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Microorganisms
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Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases
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Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2019) | Viewed by 22786

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paolo Calistri

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Guest Editor
Centro Operativo Veterinario per l'Epidemiologia, Programmazione, Informazione e Analisi del Rischio (COVEPI), National Reference Center for Veterinary Epidemiology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
Interests: epidemiology of animal infectious diseases and zoonoses; risk assessment studies; molecular epidemiology studies on viruses and bacteria; designing surveillance systems for infectious diseases; field epidemiology training; food borne zoonotic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesca Cito

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Guest Editor
Centro Operativo Veterinario per l'Epidemiologia, Programmazione, Informazione e Analisi del Rischio (COVEPI), National Reference Center for Veterinary Epidemiology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
Interests: veterinary epidemiology, pathology, genome; foodborne pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases, which could be considered a vast scientific field, although nowadays new and relevant aspects are emerging in the epidemiology of infectious diseases along the interface of the human–animal environment.

Several emerging zoonoses, like vector-borne diseases, are changing their transmission patterns or extending their geographical areas, due to changes of climatic conditions, human-induced environmental changes, the globalisation of animal and goods trade, or the increase of human migrations and travellers. In addition, environmental changes in African and South American forests are more frequently exposing humans and domestic animals to infectious diseases with wild reservoirs. In recent years, several studies have been conducted that have attempted to identify the main drivers of infection and clarify the most important risk factors influencing the emergence, transmission, and spread of new and (re)-emergent zoonotic diseases. Today, the need to outline the knowledge and future challenges in this field is urgent. With this general aim, this Special Issue wants to provide a synthetic picture of the current knowledge on the epidemiological patterns and the changes we have recently observed for zoonoses with relevance for public and animal health.

Kind regards,

Dr. Paolo Calistri
Dr. Francesca Cito
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

  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious diseases
  • Zoonoses
  • Public health
  • Animal health
  • One health
  • Transboundary diseases
  • Risk assessment

