Dataset Information

Estimating the geographic distribution of human Tanapox and potential reservoirs using ecological niche modeling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tanapox virus is a zoonotic infection that causes mild febrile illness and one to several nodular skin lesions. The disease is endemic in parts of Africa. The principal reservoir for the virus that causes Tanapox is unknown, but has been hypothesized to be a non-human primate. This study employs ecological niche modeling (ENM) to determine areas of tropical Africa suitable for the occurrence of human Tanapox and a list of hypothetical reservoirs. The resultant niche model will be a useful tool to guide medical surveillance activities in the region.

Methods

This study uses the Desktop GARP software to predict regions where human Tanapox might be expected to occur based on historical human case locations and environmental data. Additional modeling of primate species, using occurrence data from museum records was performed to determine suitable disease reservoirs.

Results

The final ENM predicts a potential distribution of Tanapox over much of equatorial Africa, exceeding the borders of Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where it has been historically reported. Five genera of non-human primates were found to be potential reservoir taxa.

Conclusions

Validity testing suggests the model created here is robust (p?

SUBMITTER: Monroe BP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4189193 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Estimating the geographic distribution of human Tanapox and potential reservoirs using ecological niche modeling.

Monroe Benjamin P BP Nakazawa Yoshinori J YJ Reynolds Mary G MG Carroll Darin S DS

International journal of health geographics 20140925

<h4>Background</h4>Tanapox virus is a zoonotic infection that causes mild febrile illness and one to several nodular skin lesions. The disease is endemic in parts of Africa. The principal reservoir for the virus that causes Tanapox is unknown, but has been hypothesized to be a non-human primate. This study employs ecological niche modeling (ENM) to determine areas of tropical Africa suitable for the occurrence of human Tanapox and a list of hypothetical reservoirs. The resultant niche model will ...[more]

PMID: 25255815

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Dataset Information

Estimating the geographic distribution of human Tanapox and potential reservoirs using ecological niche modeling.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Estimating the geographic distribution of human Tanapox and potential reservoirs using ecological niche modeling.

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