Changing landscapes, shifting reservoirs: land-use change andLeptospira ecology in Madagascar.

Land-use change is widely recognized as a driver of zoonotic disease emergence, yet its effects are often context-dependent. In an article published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, J. A. Rajaonarivelo, K. M. Kauffman, T. M. Randriamoria, J. P. Herrera, et al. (92:e02061-25, 2026, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02061-25) show that shifts in small mammal communities across a disturbance gradient in Madagascar are associated with changes in Leptospira prevalence and lineage distribution. Introduced rodents contributed disproportionately to infections, whereas bats exhibited distinct patterns across habitat types. These findings highlight the importance of host community composition in shaping pathogen dynamics in changing landscapes.