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 229 KiB  
Article
Integrated Early Warning Surveillance: Achilles′ Heel of One Health?
by Laura Amato, Maria Grazia Dente, Paolo Calistri, Silvia Declich and on behalf of the MediLabSecure Working Group
Microorganisms 2020, 8(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8010084 - 08 Jan 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3643
Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and zoonoses indicate the importance of the One Health (OH) approach for early warning. At present, even when surveillance data are available, they are infrequently timeously shared between the health sectors. In the context of the MediLabSecure (MLS) [...] Read more.
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and zoonoses indicate the importance of the One Health (OH) approach for early warning. At present, even when surveillance data are available, they are infrequently timeously shared between the health sectors. In the context of the MediLabSecure (MLS) Project, we investigated the collection of a set of surveillance indicators able to provide data for the implementation of integrated early warning systems in the 22 MLS countries of the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sahel regions. We used an online questionnaire (covering vector, human, and animal sectors), focusing on seven relevant arboviruses, that was submitted to 110 officially appointed experts. Results showed that West Nile virus was perceived as the most relevant zoonotic pathogen, while Dengue virus was the most relevant non-zoonotic pathogen in the study area. Data collection of early warning indicators is in place at a different level for all the investigated pathogens and in almost all the MLS Countries. Further assessments on the reliability of the collection in place and on the feasibility of piloting an integrated early warning system for arbovirus could verify if integrated early warning really represents the Achilles’ heel of OH. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
14 pages, 1457 KiB  
Article
Diversity of Rickettsia in Ticks Collected in Abruzzi and Molise Regions (Central Italy)
by Ilaria Pascucci, Marco Di Domenico, Valentina Curini, Antonio Cocco, Daniela Averaimo, Nicola D’Alterio and Cesare Cammà
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120696 - 13 Dec 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2399
Abstract
Rickettsiae have worldwide occurrence and rickettsiosis are widely recognized as emerging infections in several parts of the world. For decades, it was thought that a single pathogenic tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG), Rickettsia, occurred in each continent. Nowadays, thanks to molecular biology, new [...] Read more.
Rickettsiae have worldwide occurrence and rickettsiosis are widely recognized as emerging infections in several parts of the world. For decades, it was thought that a single pathogenic tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG), Rickettsia, occurred in each continent. Nowadays, thanks to molecular biology, new species of Rickettsia responsible for disease in humans are continuously identified worldwide. In a framework of diagnostic activities of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Gaporale” and considering some reports of suspected human clinical cases of rickettsiosis, a survey on ticks collected form animals and humans was carried out with the aim to identify the Rickettsia species circulating in Abruzzi and Molise regions. A total of 603 ticks, previously identified at species level by morphology, pooled into 178 tick samples, were tested by pan-Rickettsia RealTime PCR. DNA from specimens positive for Rickettsia spp. was then sequenced in order to identify the Rickettsia species involved. The highest infection rate was detected in Dermacentor marginatus followed by Ixodes ricinus. The selected targets for this purpose were OmpA and gltA. Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia monacensis, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia felis – like organisms were identified in this study. These are the first data available in the literature for the circulation of SFG Rickettsia species in the selected geographical area. Results made evidence of high rate of infection in ticks. All Rickettsia species detected have been previously involved in human infection. The diversity of Rickettsia detected, and tick species collected reflects the biodiversity in term of wildlife and environment of the area. An association between Rickettsia species, ticks, and the relationships with vertebrate host species are discussed. Due to the peculiar eco-biology of each Rickettsia species, the use of diagnostic tools able to identify Rickettsia at the species level is thus recommended in order to assess the risk for humans and to elucidate more precise etiological diagnosis in clinical cases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
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11 pages, 934 KiB  
Article
Transmission Network of Deer-Borne Mycobacterium bovis Infection Revealed by a WGS Approach
by Lorraine Michelet, Cyril Conde, Maxime Branger, Thierry Cochard, Franck Biet and Maria Laura Boschiroli
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120687 - 12 Dec 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2832
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease, mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis. France was declared officially TB free in 2001, however, the disease persists in livestock and wildlife. Among wild animals, deer are particularly susceptible to bovine TB. Here, a whole genome [...] Read more.
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease, mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis. France was declared officially TB free in 2001, however, the disease persists in livestock and wildlife. Among wild animals, deer are particularly susceptible to bovine TB. Here, a whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis was performed on strains with the same genetic profile—spoligotype SB0121, Multiple Loci VNTR Analysis (MLVA) 6 4 5 3 11 2 5 7—isolated from different types of outbreaks, including from deer or cattle herds, or zoological or hunting parks where the presence of infected deer was a common trait in most of them. The results of the phylogeny based on the SNP calling shows that two sub-clusters co-exist in France, one related to deer bred to be raised as livestock, and the other to hunting parks and zoos. The persistence over almost 30 years of sporadic cases due to strains belonging to these clusters highlights the deficiency in the surveillance of captive wildlife and the need for better monitoring of animals, especially before movement between parks or herds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
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23 pages, 6719 KiB  
Article
EpiExploreR: A Shiny Web Application for the Analysis of Animal Disease Data
by Lara Savini, Luca Candeloro, Samuel Perticara and Annamaria Conte
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120680 - 11 Dec 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3927
Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are a significant public and animal health threat. In some zoonosis, the early detection of virus spread in animals is a crucial early warning for humans. The analyses of animal surveillance data are therefore of paramount importance for [...] Read more.
