Resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides in Martinique could lead to inefficient rodent control in a context of endemic leptospirosis

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a re-emergent worldwide zoonosis. It is endemic in Martinique where transmission conditions are favourable. Humans are usually infected through contact with water contaminated with urine of rodents. Recent human leptospirosis outbreaks in Martinique require today effective rodent management to prevent leptospirosis transmission. Nowadays, use of anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) is the main method implemented to control rodent populations. Nevertheless, intensive use of these AR has selected worldwide many VKORC1-based resistant rodent strains to AR. Our aim was to characterize the sensitivity of Martinique commensal rodents to AR to better prevent leptospirosis transmission. Resistance of house mice to first-generation and in rare cases even to second-generation ARs were clearly demonstrated in Martinique with the detection of the Y139C mutation with a very high allelic frequency of 40% and the A26T/Y139C double-mutation with an allelic frequency of 0.9%. In black rat, the most prevalent rodent in Martinique, 3 new Vkorc1 coding mutations were detected, the H68N, A115T and S149N mutations associated with moderate resistance to first generation AR. Therefore, rodent management in Martinique must be carried carefully to avoid resistance diffusion and maintain long-term effective rodent management, to be able to efficiently prevent leptospirosis transmission.

Accelerated evolution of Vkorc1 in desert rodent species reveals genetic preadaptation to anticoagulant rodenticides

“…To explore the relationship between the known resistance mutations and the interspecific amino acid variations in desert rodents, we compared their positions referring to the Norway rat VKORC1 protein sequence and the 3D model. Previous studies have reported 29 sites with intraspecific VKORC1 amino acid changes (designated as capital letters and the position in the protein sequence) in common commensal rodents 2, 3, 15, 50–60, 64, 65 . The sites include 7 sites (E37, R58, W59, L124, L128, Y139, S149) in M. musculus , 15 sites (A21, A26, R33, R35, Y39, G46, S56, F63, E67, L120, I123, L128, Y139, A140 and E155) in R. norvegicus and 15 sites (A21, Y25, A26, H28, R35, E37, R40, A41, R58, R61, H68, L76, A115, Y129 and Y139) in R. rattus 2, 3, 15, 50–60, 64, 65 .…”

Pratiques de protection des cultures en agroécosystèmes tropicaux et risques de maladies humaines et animales d’origine bactérienne

“…pour le bacille de la peste [Rahelinirina et al, 2021], les rickettsies du typhus murin [Rickettsia typhi : Rakotonanahary et al, 2017] ou les spirochètes de la leptospirose [Leptospira spp. : Marquez et al, 2019]). Mais des résistances à ces rodenticides apparaissent ensuite (Ratnadass et Deguine, 2021).…”

Biomarkers Potency to Monitor Non-target Fauna Poisoning by Anticoagulant Rodenticides

“…In 60's; the first resistant rodent population has been described (21). To deal with the emergence of resistant rodent populations resulting from the use of these first generation of anticoagulant rodenticides (FGAR) (warfarin, diphacinone, chlorophacinone) a second generation of anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR) has been developed (22)(23)(24). Second generation molecules (bromadiolone, brodifacoum, dicoumarol, difenacoum, difethialone.…”

“…The risk of a pesticide used to control target species by causing their death is to select living target species that are less or not sensitive to this pesticide, the latter specimens are said “resistant.” In 60's; the first resistant rodent population has been described ( 21 ). To deal with the emergence of resistant rodent populations resulting from the use of these first generation of anticoagulant rodenticides (FGAR) (warfarin, diphacinone, chlorophacinone) a second generation of anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR) has been developed ( 22 – 24 ). Second generation molecules (bromadiolone, brodifacoum, dicoumarol, difenacoum, difethialone…) are more efficient against resistant rodents and effective at a lower dose.…”