Potential distributions of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis causing anthrax in Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis (Bcbva) is an emergent bacterium closely related to Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax. The latter has a worldwide distribution and usually causes infectious disease in mammals associated with savanna ecosystems. Bcbva was identified in humid tropical forests of Côte d'Ivoire in 2001. Here, we characterize the potential geographic distributions of Bcbva in West Africa and B. anthracis in sub-Saharan Africa using an ecological niche modeling approach.

Methodology/principal findings

Georeferenced occurrence data for B. anthracis and Bcbva were obtained from public data repositories and the scientific literature. Combinations of temperature, humidity, vegetation greenness, and soils values served as environmental var

SUBMITTER: Romero-Alvarez D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7082064 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature