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Guzmán DA, Diaz E, Sáenz C, Álvarez H, Cueva R, Zapata-Ríos G, Prado-Vivar B, Falconí M, Pearson T, Barragan V. Domestic dogs in indigenous Amazonian communities: Key players in Leptospira cycling and transmission? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011671. [PMID: 38568912 PMCID: PMC10990217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is the world's most common zoonotic disease. Mitigation and control rely on pathogen identification and understanding the roles of potential reservoirs in cycling and transmission. Underreporting and misdiagnosis obscure the magnitude of the problem and confound efforts to understand key epidemiological components. Difficulties in culturing hamper the use of serological diagnostics and delay the development of DNA detection methods. As a result, especially in complex ecosystems, we know very little about the importance of different mammalian host species in cycling and transmission to humans. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We sampled dogs from five indigenous Kichwa communities living in the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Blood and urine samples from domestic dogs were collected to assess the exposure of these animals to Leptospira and to identify the circulating species. Microscopic Agglutination Tests with a panel of 22 different serovars showed anti-leptospira antibodies in 36 sampled dogs (75%), and 7 serogroups were detected. Two DNA-based detection assays revealed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in 18 of 19 dog urine samples (94.7%). Amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and SecY genes from 15 urine samples revealed genetic diversity within two of three different Leptospira species: noguchii (n = 7), santarosai (n = 7), and interrogans (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The high prevalence of antibodies and Leptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenic Leptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission of Leptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A. Guzmán
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Eduardo Diaz
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carolina Sáenz
- Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical IBIOTROP, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Hernán Álvarez
- Wildlife Conservation Society–Ecuador Program, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Rubén Cueva
- Wildlife Conservation Society–Ecuador Program, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Belén Prado-Vivar
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mercy Falconí
- Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario-Agrocalidad, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Talima Pearson
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Veronica Barragan
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
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Chitre SD, Crews CM, Tessema MT, Plėštytė-Būtienė I, Coffee M, Richardson ET. The impact of anthropogenic climate change on pediatric viral diseases. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:496-507. [PMID: 38057578 PMCID: PMC10872406 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02929-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The adverse effects of climate change on human health are unfolding in real time. Environmental fragmentation is amplifying spillover of viruses from wildlife to humans. Increasing temperatures are expanding mosquito and tick habitats, introducing vector-borne viruses into immunologically susceptible populations. More frequent flooding is spreading water-borne viral pathogens, while prolonged droughts reduce regional capacity to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks with adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene resources. Worsening air quality and altered transmission seasons due to an increasingly volatile climate may exacerbate the impacts of respiratory viruses. Furthermore, both extreme weather events and long-term climate variation are causing the destruction of health systems and large-scale migrations, reshaping health care delivery in the face of an evolving global burden of viral disease. Because of their immunological immaturity, differences in physiology (e.g., size), dependence on caregivers, and behavioral traits, children are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This investigation into the unique pediatric viral threats posed by an increasingly inhospitable world elucidates potential avenues of targeted programming and uncovers future research questions to effect equitable, actionable change. IMPACT: A review of the effects of climate change on viral threats to pediatric health, including zoonotic, vector-borne, water-borne, and respiratory viruses, as well as distal threats related to climate-induced migration and health systems. A unique focus on viruses offers a more in-depth look at the effect of climate change on vector competence, viral particle survival, co-morbidities, and host behavior. An examination of children as a particularly vulnerable population provokes programming tailored to their unique set of vulnerabilities and encourages reflection on equitable climate adaptation frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smit D Chitre
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cecilia M Crews
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mesfin Teklu Tessema
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
- International Rescue Committee, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Megan Coffee
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- International Rescue Committee, New York, NY, USA
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugene T Richardson
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Cadmus S, Taiwo OJ, Akinseye V, Cadmus E, Famokun G, Fagbemi S, Ansumana R, Omoluabi A, Ayinmode A, Oluwayelu D, Odemuyiwa S, Tomori O. Ecological correlates and predictors of Lassa fever incidence in Ondo State, Nigeria 2017-2021: an emerging urban trend. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20855. [PMID: 38012226 PMCID: PMC10682180 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47820-3] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is prevalent in many West African countries, including Nigeria. Efforts to combat LF have primarily focused on rural areas where interactions between rodents and humans are common. However, recent studies indicate a shift in its occurrence from rural to urban areas. We analysed secondary data of reported LF outbreaks from 2017 to 2021 in Ondo State, Nigeria to identify the distribution pattern, ecological variations, and other determinants of disease spread from the ward level using nearest neighbour statistics and regression analysis. Data utilised include LF incidence, ecological variables involving population, nighttime light intensity, vegetation, temperature, market presence, road length, and building area coverage. ArcGIS Pro 3.0 software was employed for spatial analysis. Results revealed spatio-temporal clustering of LF incidents between 2017 and 2021, with an increasing trend followed by a decline in 2021. All wards in Owo Local Government Area were identified as LF hotspots. The ecological variables exhibited significant correlations with the number of LF cases in the wards, except for maximum temperature. Notably, these variables varied significantly between wards with confirmed LF and those without. Therefore, it is important to prioritise strategies for mitigating LF outbreaks in urban areas of Nigeria and other LF-endemic countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Cadmus
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
- Damien Foundation Genomics and Mycobacteria Research and Training Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
- Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
| | | | - Victor Akinseye
- Damien Foundation Genomics and Mycobacteria Research and Training Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria
| | - Eniola Cadmus
- Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Gboyega Famokun
- Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Stephen Fagbemi
- Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Rashid Ansumana
- School of Community Health Sciences, Njala University, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Adekunle Ayinmode
- Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Daniel Oluwayelu
- Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Solomon Odemuyiwa
- Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Oyewale Tomori
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
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Guzmán DA, Diaz E, Sáenz C, Álvarez H, Cueva R, Zapata-Ríos G, Prado-Vivar B, Falconí M, Pearson T, Barragán V. Domestic dogs in indigenous Amazonian communities: key players in Leptospira cycling and transmission? BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.19.558554. [PMID: 37786682 PMCID: PMC10541607 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.19.558554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Leptospirosis is the world's most common zoonotic disease. Mitigation and control rely on pathogen identification and understanding the roles of potential reservoirs in cycling and transmission. Underreporting and misdiagnosis obscure the magnitude of the problem and confound efforts to understand key epidemiological components. Difficulties in culturing hamper the use of serological diagnostics and delay the development of DNA detection methods. As a result, especially in complex ecosystems, we know very little about the importance of different mammalian host species in cycling and transmission to humans. Methodology/Principal Findings We sampled five indigenous Kichwa communities living in the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Blood and urine samples from domestic dogs were collected to assess the exposure of these animals to Leptospira, and to identify the circulating species. Microscopic Agglutination Tests with a panel of 22 different serovars showed anti-leptospira antibodies in 36 sampled dogs (75%), and 10 serotypes were detected. Two DNA-based detection assays revealed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in 18 of 19 dog urine samples (94.7%). Amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 16s rDNA and SecY genes from 15 urine samples revealed genetic diversity within two of three different Leptospira species: noguchii (n=7), santarosai (n=7), and interrogans (n=1). Conclusions/Significance The high prevalence of antibodies and Leptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenic Leptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission of Leptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A. Guzmán
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Eduardo Diaz
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carolina Sáenz
- Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical IBIOTROP, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Hernán Álvarez
- Wildlife Conservation Society – Ecuador Program, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Rubén Cueva
- Wildlife Conservation Society – Ecuador Program, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Belén Prado-Vivar
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mercy Falconí
- Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario – Agrocalidad, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Talima Pearson
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Verónica Barragán
- Instituto de Microbiología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
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Grant DS, Engel EJ, Roberts Yerkes N, Kanneh L, Koninga J, Gbakie MA, Alhasan F, Kanneh FB, Kanneh IM, Kamara FK, Momoh M, Yillah MS, Foday M, Okoli A, Zeoli A, Weldon C, Bishop CM, Zheng C, Hartnett J, Chao K, Shore K, Melnik LI, Mucci M, Bond NG, Doyle P, Yenni R, Podgorski R, Ficenec SC, Moses L, Shaffer JG, Garry RF, Schieffelin JS. Seroprevalence of anti-Lassa Virus IgG antibodies in three districts of Sierra Leone: A cross-sectional, population-based study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0010938. [PMID: 36758101 PMCID: PMC9946222 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lassa virus (LASV), the cause of the acute viral hemorrhagic illness Lassa fever (LF), is endemic in West Africa. Infections in humans occur mainly after exposure to infected excrement or urine of the rodent-host, Mastomys natalensis. The prevalence of exposure to LASV in Sierra Leone is crudely estimated and largely unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to establish a baseline point seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to LASV in three administrative districts of Sierra Leone and identify potential risk factors for seropositivity and LASV exposure. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Between 2015 and 2018, over 10,642 participants from Kenema, Tonkolili, and Port Loko Districts were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Previous LASV and LF epidemiological studies support classification of these districts as "endemic," "emerging," and "non-endemic", respectively. Dried blood spot samples were tested for LASV antibodies by ELISA to determine the seropositivity of participants, indicating previous exposure to LASV. Surveys were administered to each participant to assess demographic and environmental factors associated with a higher risk of exposure to LASV. Overall seroprevalence for antibodies to LASV was 16.0%. In Kenema, Port Loko, and Tonkolili Districts, seroprevalences were 20.1%, 14.1%, and 10.6%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, individuals were more likely to be LASV seropositive if they were living in Kenema District, regardless of sex, age, or occupation. Environmental factors contributed to an increased risk of LASV exposure, including poor housing construction and proximity to bushland, forested areas, and refuse. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE In this study we determine a baseline LASV seroprevalence in three districts which will inform future epidemiological, ecological, and clinical studies on LF and the LASV in Sierra Leone. The heterogeneity of the distribution of LASV and LF over both space, and time, can make the design of efficacy trials and intervention programs difficult. Having more studies on the prevalence of LASV and identifying potential hyper-endemic areas will greatly increase the awareness of LF and improve targeted control programs related to LASV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald S. Grant
