Emerging Infectious Diseases

Fauci, Anthony S.

doi:10.1001/jama.292.15.1887

Cited by 12 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

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“…The growing field of disease ecology has begun to resolve this discrepancy by merging the full repertoire of field and experimental research with epidemiological models [5]. Numerous studies have demonstrated the utility of this approach to understand disease dynamics [6]–[8], and these studies have become increasingly important due to the alarming increase in emerging pathogens in recent decades [9]–[12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nestedness of Ectoparasite-Vertebrate Host Networks

et al. 2009

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Determining the structure of ectoparasite-host networks will enable disease ecologists to better understand and predict the spread of vector-borne diseases. If these networks have consistent properties, then studying the structure of well-understood networks could lead to extrapolation of these properties to others, including those that support emerging pathogens. Borrowing a quantitative measure of network structure from studies of mutualistic relationships between plants and their pollinators, we analyzed 29 ectoparasite-vertebrate host networks—including three derived from molecular bloodmeal analysis of mosquito feeding patterns—using measures of nestedness to identify non-random interactions among species. We found significant nestedness in ectoparasite-vertebrate host lists for habitats ranging from tropical rainforests to polar environments. These networks showed non-random patterns of nesting, and did not differ significantly from published estimates of nestedness from mutualistic networks. Mutualistic and antagonistic networks appear to be organized similarly, with generalized ectoparasites interacting with hosts that attract many ectoparasites and more specialized ectoparasites usually interacting with these same “generalized” hosts. This finding has implications for understanding the network dynamics of vector-born pathogens. We suggest that nestedness (rather than random ectoparasite-host associations) can allow rapid transfer of pathogens throughout a network, and expand upon such concepts as the dilution effect, bridge vectors, and host switching in the context of nested ectoparasite-vertebrate host networks.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nestedness of Ectoparasite-Vertebrate Host Networks

et al. 2009

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Emerging Infectious Diseases

2005

JAMA

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This report presents preliminary findings from an ongoing investigation of this problem, which suggest this illness is associated with a previously unrecognized hantavirus.On May 14, the NMDOH was notified by the Office of the Medical Investigator that two persons living in the same household had died within 5 days of each other. Their illnesses were characterized by abrupt onset of fever, myalgias, headache, and cough, followed by the rapid development of respiratory failure. Tests for Yersinia pestis and other bacterial and viral pathogens were negative. After additional persons who had recently died following a similar clinical course were reported to the the NMDOH by the Indian Health Service (IHS), the ADHS, CDH, and UDH were contacted by the NMDOH seeking other possible cases.To identify cases, public health officials established a provisional surveillance case definition of 1) radiographic evidence of unexplained bilateral pulmonary interstitial infiltrates with hypoxemia (arterial oxygen saturation of <90% while breathing room air) or 2) an autopsy finding of unexplained noncardiogenic pulmonary edema occurring during 1993. Through June 7, a total of 24 case-patients have been identified. Case-patients had onsets of illness beginning in December 1992; most (14) had onset in May (Figure 1). The most recent case-patient had onset of illness June 1. Casepatients resided in New Mexico (17), Arizona (five), Utah (one), and Colorado (one). Their median age was 34 years (range: 13-87 years; 17 were aged 18-50 years). Thirteen were male. Fourteen case-patients were American Indians, nine were white, and one was Hispanic. Twelve (50%) case-patients have died.Clinical and autopsy specimens are being processed and analyzed by CDC. Preliminary results include detection of rising titers of antibodies to hantaviruses in paired serum specimens from two of the nine case-patients; elevated single antibody titers were present in four other of the nine case-patients. The pattern of cross-reactivity to

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