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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases
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Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Public Health Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 18823

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vladimir Stevanović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: viruses; zoonoses; emerging infectious diseases; veterinary medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: emerging arboviruses; viral encephalitis; hepatitis viruses; zoonoses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world is still combating the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is hard to tell how long it will last. The virus behind the disease has been suggested to be of potentially zoonotic origin. Unfortunately, COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases have claimed too many lives over the past few decades, showing us just how vulnerable we are and how much more we need to learn. Fighting zoonotic diseases has been difficult because their occurrence results from the interplay of environmental, social, and ecological factors. The same is true for vector-borne diseases, where epidemiology is further entangled with factors influencing vectors.

The number of scientific reports in the field has dramatically increased over the years, but a holistic understanding of data is often missing. Such an approach, with a multidisciplinary effort that recognizes human health, animal health, and environmental health as a whole, is called the One Health initiative.

In this Special Issue of Microorganisms, we aim to bring together studies on the ecology, evolution, and epidemiology of zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases. Therefore, we invite you to submit original and review articles covering different aspects of zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases to support the One Health initiative further.

Dr. Vladimir Stevanović
Dr. Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Microorganisms 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 2700 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
  • vector-borne
  • ecology
  • evolution
  • epidemiology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 952 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Haemosporidian Parasites in an Arctic Breeding Seabird Species—The Red-Throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
by Birgit Kleinschmidt, Monika Dorsch, Stefan Heinänen, Julius Morkūnas, Yvonne R. Schumm, Ramūnas Žydelis and Petra Quillfeldt
Microorganisms 2022, 10(11), 2147; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10112147 - 29 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
Haemosporida, vector-transmitted blood parasites, can have various effects and may also exert selection pressures on their hosts. In this study we analyse the presence of Haemosporida in a previously unstudied migratory seabird species, the red-throated diver Gavia stellata. Red-throated divers were sampled [...] Read more.
Haemosporida, vector-transmitted blood parasites, can have various effects and may also exert selection pressures on their hosts. In this study we analyse the presence of Haemosporida in a previously unstudied migratory seabird species, the red-throated diver Gavia stellata. Red-throated divers were sampled during winter and spring in the eastern German Bight (North Sea). We used molecular methods and data from a related tracking study to reveal (i) if red-throated divers are infected with Haemosporida of the genera Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, and (ii) how infection and prevalence are linked with the breeding regions of infected individuals. Divers in this study were assigned to western Palearctic breeding grounds, namely Greenland, Svalbard, Norway and Arctic Russia. We found a prevalence of Leucocytozoon of 11.0% in all birds sampled (n = 45), of 33.0% in birds breeding in Norway (n = 3) and of 8.3% in birds breeding in Arctic Russia (n = 25). For two birds that were infected no breeding regions could be assigned. We identified two previously unknown lineages, one each of Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon. Haemosporida have not been detected in birds from Greenland (n = 2) and Svalbard (n = 2). In summary, this study presents the first record of Haemosporida in red-throated divers and reports a new lineage of each, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon GAVSTE01 and GAVSTE02, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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12 pages, 301 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Latent Toxoplasma gondii Infection on Spontaneous Abortion History and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Large-Scale Study
by Adelina Geanina Mocanu, Dana Liana Stoian, Emanuela Lidia Craciunescu, Ioana Mihaela Ciohat, Alexandru Catalin Motofelea, Dan Bogdan Navolan, Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, Vladimir Stevanovic, Dragos Nemescu, Marius Forga, Razvan Daniluc, Alexandra-Magdalena Ioana and Marius Craina
Microorganisms 2022, 10(10), 1944; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10101944 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2233
Abstract
Background: Toxoplasma gondii (TG), a zoonotic protozoan parasite, belongs to a group of TORCH infectious agents, which can cause severe damage to the fetus if a primary infection occurs during pregnancy. After primary infection, TG rests lifelong in human organisms causing a latent [...] Read more.
