DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mvs
title: When science remembers what is neglected: Addressing the risks of rodent-borne diseases in urban Latin America

description: Latin American cities face deep socio-economic inequalities that impact
 health, education, and the environment. These disparities influence
 zoonotic disease dynamics through complex host-pathogen-environment-human
 interactions. This study explores zoonotic risks associated with rodent
 communities across diverse social and environmental settings in the
 Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin, one of the most polluted urban areas in
 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Between 2022 and 2023, rodent community
 composition and health status were assessed at 22 sites, ranging from
 low-income neighborhoods to green areas along an urbanization gradient. A
 total of 366 rodents—comprising three synanthropic and four native
 species—were captured and tested for leptospirosis, Orthohantavirus,
 SARS-CoV-2, and zoonotic helminths. Rodent community structure reflected
 local environmental conditions: wild species dominated low-disturbance
 areas, while synanthropic species, especially Rattus norvegicus, prevailed
 in densely populated sites lacking basic urban services and hosted the
 highest pathogen richness. Pathogen presence was spatially heterogeneous
 and strongly linked to infrastructural deficiencies, underscoring the role
 of poor urban planning in the emergence of rodent-borne diseases. Findings
 informed the development of educational and training programs to prevent
 zoonoses. Grounded in the One Health framework, this study emphasizes the
 interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health and the need
 for transdisciplinary strategies in neglected urban areas.
description: # When science remembers what is neglected: Addressing the risks of
 rodent-borne diseases in urban Latin America Dryad DOI:
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mvs](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mvs) **Input data**: Raw data: Rodent_Communities.csv # For analysis of rodent communities * Site # 1-12 (low-income neighborhoods), 13-22 (Green areas) * R.norvegicus # rodent species * R.rattus # rodent species * M.musculus # rodent species * O.flavescens # rodent species * A.azarae # rodent species * S.aquaticus # rodent species * D.kempi # rodent species * Use_Management # Residential, Formal_Conservation, Mixed_Conservation/absent, Recreational * %vegetated_area # calculated in 1km² buffer level * %urbanized_area # calculated in 1km² buffer level * %area_with_water # calculated in 1km² buffer level * Population_density # calculated in 1km² buffer level * Ratio_vegetated_urbanized_area # calculated in 1km² buffer level * Breeding_animals # presence/absence at site level * Total_area # in km² calculated at site level * Total_vegetated_area # in km² calculated at site level * Total_water_area # in km² calculated at site level * Total_urbanized_area # in km² calculated at site level The comma (",") is used as the decimal separator # Raw data for Zoonotic pathogens in Rattus spp.: Parasites_Rattus.csv * Site # 1-12 (low-income neighborhoods) * ID # dwelling code * T.taeniaeformis # presence/absence * H.diminuta # presence/absence * A.cantonensis # presence/absence * H.nana # presence/absence * Leptospira # presence/absence * O.Seoul # presence/absence * SARS-CoV-2 # presence/absence * Sewerage # presence/absence * Running_water # presence/absence * Paved_road # presence/absence * Pets # number of pets in the household * Breeding_animals # presence/absence * area # total dwelling area (in m²) * %covered_area # percentage covered area of the dwelling * household_inhabitants # number of inhabitants in the dwelling * Population_density # population density at neighborhood level * NBI # percentage of dwellings with unmet basic needs "n/a" indicates “not available due to insufficient sample size to perform the corresponding analysis” The comma (",") is used as the decimal separator # Raw data for Zoonotic pathogens in Mus musculus: Parasites_Mus.csv * Site # 1-12 (low-income neighborhoods) * ID # dwelling code * T.taeniaeformis # presence/absence * Leptospira # presence/absence * SARS-CoV-2 # presence/absence * Sewerage # presence/absence * Running_water # presence/absence * Paved_road # presence/absence * Pets # number of pets in the household * Breeding_animals # presence/absence * area # total dwelling area (in m²) * %covered_area # percentage covered area of the dwelling * household_inhabitants # number of inhabitants in the dwelling * Population_density # population density at neighborhood level * NBI # percentage of dwellings with unmet basic needs "n/a" indicates “not available due to insufficient sample size to perform the corresponding analysis” The comma (",") is used as the decimal separator R Scripts: Script_HMSC.R