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Ahmed NHM, Ghallab A, Shaalan M, Saied M, Mohammed ES. First molecular identification and phylogenetic illustration of Sarcocystis species infection in Red Sea shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810). BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:104. [PMID: 38491459 PMCID: PMC10941371 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03952-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND members of the genus Sarcocystis are intracellular obligate protozoan parasites classified within the phylum Apicomplexa and have an obligate heteroxenous life cycle involving two hosts. A more comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and geographic range of different Sarcocystis species in marine ecosystems is needed globally and nationally. Hence, the objective of this study was to document the incidence of Sarcocystis infection in sharks within the aquarium ecosystem of Egypt and to identify the species through the characterization of the SSU rDNA gene. METHODS All organs of the mako shark specimen underwent macroscopic screening to detect the existence of a Sarcocystis cyst. Ten cysts were collected from the intestine and processed separately to extract the genomic DNA. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was accomplished by amplifying a specific 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene fragment. Subsequently, the resulting amplicons were subjected to purification and sequencing processes. RESULTS Macroscopic examination of the mako shark intestinal wall sample revealed the presence of Sarcocystis cysts of various sizes and shapes, and sequencing of the amplicons from Sarcocystis DNA revealed a 100% nucleotide identity with the sequence of Sarcocystis tenella recorded from sheep in Iran; The mako shark sequence has been deposited in the GeneBank with the accession number OQ721979. This study presents the first scientific evidence demonstrating the presence of the Sarcocystis parasite in sharks, thereby documenting this specific marine species as a novel intermediate host in the Sarcocystis life cycle. CONCLUSIONS This is the first identification of Sarcocystis infection in sharks, and we anticipate it will be an essential study for future screenings and establishing effective management measures for this disease in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahla He M Ahmed
- National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, NIOF, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Ahmed Ghallab
- Natural Conservation Sector, Ministry of Environment, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Shaalan
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud Saied
- National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, NIOF, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Sayed Mohammed
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt
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da Rosa G, Roman IJ, Gressler LT, Cargnelutti JF, Vogel FSF. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis neurona in tissues of wild boars ( Sus scrofa) in the border region between Brazil and Uruguay. J Parasit Dis 2024; 48:74-80. [PMID: 38440759 PMCID: PMC10908719 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-024-01647-5] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona, owing to its clinical importance in domestic animals, is currently one of the most studied agents, presenting a wide range of intermediate hosts that have not yet been described, mainly in wild fauna. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the detection and molecular detection of S. neurona by amplification of the 18S rRNA region in the tissues of wild boars killed by boar control program in border Brazil Uruguay. A total of 79 samples of DNA from wild boar tissues from the LADOPAR/UFSM sampling bank were used, with Nested-PCR reactions being performed for amplification of the 18S rRNA region and the expected final product of 290 bp. Subsequently, the positive samples were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique with the restriction enzymes DdeI and HPAII. A second semi-Nested reaction was performed to obtain a larger sequence of nucleotides with amplification of the 18S region and the expected final product of 500 bp for S. neurona and Nested amplification ITS1 with product final of 367 pb. In 32 samples, it was possible to detect S. neurona both by nested Nested-PCR reaction and RFLP, and the presence of the agent was confirmed by sequencing, corresponding to 40.51% of the total tissues evaluated. This is the first report of the occurrence of this species of Sarcocystis in wild boars, and further studies evaluating the role of these animals as intermediate hosts, and in the epidemiology of this protozoan are necessary, as well as verifying the risk factors for infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilneia da Rosa
- Veterinary Medicine, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, University Federal of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Isac Junior Roman
- Veterinary Medicine, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, University Federal of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Letícia Trevisan Gressler
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory, Farroupilha Federal Institute, Campus Frederico Westphalen, Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Juliana Felipetto Cargnelutti
