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Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections
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Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Disease Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 19524

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alda Natale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Interests: serology; microbiology; zoonoses; susceptibility of animals to SARS-CoV-2
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marcella Mori

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor
Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: bacterial zoonoses; human-animal-interfase; intracellula bacterial pathogens; host-pathogen interaction; refernce diagnosis. main topics: coxiella burnetii; Leptospira spp.; Brucella spp.; tularemia, ticks
Dr. Patrizia Danesi

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
Interests: fungal diseases, parasites and zoonoses. main topics: dermatophytes; cryptococcus and pneumocystis in pet and wid animals. other topics: echinococcus moltilocularis; trichinella; giardia and cryptosporidium.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The “One Health” concept, introduced at the beginning of the 2000s, summarises the idea that human and animal health are interdependent functions. Diseases of animal origin, such as avian influenza, rabies, and brucellosis, can be transmitted to humans. Other diseases which are mainly transmitted from person to person can also infect animals or have an animal source or reservoir, and can cause serious health emergencies. Other infectious and non-infectious human diseases are mainly due to the environmental contamination (e.g., fungal infections, leptospirosis) or pollution (e.g., cancer, poisoning). Animals living in close contact with people can act as sentinels of the human risk. The risks increase with globalisation, climate change, and changes in human behaviour, giving pathogens numerous opportunities to colonise new territories and evolve into new forms.

Studies of the effects of environmental exposures on domestic and wild animals can corroborate or inform epidemiologic studies in humans. Animals may be sensitive indicators of environmental hazards and provide an early warning system for public health intervention.

Focusing both on environmental issues and on the role of animals as sentinels of the human risk, this Special Issue of The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health will bring together papers encompassing exposures to infectious and fungal diseases, toxic substances, and their associations with acute/chronic poisoning and other diseases.

Dr. Natale Alda
Dr. Marcella Mori
Dr. Patrizia Danesi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Zoonoses
  • One Health
  • Infectious diseases
  • Fungal diseases
  • Parasitic diseases
  • Animal Sentinels
  • Epidemiology
  • Poisoning
  • Cancer

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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21 pages, 2465 KiB  
Article
A Possible Link between the Environment and Cryptococcus gattii Nasal Colonisation in Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales
by Alex Kan, Laura J. Schmertmann, Clare McArthur, Valentina S. A. Mella, Mathew S. Crowther, Luisa Miranda, Richard Malik, Wieland Meyer and Mark B. Krockenberger
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4603; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084603 - 11 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2206
Abstract
Cryptococcosis caused by yeasts of the Cryptococcus gattii species complex is an increasingly important mycological disease in humans and other mammals. In Australia, cases of C. gattii-related cryptococcosis are more prevalent in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) compared to humans and [...] Read more.
Cryptococcosis caused by yeasts of the Cryptococcus gattii species complex is an increasingly important mycological disease in humans and other mammals. In Australia, cases of C. gattii-related cryptococcosis are more prevalent in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) compared to humans and other animals, likely due to the close association that both C. gattii and koalas have with Eucalyptus species. This provides a cogent opportunity to investigate the epidemiology of spontaneous C. gattii infections in a free-living mammalian host, thereby offering insights into similar infections in humans. This study aimed to establish a link between nasal colonisation by C. gattii in free-ranging koalas and the tree hollows of Eucalyptus species, the key environmental source of the pathogen. We (i) detected and genotyped C. gattii from nine out of 169 free-ranging koalas and representative tree hollows within their home range in the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales, and (ii) examined potential environmental predictors of nasal colonisation in koalas and the presence of C. gattii in tree hollows. Phylogenetic analyses based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) revealed that the koalas were most likely colonised by the most abundant C. gattii genotypes found in the Eucalyptus species, or closely related genotypes. Importantly, the likelihood of the presence of C. gattii in tree hollows was correlated with increasing hollow size. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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20 pages, 2751 KiB  
Article
Chlamydia Species and Related Risk Factors in Poultry in North-Western Italy: Possible Bird-to-Human Transmission for C. gallinacea
by Monica Marchino, Francesca Rizzo, Paola Barzanti, Oriana Anna Sparasci, Paolo Bottino, Nadia Vicari, Sara Rigamonti, Silvia Braghin, Rachid Aaziz, Fabien Vorimore, Giuseppe Ru, Karine Laroucau and Maria Lucia Mandola
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2174; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042174 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2584
Abstract
Chlamydiaceae are obligatory intracellular bacteria causing acute and chronic diseases in animals and humans worldwide, with recently discovered species with a still unclear pathogenic potential (i.e., C. gallinacea). In Italy, Chlamydiaceae infections are underestimated both in animals and humans. To estimate the [...] Read more.
Chlamydiaceae are obligatory intracellular bacteria causing acute and chronic diseases in animals and humans worldwide, with recently discovered species with a still unclear pathogenic potential (i.e., C. gallinacea). In Italy, Chlamydiaceae infections are underestimated both in animals and humans. To estimate the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae species in poultry and occupationally exposed workers on farm, a cross-sectional study was carried out in north-western Italy. A total of 2063 samples from 83 commercial and 31 backyard poultry farms were analysed using real-time PCRs for Chlamydiaceae screening and species typing. Chlamydiaceae were detected in 23 farms, with a herd prevalence of 20.2% (95%CI: 13.2–28.7), higher in backyard farms (38.7%; 95%CI: 21.8–57.8) compared to commercial ones (13.3%; 95%CI: 6.8–22.5). C. gallinacea was found in 18 chicken farms, both commercial and backyard, and C. psittaci only in 3 backyard farms. Exposure to wild birds and factors related to biosecurity resulted the main risk factors associated with Chlamydia positivity. Out of the 113 sputum samples collected from farmers, 16 tested positive to Chlamydiaceae, with a prevalence of 14.2% (95%CI: 8, 3–22). To the best of our knowledge, for the first time at international level, C. gallinacea was detected in humans with farmer positivity associated with farm infectious status, suggesting a bird-to-human transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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14 pages, 11463 KiB  
Article
Co-Circulation of Bovine Leukemia Virus Haplotypes among Humans, Animals, and Food Products: New Insights of Its Zoonotic Potential
by Adriana P. Corredor-Figueroa, Nury N. Olaya-Galán, Sebastian Velandia-Álvarez, Marina Muñoz, Sandra P. Salas-Cárdenas, Milcíades Ibáñez-Pinilla, Manuel A. Patarroyo and Maria F. Gutiérrez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4883; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094883 - 4 May 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3680
Abstract
Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of leukemia/lymphoma in cattle. It has been found in humans and cattle-derived food products. In humans, it is described as a potential risk factor for breast cancer development. However, the transmission path remains unclear. Here, [...] Read more.
Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of leukemia/lymphoma in cattle. It has been found in humans and cattle-derived food products. In humans, it is described as a potential risk factor for breast cancer development. However, the transmission path remains unclear. Here, a molecular epidemiology analysis was performed to identify signatures of genetic flux of BLV among humans, animals, and food products. Sequences obtained from these sources in Colombia were used (n = 183) and compared with reference sequences available in GenBank. Phylogenetic reconstruction was performed in IQ-TREE software with the maximum likelihood algorithm. Haplotype (hap) distribution among the population was carried out with a median-joining model in Network5.0. Recombination events were inferred using SplitsTree4 software. In the phylogenetic analysis, no specific branches were identified for the Colombian sequences or for the different sources. A total of 31 haps were found, with Hap 1, 4, 5 and 7 being shared among the three sources of the study. Reticulation events among the different sources were also detected during the recombination analysis. These results show new insights about the zoonotic potential of BLV, showing evidence of genetic flux between cattle and humans. Prevention and control strategies should be considered to avoid viral dissemination as part of the One Health program policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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7 pages, 5451 KiB  
Communication
Environmental Exposure of Wild Carnivores to Zoonotic Pathogens: Leptospira Infection in the First Free Living Wolf (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758) Found Dead in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region
