Madariaga and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus seroprevalence in rodent enzootic hosts in Eastern and Western Panama.
Jean-Paul Carrera, Josefrancisco Galué, William M de Souza, Rolando Torres-Cosme, Carlos Lezcano-Coba, Alberto Cumbrera, Nikos Vasilakis, Robert B Tesh, Hilda Guzman, Scott C Weaver, Amy Y Vittor, Rafael Samudio, Juan Miguel Pascale, Anayansi Valderrama, Lorenzo Cáceres Carrera, Christl A Donnelly, Nuno R Faria
Author Information
Jean-Paul Carrera: Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Josefrancisco Galué: Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
William M de Souza: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Rolando Torres-Cosme: Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Carlos Lezcano-Coba: Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Alberto Cumbrera: Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Nikos Vasilakis: Institute for Human infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas, USA.
Robert B Tesh: Geographic System Information Unit, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Hilda Guzman: Geographic System Information Unit, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Scott C Weaver: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Amy Y Vittor: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Rafael Samudio: Sociedad Mastozoológica de Panamá, Panama City, Panama.
Juan Miguel Pascale: Clinical Research Unit, Gorgas Memorial Institute of health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Anayansi Valderrama: Carson Centre for Research in Environment and Emerging Infectious Diseases, La Peñita, Darien, Panama.
Lorenzo Cáceres Carrera: Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Christl A Donnelly: Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford United Kingdom.
Nuno R Faria: Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
While rodents are primary reservoirs of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), their role in Madariaga virus (MADV) transmission remains uncertain, particularly given their overlapping geographic distribution. This study explores the interplay of alphavirus prevalence, rodent diversity, and land use within Darien and Western Panama provinces. A total of three locations were selected for rodent sampling in Darien province: Los Pavitos, El Real de Santa Maria and Santa Librada. Two sites were selected in Western Panama province: El Cacao and Cirí Grande. We used plaque reduction neutralization tests to assess MADV and VEEV seroprevalences in 599 rodents of 16 species across five study sites. MADV seroprevalence was observed at higher rates in Los Pavitos (Darien province), 9.0%, 95% CI: 3.6-17.6, while VEEV seroprevalence was elevated in El Cacao (Western Panama province), 27.3%, 95% CI: 16.1-40.9, and El Real de Santa María (Darien province), 20.4%, 95% CI: 12.6-29.7. Species like , 23.1%, 95% CI: 5.0-53.8, and 20.0%, 95% CI: 0.5-71.6 displayed higher MADV seroprevalences than other species, whereas , 80.0%, 95% CI: 28.3-99.4, and , 27.3%, 95% CI: 17.0-39.6, exhibited higher VEEV seroprevalences. Our findings provide support to the notion that rodents are vertebrate reservoirs of MADV and reveal spatial variations in alphavirus seropositivity among rodent species, with different provinces exhibiting distinct rates for MADV and VEEV. Moreover, specific rodent species are linked to unique seroprevalence patterns for these viruses, suggesting that rodent diversity and environmental conditions might play a significant role in shaping alphavirus distribution.