- Bacteriology Laboratory, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, University Federal of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flôres Vogel
- Veterinary Medicine, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, University Federal of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
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3
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Gupta A, Duncan M, Sweeny AR, de Araujo LS, Kwok OCH, Rosenthal BM, Khan A, Grigg ME, Dubey JP. The same genotype of Sarcocystis neurona responsible for mass mortality in marine mammals induced a clinical outbreak in raccoons (Procyon lotor) 10 years later. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:777-785. [PMID: 37652223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Here, we report the first known outbreak of clinical protozoal myeloencephalitis in naturally infected raccoons by the parasite Sarcocystis neurona. The North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and the South American opossum (Didelphis albiventris) are its known definitive hosts. Several other animal species are its intermediate or aberrant hosts. The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is considered the most important intermediate host for S. neurona in the USA. More than 50% of raccoons in the USA have sarcocysts in their muscles, however clinical sarcocystosis in raccoons is rare. In 2014, 38 free-living raccoons were found dead or moribund on the grounds of the Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri, USA. Moribund individuals were weak, lethargic, and mildly ataxic; several with oculo-nasal discharge. Seven raccoons were found dead and 31 were humanely euthanized. Postmortem examinations were conducted on nine raccoons. Neural lesions compatible with acute sarcocystosis were detected in eight raccoons. The predominant lesions were meningoencephalitis and perivascular mononuclear cells. Histologic evidence for the Canine Distemper Virus was found in one raccoon. Schizonts and merozoites were present in the encephalitic lesions of four raccoons. Mature sarcocysts were present within myocytes of five raccoons. In six raccoons, S. neurona schizonts and merozoites were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining with S. neurona-specific polyclonal antibodies. Viable S. neurona was isolated from the brains of two raccoons by bioassay in interferon gamma gene knockout mice and in cell cultures seeded directly with raccoon brain homogenate. Molecular characterization was based on raccoon no. 68. Molecular characterization based on multi-locus typing at five surface antigens (SnSAG1-5-6, SnSAG3 and SnSAG4) and the ITS-1 marker within the ssrRNA locus, using DNA isolated from bradyzoites released from sarcocysts in a naturally infected raccoon (no. 68), confirmed the presence of S. neurona antigen type I, the same genotype that caused a mass mortality event in which 40 southern sea otters stranded dead or dying within a 3 week period in April 2004 with S. neurona-associated disease. An expanded set of genotyping markers was next applied. This study reports the following new genotyping markers at 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, COX1, ITS-1, RON1, RON2, GAPDH1, ROP20, SAG2, SnSRS21 and TUBA1 markers. The identity of Sarcocystis spp. infecting raccoons is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Gupta
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Mary Duncan
- Saint Louis Zoo, One Government Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Amy R Sweeny
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Larissa S de Araujo
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Benjamin M Rosenthal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Asis Khan
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
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Zwarg T, Raso TF, de Carvalho MPN, Santos RL, Dos Santos DO, Llano HAB, Soares RM. Acute, fatal Sarcocystis falcatula infection in rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri). Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 46:100935. [PMID: 37935536 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Sarcocystosis is an important avian disease that affects several intermediate host species. Birds not endemic from Americas, like Old World psittacine species, appear to be more susceptible to lethal infection than New World psittacine species. The aim of this study was to investigate the sudden death of rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in an exotic private parrot's aviary. Macroscopically, the most prevalent findings were severe lung congestion, slight superficial myocardial hemorrhagic lesions, enlarged liver and congestion of meningeal vessels. The initial diagnosis of sarcocystosis was made in all birds by microscopic observations of intravascular pulmonary schizonts, as well hepatitis, myocarditis, and nephritis. Immunohistochemistry for detection of Sarcocystis sp. antigen revealed an intense immunoreactivity in the lungs. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis falcatula were obtained by nested PCR and sequencing of amplified fragments of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and three surface antigen-coding genes (SAG2, SAG3 and SAG4). SAG-based phylogenies showed a close relatedness of the isolate described here and S. falcatula previously detected in naturally infected native birds, which suggests that the isolates that affected ringnecks are a common isolate that circulates in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ticiana Zwarg
