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Babyesiza WS, Katakweba A, Fornůsková A, Ssuunaf J, Akoth S, Mpagi J, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Votýpka J. Trypanosome diversity in small mammals in Uganda and the spread of Trypanosoma lewisi to native species. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:54. [PMID: 38102492 PMCID: PMC10724337 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08048-2] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Uganda's diverse small mammalian fauna thrives due to its rich habitat diversity, which hosts a wide range of blood parasites, including trypanosomes, particularly the subgenus Herpetosoma typical for rodent hosts. We screened a total of 711 small mammals from various habitats for trypanosomes, with 253 microscopically examined blood smears and 458 tissue samples tested by nested PCR of the 18S rRNA gene. Of 51 rodent and 12 shrew species tested, microscopic screening reaches 7% overall prevalence (with four rodent species positive out of 15 and none of the shrew species out of four), while nested PCR indicated a prevalence of 13% (17 rodent and five shrew species positive out of 49 and 10, respectively). We identified 27 genotypes representing 11 trypanosome species, of which the majority (24 genotypes/9 species) belong to the Herpetosoma subgenus. Among these, we detected 15 new genotypes and two putative new species, labeled AF24 (found in Lophuromys woosnami) and AF25 (in Graphiurus murinus). Our finding of three new genotypes of the previously detected species AF01 belonging to the subgenus Ornithotrypanum in two Grammomys species and Oenomys hypoxanthus clearly indicates the consistent occurrence of this avian trypanosome in African small mammals. Additionally, in Aethomys hindei, we detected the putative new species of the subgenus Aneza. Within the T. lewisi subclade, we detected eleven genotypes, including six new; however, only the genotype AF05b from Mus and Rattus represents the invasive T. lewisi. Our study has improved our understanding of trypanosome diversity in African small mammals. The detection of T. lewisi in native small mammals expands the range of host species and highlighting the need for a broader approach to the epidemiology of T. lewisi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waswa Sadic Babyesiza
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development (ACE IRPM&BTD, Institute of Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
- Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Abdul Katakweba
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development (ACE IRPM&BTD, Institute of Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Alena Fornůsková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - James Ssuunaf
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development (ACE IRPM&BTD, Institute of Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Sisiria Akoth
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor Technology Development (ACE IRPM&BTD, Institute of Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph Mpagi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Joelle Goüy de Bellocq
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Dobigny G, Gauthier P, Houéménou G, Dossou HJ, Badou S, Etougbétché J, Tatard C, Truc P. Spatio-temporal survey of small mammal-borne Trypanosoma lewisi in Cotonou, Benin, and the potential risk of human infection. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 75:103967. [PMID: 31344489 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.103967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Human trypanosomoses are the sleeping sickness in Africa and Chagas disease in Latin America. However, atypical human infections by animal trypanosomes have been described, but poorly investigated. Among them, the supposed rat-specific T. lewisi was shown to be responsible for a few severe cases. In Africa, the scarcity of data and the null awareness about the atypical human trypanosomoses suggest that the number of cases may be higher that currently thought. Furthermore, T. lewisi is resistant to normal human serum and therefore a potential human pathogen. In order to document T. lewisi distribution and ecology, a qPCR- and 16DNA sequencing-based survey was conducted in 369 rodents from three urban districts of Cotonou city, Benin, during three different periods of the same year. Our study demonstrated very high prevalence (57.2%) even when considering only individuals identified as positive through DNA sequencing (39.2%). Black rats represented the most dominant as well as the most T. lewisi-parasitized species. No difference was retrieved neither between seasons nor districts, suggesting a large infestation of rodents by trypanosomes throughout the year and the city. Our results suggest that conditions are gathered for rat to human transmission of T. lewisi in these socio-environmentally degraded urban areas, thus pointing towards the rapidly urbanizing Abidjan-Lagos corridor as a region at particular risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Dobigny
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR CBGP (IRD, INRA, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), Montpellier Université d'Excellence, France; Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.