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Emily J. Engel
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Nicole Roberts Yerkes
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lansana Kanneh
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - James Koninga
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Michael A. Gbakie
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Foday Alhasan
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Franklyn B. Kanneh
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Ibrahim Mustapha Kanneh
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Fatima K. Kamara
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Mambu Momoh
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Mohamed S. Yillah
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Momoh Foday
- Lassa Fever Program, Kenema Government Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Adaora Okoli
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Ashley Zeoli
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Caroline Weldon
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Bishop
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Crystal Zheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Jessica Hartnett
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Karissa Chao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kayla Shore
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lilia I. Melnik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Mallory Mucci
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Nell G. Bond
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Philip Doyle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Rachael Yenni
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Rachel Podgorski
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Samuel C. Ficenec
- Department of Internal Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lina Moses
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey G. Shaffer
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Robert F. Garry
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - John S. Schieffelin
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
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Abstract
Individuals living in endemic hotspots of Lassa fever have recurrent exposure to Lassa virus (LASV) via spillover from the primary host reservoir Mastomys natalensis. Despite M. natalensis being broadly distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, Lassa fever is only found in West Africa. In recent years, new LASV reservoirs have been identified. Erudition of rodent habitats, reproduction and fecundity, movement patterns, and spatial preferences are essential to institute preventative measures against Lassa fever. Evolutionary insights have also added to our knowledge of closely related mammarenavirus distribution amongst rodents throughout the continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison R Smither
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Antoinette R Bell-Kareem
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Exotic viral hepatitis: A review on epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1431-1443. [PMID: 35817222 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Certain "exotic" viruses are known to cause clinical diseases with potential liver involvement. These include viruses, beyond regular hepatotropic viruses (hepatitis A, -B(D), -C, -E, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus), that can be found in (sub)tropical areas and can cause "exotic viral hepatitis". Transmission routes typically involve arthropods (Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever, dengue, Rift Valley fever, yellow fever). However, some of these viruses are transmitted by the aerosolised excreta of rodents (Hantavirus, Lassa fever), or via direct contact or contact with bodily fluids (Ebola). Although some exotic viruses are associated with high fatality rates, such as Ebola for example, the clinical presentation of most exotic viruses can range from mild flu-like symptoms, in most cases, right through to being potentially fatal. A smaller percentage of people develop severe disease with haemorrhagic fever, possibly with (fulminant) hepatitis. Liver involvement is often caused by direct tropism for hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, resulting in virus-mediated and/or immune-mediated necrosis. In all exotic hepatitis viruses, PCR is the most sensitive diagnostic method. The determination of IgM/IgG antibodies is a reasonable alternative, but cross-reactivity can be a problem in the case of flaviviruses. Licenced vaccines are available for yellow fever and Ebola, and they are currently under development for dengue. Therapy for exotic viral hepatitis is predominantly supportive. To ensure that preventive measures can be introduced to control possible outbreaks, the timely detection of these viruses is very important.
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8
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Chelule PK, Mbentse A. Rat Infestation in Gauteng Province: Lived Experiences of Kathlehong Township Residents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182111280. [PMID: 34769796 PMCID: PMC8583045 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Rat infestation is a major public health issue globally, and particularly in poor urban communities in South Africa. Rats pose significant threats to residents in the form of disease spread and sustained physical injuries. The dearth of knowledge about the experiences of affected residents may curtail the initiation of rat control programs. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of rat infestation among residents of Katlehong Township in Gauteng Province. Methods: This was a qualitative research study where data were gathered from selected community participants from Katlehong Township in Gauteng Province. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data through in-depth interviews. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic data analysis was conducted using NVivo12 data processing software. The data were presented in themes and quotations that reflect the views of the participants. Results: Exactly 20 community members aged between 18 and 56 years participated in the study, 80% being females. Over half of the participants were unemployed (60%), inclusive of students. Majority of the participants were either Zulu or Xhosa speakers. Several themes emerged from the data, which included the residents’ experiences of rat infestation, troublesome rats, dirty rats, reasons for rat infestation, and sustained physical injuries. Participants intimated that waste in the environment and overcrowding in homes contributed to rodent infestation. Conclusion: Rat infestation remains a problem that causes severe distress among the residents of Katlehong Township. The experiences reported varied from psychological trauma to bite injuries and destruction of household property. Effective rodent control strategies need to be put in place to manage both the physical and mental risks posed by rat infestation in socially underprivileged communities.
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Clark J, Yakob L, Douno M, Lamine J, Magassouba N'F, Fichet-Calvet E, Mari-Saez A. Domestic risk factors for increased rodent abundance in a Lassa fever endemic region of rural Upper Guinea. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20698. [PMID: 34667210 PMCID: PMC8526584 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00113-z] [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: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a viral haemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa and spread primarily by the multimammate rat, Mastomys natalensis. As there is no vaccine, reduction of rodent-human transmission is essential for disease control. As the household is thought to be a key site of transmission, understanding domestic risk factors for M. natalensis abundance is crucial. Rodent captures in conjunction with domestic surveys were carried out in 6 villages in an area of rural Upper Guinea with high LF endemicity. 120 rodent traps were set in rooms along a transect in each village for three nights, and the survey was administered in each household on the transects. This study was able to detect several domestic risk factors for increased rodent abundance in rural Upper Guinea. Regression analysis demonstrated that having > 8 holes (RR = 1.8 [1.0004-3.2, p = 0.048), the presence of rodent burrows (RR = 2.3 [1.6-3.23, p = 0.000003), and being in a multi-room square building (RR = 2.0 [1.3-2.9], p = 0.001) were associated with increased rodent abundance. The most addressable of these may be rodent burrows, as burrow patching is a relatively simple process that may reduce rodent entry. Further study is warranted to explicitly link domestic rodent abundance to LF risk, to better characterize domestic risk factors, and to evaluate how household rodent-proofing interventions could contribute to LF control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Clark
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Laith Yakob
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Moussa Douno
- Projet des Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Recherche en Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Joseph Lamine
- Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | - N 'Faly Magassouba
- Projet des Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Recherche en Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Almudena Mari-Saez
- Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
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Poverty, sanitation, and Leptospira transmission pathways in residents from four Brazilian slums. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009256. [PMID: 33788864 PMCID: PMC8041187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Residents of urban slums suffer from a high burden of zoonotic diseases due to individual, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. We conducted a cross-sectional sero-survey in four urban slums in Salvador, Brazil, to characterize how poverty and sanitation contribute to the transmission of rat-borne leptospirosis. Sero-prevalence in the 1,318 participants ranged between 10.0 and 13.3%. We found that contact with environmental sources of contamination, rather than presence of rat reservoirs, is what leads to higher risk for residents living in areas with inadequate sanitation. Further, poorer residents may be exposed away from the household, and ongoing governmental interventions were not associated with lower transmission risk. Residents at higher risk were aware of their vulnerability, and their efforts improved the physical environment near their household, but did not reduce their infection chances. This study highlights the importance of understanding the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of risk, which ought to guide intervention efforts. Globally, more than 1 billion residents live in urban slums, where inadequate sanitation increases the spread of pathogens and their animal hosts. Leptospirosis is a globally distributed bacterial disease, and in urban areas the bacteria is spread by brown rats. Humans become infected upon exposure to water or soil/mud that was contaminated with the urine of infected rats. In four urban slums in the city of Salvador, Brazil, we used a range of individual, socioeconomic, and environmental variables to understand how they influence to one another and define o leptospirosis exposure in residents. Poverty and sanitation influenced the degree to which residents were exposed to sewer water and mud. Further, we found that while residents tried to improve the physical environment near their household, living in an area with poor sanitation mean that their infection risk remained high. This work highlight the importance of socioeconomic and environmental factors in determining disease risk, and suggests that governmental interventions should focus on improving sanitation changes in the poorest parts of the community.
