Author summary One of the main causes of zoonotic related human morbidity and mortality is the transmission of arthropod-borne viruses such as dengue virus, Yellow Fever virus, and chikungunya virus. These viruses cannot only infect humans but also livestock, pets, and wildlife, though our understanding of their non-human hosts remains limited. Rodents are thought to be an important host for these viruses because they can be abundant, often live near humans, and some are already known to be viral hosts. However, research has focused mostly on non-human primates, neglecting other potential wild hosts. To address this gap, we have developed a high-throughput antibody test to screen rodent blood against 15 different arboviruses. Our findings reveal that Mastomys natalensis, a common African rodent species, carries antibodies that (cross-)react against these viruses. We hypothesize that immunologically naïve juveniles may drive transmission, particularly during population outbreaks. These outbreaks coincide with environmental conditions that are favorable for mosquitoes, thus increasing the risk of spillover to humans, livestock, and wildlife. Understanding the role of rodents in arbovirus transmission dynamics is crucial for mitigating zoonotic disease risks.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023
The International Geoscience Program project IGCP-580 (started in 2009), focuses on the application of magnetic susceptibility (MS) as a paleoclimatic proxy on Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and on the characterization of the magnetic susceptibility signal. Here we provide a summary of the scientific targets behind the project and a summary of the organized activities. This project concerns three main issues: the first one consists of compiling the available MS data from the different researchers and continuing the collection of new data (with a main focus on the Devonian). The second issue focuses on the identification of the nature and origin of the magnetic minerals carrying MS signal. The last issue concerns the application of MS as a correlation, cyclostratigraphic and paleoclimatic tool. The IGCP-580 community consists of 245 researchers, from 45 countries (including Kenya, Namibia, Vietnam, Iran, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Tunisia, Colombia, Nigeria, India, etc.). During the project, we organized five meetings (Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Austria, Canada), three special sessions in international meetings and eight field workshops, as well as various training sessions.
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