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are a significant public and animal health threat. In some zoonosis, the early detection of virus spread in animals is a crucial early warning for humans. The analyses of animal surveillance data are therefore of paramount importance for public health authorities to identify the appropriate control measure and intervention strategies in case of epidemics. The interaction among host, vectors, pathogen and environment require the analysis of more complex and diverse data coming from different sources. There is a wide range of spatiotemporal methods that can be applied as a surveillance tool for cluster detection, identification of risk areas and risk factors and disease transmission pattern evaluation. However, despite the growing effort, most of the recent integrated applications still lack of managing simultaneously different datasets and at the same time making available an analytical tool for a complete epidemiological assessment. In this paper, we present EpiExploreR, a user-friendly, flexible, R-Shiny web application. EpiExploreR provides tools integrating common approaches to analyze spatiotemporal data on animal diseases in Italy, including notified outbreaks, surveillance of vectors, animal movements data and remotely sensed data. Data exploration and analysis results are displayed through an interactive map, tables and graphs. EpiExploreR is addressed to scientists and researchers, including public and animal health professionals wishing to test hypotheses and explore data on surveillance activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
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12 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
Coxiella burnetii Antibody Prevalence and Risk Factors of Infection in the Human Population of Estonia
by Kädi Neare, Marilin Janson, Pirje Hütt, Brian Lassen and Arvo Viltrop
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 629; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120629 - 29 Nov 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2471
Abstract
Q fever is an emerging health problem in both humans and animals. To estimate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) antibodies in the Estonian population, we analyzed plasma samples from 1000 individuals representing the general population and 556 individual serum [...] Read more.
Q fever is an emerging health problem in both humans and animals. To estimate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) antibodies in the Estonian population, we analyzed plasma samples from 1000 individuals representing the general population and 556 individual serum samples from five population groups potentially at a higher risk (veterinary professionals, dairy cattle, beef cattle, and small ruminant stockbreeders and hunters). Additionally, 118 dairy cow bulk tank milk samples were analyzed to establish the infection status of the dairy cattle herds and the participating dairy cattle keepers. Questionnaires were used to find the potential risk factors of exposure. The effects of different variables were evaluated using binary logistic regression analysis and mixed-effects logistic analysis. The prevalence in veterinary professionals (9.62%; p = 0.003) and dairy cattle farmers (7.73%; p = 0.047) was significantly higher than in the general population (3.9%). Contact with production animals in veterinary practice and being a dairy stockbreeder in C. burnetii positive farms were risk factors for testing C. burnetii seropositive (p = 0.038 and p = 0.019, respectively). Results suggest that C. burnetii is present in Estonia and the increased risk of infection in humans is associated with farm animal contact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
8 pages, 870 KiB  
Article
Performance of an Immunochromatographic Test (ICT) in Comparison to Some Commonly Used Serological Tests for the Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius)
by Wissam S. Serhan, Rashid A. Khan, Esmat F. Gasim, Mariam S. Alketbi, Fabrizio De Massis, Paolo Calistri, Armando Giovannini, Mohamed A. Al Hosani, Saleha A. Al Jaberi, Asma M. Al Mansoori, Asma S. Al Ketbi, Abdelmalik I. Khalafalla and Salama S. Almuhairi
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120591 - 20 Nov 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2665
Abstract
Serological tests may represent an essential tool for the diagnosis of camel brucellosis; however, concerns arise in the scientific community regarding the direct transposition from cattle and small ruminants without adequate validation. The present study was made to compare four serological tests for [...] Read more.
Serological tests may represent an essential tool for the diagnosis of camel brucellosis; however, concerns arise in the scientific community regarding the direct transposition from cattle and small ruminants without adequate validation. The present study was made to compare four serological tests for the diagnosis of brucellosis in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). In terms of sensitivity, our results show that the Immunochromatographic Test (ICT) shows the higher value of sensitivity, 98.67% (95% Confidence Level (C.L): 94.36–99.99%), followed by the Fluorescence Polarization Assay (FPA) with 95.05% (95% C.L: 88.23–99.51%), then the Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA) with 94.94% (95% C.L: 88.25–99.45%) and, finally, the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) with 68.95% (95% C.L: 56.55–80.69%), which is the only test showing a significantly lower sensitivity compared to the others. On the other hand, our study revealed no significant difference in terms of specificity between all the tests under study, with a range from 99.06% (95% C.L: 98.34–99.64%) for the ICT to 99.92% (95% C.L: 99.64–100%) for the RBT. The ICT was found to be comparable in terms of sensitivity and specificity with the most commonly used tests for camel brucellosis. The results of the present study are of paramount importance for designing surveillance and control measures for brucellosis in camel populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
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17 pages, 1619 KiB  
Article
Whole Genome Sequencing for Tracing Geographical Origin of Imported Cases of Human Brucellosis in Sweden
by Lorena Sacchini, Tara Wahab, Elisabetta Di Giannatale, Katiuscia Zilli, Anna Abass, Giuliano Garofolo and Anna Janowicz
Microorganisms 2019, 7(10), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7100398 - 26 Sep 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3518
Abstract
Human infections with Brucella melitensis are occasionally reported in Sweden, despite the fact that the national flocks of sheep and goats are officially free from brucellosis. The aim of our study was to analyze 103 isolates of B. melitensis collected from patients in [...] Read more.
Human infections with Brucella melitensis are occasionally reported in Sweden, despite the fact that the national flocks of sheep and goats are officially free from brucellosis. The aim of our study was to analyze 103 isolates of B. melitensis collected from patients in Sweden between 1994 and 2016 and determine their putative geographic origin using whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based tools. The majority of the strains were assigned to East Mediterranean and African lineages. Both in silico Multiple Loci VNTR (Variable Number of Tandem Repeats) Analysis (MLVA) and core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing (cgMLST) analyses identified countries of the Middle East as the most probable source of origin of the majority of the strains. Isolates collected from patients with travel history to Iraq or Syria were often associated with genotypes from Turkey, as the cgMLST profiles from these countries clustered together. Sixty strains were located within a distance of 20 core genes to related genotypes from the publicly available database, and for eighteen isolates, the closest genotype was different by more than 50 loci. Our study showed that WGS based tools are effective in tracing back the geographic origin of infection of patients with unknown travel status, provided that public sequences from the location of the source are available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases)
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