- The Fauna Division of the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment of the Municipality of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tânia Freitas Raso
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Renato Lima Santos
- Department of Veterinary Clinics and Surgery, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Daniel Oliveira Dos Santos
- Department of Veterinary Clinics and Surgery, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Horwald A B Llano
- Investigation Group (GINVER), School of Veterinary Medicine, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Barratclough A, Ferguson SH, Lydersen C, Thomas PO, Kovacs KM. A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change. Pathogens 2023; 12:937. [PMID: 37513784 PMCID: PMC10385039 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070937] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Barratclough
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Steven H. Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada;
| | - Christian Lydersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
| | - Peter O. Thomas
- Marine Mammal Commission, 4340 East-West Highway, Room 700, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Kit M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
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Balik SE, Ossiboff RJ, Stacy NI, Wellehan JFX, Huguet EE, Gallastegui A, Childress AL, Baldrica BE, Dolan BA, Adler LE, Walsh MT. Case report: Sarcocystis speeri, Aspergillus fumigatus, and novel Treponema sp. infections in an adult Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis). Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1132161. [PMID: 37077953 PMCID: PMC10106728 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1132161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A complete postmortem examination, including a computed tomography scan “virtopsy” (virtual necropsy), gross necropsy, cytology, histology, and molecular diagnostics were performed to investigate the cause of death of a deceased adult male Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) that stranded on Pensacola Beach, Florida, USA in February 2020. Significant findings included chronic inflammation of the meninges, brain, and spinal cord with intralesional protozoa (identified as Sarcocystis speeri via 18S rRNA and ITS-1 sequences), suppurative fungal tracheitis and bronchopneumonia (identified as Aspergillus fumigatus via ITS-2 gene sequence) and ulcerative bacterial glossitis (associated with a novel Treponema species, Candidatus Treponema stenella, identified via 23S rRNA gene sequence). This is the first reported case of S. speeri in a marine mammal. Little is understood about the epidemiology of S. speeri, including the identity of its intermediate hosts. The findings of this case suggest that S. frontalis may be a capable aberrant host and experience morbidity and mortality from this parasite. It is suspected that the novel Treponema and Aspergillus fumigatus infections were opportunistic or secondary to immunosuppression, either due to S. speeri infection or other co-morbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Emily Balik
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Sarah Emily Balik
| | - Robert James Ossiboff
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Nicole Indra Stacy
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - James F. X. Wellehan
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Elodie E. Huguet
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Aitor Gallastegui
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - April L. Childress
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Laurie E. Adler
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Michael Thomas Walsh
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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7
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Waine K, Bartley PM, Cox A, Newsome R, Strugnell B, Katzer F. Molecular detection of Sarcocystis cruzi in three beef carcases with eosinophilic myositis lesions and in unaffected beef from animals in the same herd. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 33:100751. [PMID: 35820725 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Eosinophilic myositis in bovine striated muscle thought to be caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to the degradation of Sarcocystis tissue cysts, is a rare reason for carcase condemnation in the United Kingdom. This paper describes the identification of Sarcocystis cruzi associated with lesions of generalised eosinophilic myositis in three English beef carcases, by gross and histopathological examination followed by PCR with subsequent sequencing. Samples from two unaffected animals were also examined. Although sarcocystosis caused by S.cruzi is not considered a public health risk, the clinically affected carcases were deemed unfit for human consumption due to the extensive lesions affecting meat quality. We believe this to be the first report from the UK describing the molecular-based identification of Sarcocystis cruzi in meat affected and unaffected with eosinophilic myositis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Waine
- University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom..
