engleski

The role of small rodents in the epidemiology of leptospirosis and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

Rodents are the most abundant and diversified mammalian order that can maintain and transmit more than 80 unique zoonotic pathogens. The increased incidence of rodent-borne diseases recorded over the last decade resulted in numerous studies aimed to clarify the role of different rodent species in harbouring distinct zoonotic pathogens. Leptospirosis and hantavirus infections are globally present, (re)emerging rodent-borne zoonosis that share the same rodent reservoirs and exhibit very similar clinical features. In Europe several hantaviruses are harboured by different rodent and insectivora species but most of the human infections are caused by widely distributed Puumala virus and Dobrava virus, which are present in the Balkans and central and eastern Europe. With few exceptions, each hantavirus is primarily associated with a single rodent host of the family Muridae. Consequently, the epidemiological pattern of hantaviruses will be heavily influenced by population dynamics of that rodent species. Due to heterogeneity of the Leptospira genus and high degree of serovar adaptation to variety of different animal species, epidemiology of leptospirosis is more complexed. Certain animal species may host distinct Leptospira serovars in different geographic areas, meaning that the knowledge of the prevalent serovars and their hosts in a particular region is essential to understand the epidemiology of the disease. Despite the wide host range, rats (Rattus norvegicus) are considered to be the major source of the Leptospira infection for humans. However, some recent studies suggest a change in epidemiological patterns of the disease with increasing incidence of human leptospirosis caused by serovars maintained by small rodents (murine and vole species). High infection rates of small rodents with Leptospira spp. and hantaviruses with numerous co-infections have been documented in several studies. Peaks in rodent population abundance were correlated with outbreaks of both of the diseases while fluctuation in incidence appears to be driven by favourable climate that lead to increased food availability for rodents and prolonged pathogen survival. Certain differences in factors influencing rodent abundance have been found in different climate areas of Europe and should be further investigated.

small rodents, epidemiology, leptospirosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

nije evidentirano