Leptospirosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira , is thought to be the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. A first step in preventing the spread of Leptospira is delineating the animal reservoirs that maintain and disperse the bacteria. Quantitative PCR ( q PCR) methods targeting the LipL32 gene were used to analyze kidney samples from 124 House mice ( Mus musculus ), 94 Black rats ( Rattus rattus ), 5 Norway rats ( R . norvegicus ), and 89 small Indian mongooses ( Herpestes auropunctatus ) from five cattle farms in Puerto Rico. Renal carriage of Leptospira was found in 38% of the sampled individuals, with 59% of the sampled mice, 34% of Black rats, 20% of Norway rats, and 13% of the mongooses. A heterogeneous distribution of prevalence was also found among sites, with the highest prevalence of Leptospira -positive samples at 52% and the lowest at 30%. Comparative sequence analysis of the LipL32 gene from positive samples revealed the presence of two species of Leptospira , L . borgpetersenii and L . interrogans in mice, detected in similar percentages in samples from four farms, while samples from the fifth farm almost exclusively harbored L . interrogans . In rats, both Leptospira species were found, while mongooses only harbored L . interrogans . Numbers tested for both animals, however, were too small (n = 7 each) to relate prevalence of Leptospira species to location. Significant associations of Leptospira prevalence with anthropogenic landscape features were observed at farms in Naguabo and Sabana Grande, where infected individuals were closer to human dwellings, milking barns, and ponds than were uninfected individuals. These results show that rural areas of Puerto Rico are in need of management and longitudinal surveillance of Leptospira in order to prevent continued infection of focal susceptible species (i.e. humans and cattle).
Recent models suggest a relationship exists between community diversity and pathogen prevalence, the proportion of individuals in a population that are infected by a pathogen, with most inferences tied to assemblage structure. Two contrasting outcomes of this relationship have been proposed: the "dilution effect" and the "amplification effect." Small mammal assemblage structure in disturbed habitats often differs from assemblages in sylvan environments, and hantavirus prevalence is often negatively correlated with habitats containing high species diversity via dilution effect dynamics. As species richness increases, prevalence of infection often is decreased. However, anthropogenic changes to sylvan landscapes have been shown to decrease species richness and/or increase phylogenetic similarities within assemblages. Between January 2011 and January 2016, we captured and tested 2406 individual small mammals for hantavirus antibodies at 20 sites across Texas and México and compared differences in hantavirus seroprevalence, species composition, and assemblage structure between sylvan and disturbed habitats. We found 313 small mammals positive for antibodies against hantaviruses, evincing an overall prevalence of 9.7% across all sites. In total, 40 species of small mammals were identified comprising 2 taxonomic orders (Rodentia and Eulipotyphla). By sampling both habitat types concurrently, we were able to make real-world inferences into the efficacy of dilution effect theory in terms of hantavirus ecology. Our hypothesis predicting greater species richness higher in sylvan habitats compared to disturbed areas was not supported, suggesting the characteristics of assemblage structure do not adhere to current conceptions of species richness negatively influencing prevalence via a dilution effect.
The “Majes Valley” in the province of Castilla – Arequipa Region, with a tradition in the production of wine and pisco, from grapevines introduced in the mid-sixteenth century, which are still preserved by some producers, with little knowledge of the varietal richness they possess, generating confusion in the identification of varieties and devaluing their winegrower potential. In this work, a varietal survey was carried out by wine-growing areas, characterizing the local varieties of old vineyards, with 14 primary descriptors recommended by the OIV-2009 and genetically identifying a sample of 11 phenotypes with the use of 9-SSR molecular markers when compared in the VIVC international database record. Seven wine-growing areas of the valley and 39 varieties with local names were identified, initially forming 13 groups of different names, which when analyzed by means of the canonical discriminant analysis and of main components, high inter- and intra-group phenotypic variability is evidenced due to the influence of some characters. In the analysis of the berry color the blue-black coloration predominates. Four varieties registered in the VIVC were genetically identified, corresponding to ´Listan Prieto` (syn. Negra Criolla and Moscatel), ´Quebranta` (syn.Vinera), ´Muscat Hamburg` (syn.Italia Negra) and ´Jacquez` (syn. Borgoña Majeña) and 2 unregistered varieties “Cantarita” and “Aceituna de Cotahuasi”. A varietal diversity with characteristics of interest in viticulture and plant breeding is observed, with contribution to the varietal identity of known and new creole varieties, contributing to the heritage value of the vine.
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