Effects of Land Use on Plague (Yersinia pestis) Activity in Rodents in Tanzania

Abstract

Abstract. Understanding the effects of land-use change on zoonotic disease risk is a pressing global health concern. Here, we compare prevalence of Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, in rodents across two land-use types-agricultural and conserved-in northern Tanzania. Estimated abundance of seropositive rodents nearly doubled in agricultural sites compared with conserved sites. This relationship between land-use type and abundance of seropositive rodents is likely mediated by changes in rodent and flea community composition, particularly via an increase in the abundance of the commensal species, Mastomys natalensis, in agricultural habitats. There was mixed support for rodent species diversity negatively impacting Y. pestis seroprevalence. Together, these results suggest that land-use change could affect the risk of local transmission of plague, and raise critical questions about transmission dynamics at the interface of conserved and agricultural habitats. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding disease ecology in the context of rapidly proceeding landscape change.

Landscape ecology of Trypanosoma cruzi in the southern Yucatan Peninsula

“…Vector density in the Zoh-Laguna landscape appears to follow a gradient from low density in sylvatic to higher density in domestic habitats, and a relatively low density of opossums was also registeredin the latter habitat.Our results hence support predictions by Kribs-Zaleta (2010). The fact that vector density increased in ecotone and domestic habitats, has been reported elsewhere for other Chagas disease vectors (Gottdenker et al, 2014;Ramsey et al, 2012) or vectors of other disease (McCauley et al, 2015).…”

Ecosystem change and zoonoses in the Anthropocene

“…The specifications for an ecological impact assessment require further consideration but landscape ecology could inform this process (Hartemink, Vanwambeke, Purse, Gilbert, & Dyck, ) using computer programs such as FRAGSTATS (McGarigal, Cushman, & Ene, ) to quantify landscape configuration and composition. The juxtaposition of the domestic, peridomestic and sylvatic ecosystems influences zoonoses dynamics for both host and pathogen/parasite populations (Kilpatrick, ; McCauley et al, ). As intimated above, the importance of integration of epidemiology and community ecology for understanding zoonoses is clear due to the multispecies and multiple scales involved (Johnson, de Roode, & Fenton, ) and is further highlighted in the examples outlined in this paper.…”

Changing landscapes of Southeast Asia and rodent‐borne diseases: decreased diversity but increased transmission risks

“…As highly permissive pathogen reservoirs, with a fast life histories, the high abundance reached by synanthropic rodents should increase contact rates between individuals and may boost pathogen transmission in human dominated habitats (Han et al 2015). This is supported by the high prevalence of infection by some pathogens observed in these species in such environments (Suz an et al 2009, McCauley et al 2015.…”

“…, McCauley et al. ). As highly permissive pathogen reservoirs, with a fast life histories, the high abundance reached by synanthropic rodents should increase contact rates between individuals and may boost pathogen transmission in human dominated habitats (Han et al.…”

“…This appears to be the result of increased availability of food sources (e.g., rice fields, human waste) or artificial structures that provides greater enhance from predators (e.g., covered drains; Morand et al 2015). In such environments, a high prevalence of infection is often found in these rodent species (Suz an et al 2009, McCauley et al 2015. As highly permissive pathogen reservoirs, with a fast life histories, the high abundance reached by synanthropic rodents should increase contact rates between individuals and may boost pathogen transmission in human dominated habitats (Han et al 2015).…”