Serological Evidence of Multiple Zoonotic Viral Infections among Wild Rodents in Barbados.

Autor:	Douglas KO; Centre for Biosecurity Studies, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, St. Michael BB11000, Barbados., Cayol C; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden., Forbes KM; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA., Samuels TA; Epidemiology Research Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica., Vapalahti O; Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Medicum, Haartmaninkatu 3, 0290 Helsinki, Finland., Sironen T; Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Medicum, Haartmaninkatu 3, 0290 Helsinki, Finland., Gittens-St Hilaire M; Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, St. Michael BB11000, Barbados.; Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory, Enmore #6, Lower Collymore Rock, St. Michael BB11155, Barbados.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) [Pathogens] 2021 May 28; Vol. 10 (6). Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 28.
DOI:	10.3390/pathogens10060663
Abstrakt:	Background: Rodents are reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens that can cause human infectious diseases, including orthohantaviruses, mammarenaviruses and orthopoxviruses. Evidence exists for these viruses circulating among rodents and causing human infections in the Americas, but much less evidence exists for their presence in wild rodents in the Caribbean. Methods: Here, we conducted serological and molecular investigations of wild rodents in Barbados to determine the prevalence of orthohantavirus, mammarenavirus and orthopoxvirus infections, and the possible role of these rodent species as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. Using immunofluorescent assays (IFA), rodent sera were screened for the presence of antibodies to orthohantavirus, mammarenavirus (Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-LCMV) and orthopoxvirus (Cowpox virus-CPXV) infections. RT-PCR was then conducted on orthohantavirus and mammarenavirus-seropositive rodent sera and tissues, to detect the presence of viral RNA. Results: We identified antibodies against orthohantavirus, mammarenavirus, and orthopoxvirus among wild mice and rats (3.8%, 2.5% and 7.5% seropositivity rates respectively) in Barbados. No orthohantavirus or mammarenavirus viral RNA was detected from seropositive rodent sera or tissues using RT-PCR. Conclusions: Key findings of this study are the first serological evidence of orthohantavirus infections in Mus musculus and the first serological evidence of mammarenavirus and orthopoxvirus infections in Rattus norvegicus and M. musculus in the English-speaking Caribbean. Rodents may present a potential zoonotic and biosecurity risk for transmission of three human pathogens, namely orthohantaviruses, mammarenaviruses and orthopoxviruses in Barbados.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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