The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes
Abstract Koala populations in many areas of Australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. Koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. Few seroprevalence studies i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83919-1 |
| _version_ | 1818720835174662144 |
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| author | Brian J. Johnson Amy Robbins Narayan Gyawali Oselyne Ong Joanne Loader Amanda K. Murphy Jon Hanger Gregor J. Devine |
| author_facet | Brian J. Johnson Amy Robbins Narayan Gyawali Oselyne Ong Joanne Loader Amanda K. Murphy Jon Hanger Gregor J. Devine |
| author_sort | Brian J. Johnson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Koala populations in many areas of Australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. Koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. Few seroprevalence studies in the wild exist and little is known of the determinants of exposure. Here, we exploited a large, spatially and temporally explicit koala survey to define the intensity of Ross River Virus (RRV) exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal environments in southeast Queensland, Australia. We demonstrate that RRV exposure in koalas is much higher (> 80%) than reported in other sero-surveys and that exposure is uniform across the urban coastal landscape. Uniformity in exposure is related to the presence of the major RRV mosquito vector, Culex annulirostris, and similarities in animal movement, tree use, and age-dependent increases in exposure risk. Elevated exposure ultimately appears to result from the confinement of remaining coastal koala habitat to the edges of permanent wetlands unsuitable for urban development and which produce large numbers of competent mosquito vectors. The results further illustrate that koalas and other RRV-susceptible vertebrates may serve as useful sentinels of human urban exposure in endemic areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:29:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4f04381c7fb48848bf41036916ac99e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:29:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4f04381c7fb48848bf41036916ac99e2022-12-21T21:33:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-02-0111111110.1038/s41598-021-83919-1The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapesBrian J. Johnson0Amy Robbins1Narayan Gyawali2Oselyne Ong3Joanne Loader4Amanda K. Murphy5Jon Hanger6Gregor J. Devine7Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteEndeavour Veterinary Ecology Pty LtdMosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteMosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteEndeavour Veterinary Ecology Pty LtdMosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteEndeavour Veterinary Ecology Pty LtdMosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteAbstract Koala populations in many areas of Australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. Koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. Few seroprevalence studies in the wild exist and little is known of the determinants of exposure. Here, we exploited a large, spatially and temporally explicit koala survey to define the intensity of Ross River Virus (RRV) exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal environments in southeast Queensland, Australia. We demonstrate that RRV exposure in koalas is much higher (> 80%) than reported in other sero-surveys and that exposure is uniform across the urban coastal landscape. Uniformity in exposure is related to the presence of the major RRV mosquito vector, Culex annulirostris, and similarities in animal movement, tree use, and age-dependent increases in exposure risk. Elevated exposure ultimately appears to result from the confinement of remaining coastal koala habitat to the edges of permanent wetlands unsuitable for urban development and which produce large numbers of competent mosquito vectors. The results further illustrate that koalas and other RRV-susceptible vertebrates may serve as useful sentinels of human urban exposure in endemic areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83919-1 |
| spellingShingle | Brian J. Johnson Amy Robbins Narayan Gyawali Oselyne Ong Joanne Loader Amanda K. Murphy Jon Hanger Gregor J. Devine The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes Scientific Reports |
| title | The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| title_full | The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| title_fullStr | The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| title_short | The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| title_sort | environmental and ecological determinants of elevated ross river virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83919-1 |
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