A global overview of the most important zoonotic bacteria pathogens transmitted from Rattus norvegicus to humans in urban environments

Sabour, Sahar; Azimi, Taher; Nasser, Ahmad; Hadi, Nahal; Mohsenzadeh, Amin; Shariati, Aref

doi:10.1016/j.imj.2022.07.002

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Likewise, clade 3 contains mostly L. interrogans genomes from the Red and Steel genetic groups (6 of 7). Both genetic groups contain rats from the same site (8) but different collections and years (8b and 8c =Red, 8f and 8fg =Steel), perhaps indicating the removal of one rat genetic group (Red) and replacement with another (Steel). Similarly, clade 2 contains mostly L. interrogans genomes from rats belonging to the Evergreen genetic group (3 of 5); this clade also contains the L. interrogans genome derived from a human leptospirosis case in 2018 (MA-2).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They cause devastating impacts to natural ecosystems (3), and are considered a serious public health threat (4,5). Rattus norvegicus (the brown rat) is ubiquitous in urban environments (6,7) and has been documented to carry/transmit (either directly or indirectly) an abundance of bacterial and viral pathogens in urban ecosystems, including Leptospira spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., Yersinia pestis, Streptobacillus moiliformis, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Rickettsia spp., Salmonella spp., influenza A virus, and Seoul hantavirus (8)(9)(10)(11).…”

Section: Figures (4)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Host population structure and rare dispersal events drive leptospirosis transmission patterns amongRattus norvegicusin Boston, Massachusetts, US

Stone,

Hamond,

Clegg

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Leptospirosis (caused by pathogenic bacteria in the genusLeptospira) is prevalent worldwide but more common in tropical and subtropical regions. Transmission can occur following direct exposure to infected urine from reservoir hosts, such as rats, or a urine-contaminated environment, which then can serve as an infection source for additional rats and other mammals, including humans. The brown rat,Rattus norvegicus, is an important reservoir of leptospirosis in urban settings. We investigated leptospirosis among brown rats in Boston, Massachusetts and hypothesized that rat dispersal in this urban setting influences the movement, persistence, and diversity ofLeptospira. We analyzed DNA from 328 rat kidney samples collected from 17 sites in Boston over a seven-year period (2016–2022); 59 rats representing 12 of 17 sites were positive forLeptospira. We used 21 neutral microsatellite loci to genotype 311 rats and utilized the resulting data to investigate genetic connectivity among sampling sites. We generated whole genome sequences for 28Leptospiraisolates obtained from frozen and fresh tissue from some of the 59Leptospira-positive rat kidneys. When isolates were not obtained, we attemptedLeptospiragenomic DNA capture and enrichment, which yielded 14 additionalLeptospiragenomes from rats. We also generated an enrichedLeptospiragenome from a 2018 human case in Boston. We found evidence of high genetic structure and limited dispersal among rat populations that is likely influenced by major roads and/or other unknown dispersal barriers, resulting in distinct rat population groups within the city; at certain sites these groups persisted for multiple years. We identified multiple distinct phylogenetic clades ofL. interrogansamong rats, with specific clades tightly linked to distinct rat populations. This pattern suggestsL. interroganspersists in local rat populations and movement of leptospirosis in this urban rat community is driven by rat dispersal. Finally, our genomic analyses of the 2018 human leptospirosis case in Boston suggests a link to rats as the source. These findings will be useful for guiding rat control and human leptospirosis mitigation efforts in this and other urban settings.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figures (4)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Host population structure and rare dispersal events drive leptospirosis transmission patterns amongRattus norvegicusin Boston, Massachusetts, US

Stone,

Hamond,

Clegg

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…These diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans, either through direct contact or indirectly via vectors. There are around 1,500 pathogens and 75% of the newly emerging infectious diseases are known to be zoonotic in nature (Sabour et al 2022). .…”

Section: Introduction 1explanation Of One Health and Its Relevance To...mentioning

confidence: 99%

One Health Approach to Zoonosis: Integrating Medicine, Veterinary Science and Environmental Science

