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Framst I, Wolking RM, Schonfeld J, Ricker N, Beeler-Marfisi J, Chalmers G, Kamath PL, Maboni G. High-throughput rapid amplicon sequencing for multilocus sequence typing of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae from archived clinical DNA samples. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1443855. [PMID: 39144078 PMCID: PMC11322507 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1443855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Spillover events of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae have devastating effects on the wild sheep populations. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is used to monitor spillover events and the spread of M. ovipneumoniae between the sheep populations. Most studies involving the typing of M. ovipneumoniae have used Sanger sequencing. However, this technology is time-consuming, expensive, and is not well suited to efficient batch sample processing. Methods Our study aimed to develop and validate an MLST workflow for typing of M. ovipneumoniae using Nanopore Rapid Barcoding sequencing and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We compare the workflow with Nanopore Native Barcoding library preparation and Illumina MiSeq amplicon protocols to determine the most accurate and cost-effective method for sequencing multiplex amplicons. A multiplex PCR was optimized for four housekeeping genes of M. ovipneumoniae using archived DNA samples (N = 68) from nasal swabs. Results Sequences recovered from Nanopore Rapid Barcoding correctly identified all MLST types with the shortest total workflow time and lowest cost per sample when compared with Nanopore Native Barcoding and Illumina MiSeq methods. Discussion Our proposed workflow is a convenient and effective method for strain typing of M. ovipneumoniae and can be applied to other bacterial MLST schemes. The workflow is suitable for diagnostic settings, where reduced hands-on time, cost, and multiplexing capabilities are important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Framst
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca M. Wolking
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | | | - Nicole Ricker
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Janet Beeler-Marfisi
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Gabhan Chalmers
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States
| | - Grazieli Maboni
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Thomas LF, Clontz D, Nunez CM, Dittmar RO, Hernandez F, Rech RR, Cook WE. Evaluating the transmission dynamics and host competency of aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) experimentally infected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and leukotoxigenic Pasteurellaceae. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294853. [PMID: 38950318 PMCID: PMC11216757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Feral populations of aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) occur in Texas bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) habitat and pose several conceptual ecological threats to bighorn sheep re-establishment efforts. The potential threat of disease transmission from aoudad to bighorn sheep may exacerbate these issues, but the host competency of aoudad and subsequent pathophysiology and transmissibility of pneumonic pathogens involved in the bighorn sheep respiratory disease complex is largely unknown. Because the largest population-limiting diseases of bighorn sheep involve pathogens causing bronchopneumonia, we evaluated the host competency of aoudad for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and leukotoxigenic Pasteurellaceae. Specifically, we described the shedding dynamics, pathogen carriage, seroconversion, clinical patterns, and pathological effects of experimental infection among wild aoudad held in captivity. We found that aoudad are competent hosts capable of maintaining and intraspecifically transmitting Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Pasteurellaceae and can shed the bacteria for 53 days after exposure. Aoudad developed limited clinical signs and pathological findings ranged from mild chronic lymphohistiocytic bronchointerstitial pneumonia to severe and acute suppurative pneumonia, similarly, observed in bighorn sheep infected with Mycoplasma spp. and Pasteurellaceae bacteria, respectively. Furthermore, as expected, clinical signs and lesions were often more severe in aoudad inoculated with a combination of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Pasteurellaceae as compared to aoudad inoculated with only Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. There may be evidence of interindividual susceptibility, pathogenicity, and/or transmissibility, indicated by individual aoudad maintaining varying severities of chronic infection who may be carriers continuously shedding pathogens. This is the first study to date to demonstrate that aoudad are a conceptual disease transmission threat to sympatric bighorn sheep populations due to their host competency and intraspecific transmission capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan F. Thomas
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dallas Clontz
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Chase M. Nunez
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Robert O. Dittmar
- Big Game Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Froylán Hernandez
- Big Game Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Raquel R. Rech
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Walter E. Cook
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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Fox KA, MacGlover CAW, Blecha KA, Stenglein MD. Assessing shared respiratory pathogens between domestic (Ovis aries) and bighorn (Ovis canadensis) sheep; methods for multiplex PCR, amplicon sequencing, and bioinformatics to characterize respiratory flora. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293062. [PMID: 37856492 PMCID: PMC10586700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory disease is responsible for dramatic population declines in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and respiratory pathogen diagnostics contribute to the management of bighorn populations. To create a comprehensive and consistent approach to bighorn sheep respiratory diagnostics, we created a culture-independent assay to detect and strain type Mannheimia haemolytica, Bibersteinia trehalosi, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. The assay also detects and characterizes the Pasteurellaceae leukotoxin A gene, and broadly assesses the bacterial composition of each sample based on 16S rRNA sequences. The assay is based on a three-step approach: 1) Multiplex PCR to amplify targets including eight loci for each bacterial species, the Pasteurellaceae lktA gene, and the 16S rRNA gene 2) Library preparation, barcoding, and short-read Illumina sequencing to determine the genetic sequences of each target, and 3) Bioinformatics in the form of automated software to analyze genetic sequences. The assay was designed to assess shared pathogens between domestic and bighorn sheep, but could be useful for many applications in bighorn sheep respiratory disease research and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A. Fox
- Wildlife Health Program, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Kevin A. Blecha
- Terrestrial Branch, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Gunnison, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Mark D. Stenglein
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Whiting JC, Bleich VC, Bowyer RT, Epps CW. Restoration of bighorn sheep: History, successes, and remaining conservation issues. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1083350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals are imperiled worldwide, primarily from habitat loss or modification, and exhibit downward trends in their populations and distributions. Likewise, large-bodied herbivores have undergone a collapse in numbers and are at the highest extinction risk of all mammals. Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are among those large-bodied herbivores that possess a slow-paced life history, suffer from debilitating diseases, and have experienced range contractions across their historical distribution since the late 1800s. Translocations and reintroductions of these mountain ungulates are key aspects of restoration and often are used to re-establish populations in historical habitat or to supplement declining herds. Millions of US dollars and much effort by state and federal natural resource agencies, as well as public and private organizations, have been expended to restore bighorn sheep. Despite those efforts, translocated populations of bighorn sheep have not always been successful. We assessed restoration of bighorn sheep to provide insights in the context of conservation of populations of bighorn sheep, because this management tool is a frequently used to re-establish populations. We focused briefly on past efforts to restore bighorn sheep populations and followed with updates on the value of habitat enhancements, genetic issues, the importance of ecotypic or phenotypic adaptations when restoring populations, predation, and disease transmission. We also raised issues and posed questions that have potential to affect future decisions regarding the restoration of bighorn sheep. This information will help conservationists improve the success of conserving these iconic large mammals.
