Spatial distribution of Haemaphysalis species ticks and human Kyasanur Forest Disease cases along the Western Ghats of India, 2017–2018

Babu, N. Naren; Jayaram, Anup; Kumar, Harshit Atul; Pareet, Prashant; Pattanaik, Sarthak; Auti, Amogh Milind; Abdulmajeed, Jazeel; Maity, Hindol; Devadiga, Santhosha; Bhandari, Yuvraj; Deepchand, H. Agre; Shakir, Muhammed; Kumar, Nishikant; Arunkumar, Govindakarnavar

doi:10.1007/s10493-019-00345-9

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…KFDV was first identified in 1957 from isolates of the sick and dying monkeys of black-faced langur ( Presbytis entellus ) and red-faced bonnet ( Macaca radiate ) species in Kyasanur Forest, state of Karnataka, India 1 – 4 . Humans are the dead-end host of KFDV life cycle, initial stage KFDV circulates among monkeys, rodents then it transfers into humans by bites of infected ticks, primarily through Haemaphysalis sp 5 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-silico design of envelope based multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Kyasanur forest disease virus

Arumugam

Prasad

2021

Sci Rep

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Kyasanur forest disease virus (KFDV) causing tick-borne hemorrhagic fever which was earlier endemic to western Ghats, southern India, it is now encroaching into new geographic regions, but there is no approved medicine or effective vaccine against this deadly disease. In this study, we did in-silico design of multi-epitope subunit vaccine for KFDV. B-cell and T-cell epitopes were predicted from conserved regions of KFDV envelope protein and two vaccine candidates (VC1 and VC2) were constructed, those were found to be non-allergic and possess good antigenic properties, also gives cross-protection against Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus. The 3D structures of vaccine candidates were built and validated. Docking analysis of vaccine candidates with toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) by Cluspro and PatchDock revealed strong affinity between VC1 and TLR2. Ligplot tool was identified the intermolecular hydrogen bonds between vaccine candidates and TLR-2, iMOD server confirmed the stability of the docking complexes. JCAT sever ensured cloning efficiency of both vaccine constructs and in-silico cloning into pET30a (+) vector by SnapGene showed successful translation of epitope region. IMMSIM server was identified increased immunological responses. Finally, multi-epitope vaccine candidates were designed and validated their efficiency, it may pave the way for up-coming vaccine and diagnostic kit development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-silico design of envelope based multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Kyasanur forest disease virus

Arumugam

Prasad

2021

Sci Rep

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“…Incidence has increased annually over the last two decades (Mourya and Yadav, 2016; Pattnaik, 2006), and has expanded rapidly beyond its original foci of the Kyasanur Forest area of Karnataka State in recent years (Figure 1) (Mourya and Yadav, 2016; Pattnaik, 2006; Shah et al, 2018). These observations are supported by tick field surveys which demonstrate increasing infection risk (Naren babu et al, 2019). Recent work has shown that the landscape epidemiology of KFD is strongly influenced by the loss of forest habitat in the Western Ghats, and that areas with high mammalian species richness are particularly suitable (Walsh et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…primary production. When such resources are lost due to deforestation (Jha et al, 2000), the subsequent displacement of animals may lead to foraging in novel, anthropogenic ecotones located across the transition from forest to human habitation or agriculture, potentially exposing humans to their ticks and arboviruses (Ajesh et al, 2017; Naren babu et al, 2019; Sadanandane et al, 2018). This may be reflected in the shifting of the nidus of KFD from Sagar and Soraba Taluks in Shimoga district in Karnataka northwards into Goa and Maharashtra and southwards into Thirthahalli Taluk in Karnataka, Wayanad district in Kerala, and Nilgiri in Tamil Nadu, all of which comprise the Bandipur Forest range (Walsh et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A preliminary ecological profile of Kyasanur Forest disease virus hosts among the mammalian wildlife of the Western Ghats, India