| | - Paul M Bartley
- The Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair Cox
- Finn Pathologists, One Eyed Lane, Weybread, Diss Norfolk IP21 5TT, United Kingdom
| | - Reuben Newsome
- Park Vet Group, 82-84 High Street, Whetstone, Leicestershire LE8 6LQ, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Strugnell
- Farm Post Mortems Ltd, Hamsterley House, Hamsterley, Co, Durham DL13 3QF, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Katzer
- The Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Advances in the understanding of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) are reviewed. It is now apparent that EPM can be caused by either of 2 related protozoan parasites, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, although S neurona is the most common etiologic pathogen. Horses are commonly infected, but clinical disease occurs only infrequently; the factors influencing disease occurrence are not well understood. Epidemiologic studies have identified risk factors for the development of EPM, including the presence of opossums and prior stressful health-related events. Attempts to reproduce EPM experimentally have reliably induced antibody responses in challenged horses, but have not consistently produced neurologic disease. Diagnosis of EPM has improved by detecting intrathecal antibody production against the parasite. Sulfadiazine/pyrimethamine (ReBalance) and the triazine compounds diclazuril (Protazil) and ponazuril (Marquis) are effective anticoccidial drugs that are now available as FDA-approved treatments for EPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J MacKay
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 Southwest 16th Avenue, PO Box 100136, Gainesville, FL 32610-0125, USA
| | - Daniel K Howe
- Department of Veterinary Science, M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, 108 Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, KY 40546-0099, USA.
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Llano HAB, Zavatieri Polato H, Borges Keid L, Ferreira de Souza Oliveira TM, Zwarg T, de Oliveira AS, Sanches TC, Joppert AM, Gondim LFP, Martins Soares R. Molecular screening for Sarcocystidae in muscles of wild birds from Brazil suggests a plethora of intermediate hosts for Sarcocystis falcatula. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:230-238. [PMID: 35282411 PMCID: PMC8914476 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The genus Sarcocystis and the species Toxoplasma gondii are the most prevalent sarcocystid organisms found in birds. Molecular phylogenies based on the first internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal coding DNA (ITS1) have been widely used to identify them. Here, pectoral muscles from 400 wild birds from Brazil were screened by means of molecular methods using nested PCR, and Sanger sequencing yielded amplicons. A pan-sarcocystid ITS1-directed nested PCR revealed 28 birds infected by Sarcocystis falcatula (ten Piciformes, eight Psittaciformes, five Columbiformes, two Accipitriformes, one Anseriformes, one Passeriformes and one Strigiformes); one infected by Sarcocystis halieti (one Accipitriformes); nine infected by unknown or undescribed Sarcocystis (six Passeriformes, one Piciformes, one Cathartiformes and one Cuculiformes); and six harboring Toxoplasma gondii DNA (three Pelecaniformes, two Falconiformes and one Columbiformes). Samples harboring S. falcatula-related ITS1 sequences were further characterized by means of PCR and sequencing of genetic sequences of three surface antigen coding genes (SAGs). From this, 10 new allelic combinations of SAGs (SAG2, SAG3 and SAG4) were identified, in addition to 11 SAG allelic combinations already found in Brazil. Samples with S. falcatula-unrelated ITS1 sequences were further characterized by means of PCR and sequencing of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I coding sequences (CO1) and 18S ribosomal DNA gene (18S rDNA). This study was the first extensive survey of wild birds in Brazil for Sarcocystidae species. It provides the first molecular evidence of natural S. falcatula infection in 14 species, including in the order Piciformes, and shows the high genetic diversity of S. falcatula in intermediate hosts in South America. Evidence of occurrence of at least three non-described species of Sarcocystis was also presented in this study. This survey corroborated the ubiquity of T. gondii infection but revealed surprisingly low prevalence of this parasite (1.5%). Extensive survey of free-living wild birds in Brazil for Sarcocystidae species. Sarcocystis falcatula was detected in Piciformes birds for the first time. Sarcocystis falcatula has an extensive genetic diversity in Brazil. Three non-described species of Sarcocystis were detected. Sarcocystis halieti was detected for the first time in the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horwald A B Llano
- Investigation Group (GINVER), School of Veterinary Medicine, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicina and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Heloise Zavatieri Polato
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicina and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lara Borges Keid
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ticiana Zwarg
- The Fauna Division of the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment of the Municipality of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alice S de Oliveira
- The Fauna Division of the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment of the Municipality of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thaís C Sanches
- The Fauna Division of the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment of the Municipality of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriana M Joppert
- The Fauna Division of the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment of the Municipality of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luís F P Gondim
- Department of Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicina and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Whoriskey ST, Duignan PJ, McClain AM, Seguel M, Gulland FMD, Johnson SP, Field CL. Clinical signs, treatment, and outcome for California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) with Sarcocystis-associated polyphasic rhabdomyositis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021; 259:1196-1205. [PMID: 34727074 DOI: 10.2460/javma.20.06.0348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe clinical signs, treatment, and outcome for California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) with Sarcocystis-associated polyphasic rhabdomyositis. ANIMALS 38 free-ranging juvenile to adult California sea lions examined at a rehabilitation center in California between September 2015 and December 2017. PROCEDURES Medical records at The Marine Mammal Center were reviewed to identify sea lions in which sarcocystosis had been diagnosed. RESULTS Clinical signs were highly variable and associated with polyphasic rhabdomyositis attributed to Sarcocystis neurona infection. Generalized severe muscle wasting, respiratory compromise, and regurgitation secondary to megaesophagus were the most profound clinical findings. Respiratory compromise and megaesophagus were associated with a poor prognosis. Eight of the 38 sea lions were treated and released to the wild, and 2 subsequently restranded and were euthanized. Two additional animals received no targeted treatment and were released. The remaining 28 animals were either euthanized or died during treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that unlike other marine mammals, which typically develop encephalitis, California sea lions with sarcocystosis often have polyphasic rhabdomyositis with highly variable clinical signs and that extensive diagnostic testing may be required to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment with an antiprotozoal drug in combination with corticosteroids may resolve clinical disease, but the prognosis is guarded.
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Obusan MCM, Caras JAA, Lumang LSL, Calderon EJS, Villanueva RMD, Salibay CC, Siringan MAT, Rivera WL, Masangkay JS, Aragones LV. Bacteriological and histopathological findings in cetaceans that stranded in the Philippines from 2017 to 2018. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243691. [PMID: 34762695 PMCID: PMC8584710 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The relatively high frequency of marine mammal stranding events in the Philippines provide many research opportunities. A select set of stranders (n = 21) from 2017 to 2018 were sampled for bacteriology and histopathology. Pertinent tissues and bacteria were collected from individuals representing eight cetacean species (i.e. Feresa attenuata, Kogia breviceps, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Grampus griseus, Lagenodelphis hosei, Peponocephala electra, Stenella attenuata and Stenella longirostris) and were subjected to histopathological examination and antibiotic resistance screening, respectively. The antibiotic resistance profiles of 24 bacteria (belonging to genera Escherichia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, and Shigella) that were isolated from four cetaceans were determined using 18 antibiotics. All 24 isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic class, and 79.17% were classified as multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR). The MAR index values of isolates ranged from 0.06 to 0.39 with all the isolates resistant to erythromycin (100%; n = 24) and susceptible to imipenem, doripenem, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin (100%; n = 24). The resistance profiles of these bacteria show the extent of antimicrobial resistance in the marine environment, and may inform medical management decisions during rehabilitation of stranded cetaceans. Due to inadequate gross descriptions and limited data gathered by the responders during the stranding events, the significance of histopathological lesions in association with disease diagnosis in each cetacean stranding or mortality remained inconclusive; however, these histopathological findings may be indicative or contributory to the resulting debility and stress during their strandings. The findings of the study demonstrate the challenges faced by cetacean species in the wild, such as but not limited to, biological pollution through land-sea movement of effluents, fisheries interactions, and anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Christine M. Obusan
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
- Natural Sciences Research Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Jamaica Ann A. Caras
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
- Marine Mammal Research Stranding Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Lara Sabrina L. Lumang
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Erika Joyce S. Calderon
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Ren Mark D. Villanueva
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Cristina C. Salibay
- College of Science and Computer Studies, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, City of Dasmariñas Cavite, Philippines
| | - Maria Auxilia T. Siringan
- Natural Sciences Research Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Windell L. Rivera
- Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Joseph S. Masangkay
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Lemnuel V. Aragones
- Marine Mammal Research Stranding Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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CLINICO-PATHOLOGIC FINDINGS AND PATHOGEN SCREENING IN FUR SEALS (ARCTOCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS AND ARCTOCEPHALUS TROPICALIS) STRANDED IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL, 2018. J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:86-99. [PMID: 34724048 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Among pinnipeds, four Otariidae species (eared seals) have been reported as occasional or frequent vagrants along the coast of Brazil, mainly in the southern region. These animals usually arrive debilitated during winter and are directed to rehabilitation. Nevertheless, available information on sanitary aspects of stranded pinnipeds in Brazil is limited. Increased fur seal strandings (n=23) were recorded during the 2018 winter season in southeast Brazil (Iguape, Ilha Comprida, and Ilha do Cardoso, Sao Paulo State) compared to 2017 (n=2). Of these 23 fur seals, two were found dead and were in a good postmortem condition, and four died during rehabilitation and were subsequently necropsied. The remaining fur seals were not analyzed due to advanced decomposition (9/23) or successful rehabilitation (8/23). Herein, we report the antemortem hematology (n=4) and postmortem pathologic, parasitologic, and molecular analysis results as well as the most likely cause of stranding and/or death (CSD) in five free-ranging juvenile South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) and one free-ranging juvenile subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis). All animals were males, and all but one had poor body condition. Pathologic examinations revealed a variety of lesions, predominantly hemodynamic disturbances, endoparasitism, and inflammatory disease processes of suspected infectious nature. Molecular analyses detected gammaherpesvirus infections in two South American seals and one subantarctic fur seal, Sarcocystis sp. in one subantarctic fur seal, and Neospora sp. in two South American fur seals. All seals were PCR-negative for morbillivirus, flavivirus, and Toxoplasma gondii. The most likely CSDs were: starvation (2), aspiration pneumonia (1), asphyxia (1), predator attack (1), and presumed systemic infectious disease (1). These findings expand the geographic range of various pathogens of pinnipeds and may be of value to first responders, clinicians, and diagnosticians.