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Dekelaita DJ, Epps CW, German DW, Powers JG, Gonzales BJ, Abella-Vu RK, Darby NW, Hughson DL, Stewart KM. Animal movement and associated infectious disease risk in a metapopulation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220390. [PMID: 36756067 PMCID: PMC9890124 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Animal movements among habitat patches or populations are important for maintaining long-term genetic and demographic viability, but connectivity may also facilitate disease spread and persistence. Understanding factors that influence animal movements is critical to understanding potential transmission risk and persistence of communicable disease in spatially structured systems. We evaluated effects of sex, age and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection status at capture on intermountain movements and seasonal movement rates observed in desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) using global positioning system collar data from 135 individuals (27 males, 108 females) in 14 populations between 2013 and 2018, following a pneumonia outbreak linked to the pathogen M. ovipneumoniae in the Mojave Desert, California, USA. Based on logistic regression analysis, intermountain movements were influenced by sex, age and most notably, infection status at capture: males, older animals and uninfected individuals were most likely to make such movements. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, females that tested positive for M. ovipneumoniae at capture also had lower mean daily movement rates that were further influenced by season. Our study provides empirical evidence of a pathogenic infection decreasing an individual's future mobility, presumably limiting that pathogen's ability to spread, and ultimately influencing transmission risk within a spatially structured system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella J. Dekelaita
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - David W. German
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife, Bishop, CA 93514, USA
| | - Jenny G. Powers
- Biological Resources Division, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
| | - Ben J. Gonzales
- Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-4503, USA
| | - Regina K. Abella-Vu
- Wildlife Branch, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1812 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95811, USA
| | - Neal W. Darby
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service, 2701 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, USA
| | - Debra L. Hughson
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service, 2701 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, USA
| | - Kelley M. Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0186, USA
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Walsh DP, Felts BL, Cassirer EF, Besser TE, Jenks JA. Host vs. pathogen evolutionary arms race: Effects of exposure history on individual response to a genetically diverse pathogen. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1039234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThroughout their range, bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations have seen significant disease-associated declines. Unfortunately, understanding of the underlying epidemiological processes driving the disease dynamics in this species has hindered conservation efforts aimed at improving the health and long-term viability of these populations. Individual response to pathogen exposure emerges from dynamic interactions between competing evolutionary processes within the host and pathogen. The host’s adaptive immune system recognizes pathogens and mounts a defensive response. Pathogens have evolved strategies to overcome adaptive immune defenses including maintaining high genetic diversity through rapid evolution. The outcomes of this evolutionary warfare determine the success of pathogen invasion of the host and ultimately the success of conservation efforts.MethodsDuring an epizootic dominated by a single strain, we explore these host-pathogen dynamics by examining the variation in effects of pathogen invasion on captive bighorn sheep with differing histories of exposure to genetically diverse strains of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi). We monitored clinical signs of disease and sampled animals and their environment to detect spread of Movi among 37 bighorn sheep separated into nine pens based on known exposure histories.ResultsWe documented Movi transmission within and across pens and we detected Movi DNA in air, water, and invertebrate samples. Higher levels of antibody to Movi prior to the epizootic were associated with a lower likelihood of presenting clinical signs of pneumonia. Nonetheless, higher antibody levels in symptomatic individuals were associated with more severe progressive disease, increased probability and speed of pneumonia-induced mortality, and reduced likelihood of returning to a healthy state. Bighorn sheep with previous exposure to a strain other than the predominant epizootic strain were more likely to recover.DiscussionOur results indicate that Movi-strain variability was sufficient to overwhelm the adaptive host immunological defenses. This outcome indicates, in free-ranging herds, past exposure is likely insufficient to protect bighorn sheep from infection by new Movi strains, although it influences the progression of disease and recovery within the herd. Therefore, given Movi-strain variability and the lack of immunological protection from past exposure, focusing management efforts on minimizing the introduction of Movi into bighorn herds, through separation of domestic and bighorn sheep and avoidance of management activities that create commingling of bighorn sheep carrying differing Movi strains, will likely be the most effective approach for reducing the effects of disease and achieving bighorn sheep conservation goals.
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Dugovich BS, Beechler BR, Dolan BP, Crowhurst RS, Gonzales BJ, Powers JG, Hughson DL, Vu RK, Epps CW, Jolles AE. Population connectivity patterns of genetic diversity, immune responses and exposure to infectious pneumonia in a metapopulation of desert bighorn sheep. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 36637333 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation is an important driver of biodiversity loss and can be remediated through management actions aimed at maintenance of natural connectivity in metapopulations. Connectivity may protect populations from infectious diseases by preserving immunogenetic diversity and disease resistance. However, connectivity could exacerbate the risk of infectious disease spread across vulnerable populations. We tracked the spread of a novel strain of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in a metapopulation of desert bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni in the Mojave Desert to investigate how variation in connectivity among populations influenced disease outcomes. M. ovipneumoniae was detected throughout the metapopulation, indicating that the relative isolation of many of these populations did not protect them from pathogen invasion. However, we show that connectivity among bighorn sheep populations was correlated with higher immunogenetic diversity, a protective immune response and lower disease prevalence. Variation in protective immunity predicted infection risk in individual bighorn sheep and was associated with heterozygosity at genetic loci linked to adaptive and innate immune signalling. Together, these findings may indicate that population connectivity maintains immunogenetic diversity in bighorn sheep populations in this system and has direct effects on immune responses in individual bighorn sheep and their susceptibility to infection by a deadly pathogen. Our study suggests that the genetic benefits of population connectivity could outweigh the risk of infectious disease spread and supports conservation management that maintains natural connectivity in metapopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Dugovich
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Brianna R Beechler
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Brian P Dolan
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Rachel S Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Ben J Gonzales
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
| | - Jenny G Powers
- National Park Service, Biological Resources Division, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Debra L Hughson
- National Park Service, Mojave National Preserve, Barstow, California, USA
| | - Regina K Vu
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
| | - Clinton W Epps
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Anna E Jolles
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.,Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae: A Most Variable Pathogen. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121477. [PMID: 36558811 PMCID: PMC9781387 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a well-established respiratory pathogen of sheep and goats, has gained increased importance recently because of its detection in wild ruminants including members of the Cervidae family. Despite its frequent isolation from apparently healthy animals, it is responsible for outbreaks of severe respiratory disease which are often linked to infections with multiple heterologous strains. Furthermore, M. ovipneumoniae is characterized by an unusually wide host range, a high degree of phenotypic, biochemical, and genomic heterogeneity, and variable and limited growth in mycoplasma media. A number of mechanisms have been proposed for its pathogenicity, including the production of hydrogen peroxide, reactive oxygen species production, and toxins. It shows wide metabolic activity in vitro, being able to utilize substrates such as glucose, pyruvate, and isopropanol; these patterns can be used to differentiate strains. Treatment of infections in the field is complicated by large variations in the susceptibility of strains to antimicrobials, with many showing high minimum inhibitory concentrations. The lack of commercially available vaccines is probably due to the high cost of developing vaccines for diseases in small ruminants not presently seen as high priority. Multiple strains found in affected sheep and goats may also hamper the development of effective vaccines. This review summarizes the current knowledge and identifies gaps in research on M. ovipneumoniae, including its epidemiology in sheep and goats, pathology and clinical presentation, infection in wild ruminants, virulence factors, metabolism, comparative genomics, genotypic variability, phenotypic variability, evolutionary mechanisms, isolation and culture, detection and identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, variations in antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, vaccines, and control.
