Short Communicaton:Increased Rat Sightings in Urban Slums During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Risk for Rat-Borne Zoonoses

Souza, Fábio Neves; Awoniyi, Adedayo Michael; Palma, Fabiana; Begon, Mike; Costa, Federico

doi:10.1089/vbz.2020.2686

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Inhabitants of slums were especially impacted by the pandemic, not only because of the physical impossibility of social distancing due to high density [ 5 ], poor-quality housing, or the lack of water to wash their hands [ 6 , 38 ] but also due to other specific issues in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Residents of LMIC had increased risks for respiratory infections due to elevated levels of air pollution [ 39 ], and during the social isolation phase, the expansion of the rodent population aggravated the risk of zoonotic diseases [ 40 ]. Moreover, connectivity played a central role in the spread of COVID-19 [ 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparing Cities for Future Pandemics: Unraveling the Influence of Urban and Housing Variables on COVID-19 Incidence in Santiago de Chile

et al. 2023

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In this study, we analyzed how urban, housing, and socioeconomic variables are related to COVID-19 incidence. As such, we have analyzed these variables along with demographic, education, employment, and COVID-19 data from 32 communes in Santiago de Chile between March and August of 2020, before the release of the vaccines. The results of our Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed that those communes with more economic, social, organizational, and infrastructural resources were overall less affected by COVID-19. As the dimensions affecting COVID-19 are based on structural variables, this study discusses to what extent our cities can be prepared for the next pandemic. Recommendations for local decision-makers in controlling illegal immigration and investing in housing and urban parks are drawn.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparing Cities for Future Pandemics: Unraveling the Influence of Urban and Housing Variables on COVID-19 Incidence in Santiago de Chile

et al. 2023

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“…Thus, the pandemic presented a unique opportunity to obtain information regarding the immediate effects of shifts in human activities on rat populations in a variety of countries. Following the implementation of social distancing measures, increased sightings of rats in urban slums were reported in Brazil (Neves Souza et al 2021 ). Increased sightings of rats in public spaces in the USA and UK were also frequently broadcasted in English language media.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social distancing measures differentially affected rats in North America and Tokyo

Kiyokawa

Tamada²,

Ootaki

et al. 2021

J Pest Sci

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Because rats are commensal organisms that depend on human activities for food, shifts in human behavior will have pronounced effects on local rat populations. In the spring of 2020, social distancing measures were implemented globally to curtail the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This presented a unique opportunity to obtain information regarding the immediate effects of shifts in human behavior on rat populations in a variety of countries. In response to increased sightings of rats in the USA that were reported in American media, we analyzed the changes in the number of public service calls in Tokyo, Japan. We found that the number of calls increased after the implementation of social distancing measures, suggesting that rat sightings had also increased in Tokyo. We then surveyed the changes in the business activities of pest management professionals in the USA, Canada, and Tokyo. We found that the activities were increased in 50 to 60% of the respondents from the USA and Canada. In contrast, 60 to 70% of the respondents from Tokyo answered that their activities were not changed. These results implied that, following the implementation of social distancing measures, rat infestations increased in North America, but not in Tokyo. The survey also suggested that roof rats were considered to be the predominant rodent species in Tokyo. This may account for the limited infestations in Tokyo because roof rats are more sedentary than brown rats. Taken together, our findings suggest that social distancing measures differentially affected rat populations in North America and Tokyo. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10340-021-01405-z.

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Waste reduction decreases rat activity from peri-urban environment

Shukla,

Wilmers

2024

PLoS ONE

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Globally, species in the genus Rattus (specifically Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus), are some of the most influential invasive taxa due to their high rates of competitive exclusion and large dietary breadth. However, the specific foraging strategies of urban-adjacent populations remain largely unknown. We examined Rattus spp. dependency on human food supplementation in a population on adjacent non-developed (or peri-urban) land. Via linear regression modeling, we measured rodent activity changes between native and invasive species before and after a decrease in human supplementation due to the COVID-19 lockdown in Santa Cruz, California, USA. We documented invasive rat activity via camera traps in normal (pre-COVID lockdown) conditions near dining halls and similar waste sources, and again under COVID lockdown conditions when sources of human supplementation were drastically decreased. After 120 trap nights we found a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in Rattus activity after the removal of human refuse, while native small mammal activity remained unchanged (p = 0.1). These results have strong conservation implications, as they support the hypothesis that proper waste management is an effective, less-invasive form of population control over conventional rodenticides.

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Short Communicaton:Increased Rat Sightings in Urban Slums During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Risk for Rat-Borne Zoonoses

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Preparing Cities for Future Pandemics: Unraveling the Influence of Urban and Housing Variables on COVID-19 Incidence in Santiago de Chile

Preparing Cities for Future Pandemics: Unraveling the Influence of Urban and Housing Variables on COVID-19 Incidence in Santiago de Chile

Social distancing measures differentially affected rats in North America and Tokyo

Waste reduction decreases rat activity from peri-urban environment

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