TY - GEN A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Beech fructification and bank vole population dynamics BT - combined analyses of promoters of Human Puumala virus infections in Germany T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - The transmission of wildlife zoonoses to humans depends, amongst others, on complex interactions of host population ecology and pathogen dynamics within host populations. In Europe, the Puumala virus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica in humans. In this study we investigated complex interrelations within the epidemic system of PUUV and its rodent host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). We suggest that beech fructification and bank vole abundance are both decisive factors affecting human PUUV infections. While rodent host dynamics are expected to be directly linked to human PUUV infections, beech fructification is a rather indirect predictor by serving as food source for PUUV rodent hosts. Furthermore, we examined the dependence of bank vole abundance on beech fructification. We analysed a 12-year (2001-2012) time series of the parameters: beech fructification (as food resource for the PUUV host), bank vole abundance and human incidences from 7 Federal States of Germany. For the first time, we could show the direct interrelation between these three parameters involved in human PUUV epidemics and we were able to demonstrate on a large scale that human PUUV infections are highly correlated with bank vole abundance in the present year, as well as beech fructification in the previous year. By using beech fructification and bank vole abundance as predictors in one model we significantly improved the degree of explanation of human PUUV incidence. Federal State was included as random factor because human PUUV incidence varies considerably among states. Surprisingly, the effect of rodent abundance on human PUUV infections is less strong compared to the indirect effect of beech fructification. Our findings are useful to facilitate the development of predictive models for host population dynamics and the related PUUV infection risk for humans and can be used for plant protection and human health protection purposes. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 484 KW - Fagus-Sylvatica L KW - Hantavirus infection KW - Nephrorathia-Epidemica KW - Rodent populations KW - Lyme-disease KW - risk-factors KW - Clethrionomys-Glareolus KW - temporal dynamics KW - renal-failure Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-408064 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 484 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Beech Fructification and Bank Vole Population Dynamics - Combined Analyses of Promoters of Human Puumala Virus Infections in Germany JF - PLoS one N2 - The transmission of wildlife zoonoses to humans depends, amongst others, on complex interactions of host population ecology and pathogen dynamics within host populations. In Europe, the Puumala virus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica in humans. In this study we investigated complex interrelations within the epidemic system of PUUV and its rodent host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). We suggest that beech fructification and bank vole abundance are both decisive factors affecting human PUUV infections. While rodent host dynamics are expected to be directly linked to human PUUV infections, beech fructification is a rather indirect predictor by serving as food source for PUUV rodent hosts. Furthermore, we examined the dependence of bank vole abundance on beech fructification. We analysed a 12-year (2001-2012) time series of the parameters: beech fructification (as food resource for the PUUV host), bank vole abundance and human incidences from 7 Federal States of Germany. For the first time, we could show the direct interrelation between these three parameters involved in human PUUV epidemics and we were able to demonstrate on a large scale that human PUUV infections are highly correlated with bank vole abundance in the present year, as well as beech fructification in the previous year. By using beech fructification and bank vole abundance as predictors in one model we significantly improved the degree of explanation of human PUUV incidence. Federal State was included as random factor because human PUUV incidence varies considerably among states. Surprisingly, the effect of rodent abundance on human PUUV infections is less strong compared to the indirect effect of beech fructification. Our findings are useful to facilitate the development of predictive models for host population dynamics and the related PUUV infection risk for humans and can be used for plant protection and human health protection purposes. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134124 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 10 IS - 7 PB - PLoS CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Drewes, Stephan A1 - Ulrich, Rainer Günter A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany? JF - Zoonoses and Public Health N2 - Bank voles can harbour Puumala virus (PUUV) and vole populations usually peak in years after beech mast. A beech mast occurred in 2014 and a predictive model indicates high vole abundance in 2015. This pattern is similar to the years 2009/2011 when beech mast occurred, bank voles multiplied and human PUUV infections increased a year later. Given similar environmental conditions in 2014/2015, increased risk of human PUUV infections in 2015 is likely. Risk management measures are recommended. KW - Beech fructification KW - Puumala virus KW - bank vole KW - outbreak KW - nephropathia epidemica KW - Germany Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12217 SN - 1863-1959 SN - 1863-2378 VL - 63 SP - 83 EP - 88 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Binder, Florian A1 - Freise, Jona A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Beyrers, Konrad A1 - Jacob, Jens A1 - Krüger, Detlev H. A1 - Hofmann, Jörg A1 - Dreesman, Johannes A1 - Ulrich, Rainer Günter T1 - Hantaviren in Deutschland BT - Aktuelle Erkenntnisse zu Erreger, Reservoir, Verbreitung und Prognosemodellen JF - Berliner und Münchener tierärztliche Wochenschrift N2 - Hantaviruses are small mammal-associated pathogens that are found in rodents but also in shrews, moles and bats. Aim of this manuscript is to give a current overview of the epidemiology and ecology of hantaviruses in Germany and to discuss respective models for the prediction of virus outbreaks. In Germany the majority of human disease cases are caused by the Puumala virus (PUUV), transmitted by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). PUUV is associated with the Western evolutionary lineage of the bank vole and is not present in the eastern and northern parts of Germany. A second human pathogenic hantavirus is the Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV), genotype Kurkino; its reservoir host, the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), is mostly occurring in the eastern part of Germany. A PUUV-related hantavirus is the rarely pathogenic Tula virus (TULV), that is associated with the common vole (Microtus arvalis). In addition, Seewis virus, Asikkala virus, and Bruges virus are shrew- and mole-associated hantaviruses with still unknown pathogenicity in humans. Human disease cases are associated with the different hantaviruses according to their regional distribution. The viruses can cause mild to severe but also subclinical courses of the respective disease. The number of human PUUV disease cases in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017 correlates with the occurrence of high levels of seed production of beech trees ("beech mast") in the preceding year. Models based on weather parameters for the prediction of PUUV disease clusters as developed in recent years need further validation and optimisation. in addition to the abundance of infected reservoir rodents, the exposure behaviour of humans affects the risk of human infection. The application of robust forecast models can assist the public health service to develop and communicate spatially and temporally targeted information. Thus, further recommendations to mitigate infection risk for the public may be provided. N2 - Hantaviren sind Kleinsäuger-assoziierte Krankheitserreger, die vor allem in Nagetieren, aber auch in Spitzmäusen, Maulwürfen und Fledermäusen vorkommen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, einen aktuellen Überblick zur Epidemiologie und Ökologie der Hantaviren in Deutschland zu geben und Modelle zur Vorhersage von Virusausbrüchen zu diskutieren. In Deutschland werden die meisten humanen Erkrankungsfälle beim Menschen durch das von der Rötelmaus (Myodes glareolus) übertragene Puumalavirus (PUUV) verursacht. PUUV ist mit der westlichen evolutionären Linie der Rötelmaus assoziiert und fehlt im östlichen und nördlichen Teil Deutschlands. Ein zweites humanpathogenes Hantavirus ist das Dobrava-Belgrad-Virus (DOBV), Genotyp Kurkino, dessen Reservoir die vor allem im östlichen Teil Deutschlands vorkommende Brandmaus (Apodemus agrarius) ist. Ein PUUV-verwandtes Hantavirus ist das selten humanpathogene Tulavirus (TULV), das mit der Feldmaus (Microtus arvalis) assoziiert ist. Darüber hinaus wurden mit dem Seewis-, Asikkala- und Brugesvirus Spitzmaus- und Maulwurf-assoziierte Hantaviren mit noch unklarer Humanpathogenität gefunden. Die humanen Erkrankungen sind jeweils mit den verschiedenen Hantaviren in deren regionaler Verteilung assoziiert und können mild bis schwer, aber auch subklinisch verlaufen. Das Auftreten von Häufungen humaner, durch PUUV verursachter Erkrankungen in den Jahren 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015 und 2017 korreliert mit dem Auftreten einer starken Fruktifikation der Buche („Buchenmast“) im jeweiligen Vorjahr. Auf der Basis von Wetterparametern sind Modelle zur Vorhersage von PUUV-Erkrankungshäufungen entwickelt worden, die zukünftig validiert und optimiert werden müssen. Neben dem Ausmaß des Virusvorkommens im Reservoir wird das Risiko humaner Infektionen durch das Expositionsverhalten des Menschen beeinflusst. Durch die Anwendung von Prognosemodellen soll der öffentliche Gesundheitsdienst in die Lage versetzt werden, räumlich und zeitlich gezielte und sachgerechte Präventionsempfehlungen für die Bevölkerung abzugeben. T2 - Hantaviruses in Germany: current knowledge on pathogens, reservoirs, distribution and forecast models KW - early warning system KW - hantavirus KW - hantavirus disease KW - rodents KW - population dynamics KW - Frühwarn-System KW - Hantavirus KW - Hantavirus-Erkrankung KW - Nagetiere KW - Populationsdynamik Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.2376/0005-9366-18003 SN - 0005-9366 SN - 1439-0299 VL - 131 IS - 11-12 SP - 453 EP - 464 PB - Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. CY - Hannover ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Stefan A1 - Spierling, Nastasja G. A1 - Heuser, Elisa A1 - Kling, Christopher A1 - Schmidt, Sabrina A1 - Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Jacob, Jens