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11
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Abass OA, Timofeev VI, Sarkar B, Onobun DO, Ogunsola SO, Aiyenuro AE, Aborode AT, Aigboje AE, Omobolanle BN, Imolele AG, Abiodun AA. Immunoinformatics analysis to design novel epitope based vaccine candidate targeting the glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of Lassa mammarenavirus (LASMV) using strains from Nigeria. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:7283-7302. [PMID: 33719908 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1896387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Lassa mammarenavirus (LASMV) is responsible for a specific type of acute viral hemorrhagic fever known as Lassa fever. Lack of effective treatments and counter-measures against the virus has resulted in a high mortality rate in its endemic regions. Therefore, in this study, a novel epitope-based vaccine has been designed using the methods of immunoinformatics targeting the glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of the virus. After numerous robust analyses, two CTL epitopes, eight HTL epitopes and seven B-cell epitopes were finally selected for constructing the vaccine. All these most promising epitopes were found to be antigenic, non-allergenic, nontoxic and non-human homolog, which made them suitable for designing the subunit vaccine. Furthermore, the selected T-cell epitopes which were found to be fully conserved across different isolates of the virus, were also considered for final vaccine construction. After that, numerous validation experiments, i.e. molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and immune simulation were conducted, which predicted that our designed vaccine should be stable within the biological environment and effective in combating the LASMV infection. In the end, codon adaptation and in silico cloning studies were performed to design a recombinant plasmid for producing the vaccine industrially. However, further in vitro and in vivo assessments should be done on the constructed vaccine to finally confirm its safety and efficacy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohilebo Abdulateef Abass
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Centre for BioCode, Benin, Nigeria.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
| | - Vladimir I Timofeev
- Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of Federal Scientific Research Centre "Crystallography and Photonics" of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Bishajit Sarkar
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Desmond Odiamehi Onobun
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Centre for BioCode, Benin, Nigeria.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Abdullahi Tunde Aborode
- Research & Development, Shaping Women in STEM (SWIS) Africa, Lagos, Nigeria.,Research & Development, Healthy Africans Platform, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Alade Adebowale Abiodun
- Bio-Computing Research Unit, Molecular Biology & Simulations (Mols & Sims) Centre, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
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12
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Mangombi JB, N’dilimabaka N, Lekana-Douki JB, Banga O, Maghendji-Nzondo S, Bourgarel M, Leroy E, Fenollar F, Mediannikov O. First investigation of pathogenic bacteria, protozoa and viruses in rodents and shrews in context of forest-savannah-urban areas interface in the city of Franceville (Gabon). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248244. [PMID: 33684147 PMCID: PMC7939261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents are reservoirs of numerous zoonotic diseases caused by bacteria, protozoans, or viruses. In Gabon, the circulation and maintenance of rodent-borne zoonotic infectious agents are poorly studied and are often limited to one type of pathogen. Among the three existing studies on this topic, two are focused on a zoonotic virus, and the third is focused on rodent Plasmodium. In this study, we searched for a wide range of bacteria, protozoa and viruses in different organs of rodents from the town of Franceville in Gabon. Samples from one hundred and ninety-eight (198) small mammals captured, including two invasive rodent species, five native rodent species and 19 shrews belonging to the Soricidae family, were screened. The investigated pathogens were bacteria from the Rickettsiaceae and Anaplasmataceae families, Mycoplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., Orientia spp., Occidentia spp., Leptospira spp., Streptobacillus moniliformis, Coxiella burnetii, and Yersinia pestis; parasites from class Kinetoplastida spp. (Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma spp.), Piroplasmidae spp., and Toxoplasma gondii; and viruses from Paramyxoviridae, Hantaviridae, Flaviviridae and Mammarenavirus spp. We identified the following pathogenic bacteria: Anaplasma spp. (8.1%; 16/198), Bartonella spp. (6.6%; 13/198), Coxiella spp. (5.1%; 10/198) and Leptospira spp. (3.5%; 7/198); and protozoans: Piroplasma sp. (1%; 2/198), Toxoplasma gondii (0.5%; 1/198), and Trypanosoma sp. (7%; 14/198). None of the targeted viral genes were detected. These pathogens were found in Gabonese rodents, mainly Lophuromys sp., Lemniscomys striatus and Praomys sp. We also identified new genotypes: Candidatus Bartonella gabonensis and Uncultured Anaplasma spp. This study shows that rodents in Gabon harbor some human pathogenic bacteria and protozoans. It is necessary to determine whether the identified microorganisms are capable of undergoing zoonotic transmission from rodents to humans and if they may be responsible for human cases of febrile disease of unknown etiology in Gabon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joa Braïthe Mangombi
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, Microbes, VITROME, Marseille, France
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Nadine N’dilimabaka
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des sciences, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Jean-Bernard Lekana-Douki
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- Département de Parasitologie, Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Owendo, Libreville
| | - Octavie Banga
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Sydney Maghendji-Nzondo
- Département Epidémiologie-Biostatistique et Informatique Médicale (DEBIM), Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Owendo, Libreville
| | - Mathieu Bourgarel
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Harare, Zimbabwe
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Leroy
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- UMR MIVEGEC IRD-CNRS-UM, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Fenollar
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, Microbes, VITROME, Marseille, France
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Oleg Mediannikov
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, Microbes, MEPHI, Marseille, France
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13
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Basinski AJ, Fichet-Calvet E, Sjodin AR, Varrelman TJ, Remien CH, Layman NC, Bird BH, Wolking DJ, Monagin C, Ghersi BM, Barry PA, Jarvis MA, Gessler PE, Nuismer SL. Bridging the gap: Using reservoir ecology and human serosurveys to estimate Lassa virus spillover in West Africa. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008811. [PMID: 33657095 PMCID: PMC7959400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Forecasting the risk of pathogen spillover from reservoir populations of wild or domestic animals is essential for the effective deployment of interventions such as wildlife vaccination or culling. Due to the sporadic nature of spillover events and limited availability of data, developing and validating robust, spatially explicit, predictions is challenging. Recent efforts have begun to make progress in this direction by capitalizing on machine learning methodologies. An important weakness of existing approaches, however, is that they generally rely on combining human and reservoir infection data during the training process and thus conflate risk attributable to the prevalence of the pathogen in the reservoir population with the risk attributed to the realized rate of spillover into the human population. Because effective planning of interventions requires that these components of risk be disentangled, we developed a multi-layer machine learning framework that separates these processes. Our approach begins by training models to predict the geographic range of the primary reservoir and the subset of this range in which the pathogen occurs. The spillover risk predicted by the product of these reservoir specific models is then fit to data on realized patterns of historical spillover into the human population. The result is a