Anthropogenic landscapes increase Campylobacter jejuni infections in urbanizing banded mongoose (Mungos mungo): A one health approach

Abstract

Background Campylobacter is a common, but neglected foodborne-zoonotic pathogen, identified as a growing cause of foodborne disease worldwide. Wildlife and domestic animals are considered important reservoirs, but little is known about pathogen infection dynamics in free-ranging mammalian wildlife particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In countries like Botswana, there is significant overlap between humans and wildlife, with the human population having one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, increasing vulnerability to infection. Methodology/Principal findings We investigated Campylobacter occurrence in archived human fecal samples (children and adults, n = 122, 2011), feces from free-ranging banded mongooses (Mungos mungo, n = 201), surface water (n = 70), and river sediment samples (n = 81) collected in 2017 from the Chobe District, northern Botswana. Campylobacter spp. was widespread in humans (23.0%, 95% CI 13.9-35.4%), with infections dominantly associated with C. jejuni (82.1%, n = 28, 95% CI 55.1-94.5%). A small number of patients presented with asymptomatic infections (n = 6). While Campylobacter spp. was rare or absent in environmental samples, over half of sampled mongooses tested positive (56%, 95% CI 45.6-65.4%). Across the urbanwilderness continuum, we found significant differences in Campylobacter spp. detection associated with the type of den used by study mongooses. Mongooses utilizing man-made structures as den sites had significantly higher levels of C. jejuni infection (p = 0.019) than mongooses using natural dens. Conversely, mongooses using natural dens had overall higher levels of detection of Campylobacter at the genus level (p = 0.001). Conclusions These results suggest that landscape features may have important influences on Campylobacter species exposure and transmission dynamics in wildlife. In particular, data suggest PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

A Systematic Review on the Role of Wildlife as Carriers and Spreaders of Campylobacter spp.

“…Data from the articles reviewed showed that at least twelve Campylobacter species have been detected in wild animals in 36 countries and the Antarctica Peninsula [ 15 , 16 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 ...…”

“…Rhynd et al [ 85 ] demonstrated that asian mongooses ( Herpestes javanicus ) are carriers and shedders of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. Moreover, Medley et al [ 66 ] sampled fecal samples in humans, free-ranging banded mongooses ( Mungos mungo ) surface water, and river sediment samples in northern Botswana and reported Campylobacter spp. and C. jejuni as the main bacterium free-ranging banded mongooses ( M. mungo ).…”