Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study
Abstract Background Leprosy remains a persistent public health challenge, where human-to-human transmission of Mycobacterium leprae via respiratory droplets is well established. In the tropical Americas, growing evidence implicates armadillos as important zoonotic reservoirs, particularly through di...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01301-z |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849734020245487616 |
|---|---|
| author | Alisa Aliaga-Samanez Patricia D. Deps Julia E. Fa Raimundo Real Jean-François Guégan Marcela A. Oliveira Aline Pessutti Simon Knoop Juliano A. Bogoni Thais Q. Morcatty Roberta Marques Daniel Jiménez-García Gabriel F. Massocato Arnaud L. Desbiez Danilo Kluyber Hani R. El Bizri |
| author_facet | Alisa Aliaga-Samanez Patricia D. Deps Julia E. Fa Raimundo Real Jean-François Guégan Marcela A. Oliveira Aline Pessutti Simon Knoop Juliano A. Bogoni Thais Q. Morcatty Roberta Marques Daniel Jiménez-García Gabriel F. Massocato Arnaud L. Desbiez Danilo Kluyber Hani R. El Bizri |
| author_sort | Alisa Aliaga-Samanez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Leprosy remains a persistent public health challenge, where human-to-human transmission of Mycobacterium leprae via respiratory droplets is well established. In the tropical Americas, growing evidence implicates armadillos as important zoonotic reservoirs, particularly through direct contact during hunting and handling. However, such transmission has so far been considered rare and highly localised. This study provides a comprehensive spatial analysis of the role of armadillo hunting in human leprosy transmission, quantifying its contribution to disease prevalence and identifying geographic hotspots where interventions could be most effective. Methods Using Brazil’s 326,001 reported leprosy cases from 2013 to 2022, we applied a pathogeographical approach to explore transmission dynamics. We compiled data on 554 hunted armadillos across 175 municipalities and M. leprae prevalence in 376 armadillo individuals from 97 municipalities (mean prevalence = 38.5%). These were used to build spatial models assessing hunting-related infection risk and integrated as a variable into a generalised linear model alongside socioeconomic, climatic, and environmental predictors to evaluate their effects on human leprosy prevalence. Results Key predictors of armadillo hunting included higher population density (P < 0.001) and firearm availability (P < 0.01). Infection in armadillos was negatively correlated with native habitat coverage (coefficient: − 2.28; P < 0.001), suggesting that environmental degradation can amplify infection risk. The armadillo-hunting infection risk variable—generated by combining armadillo hunting and infection favourability models—emerged as the second strongest predictor of human leprosy prevalence (coefficient: 1.69; P < 0.001), accounting for ~ 25% of cases nationally and around 40% in deforestation hotspots. Additional positive predictors included greater precipitation seasonality (coefficient: 0.82; P < 0.001) and malnutrition (coefficient: 0.01; P < 0.001), while higher population density (coefficient: − 0.64; P < 0.001), natural habitat coverage (coefficient: − 0.50; P < 0.001) and socioeconomic status (coefficient: − 0.47; P = 0.013) were linked to reduced disease prevalence. Conclusions Armadillo hunting seems to play a more significant role in human leprosy transmission than previously recognised. To address this overlooked pathway, targeted interventions should focus on reducing unsafe and illegal hunting, improving communication around zoonotic risks, strengthening disease surveillance in high-risk areas, and conducting genetic studies to confirm wildlife-to-human transmission. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating wildlife-associated transmission pathways into strategies to reduce disease prevalence and mitigate future outbreaks in tropical regions facing rapid environmental change and persistent poverty. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3a31a837f84242f58aa1ee6718ece3fd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2049-9957 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| spelling | doaj-art-3a31a837f84242f58aa1ee6718ece3fd2025-08-20T03:07:54ZengBMCInfectious Diseases of Poverty2049-99572025-05-0114111410.1186/s40249-025-01301-zWildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical studyAlisa Aliaga-Samanez0Patricia D. Deps1Julia E. Fa2Raimundo Real3Jean-François Guégan4Marcela A. Oliveira5Aline Pessutti6Simon Knoop7Juliano A. Bogoni8Thais Q. Morcatty9Roberta Marques10Daniel Jiménez-García11Gabriel F. Massocato12Arnaud L. Desbiez13Danilo Kluyber14Hani R. El Bizri15Group of Biogeography, Diversity and Conservation, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of MalagaDepartment of Social Medicine, Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito SantoCenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)Group of Biogeography, Diversity and Conservation, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of MalagaMIVEGEC (UMR University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD)Research Network On Diversity, Conservation and Use of Wildlife in Amazonia (RedeFauna)Department of Biology, University of OxfordLiving Gaia E.V.Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Limnology, Biodiversity, and Ethnobiology Research Center of Pantanal, Mammalogy Laboratory, State University of Mato GrossoResearch Network On Diversity, Conservation and Use of Wildlife in Amazonia (RedeFauna)Biodiversity Laboratory, Agroecology and Environment Center, Institute of Sciences, Benemérita Autonomous University of PueblaBiodiversity Laboratory, Agroecology and Environment Center, Institute of Sciences, Benemérita Autonomous University of PueblaWildlife Conservation Institute (ICAS)Wildlife Conservation Institute (ICAS)MIVEGEC (UMR University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD)Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)Abstract Background Leprosy remains a persistent public health challenge, where human-to-human transmission of Mycobacterium leprae via respiratory droplets is well established. In the tropical Americas, growing evidence implicates armadillos as important zoonotic reservoirs, particularly through direct contact during hunting and handling. However, such transmission has so far been considered rare and highly localised. This study provides a comprehensive spatial analysis of the role of armadillo hunting in human leprosy transmission, quantifying its contribution to disease prevalence and identifying geographic hotspots where interventions could be most effective. Methods Using Brazil’s 326,001 reported leprosy cases from 2013 to 2022, we applied a pathogeographical approach to explore transmission dynamics. We compiled data on 554 hunted armadillos across 175 municipalities and M. leprae prevalence in 376 armadillo individuals from 97 municipalities (mean prevalence = 38.5%). These were used to build spatial models assessing hunting-related infection risk and integrated as a variable into a generalised linear model alongside socioeconomic, climatic, and environmental predictors to evaluate their effects on human leprosy prevalence. Results Key predictors of armadillo hunting included higher population density (P < 0.001) and firearm availability (P < 0.01). Infection in armadillos was negatively correlated with native habitat coverage (coefficient: − 2.28; P < 0.001), suggesting that environmental degradation can amplify infection risk. The armadillo-hunting infection risk variable—generated by combining armadillo hunting and infection favourability models—emerged as the second strongest predictor of human leprosy prevalence (coefficient: 1.69; P < 0.001), accounting for ~ 25% of cases nationally and around 40% in deforestation hotspots. Additional positive predictors included greater precipitation seasonality (coefficient: 0.82; P < 0.001) and malnutrition (coefficient: 0.01; P < 0.001), while higher population density (coefficient: − 0.64; P < 0.001), natural habitat coverage (coefficient: − 0.50; P < 0.001) and socioeconomic status (coefficient: − 0.47; P = 0.013) were linked to reduced disease prevalence. Conclusions Armadillo hunting seems to play a more significant role in human leprosy transmission than previously recognised. To address this overlooked pathway, targeted interventions should focus on reducing unsafe and illegal hunting, improving communication around zoonotic risks, strengthening disease surveillance in high-risk areas, and conducting genetic studies to confirm wildlife-to-human transmission. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating wildlife-associated transmission pathways into strategies to reduce disease prevalence and mitigate future outbreaks in tropical regions facing rapid environmental change and persistent poverty. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01301-zDisease ecologyHuman-animal interactionArmadilloMycobacterium lepraeZoonotic diseasesPathogeography |
| spellingShingle | Alisa Aliaga-Samanez Patricia D. Deps Julia E. Fa Raimundo Real Jean-François Guégan Marcela A. Oliveira Aline Pessutti Simon Knoop Juliano A. Bogoni Thais Q. Morcatty Roberta Marques Daniel Jiménez-García Gabriel F. Massocato Arnaud L. Desbiez Danilo Kluyber Hani R. El Bizri Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study Infectious Diseases of Poverty Disease ecology Human-animal interaction Armadillo Mycobacterium leprae Zoonotic diseases Pathogeography |
| title | Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study |
| title_full | Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study |
| title_fullStr | Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study |
| title_short | Wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical Americas: a pathogeographical study |
| title_sort | wildlife hunting and the increased risk of leprosy transmission in the tropical americas a pathogeographical study |
| topic | Disease ecology Human-animal interaction Armadillo Mycobacterium leprae Zoonotic diseases Pathogeography |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01301-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alisaaliagasamanez wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT patriciaddeps wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT juliaefa wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT raimundoreal wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT jeanfrancoisguegan wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT marcelaaoliveira wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT alinepessutti wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT simonknoop wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT julianoabogoni wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT thaisqmorcatty wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT robertamarques wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT danieljimenezgarcia wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT gabrielfmassocato wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT arnaudldesbiez wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT danilokluyber wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy AT hanirelbizri wildlifehuntingandtheincreasedriskofleprosytransmissioninthetropicalamericasapathogeographicalstudy |