Daily Movements and Microhabitat Selection of Hantavirus Reservoirs and Other Sigmodontinae Rodent Species that Inhabit a Protected Natural Area of Argentina

Abstract

Abundance, distribution, movement patterns, and habitat selection of a reservoir species influence the dispersal of zoonotic pathogens, and hence, the risk for humans. Movements and microhabitat use of rodent species, and their potential role in the transmission of hantavirus were studied in Otamendi Natural Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Movement estimators and qualitative characteristics of rodent paths were determined by means of a spool and line device method. Sampling was conducted during November and December 2011, and March, April, June, October, and December 2012. Forty-six Oxymycterus rufus, 41 Akodon azarae, 10 Scapteromys aquaticus and 5 Oligoryzomys flavescens were captured. Movement patterns and distances varied according to sex, habitat type, reproductive season, and body size among species. O. flavescens, reservoir of the etiologic agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the region, moved short distances, had the most linear paths and did not share paths with other species. A. azarae had an intermediate linearity index, its movements were longer in the highland grassland than in the lowland marsh and the salty grassland, and larger individuals traveled longer distances. O. rufus had the most tortuous paths and the males moved more during the non-breeding season. S. aquaticus movements were associated with habitat type with longer distances traveled in the lowland marsh than in the salty grassland. Hantavirus antibodies were detected in 20% of A. azarae and were not detected in any other species. Seropositive individuals were captured during the breeding season and 85% of them were males. A. azarae moved randomly and shared paths with all the other species, which could promote hantavirus spillover events.

New data about home range and movements of Oligoryzomys flavescens (Rodentia: Cricetidae) help to understand the spread and transmission of Andes virus that causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

“…The wide range of heights used was not only passages but provided places to live in that we found nests at two metres above the ground. These results reinforce the pattern detected with a smaller sample size in Maroli, Vadell, Iglesias, Padula, and Gómez Villafañe (). Udrizar‐Sauthier, Abba, and Udrizar‐Sauthier () also found Oligoryzomys sp.…”

Home range variability, spatial aggregation, and excursions of Akodon azarae and Oligoryzomys flavescens in Pampean agroecosystems

“…and O. rufus were aggregated most of the time. Closeness between these two species has been also described in other habitats (Maroli et al 2015) and may provide opportunities for the horizontal transmission of hantavirus among species, leading to spillover and host-switching events. For instance, an individual of O. rufus has recently been found infected with Pergamino hantavirus (Colombo et al 2019), a genotype which had been so far associated with A. azarae exclusively.…”

Rodent Abundance and Hantavirus Infection in Protected Area, East-Central Argentina

“…Antibodies in the D. kempi Kemp grass mouse were probably caused by a spillover event ( 2 ). Maroli et al ( 9 ) demonstrated that A. azarae grass mice share regions with other rodents, suggesting that these mice could promote spillover infections. Antibody prevalence in A. azarae grass mice was 23.9%, which exceeded prevalences reported in other areas of the Argentinean pampas ( 10 ).…”

“…In addition, male A. azarae grass mice (estimate 1.4440; p = 0.0027) ( Table 1 ) were more frequently infected than female mice, probably because of aggressive encounters with other rodents ( 1 ). Maroli et al ( 9 ) reported that longer A. azarae grass mice travel greater distances, increasing the probability of intraspecific encounters and potential hantavirus transmission.…”