geographically specific spillover risk forecast that can be easily decomposed and used to guide effective intervention. Applying our method to Lassa virus, a zoonotic pathogen that regularly spills over into the human population across West Africa, results in a model that explains a modest but statistically significant portion of geographic variation in historical patterns of spillover. When combined with a mechanistic mathematical model of infection dynamics, our spillover risk model predicts that 897,700 humans are infected by Lassa virus each year across West Africa, with Nigeria accounting for more than half of these human infections. The 2019 emergence of SARS-CoV-2 is a grim reminder of the threat animal-borne pathogens pose to human health. Even prior to SARS-CoV-2, the spillover of pathogens from animal reservoirs was a persistent problem, with pathogens such as Ebola, Nipah, and Lassa regularly but unpredictably causing outbreaks. Machine-learning models that anticipate when and where pathogen transmission from animals to humans is likely to occur would help guide surveillance efforts and preemptive countermeasures like information campaigns or vaccination programs. We develop a novel machine learning framework that uses datasets describing the distribution of a virus within its host and the range of its animal host, along with data on spatial patterns of human immunity, to infer rates of animal-to-human transmission across a region. By training the model on data from the animal host alone, our framework allows rigorous validation of spillover predictions using human data. We apply our framework to Lassa fever, a viral disease of West Africa that is spread to humans by rodents, and use the predictions to update estimates of Lassa virus infections in humans. Our results suggest that Nigeria is most at risk for the emergence of Lassa virus, and should be prioritized for outbreak-surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Basinski
- Department of Mathematics, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Anna R. Sjodin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Tanner J. Varrelman
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Christopher H. Remien
- Department of Mathematics, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Nathan C. Layman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Brian H. Bird
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - David J. Wolking
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Corina Monagin
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Bruno M. Ghersi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Peter A. Barry
- Center for Comparative Medicine, California National Primate Research Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Jarvis
- School of Biomedical and Healthcare Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Paul E. Gessler
- College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Scott L. Nuismer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
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14
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Mariën J, Lo Iacono G, Rieger T, Magassouba N, Günther S, Fichet-Calvet E. Households as hotspots of Lassa fever? Assessing the spatial distribution of Lassa virus-infected rodents in rural villages of Guinea. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 9:1055-1064. [PMID: 32459576 PMCID: PMC7336995 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1766381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) is the reservoir host of Lassa virus (LASV), an arenavirus that causes Lassa haemorrhagic fever in humans in West Africa. While previous studies suggest that spillover risk is focal within rural villages due to the spatial behaviour of the rodents, the level of clustering was never specifically assessed. Nevertheless, detailed information on the spatial distribution of infected rodents would be highly valuable to optimize LASV-control campaigns, which are limited to rodent control or interrupting human-rodent contact considering that a human vaccine is not available. Here, we analysed data from a four-year field experiment to investigate whether LASV-infected rodents cluster in households in six rural villages in Guinea. Our analyses were based on the infection status (antibody or PCR) and geolocation of rodents (n = 864), and complemented with a phylogenetic analysis of LASV sequences (n = 119). We observed that the majority of infected rodents were trapped in a few houses (20%) and most houses were rodent-free at a specific point in time (60%). We also found that LASV strains circulating in a specific village were polyphyletic with respect to neighbouring villages, although most strains grouped together at the sub-village level and persisted over time. In conclusion, our results suggest that: (i) LASV spillover risk is heterogeneously distributed within villages in Guinea; (ii) viral elimination in one particular village is unlikely if rodents are not controlled in neighbouring villages. Such spatial information should be incorporated into eco-epidemiological models that assess the cost-efficiency of LASV control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Mariën
- Department of Clinical Sciences/Outbreak Research Team, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Toni Rieger
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Günther
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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15
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Chan EYY, Sham TST, Shahzada TS, Dubois C, Huang Z, Liu S, Hung KK, Tse SL, Kwok KO, Chung PH, Kayano R, Shaw R. Narrative Review on Health-EDRM Primary Prevention Measures for Vector-Borne Diseases. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E5981. [PMID: 32824754 PMCID: PMC7459832 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expanding the global at-risk population for vector-borne diseases (VBDs). The World Health Organization (WHO) health emergency and disaster risk management (health-EDRM) framework emphasises the importance of primary prevention of biological hazards and its value in protecting against VBDs. The framework encourages stakeholder coordination and information sharing, though there is still a need to reinforce prevention and recovery within disaster management. This keyword-search based narrative literature review searched databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and Medline between January 2000 and May 2020, and identified 134 publications. In total, 10 health-EDRM primary prevention measures are summarised at three levels (personal, environmental and household). Enabling factor, limiting factors, co-benefits and strength of evidence were identified. Current studies on primary prevention measures for VBDs focus on health risk-reduction, with minimal evaluation of actual disease reduction. Although prevention against mosquito-borne diseases, notably malaria, has been well-studied, research on other vectors and VBDs remains limited. Other gaps included the limited evidence pertaining to prevention in resource-poor settings and the efficacy of alternatives, discrepancies amongst agencies' recommendations, and limited studies on the impact of technological advancements and habitat change on VBD prevalence. Health-EDRM primary prevention measures for VBDs require high-priority research to facilitate multifaceted, multi-sectoral, coordinated responses that will enable effective risk mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Ying Yang Chan
- Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Z.H.); (S.L.); (K.K.C.H.)
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX37BN, UK
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
- GX Foundation, Hong Kong SAR, China;
- Accident & Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tiffany Sze Tung Sham
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
- GX Foundation, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Tayyab Salim Shahzada
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
- GX Foundation, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | | | - Zhe Huang
- Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Z.H.); (S.L.); (K.K.C.H.)
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
| | - Sida Liu
- Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Z.H.); (S.L.); (K.K.C.H.)
- GX Foundation, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Kevin K.C. Hung
- Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (Z.H.); (S.L.); (K.K.C.H.)
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
- Accident & Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shelly L.A. Tse
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
| | - Kin On Kwok
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
| | - Pui-Hong Chung
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (T.S.T.S.); (T.S.S.); (S.L.A.T.); (K.O.K.); (P.-H.C.)
