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The population genomic legacy of the second plague pandemic KU Leuven
Human populations have been shaped by catastrophes that may have left long-lasting signatures in their genomes. One notable example is the second plague pandemic that entered Europe in ca. 1,347 CE and repeatedly returned for over 300 years, with typical village and town mortality estimated at 10%-40%.1 It is assumed that this high mortality affected the gene pools of these populations. First, local population crashes reduced genetic diversity. ...
Plague epizootic cycles in Central Asia University of Antwerp
Infection thresholds, widely used in disease epidemiology, may operate on host abundance and, if present, on vector abundance. For wildlife populations, host and vector abundances often vary greatly across years and consequently the threshold may be crossed regularly, both up- and downward. Moreover, vector and host abundances may be interdependent, which may affect the infection dynamics. Theory predicts that if the relevant abundance, or ...
Potential corridors and barriers for plague spread in central Asia University of Antwerp
Background: Plague (Yersinia pestis infection) is a vector-borne disease which caused millions of human deaths in the Middle Ages. The hosts of plague are mostly rodents, and the disease is spread by the fleas that feed on them. Currently, the disease still circulates amongst sylvatic rodent populations all over the world, including great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) populations in Central Asia. Great gerbils are social desert rodents that live in ...
The Fleas (Siphonaptera) in Iran University of Antwerp
Background Flea-borne diseases have a wide distribution in the world. Studies on the identity, abundance, distribution and seasonality of the potential vectors of pathogenic agents (e.g. Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, and Rickettsia felis) are necessary tools for controlling and preventing such diseases outbreaks. The improvements of diagnostic tools are partly responsible for an easier detection of otherwise unnoticed agents in the ...
We are connected University of Antwerp
Context: Plague is a serious health problem in northern Tanzania, with outbreaks since 2008 in two districts located in Rift Valley. There is dearth of knowledge on diversity of small mammal and flea fauna occurring in this plague focus. Knowledge on interactions between fleas and rodent species that harbour the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is important for developing strategies for control and prevention of plague. Aims: This study aims ...
Prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospires and coccobacilli with potential for human infection in the blood of rodents and shrews from selected localities in Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland University of Antwerp
The prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospirosis and Yersinia pestis was investigated in rodents and shrews from Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland. Blood smears originating from rodents and shrews from the three countries indicated the presence of Trypanosoma lewisi (72.7%; n =950), Bacillus spp. (25.6%; n =950), Borrelia sp. (0.01%; n =950) and bipolar coccobacilli (0.01%; n =950). The blood smears from Namibia (n =26) had no haemoparasites while ...
An invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype b infection in an Anglo-Saxon plague victim KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: The human pathogen Haemophilus influenzae was the main cause of bacterial meningitis in children and a major cause of worldwide infant mortality before the introduction of a vaccine in the 1980s. Although the occurrence of serotype b (Hib), the most virulent type of H. influenzae, has since decreased, reports of infections with other serotypes and non-typeable strains are on the rise. While non-typeable strains have been studied ...
Bacterial pathogens activate plasminogen to breach tissue barriers and escape from innate immunity Institute of Tropical Medicine KU Leuven
Both coagulation and fibrinolysis are tightly connected with the innate immune system. Infection and inflammation cause profound alterations in the otherwise well-controlled balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis. Many pathogenic bacteria directly exploit the host's hemostatic system to increase their virulence. Here, we review the capacity of bacteria to activate plasminogen. The resulting proteolytic activity allows them to breach ...
Spatial distribution patterns of plague hosts University of Antwerp
Aim The spatial structure of a population can strongly influence the dynamics of infectious diseases, yet rarely is the underlying structure quantified. A case in point is plague, an infectious zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague dynamics within the Central Asian desert plague focus have been extensively modelled in recent years, but always with strong uniformity assumptions about the distribution of its primary ...