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Alabí AS, Monti G, Otth C, Sepulveda-García P, Sánchez-Hidalgo M, de Mello VVC, Machado RZ, André MR, Bittencourt P, Müller A. Molecular Survey and Genetic Diversity of Hemoplasmas in Rodents from Chile. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1493. [PMID: 33003287 PMCID: PMC7601721 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101493] [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: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though hemotrophic mycoplasma (hemoplasma) infections are well documented in a wide variety of hosts worldwide, there is a gap in the knowledge aobut hemoplasmas in rodents. This study aimed to molecularly survey and investigate the genetic diversity of hemoplasmas in rodents from Chile. Synanthropic and wild rodents (n = 74) were captured in the southern province of Valdivia (Corral, Valdivia, Riñihue, and Reumén localities). Spleen samples were submitted to a conventional PCR for hemotrophic Mycoplasma spp. targeting the 16S rRNA gene (800 bp), followed by sequencing, phylogenetic, and genetic diversity analyses. The overall occurrence of hemotrophic mycoplasmas in rodents from Valdivia was 24.5% (18/74) [95% CI (14.5; 34.1)]. Hemoplasmas were detected in Mus musculus (1/4), Rattus norvegicus (1/16), Abrothrix longipilis (7/13), A. olivaceo (6/8), and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (3/10). The nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the targeted 16S rRNA region showed low diversity, with two genotypes and a high identity to the variants detected in wild rodents from Brazil. Hemoplasmas are described for the first time in rodents from Chile with a moderate occurrence and low 16S rDNA genetic diversity within the sampled rodent population. The detected hemoplasma genotypes were specific to rodents and were not shared with other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Salvador Alabí
- Instituto de Ciencias Clinicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile; (A.S.A.); (P.S.-G.)
| | - Gustavo Monti
- Insituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile;
| | - Carola Otth
- Instituto de Microbiologia Clinica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile;
| | - Paulina Sepulveda-García
- Instituto de Ciencias Clinicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile; (A.S.A.); (P.S.-G.)
| | - Melissa Sánchez-Hidalgo
- Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile;
| | - Victória Valente Califre de Mello
- Departamento de Patologia, UNESP, Teriogenologia e Saúde Única—Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinarias Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (V.V.C.d.M.); (R.Z.M.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Departamento de Patologia, UNESP, Teriogenologia e Saúde Única—Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinarias Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (V.V.C.d.M.); (R.Z.M.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Departamento de Patologia, UNESP, Teriogenologia e Saúde Única—Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinarias Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (V.V.C.d.M.); (R.Z.M.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Pedro Bittencourt
- One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis;
| | - Ananda Müller
- Instituto de Ciencias Clinicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 4090000, Chile; (A.S.A.); (P.S.-G.)
- One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis;
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Cohen C, Shemesh M, Garrido M, Messika I, Einav M, Khokhlova I, Tasker S, Hawlena H. Haemoplasmas in wild rodents: Routes of transmission and infection dynamics. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:3714-3726. [PMID: 30074652 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The way that some parasites and pathogens persist in the hostile environment of their host for long periods remains to be resolved. Here, longitudinal field surveys were combined with laboratory experiments to investigate the routes of transmission and infection dynamics of such a pathogen-a wild rodent haemotropic bacterium, specifically a Mycoplasma haemomuris-like bacterium. Fleaborne transmission, direct rodent-to-rodent transmission and vertical transmission from fleas or rodents to their offspring were experimentally quantified, and indications were found that the main route of bacterial transmission is direct, although its rate of successful transmission is low (~20%). The bacterium's temporal dynamics was then compared in the field to that observed under a controlled infection experiment in field-infected and laboratory-infected rodents, and indications were found, under all conditions, that the bacterium reached its peak infection level after 25-45 days and then decreased to low bacterial loads, which persist for the rodent's lifetime. These findings suggest that the bacterium relies on persistency with low bacterial loads for long-term coexistence with its rodent host, having both conceptual and applied implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmit Cohen
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Merav Shemesh
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Mario Garrido
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Irit Messika
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Monica Einav
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Irina Khokhlova
- Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Séverine Tasker
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, UK
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Volokhov DV, Hwang J, Chizhikov VE, Danaceau H, Gottdenker NL. Prevalence, Genotype Richness, and Coinfection Patterns of Hemotropic Mycoplasmas in Raccoons (Procyon lotor) on Environmentally Protected and Urbanized Barrier Islands. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e00211-17. [PMID: 28258139 PMCID: PMC5394313 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00211-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are successful urban adapters and hosts to a number of zoonotic and nonzoonotic pathogens, yet little is known about their hemoplasma infections and how prevalence varies across habitat types. This study identifies hemotropic Mycoplasma species infection in raccoons from urban and undisturbed habitats and compares hemoplasma infection in sympatric urban cats (Felis catus) from the same geographic region. We collected blood from raccoons (n = 95) on an urban coastal island (n = 37) and an undisturbed coastal island (n = 58) and from sympatric urban cats (n = 39) in Georgia, USA. Based on 16S rRNA gene amplification, 62.1% (59/95) of raccoons and 17.9% (7/39) of feral cats were positive for hemoplasma. There was a greater percentage of hemoplasma-infected raccoons on the undisturbed island (79.3% [46/58]) than on the urban island (35.1% [13/37]; χ2 = 16.9, df = 1, P = 0.00004). Sequencing of the full-length 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed six hemoplasma genotypes in raccoons, including five novel genotypes that were distinct from three known hemoplasma species identified in the sympatric cats. In addition, the hemoplasma genotypes detected in raccoons were not identified in sympatric cats or vice versa. Although all six hemoplasma genotypes were found in raccoons from urban and undisturbed islands, coinfection patterns differed between sites and among individuals, with the proportion of coinfected raccoons being greater in the undisturbed site. This study shows that raccoons are hosts for several novel hemoplasmas and that habitat type influences infection patterns.IMPORTANCE This study provides information about novel hemoplasmas identified in raccoons (Procyon lotor), which can be used for assessments of the prevalence of these hemoplasmas in raccoon populations and for future studies on the potential pathogenic impacts of these hemoplasmas on raccoon health. Raccoons from the undisturbed habitat had a higher prevalence of hemoplasma infection than urban raccoons. There does not appear to be cross-species transmission of hemotropic mycoplasmas between urban raccoons and feral cats. Raccoons appear to be hosts for several novel hemoplasmas, and habitat type influences infection patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitriy V Volokhov
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Jusun Hwang
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Vladimir E Chizhikov
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather Danaceau
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicole L Gottdenker
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Conrado FDO, do Nascimento NC, dos Santos AP, Zimpel CK, Messick JB, Biondo AW. Occurrence and identification of hemotropic mycoplasmas (Hemoplasmas) in free ranging and laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) from two Brazilian zoos. BMC Vet Res 2015; 11:286. [PMID: 26597041 PMCID: PMC4657260 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-015-0601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas), bacteria belonging to the class Mollicutes, are obligatory red blood cell pathogens of a variety of animal species. They may cause acute anemia that is life-threatening or chronic disease that is clinically silent, but may interfere with results of experimental studies when using infected animals. Since these bacteria cannot be cultivated, molecular techniques are the gold standard for diagnosing an infection, investigating its prevalence, and describing new species. Mycoplasma coccoides and M. haemomuris are the most commonly recognized hemoplasmas in the blood of wild and laboratory rodents. Neither the epidemiology nor clinical and molecular characterization of hemoplasma infection in free-ranging rodents in Brazil has been previously reported. The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of hemoplasmas in free-ranging rats (Rattus norvegicus) captured in the Passeio Público and Curitiba Zoo and compare hematologic parameters of infected and non-infected animals. RESULTS Anti-coagulated blood samples collected from 43 free-ranging and 20 nursery rats were included in the study. Overall 63.5% were positive using SYBR® Green quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the 16S rRNA gene to screen for hemoplasma infection (72% among free-ranging rats; 45% among laboratory-raised rats). Sequencing of the qPCR products showed that all but one sample had >98% identity to M. haemomuris. Phylogenetic analysis based on a fragment of approximately 1300 bp of the 16S rRNA gene showed 99% identity to a new hemoplasma from European rats and 98% identity to a hemotropic mycoplasma described infecting a European harvest mouse (Micromys minutus). No statistically significant changes in hematologic parameters between infected and non-infected rats were found, confirming the low pathogenicity and/or silent characteristics of the infection. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that hemoplasmas are likely endemic in rodent species in this region. The epidemiology, especially as it relates to the mode of transmission, needs to be further investigated as well as the possibility that other animal species, including humans, might become infected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco de Oliveira Conrado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H dos Santos, Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 81531-900, Brazil. .,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Zoonoses e Epidemiologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários 1540, Bairro Juvevê, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 80035-050, Brazil.
| | - Naíla Cannes do Nascimento
- Hemoplasma Laboratory, Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Comparative Pathobiology, VPRB, Room 109, 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47905, USA.
| | - Andrea Pires dos Santos
- Hemoplasma Laboratory, Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Comparative Pathobiology, VPRB, Room 109, 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47905, USA.
| | - Cristina Kraemer Zimpel
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Zoonoses e Epidemiologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários 1540, Bairro Juvevê, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 80035-050, Brazil.
| | - Joanne Belle Messick
- Hemoplasma Laboratory, Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Comparative Pathobiology, VPRB, Room 109, 725 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47905, USA.
| | - Alexander Welker Biondo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H dos Santos, Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 81531-900, Brazil. .,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Zoonoses e Epidemiologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários 1540, Bairro Juvevê, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 80035-050, Brazil. .,Director of Animal Services, Curitiba Secretary of Environment, Passeio Público, Rua Luíz Leão S/N, Centro, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 80030-010, Brazil.
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