Unravelling ecological factors influencing phylodynamics of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India

IF 2.6 4区医学 Q3 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Infection Genetics and Evolution Pub Date : 2025-09-17 DOI:10.1016/j.meegid.2025.105831

Sahal Paladan , Bhimanagoud Kumbar , Dharani Govindasamy , Shweta Patil , H.B. Chethan Kumar , Revanaiah Yogisharadhya , Pragya Yadav , T. Jeromie Wesley Vivian , Sathish S. Gaekwad , Naveen Kumar , Baldev Raj Gulati , Sathish Bhadravati Shivachandra , Mohammed Mudassar Chanda

{"title":"Unravelling ecological factors influencing phylodynamics of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India","authors":"Sahal Paladan , Bhimanagoud Kumbar , Dharani Govindasamy , Shweta Patil , H.B. Chethan Kumar , Revanaiah Yogisharadhya , Pragya Yadav , T. Jeromie Wesley Vivian , Sathish S. Gaekwad , Naveen Kumar , Baldev Raj Gulati , Sathish Bhadravati Shivachandra , Mohammed Mudassar Chanda","doi":"10.1016/j.meegid.2025.105831","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV) is a tick-borne flavivirus endemic to the Western Ghats region of India, with increasing reports of geographic expansion. This study employs phylogenetic analysis and spatial diffusion modeling to understand the evolutionary dynamics and transmission patterns of KFDV. Whole genome and <em>E</em>-gene sequences were analysed to identify major phylogenetic clusters, transmission velocity, and environmental factors influencing viral spread. The analysis revealed two primary phylogenetic clusters: Cluster A, originating in Karnataka, and linked to initial outbreaks (1957–1972) and subsequent re-emergence post-2010 in Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa; and Cluster B, which expanded from Maharashtra in the late 1970s into Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. Phylogenetic findings indicated a slow mutation rate, indicative of long-term viral persistence in sylvatic reservoirs rather than sustained human-human transmission.</div><div>Spatial diffusion analysis estimated a median transmission velocity of 59.67 km/year. Environmental factors such as deforestation, land cover change, and livestock density acted as facilitators of viral spread, while urbanization, open water bodies, and precipitation served as resistance factors. The findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance, ecological monitoring, and public health interventions to mitigate the increasing risk of KFD outbreaks. This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding KFDV transmission and evolution, integrating phylogenetic and ecological data to improve risk assessment and guide control strategies in both endemic and emerging regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54986,"journal":{"name":"Infection Genetics and Evolution","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 105831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Infection Genetics and Evolution","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567134825001200","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INFECTIOUS DISEASES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV) is a tick-borne flavivirus endemic to the Western Ghats region of India, with increasing reports of geographic expansion. This study employs phylogenetic analysis and spatial diffusion modeling to understand the evolutionary dynamics and transmission patterns of KFDV. Whole genome and E-gene sequences were analysed to identify major phylogenetic clusters, transmission velocity, and environmental factors influencing viral spread. The analysis revealed two primary phylogenetic clusters: Cluster A, originating in Karnataka, and linked to initial outbreaks (1957–1972) and subsequent re-emergence post-2010 in Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa; and Cluster B, which expanded from Maharashtra in the late 1970s into Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. Phylogenetic findings indicated a slow mutation rate, indicative of long-term viral persistence in sylvatic reservoirs rather than sustained human-human transmission.

Spatial diffusion analysis estimated a median transmission velocity of 59.67 km/year. Environmental factors such as deforestation, land cover change, and livestock density acted as facilitators of viral spread, while urbanization, open water bodies, and precipitation served as resistance factors. The findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance, ecological monitoring, and public health interventions to mitigate the increasing risk of KFD outbreaks. This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding KFDV transmission and evolution, integrating phylogenetic and ecological data to improve risk assessment and guide control strategies in both endemic and emerging regions.

查看原文本刊更多论文

揭示影响印度Kyasanur森林病害系统动力学的生态因素。

喀萨努尔森林病病毒（KFDV）是印度西高止山脉地区的一种地方性蜱传黄病毒，有越来越多的地理扩展报告。本研究采用系统发育分析和空间扩散模型来了解KFDV的进化动力学和传播模式。分析全基因组和e基因序列，以确定主要的系统发育集群、传播速度和影响病毒传播的环境因素。分析揭示了两个主要的系统发育聚集性：聚集性A，起源于卡纳塔克邦，与卡纳塔克邦、喀拉拉邦和果阿邦的最初暴发（1957-1972年）和2010年后的再次暴发有关；B集群在20世纪70年代末从马哈拉施特拉邦扩展到泰米尔纳德邦、卡纳塔克邦和喀拉拉邦。系统发育结果表明突变率缓慢，表明病毒在森林水库中长期存在，而不是持续的人类传播。空间扩散分析估计中位传播速度为59.67 km/年。森林砍伐、土地覆盖变化和牲畜密度等环境因素是病毒传播的促进因素，而城市化、开放水体和降水是病毒传播的阻力因素。研究结果强调需要加强监测、生态监测和公共卫生干预，以减轻口蹄疫爆发日益增加的风险。该研究为了解KFDV的传播和进化提供了一个全面的框架，整合了系统发育和生态数据，以改善流行地区和新兴地区的风险评估和指导控制策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Infection Genetics and Evolution 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

8.40

自引率

0.00%

发文量

215

审稿时长

82 days

期刊介绍： (aka Journal of Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics of Infectious Diseases -- MEEGID) Infectious diseases constitute one of the main challenges to medical science in the coming century. The impressive development of molecular megatechnologies and of bioinformatics have greatly increased our knowledge of the evolution, transmission and pathogenicity of infectious diseases. Research has shown that host susceptibility to many infectious diseases has a genetic basis. Furthermore, much is now known on the molecular epidemiology, evolution and virulence of pathogenic agents, as well as their resistance to drugs, vaccines, and antibiotics. Equally, research on the genetics of disease vectors has greatly improved our understanding of their systematics, has increased our capacity to identify target populations for control or intervention, and has provided detailed information on the mechanisms of insecticide resistance. However, the genetics and evolutionary biology of hosts, pathogens and vectors have tended to develop as three separate fields of research. This artificial compartmentalisation is of concern due to our growing appreciation of the strong co-evolutionary interactions among hosts, pathogens and vectors. Infection, Genetics and Evolution and its companion congress [MEEGID](http://www.meegidconference.com/) (for Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics of Infectious Diseases) are the main forum acting for the cross-fertilization between evolutionary science and biomedical research on infectious diseases. Infection, Genetics and Evolution is the only journal that welcomes articles dealing with the genetics and evolutionary biology of hosts, pathogens and vectors, and coevolution processes among them in relation to infection and disease manifestation. All infectious models enter the scope of the journal, including pathogens of humans, animals and plants, either parasites, fungi, bacteria, viruses or prions. The journal welcomes articles dealing with genetics, population genetics, genomics, postgenomics, gene expression, evolutionary biology, population dynamics, mathematical modeling and bioinformatics. We also provide many author benefits, such as free PDFs, a liberal copyright policy, special discounts on Elsevier publications and much more. Please click here for more information on our author services .