Tracking pathogen-related markers with eDNA in natural areas: how environmental factors shape surveillance strategies
Veterinary Research publish this investigation article
In Press
The wildlife-livestock-environment interface is a complex system with implications for biodiversity and diseases. Environmental nucleic acid detection (ENAD) is a non-invasive method for monitoring DNA/RNA from microorganisms, meiofauna, and hosts. However, how environmental variables influence ENAD in heterogeneous geographic contexts remains poorly explored. In this study, 18 sites were evaluated in Iberian Peninsula, collecting 10 surface sponge samples per site and a total of 146 environmental fecal samples to investigate how environmental, mammal community and wildlife health variables may influence ENAD, using different pathogen-related markers as the study model. Differences in ENAD were assessed among sponge sampling methods and between sponge and fecal samples. The results show that environmental characteristics influence ENAD, at least for pathogen-related markers and at larger geographic scales. Greater pathogen marker diversity and richness was observed at higher latitudes. Most markers found in feces were also detectable in surface sponges. Combining different sponge sampling methodologies provided the best overall coverage of detectable environmental DNA. A predictive map linking ENAD in sponges to environmental factors was developed
Perello A., Smoglica C., Gonzalez-Crespo C., Perez-Sancho M., Gonzalez-Barrio D., Herranz-Benito C., Dashti A., Sanchez S., Carmena D., Varzandi AR., Ferroglio E., Dominguez L., Martinez-Lopez B. and Gortazar C.
 | Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio). Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (UCLM). Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM). |
| Veterinary School. Teramo University. | |
 | Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance. School of Veterinary Medicine. University of California-Davis (UCDAVIS). |
 | Servicio de Identificación y Caracterización Microbiana (ICM). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
 | Servicio de Parasitología. Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM). Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). |
| Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). |
| School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Department of Veterinary Sciences. University of Turin. | |