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Sanchez JN, Munk BA, Colby J, Torres SG, Gonzales BJ, DeForge JR, Byard AJ, Konde L, Shirkey NJ, Pandit PS, Botta RA, Roug A, Ziccardi MH, Johnson CK. Pathogen surveillance and epidemiology in endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis nelsoni). CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022; 4:e12820. [PMID: 36590384 PMCID: PMC9799158 DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Peninsular bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) are found exclusively in Southern California and Baja Mexico. They are federally endangered due to multiple threats, including introduced infectious disease. From 1981 - 2017, we conducted surveillance for 16 pathogens and estimated population sizes, adult survival, and lamb survival. We used mixed effects regression models to assess disease patterns at the individual and population levels. Pathogen infection/exposure prevalence varied both spatially and temporally. Our findings indicate that the primary predictor of individual pathogen infection/exposure was the region in which an animal was captured, implying that transmission is driven by local ecological or behavioral factors. Higher Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae seropositivity was associated with lower lamb survival, consistent with lambs having high rates of pneumonia-associated mortality, which may be slowing population recovery. There was no association between M. ovipneumoniae and adult survival. Adult survival was positively associated with population size and parainfluenza-3 virus seroprevalence in the same year, and orf virus seroprevalence in the previous year. Peninsular bighorn sheep are recovering from small population sizes in a habitat of environmental extremes, compounded by infectious disease. Our research can help inform future pathogen surveillance and population monitoring for the long-term conservation of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N. Sanchez
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, California, USA 95616
| | - Brandon A. Munk
- Wildlife Health Lab, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA 95670
| | - Janene Colby
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region, 3883 Ruffin Rd, San Diego, CA, USA 92123
| | - Steve G. Torres
- Wildlife Health Lab, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA 95670
| | - Ben J. Gonzales
- Wildlife Health Lab, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA 95670
| | | | - Aimee J. Byard
- Bighorn Institute, P.O. Box 262, Palm Desert, CA, USA 92261
| | - Lora Konde
- Wildlife Health Lab, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA 95670
| | - Nicholas J. Shirkey
- Wildlife Health Lab, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA 95670
| | - Pranav S. Pandit
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, California, USA 95616
| | - Randy A. Botta
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region, 3883 Ruffin Rd, San Diego, CA, USA 92123
| | - Annette Roug
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Soutpan Road, Onderstepoort, Pretoria 0110, South Africa
| | - Michael H. Ziccardi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, California, USA 95616
| | - Christine K. Johnson
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, California, USA 95616
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Gude JA, DeCesare NJ, Proffitt KM, Sells SN, Garrott RA, Rangwala I, Biel M, Coltrane J, Cunningham J, Fletcher T, Loveless K, Mowry R, O'Reilly M, Rauscher R, Thompson M. Demographic uncertainty and disease risk influence climate‐informed management of an alpine species. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin A. Gude
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1420 East 6th Avenue Helena MT 59620 USA
| | | | - Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Sarah N. Sells
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, 205 Natural Sciences Building, University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Robert A. Garrott
- Department of Ecology Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Imtiaz Rangwala
- North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center & Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado‐Boulder 4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S340 Boulder CO 80303 USA
| | - Mark Biel
- Glacier National Park P.O. Box 128 West Glacier MT 59936 USA
| | - Jessica Coltrane
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 490 North Meridian Road Kalispell MT 59920 USA
| | - Julie Cunningham
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Tammy Fletcher
- U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region Missoula MT 59804 USA
| | - Karen Loveless
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 538 Orea Creek Livingston MT 59047 USA
| | - Rebecca Mowry
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula MT 59804 USA
| | - Megan O'Reilly
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 2300 Lake Elmo Drive Billings MT 59105 USA
| | - Ryan Rauscher
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 514 South Front Street, Suite C Conrad MT 59425 USA
| | - Michael Thompson
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula MT 59804 USA
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Multilocus Sequence Typing of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Detected in Dall's Sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) and Caribou (Rangifer tarandus grantii) in Alaska, USA. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:625-630. [PMID: 35442435 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In 2018, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae was detected in free-ranging caribou (Rangifer tarandus grantii) and Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) in Alaska, US. Evaluation of additional nasal swabs and archived tissues for M. ovipneumoniae suggested that this bacterium was widespread geographically and temporally in populations of both species. Multilocus sequence typing of four loci identified a single, novel, apparently stable strain type of M. ovipneumoniae in 11 Dall's sheep and 15 caribou in multiple populations across Alaska sampled over a period of 15 yr (2004-19). This strain type differs from those detected to date from wild or domestic sheep (Ovis aries) or goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) tested in Alaska or the lower 48 states. Although the population health implications of this strain are unknown, it has not been associated with population-wide mortality events. The presence of this strain does not decrease the potential risk from the introduction of a pathogenic M. ovipneumoniae strain associated with severe disease in other wildlife populations; therefore, continued monitoring for signs of disease and additional strains is important.
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Manlove KR, Roug A, Sinclair K, Ricci LE, Hersey KR, Martinez C, Martinez MA, Mower K, Ortega T, Rominger E, Ruhl C, Tatman N, Taylor J. Bighorn sheep show similar in-host responses to the same pathogen strain in two contrasting environments. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9109. [PMID: 35866023 PMCID: PMC9288933 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological context-the biotic and abiotic environment, along with its influence on population mixing dynamics and individual susceptibility-is thought to have major bearing on epidemic outcomes. However, direct comparisons of wildlife disease events in contrasting ecological contexts are often confounded by concurrent differences in host genetics, exposure histories, or pathogen strains. Here, we compare disease dynamics of a Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae spillover event that affected bighorn sheep populations in two contrasting ecological contexts. One event occurred on the herd's home range near the Rio Grande Gorge in New Mexico, while the other occurred in a captive facility at Hardware Ranch in Utah. While data collection regimens varied, general patterns of antibody signal strength and symptom emergence were conserved between the two sites. Symptoms appeared in the captive setting an average of 12.9 days postexposure, average time to seroconversion was 24.9 days, and clinical signs peaked at approximately 36 days postinfection. These patterns were consistent with serological testing and subsequent declines in symptom intensity in the free-ranging herd. At the captive site, older animals exhibited more severe declines in body condition and loin thickness, higher symptom burdens, and slower antibody response to the pathogen than younger animals. Younger animals were more likely than older animals to clear infection by the time of sampling at both sites. The patterns presented here suggest that environment may not be a major determinant of epidemiological outcomes in the bighorn sheep-M. ovipneumoniae system, elevating the possibility that host- or pathogen-factors may be responsible for observed variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Annette Roug
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Salt Lake City Utah USA.,Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Pretoria Onderstepoort South Africa
| | - Kylie Sinclair
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Lauren E Ricci
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Kent R Hersey
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | | | | | - Kerry Mower
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Talisa Ortega
- Taos Pueblo Division of Natural Resources Taos New Mexico USA
| | - Eric Rominger
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Caitlin Ruhl
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Nicole Tatman
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Jace Taylor
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Salt Lake City Utah USA.,US Fish and Wildlife Service Washington District of Columbia USA
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13