| | - Ryoma Kayano
- World Health Organization Centre for Health Development, Kobe 651-0073, Japan;
| | - Rajib Shaw
- Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa 252-0882, Japan;
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16
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Behnke NL, Cronk R, Shackelford BB, Cooper B, Tu R, Heller L, Bartram J. Environmental health conditions in protracted displacement: A systematic scoping review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 726:138234. [PMID: 32481202 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Adequate environmental health services are critical for human rights, health, and development, especially in the context of forced displacement. There are more than 70 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide, most in protracted situations, having been displaced for more than two years. Some live in camps or informal settlements, but most live in urban areas. Environmental health services are important in the transition from emergency response to sustainable development in these settings, but evidence on environmental health in displaced populations is disparate and of variable quality. We conducted a systematic scoping review of environmental conditions, exposures, and outcomes in protracted displacement settings; obstacles to improvement in environmental health services; and recommendations made for improvement. We included 213 publications from peer-reviewed and grey literature databases. Data were extracted on environmental health topics including water, sanitation, hygiene, overcrowding, waste management, energy supply, vector control, menstrual hygiene, air quality, and food safety. Most studies present data from low- and lower-middle income countries. Northern Africa and Western Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are the most-represented regions. There is substantial evidence on water, sanitation, and crowding, but few studies report findings on other environmental health topics. Water-related disease, parasites, and respiratory infections are frequently cited and studies report that services often fail to meet international standards for humanitarian response. The most frequent obstacles and recommendations are institutional, political, or implementation-related, but few studies provide concrete recommendations for improvement. Our review compiles and characterizes the research on environmental health in protracted displacement. We recommend including displaced populations in international environmental health policy and monitoring initiatives, and bridging from humanitarian response to sustainable development by preparing for long-term displacement from the early stages of a crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki L Behnke
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
| | - Ryan Cronk
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Brandie Banner Shackelford
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Brittany Cooper
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Raymond Tu
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Leo Heller
- René Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water Institute at UNC, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Ln, Woodhouse, Leeds LS2 9DY, United Kingdom
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17
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Abdullahi IN, Anka AU, Ghamba PE, Onukegbe NB, Amadu DO, Salami MO. Need for preventive and control measures for Lassa fever through the One Health strategic approach. PROCEEDINGS OF SINGAPORE HEALTHCARE 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/2010105820932616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) has increasingly been recognised as a significant public-health pathogen transmitted by rodents. LASV infection leads to life-threatening Lassa fever, which has high potential for severe morbidity and mortality. There have been several scientific efforts to understand the genomics and ecological epidemiology of Lassa. However, very limited studies have focused on the short- and long-term impacts of environmental factors, human behaviours and rodent activities on LASV transmission dynamics and control. Recently, a very plausible and ideal way to address the Lassa epidemic has been considered through the One Health approach. The One Health system of intervention is capable of providing better and comprehensive information necessary to address the complex interplay between human, ecological, and environmental determinants of LASV transmission, persistence and re-emergence. Thus, the aim of this article was to review critically the impacts of various environmental factors on rodent infestations, LASV transmission and how human activities contribute to the persistence of Lassa with regard to exploring how they could be harnessed for better understanding of Lassa prevention and control through a concerted One Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idris Nasir Abdullahi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
| | - Abubakar Umar Anka
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
| | - Peter Elisha Ghamba
- WHO National Polio Reference Laboratory, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
| | | | - Dele Ohinoyi Amadu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
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18
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Gravinatti ML, Barbosa CM, Soares RM, Gregori F. Synanthropic rodents as virus reservoirs and transmitters. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020; 53:e20190486. [PMID: 32049206 PMCID: PMC7083353 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0486-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on reports of hepatitis E virus, hantavirus, rotavirus,
coronavirus, and arenavirus in synanthropic rodents (Rattus
rattus, Rattus norvegicus, and Mus
musculus) within urban environments. Despite their potential impact
on human health, relatively few studies have addressed the monitoring of these
viruses in rodents. Comprehensive control and preventive activities should
include actions such as the elimination or reduction of rat and mouse
populations, sanitary education, reduction of shelters for the animals, and
restriction of the access of rodents to residences, water, and food
supplies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Lucia Gravinatti
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fábio Gregori
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Sayed SB, Nain Z, Khan MSA, Abdulla F, Tasmin R, Adhikari UK. Exploring Lassa Virus Proteome to Design a Multi-epitope Vaccine Through Immunoinformatics and Immune Simulation Analyses. Int J Pept Res Ther 2020; 26:2089-2107. [PMID: 32421065 PMCID: PMC7223894 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-019-10003-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is responsible for a type of acute viral haemorrhagic fever referred to as Lassa fever. Lack of adequate treatment and preventive measures against LASV resulted in a high mortality rate in its endemic regions. In this study, a multi-epitope vaccine was designed using immunoinformatics as a prophylactic agent against the virus. Following a rigorous assessment, the vaccine was built using T-cell (NCTL = 8 and NHTL = 6) and B-cell (NLBL = 4) epitopes from each LASV-derived protein in addition with suitable linkers and adjuvant. The physicochemistry, immunogenic potency and safeness of the designed vaccine (~ 68 kDa) were assessed. In addition, chosen CTL and HTL epitopes of our vaccine showed 97.37% worldwide population coverage. Besides, disulphide engineering also improved the stability of the chimeric vaccine. Molecular docking of our vaccine protein with toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) showed binding efficiency followed by dynamics simulation for stable interaction. Furthermore, higher levels of cell-mediated immunity and rapid antigen clearance were suggested by immune simulation and repeated-exposure simulation, respectively. Finally, the optimized codons were used in in silico cloning to ensure higher expression within E. coli K12 bacterium. With further assessment both in vitro and in vivo, we believe that our proposed peptide-vaccine would be potential immunogen against Lassa fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sifat Bin Sayed
- 1Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003 Bangladesh
| | - Zulkar Nain
- 1Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003 Bangladesh
| | - Md Shakil Ahmed Khan
- 1Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003 Bangladesh
| | - Faruq Abdulla
- 2Department of Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003 Bangladesh
| | - Rubaia Tasmin
- 3Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003 Bangladesh
| | - Utpal Kumar Adhikari
- 4School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560 Australia
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20
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Orji ML, Nwaneri D, Obu D, Anyanwu O. Household rat infestation and methods of its control in a lassa fever endemic community in Southeast Nigeria. NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/njm.njm_138_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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21
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Garnett LE, Strong JE. Lassa fever: With 50 years of study, hundreds of thousands of patients and an extremely high disease burden, what have we learned? Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:123-131. [PMID: 31479990 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Garnett
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - James E Strong
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
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22
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Alaazi DA, Aganah GAM. Understanding the slum-health conundrum in sub-Saharan Africa: a proposal for a rights-based approach to health promotion in slums. Glob Health Promot 2019; 27:65-72. [PMID: 31375057 DOI: 10.1177/1757975919856273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa is the world's least urbanized region but is ironically also the region with the largest proportion of urban slum dwellers. However, there exists limited understanding of the impact of slums on health in the region. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar to identify and review studies examining the slum-health relationship in sub-Saharan African cities. Subsequently, we performed thematic analysis of 40 studies to identify themes that explain the health impact of slums in the region. The majority of studies characterize slums as health-damaging settings, where poverty and unfavorable environmental conditions pose threats to public health and safety. Only a handful of studies suggest a beneficial relationship between slums and health, in such areas as affordable housing provision, employment generation, and community cohesion. We argue that the literature's overwhelming emphasis on the environmental risks of slums feeds into a neoliberal urban agenda that seeks to clear slums at the expense of their beneficial contributions to health. Accordingly, we advocate a shift in policy discourse, from static characterization of slums as health risks to a health-promotion agenda that emphasizes the housing and service rights of slum populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic A Alaazi
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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23
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Berrian AM, Smith MH, van Rooyen J, Martínez-López B, Plank MN, Smith WA, Conrad PA. A community-based One Health education program for disease risk mitigation at the human-animal interface. One Health 2018; 5:9-20. [PMID: 29270459 PMCID: PMC5734692 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The interface between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife has been implicated in the emergence of infectious diseases and the persistence of endemic human and animal diseases. For individuals who reside at this interface, particularly those in low-resource settings, the development of disease risk assessment and mitigation skills must be prioritized. Using a community engagement-One Health approach, we implemented a training program aimed at advancing these skills among agro-pastoralists living adjacent to conservation areas in South Africa. The program included professional development of local facilitators who then conducted workshops with community members. Workshops used a series of experiential, inquiry-based activities to teach participants the concepts of pathogen transmission and disease risk assessment and mitigation. The program was implemented over four weeks with 10 facilitators and 78 workshop participants. We conducted a within-subjects experimental study using a mixed methods design to evaluate the program in terms of facilitator and participant One Health knowledge and practices. Quantitative data included pre/post written assessments; qualitative data included focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and pre/post photographs. Mean post-test scores of facilitators increased by 17% (p = 0.0078). For workshop participants, improvements in knowledge were more likely for females than males (OR = 7.315, 95% CI = 2.258-23.705, p = 0.0009) and participants with a higher versus lower education level, albeit borderline non-significant (OR = 4.781, 95% CI = 0.942-24.264, p = 0.0590). Qualitative analysis revealed the implementation of risk mitigation strategies by 98% (60/61) of workshop participants during the three-month follow-up and included improved personal and domestic hygiene practices and enhanced animal housing. Although further evaluation is recommended, this program may be appropriate for consideration as a scalable approach by which to mitigate human and animal infectious disease risk in high-risk/low-resource communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Berrian
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Martin H. Smith
- Department of Human Ecology/Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jacques van Rooyen
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station, Orpen Gate, Kruger National Park, South Africa
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Monica N. Plank
- Department of Human Ecology/Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Woutrina A. Smith
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Patricia A. Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Gibb R, Moses LM, Redding DW, Jones KE. Understanding the cryptic nature of Lassa fever in West Africa. Pathog Glob Health 2017; 111:276-288. [PMID: 28875769 PMCID: PMC5694855 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2017.1369643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is increasingly recognized by global health institutions as an important rodent-borne disease with severe impacts on some of West Africa's poorest communities. However, our knowledge of LF ecology, epidemiology and distribution is limited, which presents barriers to both short-term disease forecasting and prediction of long-term impacts of environmental change on Lassa virus (LASV) zoonotic transmission dynamics. Here, we synthesize current knowledge to show that extrapolations from past research have produced an incomplete picture of the incidence and distribution of LF, with negative consequences for policy planning, medical treatment and management interventions. Although the recent increase in LF case reports is likely due to improved surveillance, recent studies suggest that future socio-ecological changes in West Africa may drive increases in LF burden. Future research should focus on the geographical distribution and disease burden of LF, in order to improve its integration into public policy and disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory Gibb
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lina M. Moses
- Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - David W. Redding
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kate E. Jones
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
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25
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Berrian AM, van Rooyen J, Martínez-López B, Knobel D, Simpson GJG, Wilkes MS, Conrad PA. One Health profile of a community at the wildlife-domestic animal interface, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Prev Vet Med 2016; 130:119-28. [PMID: 27435655 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We used a community engagement approach to develop a One Health profile of an agro-pastoralist population at the interface of wildlife areas in eastern South Africa. Representatives from 262 randomly-selected households participated in an in-person, cross-sectional survey. Questions were designed to ascertain the participants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with regard to human health, domestic animal health, and natural resources including wildlife and water. Surveys were conducted within four selected villages by a team of trained surveyors and translators over four weeks in July-August 2013. Questions were a combination of multiple choice (single answer), multiple selection, open-ended, and Likert scale. The study found that nearly three-quarters of all households surveyed reported owning at least one animal (55% owned chickens, 31% dogs, 25% cattle, 16% goats, 9% cats, and 5% pigs). Among the animal-owning respondents, health concerns identified included dissatisfaction with government-run cattle dip facilities (97%) and frequent morbidity and mortality of chickens that had clinical signs consistent with Newcastle disease (49%). Sixty-one percent of participants believed that diseases of animals could be transmitted to humans. Ninety-six percent of respondents desired greater knowledge about animal diseases. With regard to human health issues, the primary barrier to health care access was related to transportation to/from the community health clinics. Environmental health issues revealed by the survey included disparities by village in drinking water reliability and frequent domiciliary rodent sightings positively associated with increased household size and chicken ownership. Attitudes towards conservation were generally favorable; however, the community demonstrated a strong preference for a dichotomous approach to wildlife management, one that separated wildlife from humans. Due to the location of the community, which neighbors the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, and the livestock-dependent lifestyle of the resource-poor inhabitants, a One Health approach that takes into consideration the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health is necessary. The community profile described in this study provides a foundation for health research and planning initiatives that are driven by community engagement and consider the multitude of factors affecting health at the human-domestic animal-wildlife interface. Furthermore, it allows for the determination and quantification of the linkages between human, animal, and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Berrian
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Jacques van Rooyen
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa; Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station, Orpen Gate, Kruger National Park, South Africa
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Darryn Knobel
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Gregory J G Simpson
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station, Orpen Gate, Kruger National Park, South Africa
| | - Michael S Wilkes
- Dean's Office, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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26
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Bonwitt J, Kelly AH, Ansumana R, Agbla S, Sahr F, Saez AM, Borchert M, Kock R, Fichet-Calvet E. Rat-atouille: A Mixed Method Study to Characterize Rodent Hunting and Consumption in the Context of Lassa Fever. ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:234-247. [PMID: 26895631 PMCID: PMC4996873 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1098-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Lassa fever is a zoonotic hemorrhagic illness predominant in areas across Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and southern Mali. The reservoir of Lassa virus is the multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis), a highly commensal species in West Africa. Primary transmission to humans occurs through direct or indirect contact with rodent body fluids such as urine, feces, saliva, or blood. Our research draws together qualitative and quantitative methods to provide a fuller and more nuanced perspective on these varied points of human-animal contact. In this article, we focus on the hunting, preparation, and consumption of rodents as possible routes of exposure in Bo, Sierra Leone. We found that the consumption of rodents, including the reservoir species, is widespread and does not neatly tally against generational or gender lines. Further, we found that the reasons for rodent consumption are multifactorial, including taste preferences, food security, and opportunistic behavior. We argue that on certain topics, such as rodent consumption, establishing trust with communities, and using qualitative research methods, is key to investigate sensitive issues and situate them in their wider context. To conclude, we recommend ways to refine sensitization campaigns to account for these socio-cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Bonwitt
- Department of Anthropology, University of Durham, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Ann H Kelly
- Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | - Foday Sahr
- University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Almudena Mari Saez
- Institute for Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Borchert
- Institute for Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Kock
- Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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27
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Kilian A, Koenker H, Obi E, Selby RA, Fotheringham M, Lynch M. Field durability of the same type of long-lasting insecticidal net varies between regions in Nigeria due to differences in household behaviour and living conditions. Malar J 2015; 14:123. [PMID: 25890233 PMCID: PMC4376338 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With the recent publication of WHO-recommended methods to estimate net survival, comparative analyses from different areas have now become possible. With this in mind, a study was undertaken in Nigeria to compare the performance of a specific long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) product in three socio-ecologically different areas. In addition, the objective was to assess the feasibility of a retrospective study design for durability. Methods In three states, Zamfara in the north, Nasarawa in the centre and Cross River in the south, four local government areas were selected one year after mass distribution of 100-denier polyester LLINs. From a representative sample of 300 households per site that had received campaign nets, an assessment of net survival was made based on rate of loss of nets and the physical condition of surviving nets measured by the proportionate hole index (pHI). Surveys were repeated after two and three years. Results Over the three-year period 98% of the targeted sample size of 3,720 households was obtained and 94% of the 5,669 campaign nets found were assessed for damage. With increasing time since distribution, recall of having received campaign nets dropped by 11-22% and only 31-87% of nets actually lost were reported. Using a recall bias adjustment, attrition rates were fairly similar in all three sites. The proportion of surviving nets in serviceable condition differed dramatically, however, resulting in an estimated median net survival of 3.0 years in Nasarawa, 4.5 years in Cross River and 4.7 years in Zamfara. Although repairs on damaged nets increased from around 10% at baseline to 21-38% after three years, the average pHI value for each of the four hole size categories did not differ between repaired and unrepaired nets. Conclusions First, the differences observed in net survival are driven by living conditions and household behaviours and not the LLIN material. Second, recall bias in a retrospective durability study can be significant and while adjustments can be made, enough uncertainty remains that prospective studies on durability are preferable wherever possible. Third, repair does not seem to measurably improve net condition and focus should, therefore, be on improving preventive behaviour. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-015-0640-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Kilian
- Tropical Health LLP, Montagut, Spain. .,Malaria Consortium, London, UK.
| | - Hannah Koenker
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Emmanuel Obi
- Malaria Consortium Nigeria Office, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | | | - Megan Fotheringham
- United States Agency for International Development, President's Malaria Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Matthew Lynch
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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28
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Kerber R, Reindl S, Romanowski V, Gómez RM, Ogbaini-Emovon E, Günther S, ter Meulen J. Research efforts to control highly pathogenic arenaviruses: a summary of the progress and gaps. J Clin Virol 2014; 64:120-7. [PMID: 25549822 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2014.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Significant progress has been made in the past 10 years in unraveling the molecular biology of highly pathogenic arenaviruses that are endemic in several West African countries (Lassa fever virus) and in some regions of South America (Argentine and Bolivian hemorrhagic fever viruses). While this has resulted in proof-of-concept studies of novel vaccine candidates in non-human primates and in the discovery of several novel antiviral small molecule drug candidates, none of them has been tested in the clinic to date. The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa has demonstrated very clearly that there is an urgent need to develop the prophylactic and therapeutic armamentarium against viral hemorrhagic fever viruses as part of a global preparedness for future epidemics. As it pertains to this goal, the present article summarizes the current knowledge of highly pathogenic arenaviruses and identifies opportunities for translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kerber
- Department of Virology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - S Reindl
- Department of Virology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - V Romanowski
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, CCT-La Plata, CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - R M Gómez
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, CCT-La Plata, CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | | | - S Günther
- Department of Virology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - J ter Meulen
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany.
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29
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Costa F, Ribeiro GS, Felzemburgh RDM, Santos N, Reis RB, Santos AC, Fraga DBM, Araujo WN, Santana C, Childs JE, Reis MG, Ko AI. Influence of household rat infestation on leptospira transmission in the urban slum environment. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3338. [PMID: 25474580 PMCID: PMC4256176 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the principal reservoir for leptospirosis in many urban settings. Few studies have identified markers for rat infestation in slum environments while none have evaluated the association between household rat infestation and Leptospira infection in humans or the use of infestation markers as a predictive model to stratify risk for leptospirosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We enrolled a cohort of 2,003 urban slum residents from Salvador, Brazil in 2004, and followed the cohort during four annual serosurveys to identify serologic evidence for Leptospira infection. In 2007, we performed rodent infestation and environmental surveys of 80 case households, in which resided at least one individual with Leptospira infection, and 109 control households. In the case-control study, signs of rodent infestation were identified in 78% and 42% of the households, respectively. Regression modeling identified the presence of R. norvegicus feces (OR, 4.95; 95% CI, 2.13-11.47), rodent burrows (2.80; 1.06-7.36), access to water (2.79; 1.28-6.09), and un-plastered walls (2.71; 1.21-6.04) as independent risk factors associated with Leptospira infection in a household. We developed a predictive model for infection, based on assigning scores to each of the rodent infestation risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis found that the prediction score produced a good/excellent fit based on an area under the curve of 0.78 (0.71-0.84). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our study found that a high proportion of slum households were infested with R. norvegicus and that rat infestation was significantly associated with the risk of Leptospira infection, indicating that high level transmission occurs among slum households. We developed an easily applicable prediction score based on rat infestation markers, which identified households with highest infection risk. The use of the prediction score in community-based screening may therefore be an effective risk stratification strategy for targeting control measures in slum settings of high leptospirosis transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Costa
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Guilherme S. Ribeiro
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Norlan Santos
- Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Renato Barbosa Reis
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Andreia C. Santos
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Deborah Bittencourt Mothe Fraga
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Santana
- Zoonosis Control Center, Brazil Ministry of Health, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - James E. Childs
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Mitermayer G. Reis
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Albert I. Ko
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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30
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Woldehanna S, Zimicki S. An expanded One Health model: integrating social science and One Health to inform study of the human-animal interface. Soc Sci Med 2014; 129:87-95. [PMID: 25464873 PMCID: PMC7115783 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic disease emergence is not a purely biological process mediated only by ecologic factors; opportunities for transmission of zoonoses from animals to humans also depend on how people interact with animals. While exposure is conditioned by the type of animal and the location in which interactions occur, these in turn are influenced by human activity. The activities people engage in are determined by social as well as contextual factors including gender, age, socio-economic status, occupation, social norms, settlement patterns and livelihood systems, family and community dynamics, as well as national and global influences. This paper proposes an expanded “One Health” conceptual model for human-animal exposure that accounts for social as well as epidemiologic factors. The expanded model informed a new study approach to document the extent of human exposure to animals and explore the interplay of social and environmental factors that influence risk of transmission at the individual and community level. The approach includes a formative phase using qualitative and participatory methods, and a representative, random sample survey to quantify exposure to animals in a variety of settings. The paper discusses the different factors that were considered in developing the approach, including the range of animals asked about and the parameters of exposure that are included, as well as factors to be considered in local adaptation of the generic instruments. Illustrative results from research using this approach in Lao PDR are presented to demonstrate the effect of social factors on how people interact with animals. We believe that the expanded model can be similarly operationalized to explore the interactions of other social and policy-level determinants that may influence transmission of zoonoses. Zoonotic disease emergence is not a purely biological process. Animal-to-human transmission of disease depends on how people interact with animals. An expanded One Health model for human-animal exposure accounts for social factors. The expanded model was the conceptual basis for a human-animal exposure study. Illustrative results from Lao PDR demonstrate how social factors can affect exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan Zimicki
- FHI 360, 1825 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20009, USA
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The rubber plantation environment and Lassa fever epidemics in Liberia, 2008–2012: A spatial regression. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2014; 11:163-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Olowookere SA, Fatiregun AA, Gbolahan OO, Adepoju EG. Diagnostic proficiency and reporting of Lassa fever by physicians in Osun State of Nigeria. BMC Infect Dis 2014; 14:344. [PMID: 24950705 PMCID: PMC4230318 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lassa fever is highly contagious and commonly results in death. It is therefore necessary to diagnose and report any suspected case of Lassa fever to facilitate preventive strategies. This study assessed the preparedness of physicians in the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. Methods The study design was descriptive cross-sectional. The consenting medical doctors completed a self-administered questionnaire on the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analyses. Results One hundred seventy-five physicians participated in the study. The mean age was 41.5 ± 10.9 years (range, 24–75 years). Most of the physicians were male (78.9%) and had practiced medicine ≥ 20 years (51.5%). Most of the physicians had a good knowledge regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever; however, none of the physicians had ever diagnosed or reported a suspected case. Predictors of good knowledge include male sex, not practicing at a secondary health care level and post graduation year more than 20 years. Conclusion There is disparity in knowledge and practices of physicians regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. Thus, it is necessary to improve the knowledge and practices of physicians regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Anu Olowookere
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria.
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Abstract
This article outlines a research program for an anthropology of viral hemorrhagic fevers (collectively known as VHFs). It begins by reviewing the social science literature on Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa fevers and charting areas for future ethnographic attention. We theoretically elaborate the hotspot as a way of integrating analysis of the two routes of VHF infection: from animal reservoirs to humans and between humans. Drawing together recent anthropological investigations of human-animal entanglements with an ethnographic interest in the social production of space, we seek to enrich conceptualizations of viral movement by elaborating the circumstances through which viruses, humans, objects, and animals come into contact. We suggest that attention to the material proximities-between animals, humans, and objects-that constitute the hotspot opens a frontier site for critical and methodological development in medical anthropology and for future collaborations in VHF management and control.
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Devakumar D, Birch M, Osrin D, Sondorp E, Wells JCK. The intergenerational effects of war on the health of children. BMC Med 2014; 12:57. [PMID: 24694212 PMCID: PMC3997818 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-12-57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The short- and medium-term effects of conflict on population health are reasonably well documented. Less considered are its consequences across generations and potential harms to the health of children yet to be born. DISCUSSION Looking first at the nature and effects of exposures during conflict, and then at the potential routes through which harm may propagate within families, we consider the intergenerational effects of four features of conflict: violence, challenges to mental health, infection and malnutrition. Conflict-driven harms are transmitted through a complex permissive environment that includes biological, cultural and economic factors, and feedback loops between sources of harm and weaknesses in individual and societal resilience to them. We discuss the multiplicative effects of ongoing conflict when hostilities are prolonged. SUMMARY We summarize many instances in which the effects of war can propagate across generations. We hope that the evidence laid out in the article will stimulate research and--more importantly--contribute to the discussion of the costs of war; particularly in the longer-term in post-conflict situations in which interventions need to be sustained and adapted over many years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delan Devakumar
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - David Osrin
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jonathan CK Wells
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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Muñoz-Zanzi C, Mason M, Encina C, Gonzalez M, Berg S. Household characteristics associated with rodent presence and Leptospira infection in rural and urban communities from Southern Chile. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 90:497-506. [PMID: 24445209 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents are well-recognized reservoirs of Leptospira, contributing to its maintenance in endemic areas and playing a role in the public health risk associated with the infection. This study sought to provide some insights into rodent populations from Chile and their Leptospira carriage. In total, 393 rodents were trapped in 177 households. Higher rodent counts were associated with year 2 of the study, rainfall, and number of rodent signs. There was an inverse correlation with the number of cats. The number of rodents was higher in villages compared with slums (rate ratio = 3.23) but modified by average household age. Eighty rodents (20.4%) tested positive for Leptospira: 19.7% on the farms, 25.9% in villages, and 12.3% in the slums. Prevalence was 22.5% in Mus musculus, 20.7% in Rattus rattus, 21.1% in wild rodents, and 10.3% in R. norvegicus. Seasonal and temporal effects were the major determinants of Leptospira infection in rodent populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Muñoz-Zanzi
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
