Apodemus mice are key reservoirs for Borrelia and Neoehrlichia, but landscape drives tick-borne pathogen risk
Photo by Testalize.me / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Consider Apodemus mice as confirmed reservoirs for Borrelia and Neoehrlichia, but recognize that landscape and climate drive broader pathogen risk.
This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the role of European Apodemus spp. (wood mice) in the ecology of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens. The authors examine how ecological context, host demography, population density, community composition, habitat configuration, climatic variability, landscape structure, forest cover, temperature, urbanization, and land-use change influence reservoir competence and transmission cycles.
Key findings indicate that Apodemus spp. function as confirmed reservoir hosts for some agents, particularly certain Borrelia genospecies and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. However, their contribution to other transmission cycles is ecotype-dependent, indirect, or context-specific. Landscape structure, forest cover, and temperature-related variables emerge as key large-scale predictors of tick-borne pathogen incidence.
The authors note marked heterogeneity in species-specific epidemiological roles across pathogens as a limitation. They caution that infection prevalence alone does not equate to reservoir competence.
Practice relevance lies in adopting a One Health perspective that considers rodent ecology, vector biology, and environmental change in concert. The review underscores the complexity of tick-borne disease ecology and the need for context-specific risk assessment.
View Original Abstract ↓
Rodents of the genus Apodemus are among the most widespread and abundant small mammals in Europe and play a central role in the ecology of numerous zoonotic pathogens. Owing to their ecological plasticity, high population densities, and frequent infestation by arthropod vectors, Apodemus species contribute to the maintenance and transmission of a diverse array of bacterial, viral, and protozoan agents of public health concern. This narrative review synthesises current knowledge on vector-borne pathogens associated with European Apodemus spp. and highlights marked heterogeneity in species-specific epidemiological roles across pathogens. We highlight marked heterogeneity in the epidemiological roles of Apodemus spp. across pathogens. While they function as confirmed reservoir hosts for some agents, particularly certain Borrelia genospecies and Neoehrlichia mikurensis, their contribution to other transmission cycles is ecotype-dependent, indirect, or context-specific. Infection dynamics are shaped by host demography, population density, community composition, habitat configuration, and climatic variability, which together modulate vector abundance, host-vector contact rates, and environmental persistence. Importantly, infection prevalence alone does not equate to reservoir competence; instead, pathogen-specific life histories and ecological context determine the extent to which Apodemus spp. amplify or bridge transmission. Landscape structure, forest cover, and temperature-related variables emerge as key large-scale predictors of tick-borne pathogen incidence, linking rodent ecology to human disease risk. Urbanisation and land-use change further reorganise host–vector networks, creating novel interfaces for spillover. By integrating multi-pathogen evidence across ecological scales, this review underscores the importance of adopting a One Health perspective that considers rodent ecology, vector biology, and environmental change in concert. Understanding the context-dependent role of Apodemus spp. is essential for anticipating future zoonotic risk under ongoing climatic and landscape transformation.
Intrawound tobramycin plus vancomycin did not reduce deep infection risk compared with vancomycin alone in high-risk tibial fractures
Adding Antibiotics to Bone Surgery Didn't Lower Infection Risk
Related in Infectious Disease
CDK4/6 inhibitors show therapeutic potential in advanced gastrointestinal cancers, review finds
CDK4/6 inhibitors show promise against digestive cancers
This narrative review examines the role of CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib) in advanced gastrointestinal cancers. It…
New review reveals how CDK4/6 drugs might work against stomach, colon, and liver cancers, but hurdles remain.
Standardized environmental AMR detection needed for regulatory interpretation and concern tiering
Standardizing environmental antibiotic data helps regulators assess antibiotic resistance risks
This review argues that environmental detection of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance genes/bacteria becomes more useful when evidence…
A review explains how combining antibiotic exposure data with resistance evidence improves how regulators evaluate environmental antibiotic …
Gut microbiota dysbiosis shows strong observational link to endometriosis in reproductive-aged women
Gut bacteria linked to endometriosis, review finds
This narrative review examines the association between gut microbiota dysbiosis and endometriosis in reproductive-aged women. The authors re…
A review of studies finds a strong link between gut bacteria imbalances and endometriosis, but can't prove cause and effect.
HIV linked to lower odds of post-TB lung disease; undernutrition raises risk
Undernutrition and HIV may lower or raise lung damage risk after tuberculosis in low-income nations
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 41 studies in LMICs found that HIV was associated with reduced odds of spirometry-defined post-t…
New analysis of data from low-income countries shows mixed results on how HIV, diabetes, and poor nutrition affect lung health after tubercu…
From Other Specialties
Surface modification strategies of oral liposomes are pivotal for overcoming industrial scale-up bottlenecks and ensuring future clinical success
Surface modification strategies of oral liposomes face scale-up and safety hurdles
This narrative review discusses surface modification strategies of oral liposomes, including synthetic polymer, natural biomacromolecule, sm…
A review notes that overcoming industrial scale-up bottlenecks and conducting rigorous long-term biosafety evaluations are pivotal for futur…
LMWH remains useful when oral anticoagulants are difficult to use safely in venous thromboembolism patients
Low-molecular-weight heparin remains useful when oral anticoagulants are difficult to use safely
This narrative review examines low-molecular-weight heparin dosing, anti-factor Xa monitoring, treatment interruption, and switching strateg…
A review suggests low-molecular-weight heparin stays useful when oral anticoagulants are difficult to use safely for patients with venous th…
Adding linaclotide to PEG did not improve bowel prep quality in high-risk colonoscopy patients undergoing screening procedures
Adding Linaclotide to PEG does not improve bowel preparation for colonoscopy
A randomized trial found that adding linaclotide to polyethylene glycol did not significantly improve adequate bowel preparation rates or ad…
A trial found that adding linaclotide to polyethylene glycol did not improve bowel preparation or adenoma detection compared to placebo plus…
CYP7A1 and SLC39A9 variants linked to bile acid levels and cholestasis in Chinese women
Genetic factors linked to bile acid levels in Chinese pregnant women
This genome-wide association study and meta-analysis in 13,357 Chinese pregnant women identified CYP7A1 and SLC39A9 variants significantly a…
Genetic markers found in Chinese pregnant women connect to bile acid levels and pregnancy liver conditions. This preprint study offers new i…