scholarly journals Light pollution increases West Nile virus competence of a ubiquitous passerine reservoir species

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1907) ◽  
pp. 20191051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith E. Kernbach ◽  
Daniel J. Newhouse ◽  
Jeanette M. Miller ◽  
Richard J. Hall ◽  
Justin Gibbons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Reservoir Species ◽  
The Many

Among the many anthropogenic changes that impact humans and wildlife, one of the most pervasive but least understood is light pollution. Although detrimental physiological and behavioural effects resulting from exposure to light at night are widely appreciated, the impacts of light pollution on infectious disease risk have not been studied. Here, we demonstrate that artificial light at night (ALAN) extends the infectious-to-vector period of the house sparrow ( Passer domesticus ), an urban-dwelling avian reservoir host of West Nile virus (WNV). Sparrows exposed to ALAN maintained transmissible viral titres for 2 days longer than controls but did not experience greater WNV-induced mortality during this window. Transcriptionally, ALAN altered the expression of gene regulatory networks including key hubs (OASL, PLBD1 and TRAP1) and effector genes known to affect WNV dissemination (SOCS). Despite mounting anti-viral immune responses earlier, transcriptomic signatures indicated that ALAN-exposed individuals probably experienced pathogen-induced damage and immunopathology, potentially due to evasion of immune effectors. A simple mathematical modelling exercise indicated that ALAN-induced increases of host infectious-to-vector period could increase WNV outbreak potential by approximately 41%. ALAN probably affects other host and vector traits relevant to transmission, and additional research is needed to advise the management of zoonotic diseases in light-polluted areas.

scholarly journals Light Pollution Increases West Nile Virus Competence in a Ubiquitous Passerine Reservoir Species

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Kernbach ◽  
J. M. Miller ◽  
R. J. Hall ◽  
T. R. Unnasch ◽  
N. D. Burkett-Cadena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Avian Host ◽  
Immune Functions ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Reservoir Species ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
Disease Epidemics

One sentence summaryLight pollution increases host infectiousness.AbstractLight pollution is a growing problem, but its impacts on infectious disease risk have not been considered. Previous research has revealed that dim light at night (dLAN) dysregulates various immune functions and biorhythms, which hints that dLAN could change the risk of disease epidemics. Here, we demonstrate that dLAN enhances infectiousness of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), an urban-dwelling avian host of West Nile virus (WNV). Sparrows exposed to dLAN maintained viral titers above the transmission threshold to a biting vector (105 plaque-forming units) for two days longer than controls but did not die at higher rates. A mathematical model revealed that such effects could increase WNV outbreak potential by ~41%. dLAN likely affects other host and vector traits relevant to transmission, so additional research is needed to advise management of zoonotic diseases in light polluted areas.

scholarly journals Light pollution affects West Nile virus exposure risk across Florida

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith E. Kernbach ◽  
Lynn B. Martin ◽  
Thomas R. Unnasch ◽  
Richard J. Hall ◽  
Rays H.Y. Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
Zoonotic Risk

AbstractEmerging infectious diseases (EIDs), including zoonotic arboviruses, present a global health threat. Multiple components of human land use change have been linked to arboviral emergence, but one pervasive factor that has received comparatively little attention is light pollution. Although often considered a component of built environments, artificial light at night (ALAN) outpaces the growth and spatial extent of urbanization, and thus affects areas where human population density and anthropogenic land changes are modest. West Nile virus (WNV) emergence has been described as peri-urban, but recent research suggests that its relative ubiquity in human-altered environments might actually be due to ALAN. Indeed, we found previously that experimental ALAN exposure enhanced avian competence to transmit WNV to mosquitoes. In the present study, we asked whether such organismal effects manifest ecologically by determining whether WNV exposure among sentinel chickens in Florida is related to local ALAN conditions. We found strong support for a nonlinear relationship between ALAN and WNV exposure in chickens with peak WNV risk occurring at low ALAN levels. Importantly, effects of ALAN on WNV exposure were stronger than other aspects of urbanization; only ambient temperature in the month prior to sampling had a comparable effect to ALAN. These results represent the first field evidence that ALAN might affect infectious disease exposure risk. We advocate for further research on how ALAN influences zoonotic risk, as well as efforts to study alternative nighttime lighting methods to reduce such risk.Significance StatementLight pollution associated with human development is a globally pervasive and rapidly expanding anthropogenic stressor; but despite documented effects on host immune functions and vector behaviors, how it affects infectious disease risk is unknown. Using data from the Florida Department of Health arbovirus surveillance program, we show that light pollution is a stronger predictor of variation in West Nile virus (WNV) exposure risk than many other previously implicated anthropogenic and natural environmental variables. Light pollution effects are nonlinear, so risk is highest in areas with dim light pollution. Our results highlight a new way that light pollution might affect human and wildlife health.

scholarly journals Experimental infection of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) with West Nile virus strains of lineages 1 and 2

2014 ◽  
Vol 172 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 542-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Del Amo ◽  
Francisco Llorente ◽  
Elisa Pérez-Ramirez ◽  
Ramón C. Soriguer ◽  
Jordi Figuerola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Experimental Infection ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
West Nile ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Virus Strains

scholarly journals Experimental infection of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) with West Nile virus isolates of Euro-Mediterranean and North American origins

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Del Amo ◽  
Francisco Llorente ◽  
Jordi Figuerola ◽  
Ramón C Soriguer ◽  
Ana M Moreno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Experimental Infection ◽  
North American ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
West Nile ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Virus Isolates

scholarly journals It Takes a Community to Raise the Prevalence of a Zoonotic Pathogen

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin Brisson ◽  
Catherine Brinkley ◽  
Parris T. Humphrey ◽  
Brian D. Kemps ◽  
Richard S. Ostfeld
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Ecological Strategy ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogens ◽  
Reservoir Species ◽  
As Species

By definition, zoonotic pathogens are not strict host-species specialists in that they infect humans and at least one nonhuman reservoir species. The majority of zoonotic pathogens infect and are amplified by multiple vertebrate species in nature, each of which has a quantitatively different impact on the distribution and abundance of the pathogen and thus on disease risk. Unfortunately, when new zoonotic pathogens emerge, the dominant response by public health scientists is to search for a few, or even the single, most important reservoirs and to ignore other species that might strongly influence transmission. This focus on the single “primary” reservoir host species can delay biological understanding, and potentially public health interventions as species important in either amplifying or regulating the pathogen are overlooked. Investigating the evolutionary and ecological strategy of newly discovered or emerging pathogens within the community of potential and actual host species will be fruitful to both biological understanding and public health.

scholarly journals Persistent impacts of West Nile virus on North American bird populations

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (46) ◽  
pp. 14290-14294 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Luke George ◽  
Ryan J. Harrigan ◽  
Joseph A. LaManna ◽  
David F. DeSante ◽  
James F. Saracco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
North American Bird ◽  
Avian Populations ◽  
The Impact

Since its introduction to North America in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has had devastating impacts on native host populations, but to date these impacts have been difficult to measure. Using a continental-scale dataset comprised of a quarter-million birds captured over nearly two decades and a recently developed model of WNV risk, we estimated the impact of this emergent disease on the survival of avian populations. We find that populations were negatively affected by WNV in 23 of the 49 species studied (47%). We distinguished two groups of species: those for which WNV negatively impacted survival only during initial spread of the disease (n = 11), and those that show no signs of recovery since disease introduction (n = 12). Results provide a novel example of the taxonomic breadth and persistent impacts of this wildlife disease on a continental scale. Phylogenetic analyses further identify groups (New World sparrows, finches, and vireos) disproportionally affected by temporary or persistent WNV effects, suggesting an evolutionary dimension of disease risk. Identifying the factors affecting the persistence of a disease across host species is critical to mitigating its effects, particularly in a world marked by rapid anthropogenic change.

scholarly journals Projection of Climate Change Influences on U.S. West Nile Virus Vectors

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (18) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi E. Brown ◽  
Alex Young ◽  
Joceline Lega ◽  
Theodore G. Andreadis ◽  
Jessica Schurich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Virus Vectors ◽  
Daily Weather Data ◽  
The Impact

Abstract While estimates of the impact of climate change on health are necessary for health care planners and climate change policy makers, models to produce quantitative estimates remain scarce. This study describes a freely available dynamic simulation model parameterized for three West Nile virus vectors, which provides an effective tool for studying vectorborne disease risk due to climate change. The Dynamic Mosquito Simulation Model is parameterized with species-specific temperature-dependent development and mortality rates. Using downscaled daily weather data, this study estimates mosquito population dynamics under current and projected future climate scenarios for multiple locations across the country. Trends in mosquito abundance were variable by location; however, an extension of the vector activity periods, and by extension disease risk, was almost uniformly observed. Importantly, midsummer decreases in abundance may be offset by shorter extrinsic incubation periods, resulting in a greater proportion of infective mosquitoes. Quantitative descriptions of the effect of temperature on the virus and mosquito are critical to developing models of future disease risk.

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