Walsh

Mor

Maity

et al. 2020

Preprint

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AbstractKyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is one of India’s severe arboviruses capable of causing prolonged debilitating disease. It has been expanding beyond its historical endemic locus at an alarming rate over the last two decades. The natural nidus of this zoonosis is located in the monsoon rainforest of the Western Ghats, India, which is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. Definitive reservoir hosts for KFD virus (KFDV) have yet to be delineated, and thus much of the infection ecology of this virus, and its consequent transmission dynamics, remains uncertain. Given its unique biogeographical context, identifying ecological parameters of KFDV relevant to the virus’ epidemiology has been complex and challenging. The challenge has been exacerbated by diminished research efforts in wildlife surveillance over the last two decades, coinciding with the expansion of the range of KFD across the region. The current investigation sought to define a preliminary ecological profile of KFDV hosts based on their life history and feeding traits to aid in re-establishing targeted wildlife surveillance and to discern those ecological traits of wildlife hosts that may improve our understanding of KFD epidemiology. The importance of fast-living among KFDV hosts was of special interest with respect to the latter aim. We compared mammalian traits between host and non-host species using general additive models and phylogenetic generalised linear models. This study found that both body mass and forest forage were strongly associated with mammalian host infection status, but that reproductive life history traits were not. These findings will help in structuring ecologically based wildlife surveillance and field investigations, while also helping to parameterise novel epidemiological models of zoonotic infection risk that incorporate species functional traits in a region where biogeography, landscape ecology, and community ecology manifest extraordinary complexity, particularly under growing anthropogenic pressure.

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“…Dry leaf litter is important not only for animal bedding and fodder but also for fertilising crops where alternatives are not available [62] and the importance of this practice constituted a key theme of questions from disease managers in Table S4). Whilst there is some empirical support that forests support tick species implicated in KFDV transmission [57] and thus that reducing these activities could reduce human cases, further quanti cation of tick habitat associations, encompassing non-forest habitats, (Priority 4) is needed to re ne these recommendations. Although correlative modelling suggests that the presence of piles of dry leaves around the compounds of the house were associated with human disease cases [27], empirical data is needed on the abundance, infection rates and survival of ticks found in different types of dry leaf litter, used for animal fodder and bedding, and subject to different treatments in villages (Priority 6, Table 2).…”

Section: Avoidance Of Human Activities In the Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reviewing the Ecological Evidence-Base for Management of Emerging Tropical Zoonoses: Kyasanur Forest Disease in India as A Case Study

Burthe

Schäfer

Asaaga

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background Zoonotic diseases disproportionately affect poor tropical communities. Transmission dynamics of zoonoses are complex, involving communities of vector and animal hosts, with human behaviour and ecosystem use altering exposure to infected vectors and hosts. This complexity means that efforts to manage and prevent human spillover are often hampered by a poor ecological evidence base and intervention strategies tend to focus on humans (e.g. vaccination, preventative drug treatment). However, integrating ecological and evolutionary understanding of multi-vector and host transmission, human and environmental factors into disease control policy is essential. Recent frameworks have been developed to guide appropriate design of “ecological interventions” which have the potential for being more long-term, effective and economical approaches to managing human disease.Results We extended new frameworks to identify the hierarchical series of barriers that need to be overcome by a vector-borne pathogen to facilitate human spillover, focusing on an emerging, tick-borne zoonotic pathogen in India, Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV). Current management recommendations focus on human barriers, through personal protection and vaccination, as well as targeting vector control on cattle and at the sites of monkey deaths. Assessment of the validity of current management practices for KFD through literature review and interviews with disease managers found the efficacy of interventions difficult to quantify, due to poor empirical evidence and a lack of understanding of KFDV-vector-host ecology, particularly regarding the role of cattle in amplifying tick populations and the spatial scale of risk arising from ticks infected via monkeys, which are considered to be amplifying hosts for KFDV. The spraying of malathion around dead monkeys and the burning of vegetation to reduce tick abundance were particularly unfounded interventions. The need for community guidance and education in best practice for tick-prevention and improved vaccine efficacy and surveillance were also identified. We highlight 18 urgent research priorities and identify those which could refine current management strategies or facilitate ecological interventions targeting vectors and host barriers to spillover in the future. Conclusions We emphasise that inter-disciplinary One Health approaches involving collaboration across diverse disciplines including ecology, epidemiology, animal and public health, health systems and social sciences, and with meaningful involvement of local communities, are necessary to refine predictive models of spillover, develop new interventions and target vaccination strategies and surveillance more effectively. Applying such approaches to understand the complex ecological systems involved in zoonotic spillover, and refine and develop appropriate management interventions, including ecological interventions targeting non-human barriers, will ultimately lead to more sustainable and long-term reductions in human cases of neglected zoonoses in the future.

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Spatial distribution of Haemaphysalis species ticks and human Kyasanur Forest Disease cases along the Western Ghats of India, 2017–2018

Cited by 16 publications

References 26 publications

In-silico design of envelope based multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Kyasanur forest disease virus

In-silico design of envelope based multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Kyasanur forest disease virus

A preliminary ecological profile of Kyasanur Forest disease virus hosts among the mammalian wildlife of the Western Ghats, India

Reviewing the Ecological Evidence-Base for Management of Emerging Tropical Zoonoses: Kyasanur Forest Disease in India as A Case Study

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