2023

IJAB

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Zoonotic diseases that transmit from animals to humans pose a major global health threat, accounting for over 60% of infectious diseases. Tackling these complex "one health" challenges requires integrating human medicine, veterinary science, and environmental monitoring into a unified framework. This chapter of the book provides a comprehensive overview of the One Health approach for addressing zoonosis. Tracing foundational concepts from Hippocrates through seminal thinkers like Virchow and James Steele, it chronicles paradigm shifts recognizing interdependencies between human, animal, and environmental health. Detailed case examples illustrate effective applications of One Health principles, from curbing sleeping sickness in Uganda by linking human outbreaks with animal reservoirs and vector control, to mitigating Rift Valley Fever in Kenya through joint animal-human health response systems. Core One Health focus areas for zoonosis include strengthened surveillance coordinating human and animal data streams to detect outbreaks early, comparative research on disease transmission pathways across species, and collaborative policies supporting prevention and control programs. The chapter emphasizes that overcoming systemic barriers limiting cross-sectoral coordination is essential to managing these complex risks, requiring medical experts, veterinary professionals, and environmental scientists to align efforts within an interconnected framework. Key recommendations include fostering interdisciplinary cooperation, establishing regular communication platforms, addressing resource constraints limiting One Health infrastructure, and actively engaging local communities. Ultimately, this holistic approach creates a shared defence against endemic and emergent zoonosis by enhancing preparedness, resilience, and risk reduction at the human-animal-environment interface.

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Different characteristics of the soil in marmot habitats might be one of the factors that influcting Yersinia pestis prevalent in which than pikas

Zhao,

Li,

Sun

et al. 2024

Front. Microbiol.

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IntroductionMarmots are recognized as host animals for plague caused by Yersinia pestis infection. It is unclear that why plague prevalent in marmot rather than other rodents like pikas in the same habitats. This study aims to analyze the differences of the soil characteristics around marmots and pikas burrows to explore the soils factors impacting on different epidemic intensities of Yersinia pestis in these two rodents.MethodsSoil samples were collected from within and around marmot and pika burrows, as well as from the nearby areas not inhabited by them and Chinese baseline soil properties as control groups, in the Qilian Mountains of Gansu Province, China. The physicochemical properties and the bacterial 16S rRNA were measured to analyze the characteristics of soils from different groups. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using R studio.ResultsThe analysis revealed that marmot habitats exhibited distinct soil characteristics, including lower organic matter and alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen, but higher electrical conductivity and total soluble salts. And soil in marmot areas tended to have higher concentrations of nickel, chromium, and iron, also lower levels of zinc and selenium. Additionally, the alpha diversity of soil microorganisms in marmot habitats was significantly low. Simultaneously, redundancy analysis was conducted, which showed that the low alpha diversity of marmot-soil was influenced by its physicochemical properties. The alpha diversity of the soil was positively correlated with EC, TSS, Na, and Cr, etc., while it was negatively correlated with AHN, OM, Se, Zn, and Fe, etc.ConclusionThese characteristics in marmot habitats, including low levels of organic matter, alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen, zinc, selenium, and bacterial alpha diversity, as well as high levels of electrical conductivity, total soluble salts, iron, and nickel, played a crucial role in the spread of plague. It was discovered that the unique characteristics of marmot-soils provided essential elements necessary for the survival of Yersinia pestis, including high levels of Fe and Ca, or facilitated the spread of plague. Thus, the transmission of the plague was facilitated.

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A global overview of the most important zoonotic bacteria pathogens transmitted from Rattus norvegicus to humans in urban environments

Cited by 3 publications

References 196 publications

Host population structure and rare dispersal events drive leptospirosis transmission patterns amongRattus norvegicusin Boston, Massachusetts, US

Host population structure and rare dispersal events drive leptospirosis transmission patterns amongRattus norvegicusin Boston, Massachusetts, US

One Health Approach to Zoonosis: Integrating Medicine, Veterinary Science and Environmental Science

Different characteristics of the soil in marmot habitats might be one of the factors that influcting Yersinia pestis prevalent in which than pikas

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