title: Epidemiology of pathogenic enterobacteria in humans, livestock, and peridomestic rodents in rural Madagascar.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among the families of enteric bacteria are globally important diarrheal agents. Despite their potential for zoonotic and environmental transmission, few studies have examined the epidemiology of these pathogens in rural systems characterized by extensive overlap among humans, domesticated and peridomestic animals. We investigated patterns of infection with Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., Salmonella enterica, Vibrio cholerae, and Yersinia spp. (enterocolitica, and pseudotuberculosis) in Southeastern Madagascar where the potential for the aforementioned interactions is high. In this pilot project we conducted surveys to examine behaviors potentially associated with risk of infection and if infection with specific enterobacteria species was associated with diarrheal disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR was conducted on DNA from human, livestock, and rodent fecal samples from three villages. Overall, human prevalence was highest (77%), followed by rodents (51%) and livestock (18%). Rodents were ∼2.8 times more likely than livestock to carry one of the bacteria. The incidence of individual species varied between villages, with the observation that, E. coli and Shigella spp. were consistently associated with co-infections. As an aggregate, there was a significant risk of infection linked to a water source in one village. Individually, different pathogens were associated with certain behaviors, including: those who had used medication, experienced diarrhea in the past four weeks, or do not use toilets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different bacteria were associated with an elevated risk of infection for various human activities or characteristics. Certain bacteria may also predispose people to co-infections. These data suggest that a high potential for transmission among these groups, either directly or via contaminated water sources. As these bacteria were most prevalent in humans, it is possible that they are maintained in humans and that transmission to other species is infrequent. Further studies are needed to understand bacterial persistence, transmission dynamics, and associated consequences in this and similar systems.
authors.affiliation: Centre ValBio, Ranomafana, Madagascar; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: DeAnna C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bublitz
authors.affiliation: Centre ValBio, Ranomafana, Madagascar; Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bodager
authors.affiliation: Centre ValBio, Ranomafana, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Fidisoa T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Rasambainarivo
authors.affiliation: Centre ValBio, Ranomafana, Madagascar; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bliska
authors.affiliation: Centre ValBio, Ranomafana, Madagascar; Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America; Department of Environmental Sciences and Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gillespie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology*; D008270:Madagascar / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D012307:Risk Factors; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial