| Abstrakt: |
Simple Summary: This study explored pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria in blood samples of wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans in the Ngorongoro District in Tanzania. The district is inhabited by wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Previous studies carried out on the livestock documented the existence of zoonotic bacterial diseases in the district. The role played by wild rodents and domestic dogs in the transmission of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria was unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was the detection and identification of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria circulating among wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans. The study concluded that a variety of zoonotic bacteria are present in wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans sharing the same environment. Wild rodents carried numerous pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria compared to domestic dogs and humans. These results emphasize the importance of sustained investigations and unified health efforts to alleviate zoonotic disease transmission in this ecosystem. Globally, zoonoses have serious consequences due to their socioeconomic impacts. Ngorongoro District is home to a diverse range of wildlife and domestic animals, including rodents and dogs, which often coexist in close proximity with humans. The aim of the study was to identify the zoonotic bacteria present in wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans using metagenomics next-generation sequencing technology. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022. This study used both Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing technologies to identify bacteria in 530 blood samples collected from humans (n = 200), wild rodents (n = 230), and dogs (n = 100). Several zoonotic airborne/contagious bacteria, including Mycobacterium spp., Mycoplasma spp., Bordetella spp., and Legionella spp., were detected in wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans. Arthropod-borne zoonotic bacteria such as Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp. were detected in all three hosts, while Orientia spp. was found in wild rodents and domestic dogs. Yersinia pestis, Streptobacillus spp. and Anaplasma spp. were found only in wild rodents. Other zoonotic bacteria found shared among wild rodents, domestic dogs, and humans are Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., and Salmonella spp. Generally, wild rodents had the highest prevalence of zoonotic bacterial species when compared to domestic dogs and humans. The detection of zoonotic bacteria in rodents, dogs, and humans supports the hypothesis that infections can spread between animals and humans sharing the same environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
