Urbanization often substantially influences animal movement and gene flow. However, few studies to date have examined flow of the same species across multiple cities. In this study, we examine brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) test hypotheses about repeatability neutral evolution four cities: Salvador, Brazil; New Orleans, USA; Vancouver, Canada; York City, USA. At least 150 were sampled from each city genotyped for a minimum 15 000 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Levels diversity...

We are facing interwoven global threats to public health and ecosystem function that reveal the intrinsic connections between human wildlife health. These challenges especially pressing in cities, where social-ecological interactions pronounced. The One Health concept provides an organizing framework promotes well-being of urban communities ecosystems. However, for be successful, it must incorporate societal inequities environmental disamenities, exposures, policy. Such affect all...

The presence of urban rats in the neighbourhood environment may negatively impact physical and mental health residents. Our study sought to describe experiences with, perceptions of, feelings towards rat control efforts among a group disadvantaged residents Vancouver, Canada.Semi-structured interviews were held with 20 members Vancouver Area Network Drug Users (VANDU) recruited by VANDU staff. Interviews audio recorded, transcribed, analyzed using thematic analysis.Participants reported...

We found that lethal, urban rat control is associated with a significant increase in the odds surviving rats carry Leptospira interrogans. Our results suggest human interventions have potential to affect and even prevalence of zoonotic pathogens within populations.

Preventing infestations of rats is crucial for minimizing property damage and the transmission rat-associated pathogens to humans. Due logistical challenges in assessing rat abundance over large areas, public officials must often use number complaints estimate relative subsequent need rodent control. However, likelihood reporting may be driven by socioeconomic factors therefore not accurately reflect abundance. In this study, we tested whether if are higher alleys with greater levels...

Rat-associated zoonoses transmitted through faeces or urine are of particular concern for public health because environmental exposure in homes and businesses may be frequent undetected. To identify times locations with greater risks from rats, we investigated whether rat characteristics, features, socioeconomic factors, season could predict infection risk across diverse urban neighbourhoods. In partnership a pest management company, sampled rats 13 community areas along an income gradient...

Rattus spp. may acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistant bacteria or resistance (AMR) genes. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize available research findings on AMR in describe the size scope of literature epidemiology The was performed according Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Meta-Analysis extension Scoping (PRISMA-ScR). search focused scientific peer-reviewed publications focusing peridomestic limited English PubMed, Web Science Scopus between 2000 2021....

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a globally distributed pathogen that causes acute hepatitis in people. Recent human cases of HEV arising after contact with urban rats (Rattus spp.) have raised concerns regarding whether may be source infection. We investigated Norway norvegicus) could an underserved neighborhood Vancouver, Canada. found 15% tested positive for rat HEV, and status was associated increasing body length family relationships. Rat isolates were clustered according to their location on...

Abstract Livestock are vital to the health and economic stability of communities worldwide. However, infectious diseases threaten both animal human due losses in livestock, decreased production, transmission zoonotic diseases. To manage mitigate these risks, access livestock vaccines is critical. This often gendered, with societal cultural norms influencing barriers access. Through a scoping review 49 publications, we describe gendered dynamics vaccination relation farmers’ perceptions...

To sustainably control urban rat infestations, management efforts need to encompass large areas of centers. Therefore, the objective this review and narrative synthesis was collate what is known about municipal-scale management. We explored frameworks that have been used at a scale in cities we describe expectations experts who designed implemented these frameworks. found there has persistent “war on rats” paradigm driving literature since early 1900s. Not only little quantitative evidence...

Abstract Urban Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) carry several pathogens transmissible to people. However, pathogen prevalence can vary across fine spatial scales (i.e., by city block). Using a population genomics approach, we sought describe rat movement patterns an urban landscape and evaluate whether these align with distributions. We genotyped 605 from single neighborhood in Vancouver, Canada, used 1,495 genome‐wide nucleotide polymorphisms identify parent–offspring sibling relationships...

Abstract Living in cities creates One Health challenges because urban environments can promote pathogen transmission wildlife and human-wildlife interactions with commensal species such as rats. In this study, we examined social ecological processes that lead to an elevated risk of leptospirosis, a fatal rat-associated disease transmitted through Leptospira interrogans bacteria urine. We rat human factors associated (1) exposure urine the home environment, (2) presence rats carrying L. on...

This study explores the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) experienced by patients with Long COVD-19 using data from British Columbia's post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinics. A retrospective cohort 3463 was analyzed to assess HRQoL through EQ-5D-5L questionnaire which includes five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, physical health, and mental health) administered patients; responses were Visual Analogue Score (VAS). Notably, 95% participants reported scores below 90, 50%...

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease for which rats are the primary reservoir in urban environments. It transmitted from to people via urine, and responsible significant human morbidity mortality under-resourced settings. To mitigate risks posed people, it important understand ecology of causative agent Leptospira interrogans. The overarching objective this study was compare L. interrogans carriage Norway two ecologically distinct We trapped (Rattus norvegicus) Vancouver, Canada (N = 525)...

Understanding the local ecology of urban Norway rats (Rattus norevgicus) is necessary to inform effective rat mitigation strategies. While Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) methods can be used acquire such ecological information (e.g., abundance, movement patterns, and habitat use), these techniques assume that all individuals study population are equally trappable. To test whether adhere this assumption, we conducted a four-week CMR in an neighborhood Vancouver, Canada, evaluate characteristics...

Abstract Urban Norway rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) populations can carry the bacteria methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). There are numerous knowledge gaps in epidemiology of MRSA these that limit understanding its ecology urban environments. For example, fecal shedding MRSA, which may increase environmental contamination, has been reported other species; however, it is unknown whether rats rectally. Furthermore, while intermittent shown species and dictate when risk...

Despite the ubiquity of rats, we lack an understanding how they move within urban environment. Traditional tools for studying rat movement, such as capture-mark-recapture, are time-intensive and provide coarse movement estimates. Alternative methods, continuous tracking by radio-telemetry difficult to employ in cities where buildings may obstruct radio signals. Global Positioning System (GPS) tags a promising alternative resolving fine-scale patterns. To test utility GPS affixed 14 sexually...

Abstract Following widespread closures of food-related businesses due to efforts curtail the spread SARS-CoV-2, public health authorities reported increased sightings rats in close vicinity people. Because vector a number pathogens transmissible people, changes their behavior has consequences for human risks. To determine extent how stay-at-home measures influenced patterns rat we: 1) examined rat-related service requests before and during period lockdown New York City (NYC) Tokyo, Japan; 2)...

Abstract Background Encounters with rats in urban areas increase risk of human exposure to rat-associated zoonotic pathogens and act as a stressor associated psychological distress. The frequency nature human-rat encounters may be altered by social distancing policies mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, restaurant closures reduce food availability for promote rat activity nearby residential areas, thus increasing public health risks during period crisis. In this study, we aimed...