A1 - Ulrich, Rainer G. A1 - Essbauer, Sandra T1 - High prevalence of Rickettsia helvetica in wild small mammal populations in Germany JF - Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases N2 - Since the beginning of the 21st century, spotted fever rickettsioses are known as emerging diseases worldwide. Rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropod vectors. The ecology of Rickettsia species has not been investigated in detail, but small mammals are considered to play a role as reservoirs. Aim of this study was to monitor rickettsiae in wild small mammals over a period of five years in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of ear pinna tissues of 3939 animals by Pan-Rick real-time PCR targeting the citrate synthase (gltA) gene revealed 296 rodents of seven species and 19 shrews of two species positive for rickettsial DNA. Outer membrane protein gene (ompB, ompAIV) PCRs based typing resulted in the identification of three species: Rickettsia helvetica (90.9%) was found as the dominantly occurring species in the four investigated federal states, but Rickettsia felis (7.8%) and Rickettsia raoultii (1.3%) were also detected. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in rodents of the genus Apodemus was found to be higher (approximately 14%) than in all other rodent and shrew species at all investigated sites. General linear mixed model analyses indicated that heavier (older) individuals of yellow-necked mice and male common voles seem to contain more often rickettsial DNA than younger ones. Furthermore, rodents generally collected in forests in summer and autumn more often carried rickettsial DNA. In conclusion, this study indicated a high prevalence of R. helvetica in small mammal populations and suggests an age-dependent increase of the DNA prevalence in some of the species and in animals originating from forest habitats. The finding of R. helvetica and R. felis DNA in multiple small mammal species may indicate frequent trans-species transmission by feeding of vectors on different species. Further investigations should target the reason for the discrepancy between the high rickettsial DNA prevalence in rodents and the so far almost absence of clinical apparent human infections. KW - Rickettsia helvetica KW - Rodent KW - Germany KW - Age KW - Reproduction KW - Season Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.009 SN - 1877-959X SN - 1877-9603 VL - 9 IS - 3 SP - 500 EP - 505 PB - Elsevier GMBH CY - München ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Stefan A1 - Mayer-Scholl, Anne A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Spierling, Nastasja G. A1 - Heuser, Elisa A1 - Schmidt, Sabrina A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. A1 - Jacob, Jens A1 - Nöckler, Karsten A1 - Ulrich, Rainer G. T1 - Leptospira genomospecies and sequence type prevalence in small mammal populations in Germany JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases N2 - Leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease caused by zoonotic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Numerous mammals, including domestic and companion animals, can be infected by Leptospira spp., but rodents and other small mammals are considered the main reservoir. The annual number of recorded human leptospirosis cases in Germany (2001-2016) was 25-166. Field fever outbreaks in strawberry pickers, due to infection with Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa, were reported in 2007 and 2014. To identify the most commonly occurring Leptospira genomospecies, sequence types (STs), and their small mammal host specificity, a monitoring study was performed during 2010-2014 in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of kidney tissues of 3,950 animals by PCR targeting the lipl32 gene revealed 435 rodents of 6 species and 89 shrews of three species positive for leptospiral DNA. PCR-based analyses resulted in the identification of the genomospecies L. kirschneri (62.7%), Leptospira interrogans (28.3%), and Leptospira borgpetersenii (9.0%), which are represented by four, one, and two STs, respectively. The average Leptospira prevalence was highest (approximate to 30%) in common voles (Microtus arvalis) and field voles (Microtus agrestis). Both species were exclusively infected with L. kirschneri. In contrast, in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), DNA of all three genomospecies was detected, and in common shrews (Sorex araneus) DNA of L. kirschneri and L. borgpetersenii was identified. The association between individual infection status and demographic factors varied between species; infection status was always positively correlated to body weight. In conclusion, the study confirmed a broad geographical distribution of Leptospira in small mammals and suggested an important public health relevance of common and field voles as reservoirs of L. kirschneri. Furthermore, the investigations identified seasonal, habitat-related, as well as individual influences on Leptospira prevalence in small mammals that might impact public health. KW - demography KW - Germany KW - habitat KW - Leptospira spp KW - leptospirosis KW - MLST KW - rodent KW - shrew KW - SLST Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2017.2140 SN - 1530-3667 SN - 1557-7759 VL - 18 IS - 4 SP - 188 EP - 199 PB - Liebert CY - New Rochelle ER - TY - THES A1 - Reil, Daniela T1 - Puumala hantavirus dynamics in bank voles: identification of environmental correlates to predict human infection risk Y1 - 2016 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Schmidt, Sabrina A1 - Ulrich, Rainer G. A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Puumala hantavirus infections in bank vole populations BT - host and virus dynamics in Central Europe T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - Background In Europe, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are widely distributed and can transmit Puumala virus (PUUV) to humans, which causes a mild to moderate form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, called nephropathia epidemica. Uncovering the link between host and virus dynamics can help to prevent human PUUV infections in the future. Bank voles were live trapped three times a year in 2010–2013 in three woodland plots in each of four regions in Germany. Bank vole population density was estimated and blood samples collected to detect PUUV specific antibodies. Results We demonstrated that fluctuation of PUUV seroprevalence is dependent not only on multi-annual but also on seasonal dynamics of rodent host abundance. Moreover, PUUV infection might affect host fitness, because seropositive individuals survived better from spring to summer than uninfected bank voles. Individual space use was independent of PUUV infections. Conclusions Our study provides robust estimations of relevant patterns and processes of the dynamics of PUUV and its rodent host in Central Europe, which are highly important for the future development of predictive models for human hantavirus infection risk. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 957 KW - Myodes glareolus KW - population dynamics KW - Puumala virus seroprevalence KW - space use KW - survival Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-431232 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 957 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Schmidt, Sabrina A1 - Ulrich, Rainer G. A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Puumala hantavirus infections in bank vole populations BT - host and virus dynamics in Central Europe JF - BMC ecology N2 - Background In Europe, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are widely distributed and can transmit Puumala virus (PUUV) to humans, which causes a mild to moderate form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, called nephropathia epidemica. Uncovering the link between host and virus dynamics can help to prevent human PUUV infections in the future. Bank voles were live trapped three times a year in 2010–2013 in three woodland plots in each of four regions in Germany. Bank vole population density was estimated and blood samples collected to detect PUUV specific antibodies. Results We demonstrated that fluctuation of PUUV seroprevalence is dependent not only on multi-annual but also on seasonal dynamics of rodent host abundance. Moreover, PUUV infection might affect host fitness, because seropositive individuals survived better from spring to summer than uninfected bank voles. Individual space use was independent of PUUV infections. Conclusions Our study provides robust estimations of relevant patterns and processes of the dynamics of PUUV and its rodent host in Central Europe, which are highly important for the future development of predictive models for human hantavirus infection risk KW - Myodes glareolus KW - Population dynamics KW - Puumala virus seroprevalence KW - Space use KW - Survival Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-017-0118-z SN - 1472-6785 VL - 17 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Imholt, Christian A1 - Reil, Daniela A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Jacob, Daniela A1 - Hempelmann, Nils A1 - Jacob, Jens T1 - Quantifying the past and future impact of climate on outbreak patterns of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) JF - Pest management science N2 - BACKGROUND Central European outbreak populations of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus Schreber) are known to cause damage in forestry and to transmit the most common type of Hantavirus (Puumala virus, PUUV) to humans. A sound estimation of potential effects of future climate scenarios on population dynamics is a prerequisite for long-term management strategies. Historic abundance time series were used to identify the key weather conditions associated with bank vole abundance, and were extrapolated to future climate scenarios to derive potential long-term changes in bank vole abundance dynamics. RESULTS Classification and regression tree analysis revealed the most relevant weather parameters associated with high and low bank vole abundances. Summer temperatures 2 years prior to trapping had the highest impact on abundance fluctuation. Extrapolation of the identified parameters to future climate conditions revealed an increase in years with high vole abundance. CONCLUSION Key weather patterns associated with vole abundance reflect the importance of superabundant food supply through masting to the occurrence of bank vole outbreaks. Owing to changing climate, these outbreaks are predicted potentially to increase in frequency 3-4-fold by the end of this century. This may negatively affect damage patterns in forestry and the risk of human PUUV infection in the long term. (c) 2014 Society of Chemical Industry KW - climate change KW - population dynamics KW - bank vole KW - regression tree KW - outbreak Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.3838 SN - 1526-498X SN - 1526-4998 VL - 71 IS - 2 SP - 166 EP - 172 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER -