Browsing by Author "Rubio, Andre, V"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Enhancing habitat quality for small mammals at young pine plantations after clearcutting
    (2021) Barcelo, Matias; Rubio, Andre, V; Andres Simonetti, Javier
    Monoculture plantations of exotic Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) is a widespread practice which reduces richness and abundance of native species. The presence of shrub vegetation in mature pine plantations confers structural complexity, enabling the presence of native wildlife, and potentially mitigating the impacts of these plantations. However, little is known about the effect of shrub cover in young pine plantations after clearcutting. We assessed if shrub vegetation cover contributes to enhancing habitat quality for small mammals by assessing the abundance and composition of small mammal assemblages in young pine plantations (15 years), and in the native temperate forest in central Chile. We found that a high development of shrub vegetation in young pine plantation increased both the abundance of small mammals, and the similarity of small mammal assemblages among habitat types. These findings support maintaining developed shrub vegetation in Monterrey pine plantations as a conservation strategy that could help reduce the negative impact of this monoculture and the impact of clearcutting.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Molecular detection and characterization of Bartonella spp. in rodents from central and southern Chile, with emphasis on introduced rats (Rattus spp.)
    (2023) Sepulveda-Garcia, Paulina; Rubio, Andre, V; Salgado, Rodrigo; Riquelme, Maira; Bonacic, Cristian; Canales, Nivia; Mueller, Ananda
    Bartonella spp. was screened in 155 rodents from Chile, mainly the invasive rats Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus. A total of 155 spleen and 50 blood samples were analyzed through real-time PCR for Bartonella spp. (nuoG gene). Positive samples were subjected to amplification of fragment of loci gltA, rpoB and ITS by conventional PCR (cPCR). Overall, 43 spleen samples (27.7%) and 6 rodent blood samples (12%) were positive for nuoG- Bartonella spp. Positive samples were found in R. norvegicus, R. rattus, Abrothrix olivacea and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified by cPCR in 16 samples, resulting in 21 sequences (6 gltA, 5 ITS and 10 rpoB). Sequencing and phylogenic analyses identified genotypes from Rattus spp., potentially belonging to Bartonella coopersplainsensis, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella tribocorum, and an undescribed Bartonella sp. From native rodents, one sequence was identified, being related B. machadoae. In conclusion, this work describes diverse and potentially zoonotic Bartonella spp. genotypes in Rattus spp. Additionally, this is the first report of Bartonella in O. longicaudatus, including a potentially novel Bartonella genotype or species.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Spatial clusters, temporal behavior, and risk factors analysis of rabies in livestock in Ecuador
    (2024) Briceno-Loaiza, Cesar; Fernandez-Sanhueza, Bastian; Benavides-Silva, Cesar; Jimenez, Jose Yaguana; Rubio, Andre, V; Abalos, Pedro; Alegria-Moran, Raill A.
    Rabies, a globally distributed and highly lethal zoonotic neglected tropical disease, has a significant impact in South America. In Ecuador, animal rabies cases are primarily linked to livestock, and hematophagous bats play a crucial role in disease transmission. This study aims to identify temporal trends, spatial patterns, and risk factors for animal rabies in Ecuador between 2014 and 2019. Epidemiological survey reports from the official Animal Rabies Surveillance Program of the Phyto and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency of Ecuador (AGROCALIDAD) were used. The Animal Rabies Surveillance Program from AGROCALIDAD consists of an official passive surveillance program that receives reports from farmers or individuals (both trained or untrained) who have observed animals with neurological clinical signs and lesions compatible with bat bites, or who have seen or captured bats on their farms or houses. Once this report is made, AGROCALIDAD personnel is sent for field inspection, having to confirm the suspicion of rabies based on farm conditions and compatibility of signs. AGROCALIDAD personnel collect samples from all suspicious animals, which are further processed and analyzed using the Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) test for rabies confirmatory diagnosis. In this case, study data comprised 846 bovine farms (with intra-farm sample sizes ranging from 1 to 16 samples) located in different ecoregions of Ecuador; out of these, 397 (46.93%) farms tested positive for animal rabies, revealing six statistically significant spatial clusters. Among these clusters, three high-risk areas were identified in the southeast of Ecuador. Seasonality was confirmed by the Ljung-Box test for both the number of cases (p < 0.001) and the positivity rate (p < 0.001). The Pacific Coastal lowlands and Sierra regions showed a lower risk of positivity compared to Amazonia (OR = 0.529; 95% CI = 0.318 - 0.883; p = 0.015 and OR = 0.633; 95% CI = 0.410 - 0.977; p = 0.039, respectively). The breeding of non-bovine animal species demonstrated a lower risk of positivity to animal rabies when compared to bovine (OR = 0.145; 95% CI = 0.062 - 0.339; p < 0.001). Similarly, older animals exhibited a lower risk (OR = 0.974; 95% CI = 0.967 - 0.981; p < 0.001). Rainfall during the rainy season was also found to decrease the risk of positivity to animal rabies (OR = 0.996; 95% CI = 0.995 - 0.998; p < 0.001). This study underscores the significance of strengthening the national surveillance program for the prevention and control of animal rabies in Ecuador and other countries facing similar epidemiological, social, and geographical circumstances.