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Cristescu B, Elbroch LM, Forrester TD, Allen ML, Spitz DB, Wilmers CC, Wittmer HU. Standardizing protocols for determining the cause of mortality in wildlife studies. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9034. [PMID: 35784072 PMCID: PMC9219102 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality site investigations of telemetered wildlife are important for cause‐specific survival analyses and understanding underlying causes of observed population dynamics. Yet, eroding ecoliteracy and a lack of quality control in data collection can lead researchers to make incorrect conclusions, which may negatively impact management decisions for wildlife populations. We reviewed a random sample of 50 peer‐reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2019 on survival and cause‐specific mortality of ungulates monitored with telemetry devices. This concise review revealed extensive variation in reporting of field procedures, with many studies omitting critical information for the cause of mortality inference. Field protocols used to investigate mortality sites and ascertain the cause of mortality are often minimally described and frequently fail to address how investigators dealt with uncertainty. We outline a step‐by‐step procedure for mortality site investigations of telemetered ungulates, including evidence that should be documented in the field. Specifically, we highlight data that can be useful to differentiate predation from scavenging and more conclusively identify the predator species that killed the ungulate. We also outline how uncertainty in identifying the cause of mortality could be acknowledged and reported. We demonstrate the importance of rigorous protocols and prompt site investigations using data from our 5‐year study on survival and cause‐specific mortality of telemetered mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in northern California. Over the course of our study, we visited mortality sites of neonates (n = 91) and adults (n = 23) to ascertain the cause of mortality. Rapid site visitations significantly improved the successful identification of the cause of mortality and confidence levels for neonates. We discuss the need for rigorous and standardized protocols that include measures of confidence for mortality site investigations. We invite reviewers and journal editors to encourage authors to provide supportive information associated with the identification of causes of mortality, including uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Cristescu
- Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | | | - Tavis D. Forrester
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Research La Grande Oregon USA
| | - Maximilian L. Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - Derek B. Spitz
- Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | | | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington Wellington New Zealand
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14
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Johnson BM, Stroud-Settles J, Roug A, Manlove K. Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12081029. [PMID: 35454275 PMCID: PMC9028599 DOI: 10.3390/ani12081029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Like many wildlife diseases, bighorn sheep pneumonia can vary in burden. Here, we report on a bighorn sheep pneumonia event that showed much lower symptom and mortality burdens than have been documented previously. We provide detailed descriptions of symptoms, diagnostic testing results, and mixing patterns throughout the population, and end by discussing mechanisms that could have generated the distinct disease ecology associated with this event. Abstract Infectious pneumonia associated with the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is an impediment to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) population recovery throughout western North America, yet the full range of M. ovipneumoniae virulence in bighorn sheep is not well-understood. Here, we present data from an M. ovipneumoniae introduction event in the Zion desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) population in southern Utah. The ensuing disease event exhibited epidemiology distinct from what has been reported elsewhere, with virtually no mortality (0 adult mortalities among 70 animals tracked over 118 animal-years; 1 lamb mortality among 40 lambs tracked through weaning in the two summers following introduction; and lamb:ewe ratios of 34.9:100 in the year immediately after introduction and 49.4:100 in the second year after introduction). Individual-level immune responses were lower than expected, and M. ovipneumoniae appeared to fade out approximately 1.5 to 2 years after introduction. Several mechanisms could explain the limited burden of this M. ovipneumoniae event. First, most work on M. ovipneumoniae has centered on Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (O. c. candensis), but the Zion bighorns are members of the desert subspecies (O. c. nelsoni). Second, the particular M. ovipneumoniae strain involved comes from a clade of strains associated with weaker demographic responses in other settings. Third, the substructuring of the Zion population may have made this population more resilient to disease invasion and persistence. The limited burden of the disease event on the Zion bighorn population underscores a broader point in wildlife disease ecology: that one size may not fit all events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna M. Johnson
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA;
| | | | - Annette Roug
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1594 W North Temple Avenue, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, USA;
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Soutpan Road, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA;
- Correspondence:
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15
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Flesch E, Graves T, Thomson J, Proffitt K, Garrott R. Average kinship within bighorn sheep populations is associated with connectivity, augmentation, and bottlenecks. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Flesch
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Ecology Department Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Tabitha Graves
- Glacier Field Station U.S. Geological Survey West Glacier Montana USA
| | - Jennifer Thomson
- Animal and Range Sciences Department Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | | | - Robert Garrott
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Ecology Department Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
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16
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LABORATORY CONCORDANCE STUDY FOR THE MOLECULAR DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA OVIPNEUMONIAE. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:257-268. [PMID: 35104345 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As part of a respiratory pathogen survey of Alaska wildlife, we conducted a concordance study to assess Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae detection among three different PCR assays using a total of 346 nasal swabs sampled from four species (Dall's sheep, Ovis dalli dalli; mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus; caribou, Rangifer tarandus granti; and moose, Alces alces gigas), and two taxonomic subfamilies (Bovidae subfamily Caprinae and Cervidae subfamily Capreolinae). A federal research laboratory performed two PCR assays (xxxxxxxxx [LM40] and intergenic spacer region [IGS]), and a state diagnostic laboratory performed the third (universal Mycoplasma [UM]). Overall concordance was good, ranging from 93% to 99%, which was probably a result of low detection rate of M. ovipneumoniae. Due to differences in positive agreement, the quality of concordance between LM40 and both IGS and UM was considered fair. However, the quality of concordance between IGS and UM was excellent. All three PCR methods detected M. ovipneumoniae in a non-Caprinae species (caribou), and the LM40-PCR assay also detected M. ovipneumoniae in additional Caprinae species. The LM40-PCR assay detected M. ovipneumoniae in a larger number of samples than did the other two assays (IGS, UM). Because of potential differences in detection rates, it is critical to consider test parameters when evaluating a host population for the presence of M. ovipneumoniae.
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17
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Vaccines for Mycoplasma Diseases of Small Ruminants: A Neglected Area of Research. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11010075. [PMID: 35056023 PMCID: PMC8781016 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas cause some of the most economically important diseases of sheep and goats, including diseases listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) such as contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and contagious agalactia (CA). Other important mycoplasma diseases include chronic respiratory and arthritic syndrome (CRAS) and atypical pneumonia, both present on all continents where small ruminants are farmed. Unfortunately, owing to a lack of investment, most commercial vaccines for these diseases are of poor quality, being mostly composed of killed bacteriocins of dubious or unknown efficacy. Several Mediterranean laboratories produce autogenous vaccines, but these can only be used on farms where outbreaks have been officially declared, and consequently have limited impact on disease nationally. Effective live vaccines are available, but their use is often restricted because of safety concerns. With the necessary safeguards in place, we argue for their greater use. This review examines reported vaccines for mycoplasma diseases of small ruminants and attempts to identify new candidate antigens that may enable the development of improved products. Vaccines for CCPP are covered elsewhere.
