cycle. We assessed the presence of TULV in lung tissue of 389 voles by reverse-transcription PCR, with no positive results. The absence of TULV might be explained by the evolutionary isolation of the common vole in Spain. The detection of two Leptospira genomospecies underlines the necessity for further typing efforts to understand the epidemiology of leptospiral infection in the common vole and the potential risk for human health in Spain.
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Medeiros LDS, Braga Domingos SC, Azevedo MIND, Peruquetti RC, de Albuquerque NF, D'Andrea PS, Botelho ALDM, Crisóstomo CF, Vieira AS, Martins G, Teixeira BR, Carvalho-Costa FA, Lilenbaum W. Small Mammals as Carriers/Hosts of Leptospira spp. in the Western Amazon Forest. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:569004. [PMID: 33344523 PMCID: PMC7738340 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.569004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira is a bacteria that causes leptospirosis and is transmitted through water, soil, or mud that is contaminated by the urine of infected animals. Although it is mainly associated with the urban environment, Leptospires also circulate in rural and wild environments. This study aimed to investigate the role of small mammals in leptospirosis epidemiology in the western Amazon, Brazil. In total, 103 animals from 23 species belonging to the orders Didelphimorphia and Rodentia were captured. Blood, kidney, and urine samples were collected and Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), lipL32 PCR, secY sequencing, and culturing were conducted. MAT was reactive on 1/15 sera, and no bacterial isolate was obtained. PCR yielded 44.7% positive samples from 16 species. Twenty samples were genetically characterized and identified as L. interrogans (n = 12), L. noguchii (n = 4), and L. santarosai (n = 4). No statistical association was found between the prevalence of infection by Leptospira spp. in small mammals within carrier/hosts species, orders, study area, and forest strata. Our results indicate a high prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in several rodent and marsupial species and report the first evidence of Leptospira spp. carrier/hosts in the Brazilian Western Amazon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rui Carlos Peruquetti
- Laboratório de Microbiologia e Imunologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Sérgio D'Andrea
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Anahi Souto Vieira
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Martins
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Rodrigues Teixeira
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Walter Lilenbaum
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
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White RJ, Razgour O. Emerging zoonotic diseases originating in mammals: a systematic review of effects of anthropogenic land-use change. Mamm Rev 2020; 50:336-352. [PMID: 32836691 PMCID: PMC7300897 DOI: 10.1111/mam.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic pathogens and parasites that are transmitted from vertebrates to humans are a major public health risk with high associated global economic costs. The spread of these pathogens and risk of transmission accelerate with recent anthropogenic land-use changes (LUC) such as deforestation, urbanisation, and agricultural intensification, factors that are expected to increase in the future due to human population expansion and increasing demand for resources.We systematically review the literature on anthropogenic LUC and zoonotic diseases, highlighting the most prominent mammalian reservoirs and pathogens, and identifying avenues for future research.The majority of studies were global reviews that did not focus on specific taxa. South America and Asia were the most-studied regions, while the most-studied LUC was urbanisation. Livestock were studied more within the context of agricultural intensification, carnivores with urbanisation and helminths, bats with deforestation and viruses, and primates with habitat fragmentation and protozoa.Research into specific animal reservoirs has improved our understanding of how the spread of zoonotic diseases is affected by LUC. The behaviour of hosts can be altered when their habitats are changed, impacting the pathogens they carry and the probability of disease spreading to humans. Understanding this has enabled the identification of factors that alter the risk of emergence (such as virulence, pathogen diversity, and ease of transmission). Yet, many pathogens and impacts of LUC other than urbanisation have been understudied.Predicting how zoonotic diseases emerge and spread in response to anthropogenic LUC requires more empirical and data synthesis studies that link host ecology and responses with pathogen ecology and disease spread. The link between anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment and the recent COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need to understand how anthropogenic LUC affects the risk of spillover to humans and spread of zoonotic diseases originating in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah J White
- Biosciences University of Exeter Living Systems Institute Exeter EX4 4QD UK.,Biological Sciences University of Southampton Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus Southampton SO17 1BJ UK
| | - Orly Razgour
- Biological Sciences University of Southampton Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus Southampton SO17 1BJ UK.,Biosciences University of Exeter Hatherly Laboratories Exeter EX4 4PS UK
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Ricardo T, Jacob P, Chiani Y, Schmeling MF, Cornejo P, Ojeda AA, Teta PV, Vanasco NB, Previtali MA. Seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies in rodents from riverside communities of Santa Fe, Argentina. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008222. [PMID: 32330132 PMCID: PMC7182174 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted by contact with the urine of infected mammals. Rodents play a mayor role in the transmission of leptospires to humans. The province of Santa Fe reports the greatest number of cases in Argentina. Yet, in this region, there are still knowledge gaps regarding the diversity of rodent species that may be hosts of pathogenic leptospires. The aims of this study were to evaluate the presence of leptospiral antibodies in rodents from three riverside communities of Santa Fe, and to identify factors associated with leptospiral infection. Methodology/Principal findings Each community was divided into three environmental settings based on the level of human disturbance, and sampled during two springs (Sep-Oct 2014 and 2015) and one autumn (Mar-Apr 2015). Serum samples of captured sigmodontine and murine rodents were tested for leptospiral antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and microagglutination test (MAT) was used to assess the infecting serovar in seropositive individuals. Factors influencing seropositivity were analyzed using logistic regression models. We caught 119 rodents, of which 101 serums were suitable for analysis. Most frequently trapped species were Scapteromys aquaticus, Akodon azarae and Oligoryzomys spp., with seroprevalences of 41.3%, 42.9% and 55% respectively. Seropositivity was higher in individuals with an average body condition score and in those that were sexually mature, but in the latter the differences were marginally significant. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that native rodents may be playing a role in the environmental circulation of pathogenic leptospires and provide relevant information for public health policies in the area. Rodents are considered as the main reservoirs of pathogenic leptospires, which can cause leptospirosis, a disease that can be severe for both humans and domestic animals. Multiple socio-environmental factors have been found to influence the risk of leptospirosis, and many mammal species can play a role in the transmission of the bacteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the local conditions and rodent fauna that may influence the risk of leptospirosis in communities located in the floodplains of the Parana river, near Santa Fe, Argentina. We conducted a survey of antibodies against leptospires in rodents from the center, border, and outside of three riverside settlements. We observed a relatively high seroprevalence among captured individuals (42%). Animals with an intermediate body condition were more likely to be seropositive. In most sites, native rodents were dominant over introduced rats and mice and lived close to human dwellings. Given the socio-environmental conditions observed in these settlements and the high frequency of floods that affect them, the presence of potentially infected rodents provide ample opportunities for leptospirosis to affect these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Ricardo
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Fe, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales/Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias/Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Paulina Jacob
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER) “Dr. E. Coni”/Administración Nacional de Institutos de Salud (ANLIS “Dr. C.G. Malbran”), Santa Fe, Argentina
- Laboratorio de leptospirosis/Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas/Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Yosena Chiani
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER) “Dr. E. Coni”/Administración Nacional de Institutos de Salud (ANLIS “Dr. C.G. Malbran”), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda Schmeling
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER) “Dr. E. Coni”/Administración Nacional de Institutos de Salud (ANLIS “Dr. C.G. Malbran”), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Paula Cornejo
- Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GIB)/IADIZA, CCT Mendoza CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Agustina Alejandra Ojeda
- Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GIB)/IADIZA, CCT Mendoza CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Pablo Vicente Teta
- División Mastozoología/Museo Argentino de Cs. Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norma Bibiana Vanasco
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER) “Dr. E. Coni”/Administración Nacional de Institutos de Salud (ANLIS “Dr. C.G. Malbran”), Santa Fe, Argentina
- Laboratorio de leptospirosis/Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas/Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María Andrea Previtali
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Fe, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales/Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias/Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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