Cattle Farming and Plantation Forest are Associated with Bartonella Occurrence in Wild Rodents

In this study, we conducted a survey on wild populations of sigmodontine rodents,Akodon azarae andOxymycterus rufus, inhabiting the Paran á River delta region. The study involved eight grids organized in a crossed 2 × 2 design, where four of the grids were exposed to cattle while the other four were not, and four grids were located in implanted forest while the remaining four were in natural grasslands. Our objective was to exam ine whether the occurrence ofBartonella spp. in rodents was associated with silvopastoral activities (cattle raising associated with timber production) conducted in the region. Additionally, we evaluated the associations betweenBartonella infection and other environmental and host factors. We present compelling evidence of a significant positive association betweenBartonella prevalence and the presence of implanted forests and cattle. Furthermore, we identified the presence of aBartonella genotype related to the pathogenBartonella rochalimaea, infecting bothA. azarae andOx. rufus. These findings suggest that anthropogenic land-use changes, particularly the development of silvopastoral practices in the region, may disrupt the dynamics ofBartonella.
Source: EcoHealth - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research