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18
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Almberg ES, Manlove KR, Cassirer EF, Ramsey J, Carson K, Gude J, Plowright RK. Modelling management strategies for chronic disease in wildlife: Predictions for the control of respiratory disease in bighorn sheep. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology Center Utah State University Logan UT USA
| | | | | | - Keri Carson
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Bozeman MT USA
| | - Justin Gude
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Bozeman MT USA
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology Montana State University Bozeman MT USA
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19
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Besser TE, Cassirer EF, Lisk A, Nelson D, Manlove KR, Cross PC, Hogg JT. Natural history of a bighorn sheep pneumonia epizootic: Source of infection, course of disease, and pathogen clearance. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14366-14382. [PMID: 34765112 PMCID: PMC8571585 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A respiratory disease epizootic at the National Bison Range (NBR) in Montana in 2016-2017 caused an 85% decline in the bighorn sheep population, documented by observations of its unmarked but individually identifiable members, the subjects of an ongoing long-term study. The index case was likely one of a small group of young bighorn sheep on a short-term exploratory foray in early summer of 2016. Disease subsequently spread through the population, with peak mortality in September and October and continuing signs of respiratory disease and sporadic mortality of all age classes through early July 2017. Body condition scores and clinical signs suggested that the disease affected ewe groups before rams, although by the end of the epizootic, ram mortality (90% of 71) exceeded ewe mortality (79% of 84). Microbiological sampling 10 years to 3 months prior to the epizootic had documented no evidence of infection or exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae at NBR, but during the epizootic, a single genetic strain of M. ovipneumoniae was detected in affected animals. Retrospective screening of domestic sheep flocks near the NBR identified the same genetic strain in one flock, presumptively the source of the epizootic infection. Evidence of fatal lamb pneumonia was observed during the first two lambing seasons following the epizootic but was absent during the third season following the death of the last identified M. ovipneumoniae carrier ewe. Monitoring of life-history traits prior to the epizootic provided no evidence that environmentally and/or demographically induced nutritional or other stress contributed to the epizootic. Furthermore, the epizootic occurred despite proactive management actions undertaken to reduce risk of disease and increase resilience in this population. This closely observed bighorn sheep epizootic uniquely illustrates the natural history of the disease including the (presumptive) source of spillover, course, severity, and eventual pathogen clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | | | - Amy Lisk
- US Fish and Wildlife ServiceMoieseMontanaUSA
| | - Danielle Nelson
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic LaboratoryDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- U. S. Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMontanaUSA
| | - John T. Hogg
- Montana Conservation Science InstituteMissoulaMontanaUSA
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20
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Chen J, Zhou Y, Zhu E, Yang P, Li M, Zhang S, Yue J, Wen M, Wang K, Cheng Z. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae induces caspase-8-dependent extrinsic apoptosis and p53- and ROS-dependent intrinsic apoptosis in murine alveolar macrophages. Virulence 2021; 12:2703-2720. [PMID: 34678131 PMCID: PMC8923071 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1984714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MO) is a principle causative agent of chronic respiratory disease in ruminants, including sheep, goats, and deer, posing a great threat to the ruminant industry worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of MO infection still remains not well understood and needs further clarification. Here we report a time-dependent apoptosis in cultured murine alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cell lines in response to MO infection in vitro. Mechanistically, MO infection activated apoptosis in MH-S cells through caspase-8-dependent extrinsic pathway and through tumor protein 53 (p53)- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent intrinsic mitochondrial pathways. Moreover, MO infection promoted both transcription and translation of proinflammatory cytokine genes including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), in a caspase-8-, p53-, and ROS-dependent manner, implying a potential link between MO-induced inflammation and apoptotic cell death. Collectively, our results suggest that MO infection induces the activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in cultured MH-S cells, which is related to upregulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Our findings will contribute to the elucidation of pathogenesis in MO infection and provide valuable reference for the development of new strategies for controlling MO infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Erpeng Zhu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Mei Li
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Shuangxiang Zhang
- The Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Jun Yue
- The Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Ming Wen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kaigong Wang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhentao Cheng
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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21
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Genetic Diversity and Divergence among Bighorn Sheep from Reintroduced Herds in Washington and Idaho. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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22
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Previously Unrecognized Exposure of Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in the California Mojave Desert. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:447-452. [PMID: 33822157 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A 2013 outbreak of respiratory disease in bighorn sheep from California's Mojave Desert metapopulation caused high mortality in at least one population. Subsequent PCR and strain-typing indicate widespread infection of a single strain of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae throughout this region. Serosurvey of archived samples showed that some populations have had antibodies to M. ovipneumoniae since at least 1986, although pre-2013 strain-type data are unavailable.
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23
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Martin AM, Cassirer EF, Waits LP, Plowright RK, Cross PC, Andrews KR. Genomic association with pathogen carriage in bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2488-2502. [PMID: 33767816 PMCID: PMC7981200 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic composition can influence host susceptibility to, and transmission of, pathogens, with potential population-level consequences. In bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), pneumonia epidemics caused by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae have been associated with severe population declines and limited recovery across North America. Adult survivors either clear the infection or act as carriers that continually shed M. ovipneumoniae and expose their susceptible offspring, resulting in high rates of lamb mortality for years following the outbreak event. Here, we investigated the influence of genomic composition on persistent carriage of M. ovipneumoniae in a well-studied bighorn sheep herd in the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon, USA. Using 10,605 SNPs generated using RADseq technology for 25 female bighorn sheep, we assessed genomic diversity metrics and employed family-based genome-wide association methodologies to understand variant association and genetic architecture underlying chronic carriage. We observed no differences among genome-wide diversity metrics (heterozygosity and allelic richness) between groups. However, we identified two variant loci of interest and seven associated candidate genes, which may influence carriage status. Further, we found that the SNP panel explained ~55% of the phenotypic variance (SNP-based heritability) for M. ovipneumoniae carriage, though there was considerable uncertainty in these estimates. While small sample sizes limit conclusions drawn here, our study represents one of the first to assess the genomic factors influencing chronic carriage of a pathogen in a wild population and lays a foundation for understanding genomic influence on pathogen persistence in bighorn sheep and other wildlife populations. Future research should incorporate additional individuals as well as distinct herds to further explore the genomic basis of chronic carriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alynn M. Martin
- United States Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMTUSA
| | | | | | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMontana State UniversityBozemanMTUSA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- United States Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMTUSA
| | - Kimberly R. Andrews
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST)University of IdahoMoscowIDUSA
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24