by Marco Bregoli, Stefano Pesaro, Martina Ustulin, Denis Vio, Paola Beraldo, Marco Galeotti, Monia Cocchi, Laura Lucchese, Cristina Bertasio, Maria Beatrice Boniotti, Luca Lapini and Alda Natale
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2512; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052512 - 3 Mar 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3401
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a worldwide-spread zoonosis causing disease and death in dogs and in humans. A Leptospiral infection has been recorded in several wild carnivore species in Europe, but tissue pathological changes were not commonly described. The Grey wolf (Canis lupus) has [...] Read more.
Leptospirosis is a worldwide-spread zoonosis causing disease and death in dogs and in humans. A Leptospiral infection has been recorded in several wild carnivore species in Europe, but tissue pathological changes were not commonly described. The Grey wolf (Canis lupus) has been expanding its distribution range in north-eastern Italy during the last decade. A young wolf, representing the first individual handled in the region, was found road-killed and then submitted to necropsy. Pathological changes included erosive lesions of gingival mucosa, mild liver enlargement, and multifocal degenerative-necrotic areas along with hyperemic reactive lesions; multifocal interstitial nephritis and multifocal lung hemorrhages were observed. A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) able to detect pathogenic species of Leptospira performed on a kidney sample was positive. Serological reactions for serogroup Gryppotyphosa (1:6400), Pomona (1:800), and Icterohaemorrhagiae (1:200) were evidenced by MAT. Genotyping by Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) performed on detected Leptospira characterized it as belonging to Sequence Type (ST) 117, which refers to L. kirschneri, serogroup Pomona, serovar Mozdok. Regardless of the role of Leptospira infection as an eventual predisposing factor to the road killing of this wolf, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of Leptospira-induced pathology in a wolf in Europe. Surveys on Leptospira infection in free-ranging wildlife species should be pursued in order to achieve further epidemiological knowledge on the circulation of the Leptospira strain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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17 pages, 1065 KiB  
Article
The Gut Microbiota of the Egyptian Mongoose as an Early Warning Indicator of Ecosystem Health in Portugal
by Mónica V. Cunha, Teresa Albuquerque, Patrícia Themudo, Carlos Fonseca, Victor Bandeira and Luís M. Rosalino
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3104; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093104 - 29 Apr 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3301
Abstract
The Egyptian mongoose is a carnivore mammal species that in the last decades experienced a tremendous expansion in Iberia, particularly in Portugal, mainly due to its remarkable ecological plasticity in response to land-use changes. However, this species may have a disruptive role on [...] Read more.
The Egyptian mongoose is a carnivore mammal species that in the last decades experienced a tremendous expansion in Iberia, particularly in Portugal, mainly due to its remarkable ecological plasticity in response to land-use changes. However, this species may have a disruptive role on native communities in areas where it has recently arrived due to predation and the potential introduction of novel pathogens. We report reference information on the cultivable gut microbial landscape of widely distributed Egyptian mongoose populations (Herpestes ichneumon, n = 53) and related antimicrobial tolerance across environmental gradients. The panel of isolated species is consistent with the typical protein-based diet of a carnivore: Firmicutes predominate (89% of individuals), while Clostridiales, Enterobacteriales, and Lactobacillales are the major classes. Forty-one individuals (77.4%) harbour Clostridium spp. A spatial influence on mongooses’ microbiota is confirmed by nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis, with a significant contribution of municipality to their microbiota composition. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of mongoose commensal bacteria to 28 compounds evidences xenobiotic tolerance of Escherichia coli (E. coli), enterococci, Salmonella Spartel and Mbandaka serotypes and Pseudomonas bacteria, among others. The common isolation of antimicrobial tolerant microbiota from the mongoose’s gut suggests this species is exposed to anthropogenic influence and is affected by forestry and agricultural-related practices, reflecting its easy adaptation to ecological gradients across agroecosystems. We thus propose regular microbial and phenotypic resistance profiling of widely distributed mongooses as a sentinel tool for xenobiotics’ lifecycle and ecosystem health in Portugal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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6 pages, 293 KiB  
Case Report
Assessment of Zoonotic Risk following Diagnosis of Canine Tularemia in a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
by Lynelle R. Johnson, Steven E. Epstein, Jonathan D. Dear and Barbara A. Byrne
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2011; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042011 - 11 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2366
Abstract
Tularemia is a rare zoonotic disease found worldwide. The agent responsible for disease, Francisella tularensis, is one of the most highly infectious pathogens known, one that is capable of causing life-threatening illness with inhalation of <50 organisms. High infectivity explains concerns of [...] Read more.
Tularemia is a rare zoonotic disease found worldwide. The agent responsible for disease, Francisella tularensis, is one of the most highly infectious pathogens known, one that is capable of causing life-threatening illness with inhalation of <50 organisms. High infectivity explains concerns of its use in bioterrorism. This case describes a 4-year-old male neutered Australian shepherd presented for evaluation of hyporexia and fever. Physical examination revealed marked enlargement of the right superficial cervical lymph node. Tularemia lymphadenitis was diagnosed by lymph node aspiration cytology and culture. Public health officials were advised of the isolation of this zoonotic pathogen, and contact tracing was instituted. Seven individuals associated with the aspiration event were screened for tularemia and treated with prophylactic ciprofloxacin. All were negative, and none became sick. The dog was treated with doxycycline for 3 weeks, and clinical signs and physical examination abnormalities were resolved fully. The owner, a solid organ transplant recipient, was also screened for disease and received prophylactic doxycycline due to a history of shared exposure. The owner remained well throughout the course of his dog’s disease and has heightened awareness of potential zoonoses. This case highlights the importance of animals as a sentinel for human health threats and for coordination of human and veterinary care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animals as Environmental Sentinels of Humans Infections)
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