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Grant DS, Khan H, Schieffelin J, Bausch DG. Lassa Fever. Emerg Infect Dis 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-416975-3.00004-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Jassat W, Naicker N, Naidoo S, Mathee A. Rodent control in urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa: from research to action. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2013; 23:474-483. [PMID: 23336567 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2012.755156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rodents are troublesome urban pests, with potentially serious health implications. Preventive efforts require greater understanding of social contexts in which they are prevalent. This study aimed to determine rodent prevalence and identify factors associated with rodent infestations in urban residential settings. METHODS The Health, Environment and Development study is a longitudinal panel study conducted in five settlements across Johannesburg. Data on socio-economic status, domestic behaviour and housing quality are collected annually. Logistic regression revealed risk factors for rodent prevalence at household level. RESULTS Rodents are a major household problem in all study areas (prevalence 54%). Factors associated with increased prevalence of rats included lower income, living in informal areas, overcrowding, cracks in dwelling walls and internal damp. CONCLUSION Socio-economic status, housing quality, domestic behaviour and environmental health services are associated with exposure to rodents in urban Johannesburg communities. This information served as a platform to launch rodent awareness campaigns at study sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waasila Jassat
- a Medical Research Council of South Africa, Environment and Health Research Unit , Johannesburg , South Africa
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Kelly JD, Barrie MB, Ross RA, Temple BA, Moses LM, Bausch DG. Housing equity for health equity: a rights-based approach to the control of Lassa fever in post-war Sierra Leone. BMC INTERNATIONAL HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS 2013; 13:2. [PMID: 23282054 PMCID: PMC3562201 DOI: 10.1186/1472-698x-13-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/27/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Poor quality housing is an infringement on the rights of all humans to a standard of living adequate for health. Among the many vulnerabilities of those without adequate shelter is the risk of disease spread by rodents and other pests. One such disease is Lassa fever, an acute and sometimes severe viral hemorrhagic illness endemic in West Africa. Lassa virus is maintained in the rodent Mastomys natalensis, commonly known as the "multimammate rat," which frequently invades the domestic environment, putting humans at risk of Lassa fever. The highest reported incidence of Lassa fever in the world is consistently in the Kenema District of Sierra Leone, a region that was at the center of Sierra Leone's civil war in which tens of thousands of lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of dwellings destroyed. Despite the end of the war in 2002, most of Kenema's population still lives in inadequate housing that puts them at risk of rodent invasion and Lassa fever. Furthermore, despite years of health education and village hygiene campaigns, the incidence of Lassa fever in Kenema District appears to be increasing. We focus on Lassa fever as a matter of human rights, proposing a strategy to improve housing quality, and discuss how housing equity has the potential to improve health equity and ultimately economic productivity in Sierra Leone. The manuscript is designed to spur discussion and action towards provision of housing and prevention of disease in one of the world's most vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Daniel Kelly
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue SL-17, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
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Goeijenbier M, Wagenaar J, Goris M, Martina B, Henttonen H, Vaheri A, Reusken C, Hartskeerl R, Osterhaus A, Van Gorp E. Rodent-borne hemorrhagic fevers: under-recognized, widely spread and preventable – epidemiology, diagnostics and treatment. Crit Rev Microbiol 2012; 39:26-42. [DOI: 10.3109/1040841x.2012.686481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Lalis A, Leblois R, Lecompte E, Denys C, ter Meulen J, Wirth T. The impact of human conflict on the genetics of Mastomys natalensis and Lassa virus in West Africa. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37068. [PMID: 22615894 PMCID: PMC3352846 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Accepted: 04/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental changes have been shown to play an important role in the emergence of new human diseases of zoonotic origin. The contribution of social factors to their spread, especially conflicts followed by mass movement of populations, has not been extensively investigated. Here we reveal the effects of civil war on the phylogeography of a zoonotic emerging infectious disease by concomitantly studying the population structure, evolution and demography of Lassa virus and its natural reservoir, the rodent Mastomys natalensis, in Guinea, West Africa. Analysis of nucleoprotein gene sequences enabled us to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Lassa virus, which appeared 750 to 900 years ago in Nigeria and only recently spread across western Africa (170 years ago). Bayesian demographic inferences revealed that both the host and the virus populations have gone recently through severe genetic bottlenecks. The timing of these events matches civil war-related mass movements of refugees and accompanying environmental degradation. Forest and habitat destruction and human predation of the natural reservoir are likely explanations for the sharp decline observed in the rodent populations, the consequent virus population decline, and the coincident increased incidence of Lassa fever in these regions. Interestingly, we were also able to detect a similar pattern in Nigeria coinciding with the Biafra war. Our findings show that anthropogenic factors may profoundly impact the population genetics of a virus and its reservoir within the context of an emerging infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Lalis
- Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Leblois
- Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Centre de Biologie et Gestion des Populations, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France
| | - Emilie Lecompte
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, Toulouse, France
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christiane Denys
- Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Jan ter Meulen
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thierry Wirth
- Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie intégrative des populations, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, France
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Heymann DL, Dixon M. Infections at the Animal/Human Interface: Shifting the Paradigm from Emergency Response to Prevention at Source. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45791-7_285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Araya M, Chotai J, Komproe IH, de Jong JTVM. Quality of life after postconflict displacement in Ethiopia: comparing placement in a community setting with that in shelters. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2011; 46:585-93. [PMID: 20383488 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-010-0223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2008] [Accepted: 03/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The resilience of post-war displaced persons is not only influenced partly by the nature of premigration trauma, but also by postmigration psychosocial circumstances and living conditions. A lengthy civil war leading to Eritrea separating from Ethiopia and becoming an independent state in 1991 resulted in many displaced persons. METHOD A random sample of 749 displaced women living in the shelters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was compared with a random sample of 110 displaced women living in the community setting of Debre Zeit, 50 km away from Addis Ababa, regarding their quality of life, mental distress, sociodemographics, living conditions, perceived social support, and coping strategies, 6 years after displacement. RESULTS Subjects from Debre Zeit reported significantly higher quality of life and better living conditions. However, mental distress did not differ significantly between the groups. Also, Debre Zeit subjects contained a higher proportion born in Ethiopia, a higher proportion married, reported higher traumatic life events, employed more task-oriented coping, and perceived higher social support. Factors that accounted for the difference in quality of life between the shelters and Debre Zeit groups in three of the four quality of life domains of WHOQOL-BREF (physical health, psychological, environment), included protection from insects/rodents and other living conditions. However, to account for the difference in the fourth domain (social relationships), psychosocial factors also contributed significantly. CONCLUSION Placement and rehabilitation in a community setting seems better than in the shelters. If this possibility is not available, measures to improve specific living conditions in the shelters are likely to lead to a considerable increase in quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesfin Araya
- Department of Psychiatry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9986, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Curtis V, Schmidt W, Luby S, Florez R, Touré O, Biran A. Hygiene: new hopes, new horizons. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2011; 11:312-21. [PMID: 21453872 PMCID: PMC7106354 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(10)70224-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Although promotion of safe hygiene is the single most cost-effective means of preventing infectious disease, investment in hygiene is low both in the health and in the water and sanitation sectors. Evidence shows the benefit of improved hygiene, especially for improved handwashing and safe stool disposal. A growing understanding of what drives hygiene behaviour and creative partnerships are providing fresh approaches to change behaviour. However, some important gaps in our knowledge exist. For example, almost no trials of the effectiveness of interventions to improve food hygiene in developing countries are available. We also need to figure out how best to make safe hygiene practices matters of daily routine that are sustained by social norms on a mass scale. Full and active involvement of the health sector in getting safe hygiene to all homes, schools, and institutions will bring major gains to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Val Curtis
- The Hygiene Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Clegg JC. Influence of climate change on the incidence and impact of arenavirus diseases: a speculative assessment. Clin Microbiol Infect 2009; 15:504-9. [PMID: 19604274 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02847.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The current worldwide incidence of viral haemorrhagic fevers caused by arenaviruses is briefly reviewed. The recently published Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has described the changes in global climate that are expected to occur over the course of the present century and beyond. Climate modelling and forecasting have not yet reached the stage where confident predictions of regional changes at the level of a virus endemic area can be made. However, in the regions where pathogenic arenaviruses now circulate, significant effects are likely to include increases in surface temperature, changes in the extent and distribution of rainfall, the occurrence of extreme weather events, glacier retreat, and coastal flooding as a result of sea level rise. The possible impact of these changes on the geographical location and the incidence of arenavirus diseases and its human impact are discussed.
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