| | - P Gauthier
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR CBGP (IRD, INRA, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), Montpellier Université d'Excellence, France
| | - G Houéménou
- Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - H J Dossou
- Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin; Institut de Géographie, d'Aménagement du Territoire et d'Environnement, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - S Badou
- Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - J Etougbétché
- Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - C Tatard
- Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, UMR CBGP (IRD, INRA, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), Montpellier Université d'Excellence, France
| | - P Truc
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR InterTryp 177 (IRD, Cirad), Montpellier Université d'Excellence, France
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Ocaña-Mayorga S, Lobos SE, Crespo-Pérez V, Villacís AG, Pinto CM, Grijalva MJ. Influence of ecological factors on the presence of a triatomine species associated with the arboreal habitat of a host of Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:567. [PMID: 30373640 PMCID: PMC6206927 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3138-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The white-naped squirrel, Simosciurus nebouxii (previously known as Sciurus stramineus), has recently been identified as an important natural host for Trypanosoma cruzi in Ecuador. The nests of this species have been reported as having high infestation rates with the triatomine vector Rhodnius ecuadoriensis. The present study aims to determine the levels of nest infestation with R. ecuadoriensis, the ecological variables that are influencing the nest site selection, and the relationship between R. ecuadoriensis infestation and trypanosome infection. RESULTS The study was carried out in transects in forest patches near two rural communities in southern Ecuador. We recorded ecological information of the trees that harbored squirrel nests and the trees within a 10 m radius. Manual examinations of each nest determined infestation with triatomines. We recorded 498 trees (n = 52 with nests and n = 446 without nests). Rhodnius ecuadoriensis was present in 59.5% of the nests and 60% presented infestation with nymphs (colonization). Moreover, we detected T. cruzi in 46% of the triatomines analyzed. CONCLUSIONS We observed that tree height influences nest site selection, which is consistent with previous observations of squirrel species. Factors such as the diameter at breast height and the interaction between tree height and tree species were not sufficient to explain squirrel nest presence or absence. However, the nest occupancy and tree richness around the nest were significant predictors of the abundance of triatomines. Nevertheless, the variables of colonization and infection were not significant, and the data observed could be expected because of chance alone (under the null hypothesis). This study ratifies the hypothesis that the ecological features of the forest patches around rural communities in southern Ecuador favor the presence of nesting areas for S. nebouxii and an increase of the chances of having triatomines that maintain T. cruzi populations circulating in areas near human dwellings. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of including ecological studies to understand the dynamics of T. cruzi transmission due to the existence of similar ecological and land use features along the distribution of the dry forest of southern Ecuador and northern Peru, which implies similar challenges for Chagas disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Ocaña-Mayorga
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Calle San Pedro y Pamba Hacienda, 170530 Nayón, Ecuador
| | - Simón E. Lobos
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Calle San Pedro y Pamba Hacienda, 170530 Nayón, Ecuador
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, 170525 Quito, Ecuador
| | - Verónica Crespo-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, 170525 Quito, Ecuador
| | - Anita G. Villacís
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Calle San Pedro y Pamba Hacienda, 170530 Nayón, Ecuador
| | - C. Miguel Pinto
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Calle San Pedro y Pamba Hacienda, 170530 Nayón, Ecuador
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ladrón de Guevara E11-254, 170517 Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mario J. Grijalva
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Calle San Pedro y Pamba Hacienda, 170530 Nayón, Ecuador
- Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 USA
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Rodent-borne Trypanosoma from cities and villages of Niger and Nigeria: A special role for the invasive genus Rattus? Acta Trop 2017; 171:151-158. [PMID: 28373037 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although they are known to sometimes infect humans, atypical trypanosomes are very poorly documented, especially in Africa where one lethal case has yet been described. Here we conducted a survey of rodent-borne Trypanosoma in 19 towns and villages of Niger and Nigeria, with a special emphasis on Niamey, the capital city of Niger. The 1298 rodents that were captured yielded 189 qPCR-positive animals from 14 localities, thus corresponding to a 14.6% overall prevalence. Rats, especially black rats, displayed particularly elevated prevalence (27.4%), with some well sampled sites showing 40-50% and up to 68.8% of Trypanosoma-carrying individuals. Rattus were also characterized by significantly lower Ct values than in the other non-Rattus species. DNA sequences could be obtained for 43 rodent-borne Trypanosoma and corresponded to 41 T. lewisi (all from Rattus) and 2 T. microti (from Cricetomys gambianus). These results, together with data compiled from the available literature, suggest that Rattus may play a particular role for the maintaining and circulation of Trypanosoma, especially T. lewisi, in Africa. Taken into account its strong abilities to invade coastal and inland regions of the continent, we believe that this genus deserves a particular attention in regards to potentially under-looked but emerging atypical trypanosome-related diseases.
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Maia da Silva F, Marcili A, Ortiz PA, Epiphanio S, Campaner M, Catão-Dias JL, Shaw JJ, Camargo EP, Teixeira MMG. Phylogenetic, morphological and behavioural analyses support host switching of Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) lewisi from domestic rats to primates. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2010; 10:522-9. [PMID: 20156599 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2010.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Revised: 02/03/2010] [Accepted: 02/05/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
We characterized four Brazilian trypanosomes isolated from domestic rats and three from captive non-human primates that were morphologically similar to T. lewisi, a considered non-pathogenic species restricted to rodents and transmitted by fleas, despite its potential pathogenicity for infants. These isolates were identified as T. lewisi by barcoding using V7V8 SSU rDNA sequences. In inferred phylogenetic trees, all isolates clustered tightly with reference T. lewisi and T. lewisi-like trypanosomes from Europe, Asia and Africa and despite their high sequence conservation formed a homogeneous clade separate from other species of the subgenus T. (Herpetosoma). With the aim of clearly resolving the relationships between the Brazilian isolates from domestic rats and primates, we compared sequences from more polymorphic ITS rDNA. Results corroborated that isolates from Brazilian rats and monkeys were indeed of the same species and quite close to T. lewisi isolates of humans and rats from different geographical regions. Morphology of the monkey isolates and their behaviour in culture and in experimentally infected rats were also compatible with T. lewisi. However, infection with T. lewisi is rare among monkeys. We have examined more than 200 free-ranging and 160 captive monkeys and found only three infected individuals among the monkeys held in captivity. The findings of this work suggest that proximity of monkeys and infected rats and their exposure to infected fleas may be responsible for the host switching of T. lewisi from their natural rodent species to primates. This and previous studies reporting T. lewisi in humans suggest that this trypanosome can cause sporadic and opportunistic flea-borne infection in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Maia da Silva
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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