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Spaan RS, Epps CW, Crowhurst R, Whittaker D, Cox M, Duarte A. Impact of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae on juvenile bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis) survival in the northern Basin and Range ecosystem. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10710. [PMID: 33552728 PMCID: PMC7821761 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the demographic impacts of wildlife disease is complex because extrinsic and intrinsic drivers of survival, reproduction, body condition, and other factors that may interact with disease vary widely. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection has been linked to persistent mortality in juvenile bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), although mortality appears to vary widely across subspecies, populations, and outbreaks. Hypotheses for that variation range from interactions with nutrition, population density, genetic variation in the pathogen, genetic variation in the host, and other factors. We investigated factors related to survival of juvenile bighorn sheep in reestablished populations in the northern Basin and Range ecosystem, managed as the formerly-recognized California subspecies (hereafter, "California lineage"). We investigated whether survival probability of 4-month juveniles would vary by (1) presence of M. ovipneumoniae-infected or exposed individuals in populations, (2) population genetic diversity, and (3) an index of forage suitability. We monitored 121 juveniles across a 3-year period in 13 populations in southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada. We observed each juvenile and GPS-collared mother semi-monthly and established 4-month capture histories for the juvenile to estimate survival. All collared adult females were PCR-tested at least once for M. ovipneumoniae infection. The presence of M. ovipneumoniae-infected juveniles was determined by observing juvenile behavior and PCR-testing dead juveniles. We used a known-fate model with different time effects to determine if the probability of survival to 4 months varied temporally or was influenced by disease or other factors. We detected dead juveniles infected with M. ovipneumoniae in only two populations. Derived juvenile survival probability at four months in populations where infected juveniles were not detected was more than 20 times higher. Detection of infected adults or adults with antibody levels suggesting prior exposure was less predictive of juvenile survival. Survival varied temporally but was not strongly influenced by population genetic diversity or nutrition, although genetic diversity within most study area populations was very low. We conclude that the presence of M. ovipneumoniae can cause extremely low juvenile survival probability in translocated bighorn populations of the California lineage, but found little influence that genetic diversity or nutrition affect juvenile survival. Yet, after the PCR+ adult female in one population died, subsequent observations found 11 of 14 ( 79%) collared adult females had surviving juveniles at 4-months, suggesting that targeted removals of infected adults should be evaluated as a management strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Spaan
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Rachel Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Donald Whittaker
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, OR, United States of America
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Adam Duarte
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Olympia, WA, United States of America
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25
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Flesch EP, Graves TA, Thomson JM, Proffitt KM, White PJ, Stephenson TR, Garrott RA. Evaluating wildlife translocations using genomics: A bighorn sheep case study. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13687-13704. [PMID: 33391673 PMCID: PMC7771163 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife restoration often involves translocation efforts to reintroduce species and supplement small, fragmented populations. We examined the genomic consequences of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) translocations and population isolation to enhance understanding of evolutionary processes that affect population genetics and inform future restoration strategies. We conducted a population genomic analysis of 511 bighorn sheep from 17 areas, including native and reintroduced populations that received 0-10 translocations. Using the Illumina High Density Ovine array, we generated datasets of 6,155 to 33,289 single nucleotide polymorphisms and completed clustering, population tree, and kinship analyses. Our analyses determined that natural gene flow did not occur between most populations, including two pairs of native herds that had past connectivity. We synthesized genomic evidence across analyses to evaluate 24 different translocation events and detected eight successful reintroductions (i.e., lack of signal for recolonization from nearby populations) and five successful augmentations (i.e., reproductive success of translocated individuals) based on genetic similarity with the source populations. A single native population founded six of the reintroduced herds, suggesting that environmental conditions did not need to match for populations to persist following reintroduction. Augmentations consisting of 18-57 animals including males and females succeeded, whereas augmentations of two males did not result in a detectable genetic signature. Our results provide insight on genomic distinctiveness of native and reintroduced herds, information on the relative success of reintroduction and augmentation efforts and their associated attributes, and guidance to enhance genetic contribution of augmentations and reintroductions to aid in bighorn sheep restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth P. Flesch
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management ProgramEcology DepartmentMontana State UniversityBozemanMTUSA
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyWest GlacierMTUSA
| | | | | | - P. J. White
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceMammothWYUSA
| | - Thomas R. Stephenson
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery ProgramCalifornia Department of Fish and WildlifeBishopCAUSA
| | - Robert A. Garrott
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management ProgramEcology DepartmentMontana State UniversityBozemanMTUSA
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Paterson JT, Butler C, Garrott R, Proffitt K. How sure are you? A web-based application to confront imperfect detection of respiratory pathogens in bighorn sheep. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237309. [PMID: 32898140 PMCID: PMC7478830 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationships between host-pathogen population dynamics in wildlife are poorly understood. An impediment to progress in understanding these relationships is imperfect detection of diagnostic tests used to detect pathogens. If ignored, imperfect detection precludes accurate assessment of pathogen presence and prevalence, foundational parameters for deciphering host-pathogen dynamics and disease etiology. Respiratory disease in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a significant impediment to their conservation and restoration, and effective management requires a better understanding of the structure of the pathogen communities. Our primary objective was to develop an easy-to-use and accessible web-based Shiny application that estimates the probability (with associated uncertainty) that a respiratory pathogen is present in a herd and its prevalence given imperfect detection. Our application combines the best-available information on the probabilities of detection for various respiratory pathogen diagnostic protocols with a hierarchical Bayesian model of pathogen prevalence. We demonstrated this application using four examples of diagnostic tests from three herds of bighorn sheep in Montana. For instance, one population with no detections of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (PCR assay) still had an 6% probability of the pathogen being present in the herd. Similarly, the apparent prevalence (0.32) of M. ovipneumoniae in another herd was a substantial underestimate of estimated true prevalence (0.46: 95% CI = [0.25, 0.71]). The negative bias of naïve prevalence increased as the probability of detection of testing protocols worsened such that the apparent prevalence of Mannheimia haemolytica (culture assay) in a herd (0.24) was less than one third that of estimated true prevalence (0.78: 95% CI = [0.43, 0.99]). We found a small difference in the estimates of the probability that Mannheimia spp. (culture assay) was present in one herd between the binomial sampling approach (0.24) and the hypergeometric approach (0.22). Ignoring the implications of imperfect detection and sampling variation for assessing pathogen communities in bighorn sheep can result in spurious inference on pathogen presence and prevalence, and potentially poorly informed management decisions. Our Shiny application makes the rigorous assessment of pathogen presence, prevalence and uncertainty straightforward, and we suggest it should be incorporated into a new paradigm of disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Terrill Paterson
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Carson Butler
- Fish and Wildlife Branch, Grand Teton National Park, Moose, WY, United States of America
| | - Robert Garrott
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
| | - Kelly Proffitt
- Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Bozeman, MT, United States of America
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Dekelaita DJ, Epps CW, Stewart KM, Sedinger JS, Powers JG, Gonzales BJ, Abella‐Vu RK, Darby NW, Hughson DL. Survival of Adult Female Bighorn Sheep Following a Pneumonia Epizootic. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniella J. Dekelaita
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331‐3803 USA
| | - Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331‐3803 USA
| | - Kelley M. Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada, Reno Reno NV 89557‐0186 USA
| | - James S. Sedinger
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada, Reno Reno NV 89557‐0186 USA
| | - Jenny G. Powers
- Biological Resources Division National Park Service 1201 Oakridge Drive Fort Collins CO 80525 USA
| | - Ben J. Gonzales
- Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova CA 95670‐4503 USA
| | - Regina K. Abella‐Vu
- Wildlife Branch, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1812 Ninth Street Sacramento CA 95811 USA
| | - Neal W. Darby