Background: Toxoplasma gondii (TG), a zoonotic protozoan parasite, belongs to a group of TORCH infectious agents, which can cause severe damage to the fetus if a primary infection occurs during pregnancy. After primary infection, TG rests lifelong in human organisms causing a latent infection. Most studies have analyzed the consequences of acute, but not latent, TG infection. This study analyzed the impact of latent toxoplasmosis on spontaneous abortion history, pregnancy complication rate and neonatal outcome. Methods: IgG and IgM anti-TG antibodies were tested in 806 pregnant women who were consulted at the Timisoara Clinical Emergency Hospital between 2008 and 2010. Demographic data, obstetrical history, and data about the pregnancy complications, birth and neonate were collected for each woman and comparisons between the groups, with and without latent TG infection, were made. Results: This study did not show differences between groups regarding the history of spontaneous abortion (OR = 1.288, p = 0.333), cesarean section (OR = 1.021, p = 0.884), placental abruption (OR 0.995, p = 0.266), pregnancy-induced hypertension rate (OR 1.083, p = 0.846), secondary sex ratio (1.043, p = 0.776), 1′ APGAR score at birth (p = 0.544), gestational age at birth (p = 0.491) or birth weight (p = 0.257). Conclusions: The observed differences between the rate of pregnancy complications in the two groups of pregnant women with and without latent infection with TG, did not reach a statistical significance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
19 pages, 3737 KiB  
Article
Haemoplasma Prevalence and Diversity in Three Invasive Rattus Species from Gauteng Province, South Africa
by Liezl Retief, Christian T. Chimimba, Marinda C. Oosthuizen, Asiashu Matshotshi and Armanda D. S. Bastos
Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1632; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10081632 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1801
Abstract
Invasive Rattus species are carriers of haemotropic Mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) globally, but data from Africa are lacking. Using a PCR-sequencing approach, we assessed haemoplasma prevalence and diversity in kidney and buccal swabs collected from three invasive Rattus species (Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus [...] Read more.
Invasive Rattus species are carriers of haemotropic Mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) globally, but data from Africa are lacking. Using a PCR-sequencing approach, we assessed haemoplasma prevalence and diversity in kidney and buccal swabs collected from three invasive Rattus species (Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus and R. tanezumi) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Whilst the overall sequence-confirmed haemoplasma prevalence was 38.4%, infection rates in R. rattus (58.3%) were significantly higher (χ2 = 12.96; df = 2; n = 99 p < 0.05) than for R. tanezumi (14.3%). Differences between host sex (χ2 = 3.59 × 10−31; df = 1; n = 99; p = 1.00) and age (χ2 = 4.28; df = 2; n = 99; p = 0.12) were not significant. Whilst buccal (1.01%) and ectoparasite positivity (2.13%) were low, these results suggest that multiple transmission routes are possible. Three phylogenetically distinct lineages, consistent with global rat-associated strains described to date, were detected, namely, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomuris subsp. Ratti’, and two Rattus-specific haemoplasmas that are yet to be formally described. These results expand the known distribution of invasive rat-associated haemoplasmas and highlight the potential for pathogen co-invasion of new territories together with invading rodent hosts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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19 pages, 1576 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Study of Selected Bacterial Zoonoses in Small Ruminants in Tana River County, Kenya
by Martin Wainaina, Johanna F. Lindahl, Ian Dohoo, Anne Mayer-Scholl, Kristina Roesel, Deborah Mbotha, Uwe Roesler, Delia Grace, Bernard Bett and Sascha Al Dahouk
Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10081546 - 30 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3158
Abstract
Brucellosis, Q fever, and leptospirosis are priority zoonoses worldwide, yet their epidemiology is understudied, and studies investigating multiple pathogens are scarce. Therefore, we selected 316 small ruminants in irrigated, pastoral, and riverine settings in Tana River County and conducted repeated sampling for animals [...] Read more.
Brucellosis, Q fever, and leptospirosis are priority zoonoses worldwide, yet their epidemiology is understudied, and studies investigating multiple pathogens are scarce. Therefore, we selected 316 small ruminants in irrigated, pastoral, and riverine settings in Tana River County and conducted repeated sampling for animals that were initially seronegative between September 2014 and June 2015. We carried out serological and polymerase chain reaction tests and determined risk factors for exposure. The survey-weighted serological incidence rates were 1.8 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.3–2.5) and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.7–2.3) cases per 100 animal-months at risk for Leptospira spp. and C. burnetii, respectively. We observed no seroconversions for Brucella spp. Animals from the irrigated setting had 6.83 (95% CI: 2.58–18.06, p-value = 0.01) higher odds of seropositivity to C. burnetii than those from riverine settings. Considerable co-exposure of animals to more than one zoonosis was also observed, with animals exposed to one zoonosis generally having 2.5 times higher odds of exposure to a second zoonosis. The higher incidence of C. burnetii and Leptospira spp. infections, which are understudied zoonoses in Kenya compared to Brucella spp., demonstrate the need for systematic prioritization of animal diseases to enable the appropriate allocation of resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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12 pages, 2149 KiB  
Article
Detection of Tahyna Orthobunyavirus-Neutralizing Antibodies in Patients with Neuroinvasive Disease in Croatia
by Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, Vladimir Stevanovic, Vladimir Savic, Domagoj Markelic, Dario Sabadi, Maja Bogdanic, Snjezana Kovac, Marija Santini, Irena Tabain, Tanja Potocnik-Hunjadi, Ivana Ferencak, Ana Marija Skoda, Ana Sankovic and Ljubo Barbic
Microorganisms 2022, 10(7), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071443 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2114
Abstract
Background: Tahyna orthobunyavirus (TAHV) is widely distributed in continental Europe. Very few studies have analyzed TAHV seroprevalence in Croatia. We analyzed the prevalence of TAHV RNA and antibodies in Croatian patients with neuroinvasive disease (NID). Methods: A total of 218 patients with unsolved [...] Read more.
Background: Tahyna orthobunyavirus (TAHV) is widely distributed in continental Europe. Very few studies have analyzed TAHV seroprevalence in Croatia. We analyzed the prevalence of TAHV RNA and antibodies in Croatian patients with neuroinvasive disease (NID). Methods: A total of 218 patients with unsolved NID detected during five consecutive arbovirus transmission seasons (April 2017–October 2021) were tested. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and urine samples were tested for TAHV RNA using RT-PCR. In addition, CSF and serum samples were tested for TAHV antibodies using a virus neutralization test (VNT). Results: Clinical presentations in patients with NID were meningitis (141/64.7%), meningoencephalitis (56/25.7%), myelitis (8/3.7%), and ‘febrile headache’ (13/5.9%). TAHV RNA was not detected in any of the tested CSF or urine samples; however, TAHV-neutralizing (NT) antibodies were detected in 22/10.1% of patients. Detection of NT antibodies in the CSF of two patients presenting with meningitis suggested recent TAHV infection. TAHV seropositivity increased significantly with age, from 1.8% to 24.4%. There was no difference in seroprevalence between genders or areas of residence (urban, suburban/rural). The majority of seropositive patients (90.9%) resided in floodplains along the rivers in continental Croatia. Conclusions: The presented results confirm that TAHV is present in Croatia. The prevalence and clinical significance of TAHV infection in the Croatian population have yet to be determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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13 pages, 1563 KiB  
Article
Assembly and Comparison of Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis Genomes
by Tal Azagi, Ron P. Dirks, Elena S. Yebra-Pimentel, Peter J. Schaap, Jasper J. Koehorst, Helen J. Esser and Hein Sprong
Microorganisms 2022, 10(6), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10061134 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2511
Abstract
Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis is widely prevalent in I. ricinus across Europe and has been associated with human disease. However, diagnostic modalities are limited, and much is still unknown about its biology. Here, we present the first complete Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis genomes directly derived [...] Read more.
Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis is widely prevalent in I. ricinus across Europe and has been associated with human disease. However, diagnostic modalities are limited, and much is still unknown about its biology. Here, we present the first complete Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis genomes directly derived from wildlife reservoir host tissues, using both long- and short-read sequencing technologies. This pragmatic approach provides an alternative to obtaining sufficient material from clinical cases, a difficult task for emerging infectious diseases, and to expensive and challenging bacterial isolation and culture methods. Both genomes exhibit a larger chromosome than the currently available Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis genomes and expand the ability to find new targets for the development of supportive laboratory diagnostics in the future. Moreover, this method could be utilized for other tick-borne pathogens that are difficult to culture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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12 pages, 4304 KiB  
Communication
First Case Report of Detection of Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacter hormaechei in Clinical Sample from an Aborted Ruminant
by Sergey S. Zaitsev, Mariya A. Khizhnyakova and Valentina A. Feodorova
Microorganisms 2022, 10(5), 1036; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051036 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3779
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains is one of the significant global challenges with regard to bacterial drug-resistance control. Enterobacter hormaechei organisms belong to the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) and are commonly recognized as causative agents for hospital infections. Recently, a few [...] Read more.
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains is one of the significant global challenges with regard to bacterial drug-resistance control. Enterobacter hormaechei organisms belong to the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) and are commonly recognized as causative agents for hospital infections. Recently, a few E. hormaechei MDR strains associated with infection in piglets, calves, and a fox were reported, highlighting the important role of animals and livestock in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, the vaginal swab sample from a 5-year-old cow with multiple anamnestic infectious abortions was carefully investigated. The animal was unresponsive to antibiotic therapy recommended by the veterinarian. The MDR bacterial strain isolated from the bovine sample, designated as the Saratov_2019, belonged to Enterobacter hormaechei. The genome-based phylogenetic analysis identified the isolate to be Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis. The genome of the Saratov_2019 contained a 6364 bp plasmid. Importantly, we revealed the novel sequence type ST1416 and 13 MDR genes correlating with the MDR phenotype in only the chromosome but not the plasmid. These findings indicate that the potential spread of this strain may pose a threat for both animal and human health. The data obtained here support the notion of the important role of livestock in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, promoting careful investigation of the MDR spectra for livestock-related bacterial isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of E. hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis with the infection of the reproductive system in cattle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
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