Expansion of the Emerging Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus bacillisporus Into America: Linking Phylogenetic Origin, Geographical Spread and Population Under Exposure Risk

Carvajal, Jorge G.; Alaniz, Alberto J.; Carvajal, Mario A.; Acheson, Emily Sohanna; Cruz, Rodrigo; Vergara, Pablo M.; Cogliati, Massimo

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.02117

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…This study additionally applied a precision mapping approach to quantify and map the exposure risk to schistosomiasis. Precision mapping has its roots in the perspective of precision public health, integrating geolocated information and maps to pinpoint regions of elevated health risk with high degrees of accuracy [77,[84][85][86]. Public health policies are often conducted at the local level, so, ideally, information is obtained at a fine spatial scale to facilitate interventions that can have the most significant impact [87].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictive Risk Mapping of Schistosomiasis in Madagascar Using Ecological Niche Modeling and Precision Mapping

Deka

2022

TropicalMed

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Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) found throughout tropical and subtropical Africa. In Madagascar, the condition is widespread and endemic in 74% of all administrative districts in the country. Despite the significant burden of the disease, high-resolution risk maps have yet to be produced to guide national control programs. This study used an ecological niche modeling (ENM) and precision mapping approach to estimate environmental suitability and disease transmission risk. The results show that suitability for schistosomiasis is widespread and covers 264,781 sq kilometers (102,232 sq miles). Covariates of significance to the model were the accessibility to cities, distance to water, enhanced vegetation index (EVI), annual mean temperature, land surface temperature (LST), clay content, and annual precipitation. Disease transmission risk is greatest in the central highlands, tropical east coast, arid-southwest, and northwest. An estimated 14.9 million people could be at risk of schistosomiasis; 11.4 million reside in rural areas, while 3.5 million are in urban areas. This study provides valuable insight into the geography of schistosomiasis in Madagascar and its potential risk to human populations. Because of the focal nature of the disease, these maps can inform national surveillance programs while improving understanding of areas in need of medical interventions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, the ecological niche of schistosomiasis and human population density data were combined to produce a map of disease transmission risk. This method has been previously applied to research on the Zika virus (ZIKV) [76] and the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus [86] in Europe and the Americas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive Risk Mapping of Schistosomiasis in Madagascar Using Ecological Niche Modeling and Precision Mapping

Deka

2022

TropicalMed

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“…The disease transmission risk of B. anthracis was mapped by linking the ecological niche of the bacterium with the potentially exposed livestock population. These zones of exposure risk were based on two primary factors: (i) the potential environmental suitability of B. anthracis and (ii) the density of cattle, goats and sheep (Alaniz et al., 2017, 2020; Carvajal et al., 2020). This methodology falls into the realm of precision public health, which integrates geolocated health information and maps to identify regions of elevated disease risk with a high degree of spatial accuracy (Osgood‐Zimmerman et al., 2018; Reich & Haran, 2018).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the ecological niche of naturally occurring anthrax at global and circumpolar extents using an ensemble modelling framework

Deka

Vieira

Bower

2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a spore‐forming bacterium that primarily affects herbivorous livestock, wildlife and humans exposed to direct contact with infected animal carcasses or products. To date, there are a limited number of studies that have delineated the potential global distribution of anthrax, despite the importance of the disease from both an economic and public health standpoint. This study compiled occurrence data (n = 874) of confirmed human and animal cases from 1954 to 2021 in 94 countries. Using an ensemble ecological niche model framework, we developed updated maps of the global predicted ecological suitability of anthrax to measure relative risk at multiple scales of analysis, including a model for circumpolar regions. Additionally, we produced maps quantifying the disease transmission risk associated with anthrax to cattle, sheep and goat populations. Environmental suitability for B. anthracis globally is concentred throughout Eurasia, sub‐Saharan Africa, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania. Suitable environments for B. anthracis at the circumpolar scale extend above the Arctic Circle into portions of Russia, Canada, Alaska and northern Scandinavia. Environmental factors driving B. anthracis suitability globally include vegetation, land surface temperature, soil characteristics, primary climate conditions and topography. At the circumpolar scale, suitability is influenced by soil factors, topography and the derived climate characteristics. The greatest risk to livestock is concentrated within the Indian subcontinent, Australia, Anatolia, the Caucasus region, Central Asia, the European Union, Argentina, Uruguay, China, the United States, Canada and East Africa. This study expands on previous work by providing enhanced knowledge of the potential spatial distribution of anthrax in the Southern Hemisphere, sub‐Saharan Africa, Asia and circumpolar regions of the Northern Hemisphere. We conclude that these updated maps will provide pertinent information to guide disease control programs, inform policymakers and raise awareness at the global level to lessen morbidity and mortality among animals and humans located in environmentally suitable areas.

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“…In the last few decades, several widely used molecular methods have been used worldwide to determine the genotypes of clinical, environmental, and veterinary isolates of the members of the C. neoformans and C. gattii species complexes to investigate their geographical distribution, molecular epidemiology, and population genetics [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Understanding the epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of local Cryptococcus strains and clinical features of CM is essential for the development of efficient diagnosis and treatment strategies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics, Antifungal Susceptibility, and MLST-Based Genetic Analysis of Cryptococcus Isolates in Southern Taiwan in 2013–2020

Chen

Kuo

Lin

et al. 2022

JoF

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Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) is a treatable condition, but it leads to excessive morbidity and mortality. We collected 115 non-duplicated Cryptococcus clinical isolates during 2013–2020 in southern Taiwan to perform antifungal susceptibility testing. Multi-locus sequence typing was performed on 96 strains from patients with CM (n = 47) or cryptococcemia (n = 49). In addition, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with CM during 2013–2020 (n = 47) were compared with those during 2000–2010 (n = 46). During 2013–2020, only one C. neoformans isolate (0.9%) had a fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration of >8 μg/mL. Amphotericin B (AMB), flucytosine (5FC), and voriconazole were highly active against all C. neoformans/C. gattii isolates. The most common sequence type was ST5. Among these 47 patients with CM, cerebrospinal fluid cryptococcal antigen (CSF CrAg) titer >1024 was a significant predictor of death (odds ratio, 48.33; 95% CI, 5.17–452.06). A standard induction therapy regimen with AMB and 5FC was used for all patients during 2013–2020, but only for 2.2% of patients in 2000–2010. The in-hospital CM mortality rate declined from 39.1% during 2000–2010 to 25.5% during 2013–2020, despite there being significantly younger patients with less CSF CrAg >1024 during 2000–2010. The study provides insight into the genetic epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus strains in southern Taiwan. The recommended antifungal drugs, AMB, 5FC, and FCZ, remained active against most of the Cryptococcus strains. Early diagnosis of patients with CM and adherence to the clinical practice guidelines cannot be overemphasized to improve the outcomes of patients with CM.

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Expansion of the Emerging Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus bacillisporus Into America: Linking Phylogenetic Origin, Geographical Spread and Population Under Exposure Risk

Cited by 7 publications

References 51 publications

Predictive Risk Mapping of Schistosomiasis in Madagascar Using Ecological Niche Modeling and Precision Mapping

Predictive Risk Mapping of Schistosomiasis in Madagascar Using Ecological Niche Modeling and Precision Mapping

Modelling the ecological niche of naturally occurring anthrax at global and circumpolar extents using an ensemble modelling framework

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics, Antifungal Susceptibility, and MLST-Based Genetic Analysis of Cryptococcus Isolates in Southern Taiwan in 2013–2020

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