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service 2701 Barstow Road Barstow CA 92311 USA
| | - Debra L. Hughson
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service 2701 Barstow Road Barstow CA 92311 USA
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Garwood TJ, Lehman CP, Walsh DP, Cassirer EF, Besser TE, Jenks JA. Removal of chronic Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae carrier ewes eliminates pneumonia in a bighorn sheep population. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:3491-3502. [PMID: 32274004 PMCID: PMC7141075 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pathogen carriage is one mechanism that allows diseases to persist in populations. We hypothesized that persistent or recurrent pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations may be caused by chronic carriers of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo). Our experimental approach allowed us to address a conservation need while investigating the role of chronic carriage in disease persistence.We tested our hypothesis in two bighorn sheep populations in South Dakota, USA. We identified and removed Mo chronic carriers from the Custer State Park (treatment) population. Simultaneously, we identified carriers but did not remove them from the Rapid City population (control). We predicted removal would result in decreased pneumonia, mortality, and Mo prevalence. Both population ranges had similar habitat and predator communities but were sufficiently isolated to preclude intermixing.We classified chronic carriers as adults that consistently tested positive for Mo carriage over a 20-month sampling period (n = 2 in the treatment population; n = 2 in control population).We failed to detect Mo or pneumonia in the treatment population after chronic carrier removal, while both remained in the control. Mortality hazard for lambs was reduced by 72% in the treatment population relative to the control (CI = 36%, 91%). There was also a 41% reduction in adult mortality hazard attributable to the treatment, although this was not statistically significant (CI = 82% reduction, 34% increase). Synthesis and Applications: These results support the hypothesis that Mo is a primary causative agent of persistent or recurrent respiratory disease in bighorn sheep populations and can be maintained by a few chronic carriers. Our findings provide direction for future research and management actions aimed at controlling pneumonia in wild sheep and may apply to other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Garwood
- Department of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSDUSA
| | | | - Daniel P. Walsh
- U.S. Geological SurveyNational Wildlife Health CenterMadisonWIUSA
| | | | - Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWAUSA
| | - Jonathan A. Jenks
- Department of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSDUSA
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Werdel TJ, Jenks JA, Besser TE, Kanta JT, Lehman CP, Frink TJ. Restoration of a bighorn sheep population impeded by
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae
exposure. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ty J. Werdel
- Department of Natural Resource Management, Edgar S. Mcfadden Biostress LabSouth Dakota State University Brookings SD 57007 U.S.A
| | - Jonathan A. Jenks
- Department of Natural Resource Management, Edgar S. Mcfadden Biostress LabSouth Dakota State University Brookings SD 57007 U.S.A
| | - Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State University Pullman WA 99164 U.S.A
| | - John T. Kanta
- South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, 4130 Adventure Trail Rapid City SD 57702 U.S.A
| | - Chadwick P. Lehman
- South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, 13329 US Highway 16A Custer SD 57730 U.S.A
| | - Teresa J. Frink
- Department of Applied SciencesChadron State College, Burkhiser Complex Chadron NE 69337 U.S.A
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Genetic structure of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae informs pathogen spillover dynamics between domestic and wild Caprinae in the western United States. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15318. [PMID: 31653889 PMCID: PMC6814754 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51444-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Spillover diseases have significant consequences for human and animal health, as well as wildlife conservation. We examined spillover and transmission of the pneumonia-associated bacterium Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in domestic sheep, domestic goats, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats across the western United States using 594 isolates, collected from 1984 to 2017. Our results indicate high genetic diversity of M. ovipneumoniae strains within domestic sheep, whereas only one or a few strains tend to circulate in most populations of bighorn sheep or mountain goats. These data suggest domestic sheep are a reservoir, while the few spillovers to bighorn sheep and mountain goats can persist for extended periods. Domestic goat strains form a distinct clade from those in domestic sheep, and strains from both clades are found in bighorn sheep. The genetic structure of domestic sheep strains could not be explained by geography, whereas some strains are spatially clustered and shared among proximate bighorn sheep populations, supporting pathogen establishment and spread following spillover. These data suggest that the ability to predict M. ovipneumoniae spillover into wildlife populations may remain a challenge given the high strain diversity in domestic sheep and need for more comprehensive pathogen surveillance.
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Plowright RK, Becker DJ, McCallum H, Manlove KR. Sampling to elucidate the dynamics of infections in reservoir hosts. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180336. [PMID: 31401966 PMCID: PMC6711310 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The risk of zoonotic spillover from reservoir hosts, such as wildlife or domestic livestock, to people is shaped by the spatial and temporal distribution of infection in reservoir populations. Quantifying these distributions is a key challenge in epidemiology and disease ecology that requires researchers to make trade-offs between the extent and intensity of spatial versus temporal sampling. We discuss sampling methods that strengthen the reliability and validity of inferences about the dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in wildlife hosts. This article is part of the theme issue 'Dynamic and integrative approaches to understanding pathogen spillover'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Daniel J. Becker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA
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Comparison of three methods of enumeration for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. J Microbiol Methods 2019; 165:105700. [PMID: 31446035 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Poirier M, Coltman DW, Pelletier F, Jorgenson J, Festa‐Bianchet M. Genetic decline, restoration and rescue of an isolated ungulate population. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1318-1328. [PMID: 31417617 PMCID: PMC6691324 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Isolation of small populations is expected to reduce fitness through inbreeding and loss of genetic variation, impeding population growth and compromising population persistence. Species with long generation time are the least likely to be rescued by evolution alone. Management interventions that maintain or restore genetic variation to assure population viability are consequently of significant importance. We investigated, over 27 years, the genetic and demographic consequences of a demographic bottleneck followed by artificial supplementation in an isolated population of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Based on a long-term pedigree and individual monitoring, we documented the genetic decline, restoration and rescue of the population. Microsatellite analyses revealed that the demographic bottleneck reduced expected heterozygosity and allelic diversity by 6.2% and 11.3%, respectively, over two generations. Following supplementation, first-generation admixed lambs were 6.4% heavier at weaning and had 28.3% higher survival to 1 year compared to lambs of endemic ancestry. Expected heterozygosity and allelic diversity increased by 4.6% and 14.3% after two generations through new alleles contributed by translocated individuals. We found no evidence for outbreeding depression and did not see immediate evidence of swamping of local genes. Rapid intervention following the demographic bottleneck allowed the genetic restoration and rescue of this bighorn sheep population, likely preventing further losses at both the genetic and demographic levels. Our results provide further empirical evidence that translocation can be used to reduce inbreeding depression in nature and has the potential to mitigate the effect of human-driven environmental changes on wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc‐Antoine Poirier
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
- Centre d’Études Nordiques (CEN)Université LavalQuebec CityQuébecCanada
| | - David W. Coltman
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
| | | | - Marco Festa‐Bianchet
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuébecCanada
- Centre d’Études Nordiques (CEN)Université LavalQuebec CityQuébecCanada
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Highland MA, Herndon DR, Bender SC, Hansen L, Gerlach RF, Beckmen KB. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in Wildlife Species beyond Subfamily Caprinae. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:2384-2386. [PMID: 30457547 PMCID: PMC6256407 DOI: 10.3201/eid2412.180632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the emergence of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae-associated respiratory disease in ruminants requires identification of the pathogen host range. This bacterium was thought to be host restricted to subfamily Caprinae, but we describe its identification in healthy moose, caribou, and mule deer and diseased mule and white-tailed deer, all species in subfamily Capreolinae.
