Protective effect of predator species richness on human hantavirus infection incidence

Kyung-Duk Min,Seung-sik Hwang,Seongbeom Cho,Maria Cristina Schneider,Ho Kim,Jusun Hwang,Sung-il Cho

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-78765-6

Kyung-Duk Min, Seung-sik Hwang + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78765-6

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Abstract

Are predators of rodents beneficial for public health? This question focuses on whether predators regulate the spillover transmission of rodent-borne diseases. No clear answer has emerged because of the complex linkages across multiple trophic levels and the lack of accessible data. Although previous empirical findings have suggested ecological mechanisms, such as resource partitioning, which implies protective effects from predator species richness, epidemiological evidence is needed to bolster these arguments. Thus, we investigated the association between predator species richness and incidence of rodent-borne haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the human population using district-level longitudinal data of 13 years for South Korea. With the exception of districts with low species richness, we found a significant negative association between the incidence of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and the species richness of both avian and mammalian predators; the trends for both predator types were similar. Thus, biodiversity conservation may benefit public health.

Highlights

Are predators of rodents beneficial for public health? This question focuses on whether predators regulate the spillover transmission of rodent-borne diseases
We conducted a national level observational study to assess the preventive effects of predator species richness on human disease risk, on human incidence of rodent-borne haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in South Korea
Various datasets from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS)[19] and the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)[20] provided us with covariates, such as sociodemographic, meteorological, and geographic factors, which were needed to adjust the association between HFRS incidence and predator richness

Summary

Introduction

Are predators of rodents beneficial for public health? This question focuses on whether predators regulate the spillover transmission of rodent-borne diseases. One possible underlying mechanism is resource partitioning; competing predators tend to use different niches to increase their chance of coexistence, decreasing the prey d ensity[16] Such findings of studies of community ecology or disease ecology should be complemented by epidemiological studies using direct measures of human disease risk (e.g. incidence rate of human disease) to bolster the suggestion that public health benefits from predator richness. Epidemiological studies using direct measures can provide information about the size of the association, which would be useful for health authorities In this regard, we conducted a national level observational study to assess the preventive effects of predator species richness on human disease risk, on human incidence of rodent-borne haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in South Korea. When assessing predator species richness, we included both mammalian and avian species, and the association of each class was examined separately

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