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35
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Einarsdottir T, Gunnarsson E, Hjartardottir S. Icelandic ovine Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae are variable bacteria that induce limited immune responses in vitro and in vivo. J Med Microbiol 2018; 67:1480-1490. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thorbjorg Einarsdottir
- 1Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
- 2BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Iceland
| | - Eggert Gunnarsson
- 1Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Sigridur Hjartardottir
- 1Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
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36
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Blanchong JA, Anderson CA, Clark NJ, Klaver RW, Plummer PJ, Cox M, McAdoo C, Wolff PL. Respiratory disease, behavior, and survival of mountain goat kids. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Blanchong
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management; Iowa State University; Ames IA 50011 USA
| | - Christopher A. Anderson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management; Iowa State University; Ames IA 50011 USA
| | | | - Robert W. Klaver
- U.S. Geological Survey; Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; Iowa State University; Ames IA 50011 USA
| | - Paul J. Plummer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine and Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine; Iowa State University; Ames IA 50011 USA
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife; Reno NV 89511 USA
| | - Caleb McAdoo
- Nevada Department of Wildlife; Elko NV 89801 USA
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37
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Bleich VC, Sargeant GA, Wiedmann BP. Ecotypic variation in population dynamics of reintroduced bighorn sheep. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vernon C. Bleich
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Nevada Reno1664 N. Virginia Street, Mail Stop 186RenoNV89557USA
| | - Glen A. Sargeant
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestownND58401USA
| | - Brett P. Wiedmann
- North Dakota Game and Fish Department225 30th Avenue SWDickinsonND58601USA
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Plowright RK, Manlove KR, Besser TE, Páez DJ, Andrews KR, Matthews PE, Waits LP, Hudson PJ, Cassirer EF. Age-specific infectious period shapes dynamics of pneumonia in bighorn sheep. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:1325-1336. [PMID: 28871636 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Superspreading, the phenomenon where a small proportion of individuals contribute disproportionately to new infections, has profound effects on disease dynamics. Superspreading can arise through variation in contacts, infectiousness or infectious periods. The latter has received little attention, yet it drives the dynamics of many diseases of critical public health, livestock health and conservation concern. Here, we present rare evidence of variation in infectious periods underlying a superspreading phenomenon in a free-ranging wildlife system. We detected persistent infections of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, the primary causative agent of pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), in a small number of older individuals that were homozygous at an immunologically relevant genetic locus. Interactions among age-structure, genetic composition and infectious periods may drive feedbacks in disease dynamics that determine the magnitude of population response to infection. Accordingly, variation in initial conditions may explain divergent population responses to infection that range from recovery to catastrophic decline and extirpation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, 109 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Thomas E Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - David J Páez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, 109 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Kimberly R Andrews
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1136, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA
| | - Patrick E Matthews
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 65495 Alder Slope Road, Enterprise, OR, 97828, USA
| | - Lisette P Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1136, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, 201, Life Sciences Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - E Frances Cassirer
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 3316 16th Street, Lewiston, ID, 83501, USA
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Cassirer EF, Manlove KR, Almberg ES, Kamath PL, Cox M, Wolff P, Roug A, Shannon J, Robinson R, Harris RB, Gonzales BJ, Plowright RK, Hudson PJ, Cross PC, Dobson A, Besser TE. Pneumonia in bighorn sheep: Risk and resilience. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWA 99164USA
| | - Emily S. Almberg
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks1400 South 19th St.BozemanMT 59717USA
| | | | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120RenoNV 89511USA
| | - Peregrine Wolff
- Nevada Department of Wildlife6980 Sierra Center Parkway, Suite 120RenoNV 89511USA
| | - Annette Roug
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources1594 W. North Temple, Suite 2110Salt Lake CityUT 84116USA
| | - Justin Shannon
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources1594 W. North Temple, Suite 2110Salt Lake CityUT 84116USA
| | - Rusty Robinson
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources1594 W. North Temple, Suite 2110Salt Lake CityUT 84116USA
| | - Richard B. Harris
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife600 Capitol Way NorthOlympiaWA 98501USA
| | - Ben J. Gonzales
- Wildlife Investigations LaboratoryCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife1701 Nimbus RoadRancho CordovaCA 95670‐4503USA
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMontana State UniversityBozemanMT 59717USA
| | - Peter J. Hudson
- Center for Infectious Disease DynamicsPenn State UniversityUniversity ParkPA 16802USA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMT 59715USA
| | - Andrew Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJ 08544USA
| | - Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWA 99164USA
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Exposure of bighorn sheep to domestic goats colonized with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae induces sub-lethal pneumonia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178707. [PMID: 28591169 PMCID: PMC5462392 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bronchopneumonia is a population limiting disease of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) that has been associated with contact with domestic Caprinae. The disease is polymicrobial but is initiated by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, which is commonly carried by both domestic sheep (O. aries) and goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). However, while previous bighorn sheep comingling studies with domestic sheep have resulted in nearly 100% pneumonia mortality, only sporadic occurrence of fatal pneumonia was reported from previous comingling studies with domestic goats. Here, we evaluated the ability of domestic goats of defined M. ovipneumoniae carriage status to induce pneumonia in comingled bighorn sheep. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In experiment 1, three bighorn sheep naïve to M. ovipneumoniae developed non-fatal respiratory disease (coughing, nasal discharge) following comingling with three naturally M. ovipneumoniae-colonized domestic goats. Gross and histological lesions of pneumonia, limited to small areas on the ventral and lateral edges of the anterior and middle lung lobes, were observed at necropsies conducted at the end of the experiment. A control group of three bighorn sheep from the same source housed in isolation during experiment 1 remained free of observed respiratory disease. In experiment 2, three bighorn sheep remained free of observed respiratory disease while comingled with three M. ovipneumoniae-free domestic goats. In experiment 3, introduction of a domestic goat-origin strain of M. ovipneumoniae to the same comingled goats and bighorn sheep used in experiment 2 resulted in clinical signs of respiratory disease (coughing, nasal discharge) in both host species. At the end of experiment 3, gross and histological evidence of pneumonia similar to that observed in experiment 1 bighorn sheep was observed in both affected bighorn sheep and domestic goats. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE M. ovipneumoniae strains carried by domestic goats were transmitted to comingled bighorn sheep, triggering development of pneumonia. However, the severity of the disease was markedly milder than that seen in similar experiments with domestic sheep strains of the bacterium.
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Manlove KR, Cassirer EF, Plowright RK, Cross PC, Hudson PJ. Contact and contagion: Probability of transmission given contact varies with demographic state in bighorn sheep. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:908-920. [PMID: 28317104 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding both contact and probability of transmission given contact are key to managing wildlife disease. However, wildlife disease research tends to focus on contact heterogeneity, in part because the probability of transmission given contact is notoriously difficult to measure. Here, we present a first step towards empirically investigating the probability of transmission given contact in free-ranging wildlife. We used measured contact networks to test whether bighorn sheep demographic states vary systematically in infectiousness or susceptibility to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, an agent responsible for bighorn sheep pneumonia. We built covariates using contact network metrics, demographic information and infection status, and used logistic regression to relate those covariates to lamb survival. The covariate set contained degree, a classic network metric describing node centrality, but also included covariates breaking the network metrics into subsets that differentiated between contacts with yearlings, ewes with lambs, and ewes without lambs, and animals with and without active infections. Yearlings, ewes with lambs, and ewes without lambs showed similar group membership patterns, but direct interactions involving touch occurred at a rate two orders of magnitude higher between lambs and reproductive ewes than between any classes of adults or yearlings, and one order of magnitude higher than direct interactions between multiple lambs. Although yearlings and non-reproductive bighorn ewes regularly carried M. ovipneumoniae, our models suggest that a contact with an infected reproductive ewe had approximately five times the odds of producing a lamb mortality event of an identical contact with an infected dry ewe or yearling. Consequently, management actions targeting infected animals might lead to unnecessary removal of young animals that carry pathogens but rarely transmit. This analysis demonstrates a simple logistic regression approach for testing a priori hypotheses about variation in the odds of transmission given contact for free-ranging hosts, and may be broadly applicable for investigations in wildlife disease ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Labs, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - E Frances Cassirer
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 3316 16th St., Lewiston, ID, 83501, USA
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, PO Box 173520, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Paul C Cross
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Research Center, 2327 University Way Ste. 2, Bozeman, MT, 59715, USA
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Labs, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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Heinse LM, Hardesty LH, Harris RB. Risk of pathogen spillover to bighorn sheep from domestic sheep and goat flocks on private land. WILDLIFE SOC B 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Heinse
- School of the Environment; Washington State University; Pullman WA 99164-2812 USA
| | - Linda H. Hardesty
- School of the Environment; Washington State University; Pullman WA 99164-2812 USA
| | - Richard B. Harris
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 600 Capitol Way North Olympia WA 98501 USA
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