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Greenfield JB, Anderson MV, Dorey EA, Redman E, Gilleard JS, Nemeth NM, Rothenburger JL. Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. as a cause of protozoal encephalitis in a free-ranging black bear. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 34:146-152. [PMID: 34416834 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211038389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A free-ranging juvenile male black bear (Ursus americanus), found dead in Alberta, Canada, had severe nonsuppurative encephalitis. Lesions in the brain were most severe in the gray matter of the cerebral cortex, and included perivascular cuffs of lymphocytes and plasma cells, areas of gliosis that disrupted the neuropil, and intralesional protozoan schizonts. The left hindlimb had suppurative myositis associated with Streptococcus halichoeri. Immunohistochemistry and molecular analyses (PCR and sequencing of 4 discriminatory loci: 18S rDNA, ITS-1 rDNA, cox1, rpoB) identified Sarcocystis canis or a very closely related Sarcocystis sp. in the affected muscle and brain tissues. The main lesion described in previously reported cases of fatal sarcocystosis in bears was necrotizing hepatitis. Fatal encephalitis associated with this parasite represents a novel presentation of sarcocystosis in bears. Sarcocystosis should be considered a differential diagnosis for nonsuppurative encephalitis in bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan B Greenfield
- Departments of Ecosystem and Public Health and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta Region, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Madison V Anderson
- Departments of Ecosystem and Public Health and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta Region, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emily A Dorey
- Departments of Ecosystem and Public Health and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta Region, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Redman
- Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - John S Gilleard
- Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole M Nemeth
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jamie L Rothenburger
- Departments of Ecosystem and Public Health and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta Region, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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14
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Dzido J, Rolbiecki L, Izdebska JN, Rokicki J, Kuczkowski T, Pawliczka I. A global checklist of the parasites of the harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena, a critically-endangered species, including new findings from the Baltic Sea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:290-302. [PMID: 34336594 PMCID: PMC8313437 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The common harbor porpoise is a widely-distributed marine mammal with three known subspecies, including P. phocoena phocoena, with a clearly distinct and critically endangered (CR) subpopulation from the Baltic Sea (Baltic Proper). As part of an assessment of the condition and health threats of these mammals, it is important to conduct parasitological monitoring. The aim of the study was therefore to compare the data on porpoise parasitofauna from this subpopulation with those on porpoises from other areas. The study included 37 individuals from 1995 to 2019; eight species of parasites were found (prevalence 83.8%, mean intensity 724.2, range 2-3940), with a predominance of lung nematodes - Stenurus minor (94.7%), Torynurus convolutus (69.4%), Pseudalius inflexus (63.8%), Halocercus invaginatus (22.2%); the highest intensity was recorded for S. minor (989, 53-2928). Two species of Anisakidae (Anisakis simplex - 33.3%, Contracaecum sp. - 20.0%) were found in the digestive tracts, which were a new record for this population. The fluke Campula oblonga was found in the livers of 31.3% of porpoises. The tapeworm Diphylobothrium stemmacephalum was also recorded in the intestine of one individual; this is typical for these hosts, but previously undetected in the Baltic subpopulation. Parasites coexisted in numerous hosts, constituting a heavy burden for them. The obtained data were compared with those from the P. phocoena parasitofauna from other regions, based on a compiled checklist (1809-2021) including all species of porpoise parasites (55 taxa). Compared to the worldwide porpoise parasitofauna checklist, the number of parasites found in the nominative subspecies (Baltic Proper subpopulation) is small: including only 10 taxa (eight in the current study). These species are typical of porpoises and usually the most common; however, the level of infection of Baltic porpoises (intensity and total parasite load) is very high, which can undoubtedly have a negative impact on their condition and overall health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Dzido
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Leszek Rolbiecki
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Joanna N Izdebska
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jerzy Rokicki
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tytus Kuczkowski
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Iwona Pawliczka
- Institute of Oceanography, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Morska 2, 84-150, Hel, Poland
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15
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Gondim LFP, Soares RM, Moré G, Jesus RFD, Llano HAB. Sarcocystis neurona and related Sarcocystis spp. shed by opossums (Didelphis spp.) in South America. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 30:e006521. [PMID: 34259741 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Protozoan parasites of the genus Sarcocystis are obligatory heteroxenous cyst-forming coccidia that infect a wide variety of animals and encompass approximately 200 described species. At least four Sarcocystis spp. (S. falcatula, S. neurona, S. lindsayi and S. speeri) use opossums (Didelphis spp.) as definitive hosts, and two of them, S. neurona and S. falcatula, are known to cause disease in horses and birds, respectively. Opossums are restricted to the Americas, but their distribution in the Americas is heterogeneous. Five Didelphis spp. are distributed in South America (D. aurita, D. albiventris, D. marsupialis, D. imperfecta and D. pernigra) whereas just one opossum species (D. virginiana) is found in North America. Studies conducted in the last decades show that Sarcocystis spp., derived from South American Didelphis spp., have biological and genetic differences in relation to Sarcocystis spp. shed by the North American opossum D. virginiana. The aim of this review was to address the peculiar scenario of Sarcocystis species shed by South American opossums, with a special focus on diagnosis, epidemiology, and animal infections, as well as the genetic characteristics of these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Fernando Pita Gondim
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Gastón Moré
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rogério Fernando de Jesus
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Horwald Alexander Bedoya Llano
- Grupo de Investigación - GINVER, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín, Colombia
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16
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Giorda F, Romani-Cremaschi U, Marsh AE, Grattarola C, Iulini B, Pautasso A, Varello K, Berio E, Gazzuola P, Marsili L, Di Francesco CE, Goria M, Verna F, Audino T, Peletto S, Caramelli M, Fernández-Escobar M, Sierra E, Fernández A, Calero-Bernal R, Casalone C. Evidence for Unknown Sarcocystis-Like Infection in Stranded Striped Dolphins ( Stenella coeruleoalba) from the Ligurian Sea, Italy. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051201. [PMID: 33922074 PMCID: PMC8143450 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Two stranded striped dolphins presented meningoenchepalitic lesions associated with the presence of unknown protozoan tissue cysts. The present study aimed at fully characterizing these previously undescribed parasites. Light microscopy re-examination of affected CNS areas showed high numbers of tissue cysts with morphological features resembling those of Sarcocystis species. Tissue cyst bradyzoites positively stained when labeled with polyclonal antisera but cross-reactivity could not be precluded. Sarcocystis sp. sequences with high homology to species infecting livestock were amplified by means of PCR from myocardial and muscle tissues. This is the first report of Sarcocystis-like tissue cysts in the cerebral tissue of stranded cetaceans with muscular sarcocystosis in Mediterranean dolphins. The obtained results may suggest a land-to-sea cycling of Apicomplexan parasites in this region and the need for further investigations in order to foster marine mammal conservation. Abstract Two striped dolphins (SD1, SD2), stranded along the Ligurian coast of Italy, were diagnosed with a nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis associated with previously undescribed protozoan tissue cysts. As tissue cysts were morphologically different from those of Toxoplasma gondii, additional histopathological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and biomolecular investigations were performed, aiming to fully characterize the organism. Histopathology revealed the presence of large Sarcocystis-like tissue cysts, associated with limited inflammatory lesions in all CNS areas studied. IHC was inconclusive, as positive staining with polyclonal antisera did not preclude cross-reaction with other Sarcocystidae coccidia. Applied to each animal, 11 different PCR protocols precluded a neural infection by Sarcocystis neurona, Sarcocystis falcatula, Hammondia hammondi, and Neospora caninum. T. gondii coinfection was confirmed only in dolphin SD2. Sarcocystis sp. sequences, showing the highest homology to species infecting the Bovidae family, were amplified from SD1 myocardium and SD2 skeletal muscle. The present study represents the first report of Sarcocystis-like tissue cysts in the brain of stranded cetaceans along with the first description of Sarcocystis sp. infection in muscle tissue of dolphins from the Mediterranean basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Giorda
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (A.F.)
| | | | - Antoinette E. Marsh
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Carla Grattarola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Barbara Iulini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Alessandra Pautasso
- Department of Prevention, Local Veterinary Services (ASL1 Imperiese), Via Aurelia Ponente 97, Bussana di Sanremo, 18038 Imperia, Italy;
| | - Katia Varello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Enrica Berio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Paola Gazzuola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Letizia Marsili
- Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, della Terra e dell’Ambiente, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Cristina E. Di Francesco
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Strada Provinciale 18 Località Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Maria Goria
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Federica Verna
- Department of Prevention, Local Veterinary Services, Via Conte Verde 125, 35040 Asti, Italy;
| | - Tania Audino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Simone Peletto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Maria Caramelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Mercedes Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.F.-E.); (R.C.-B.)
| | - Eva Sierra
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (A.F.)
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (A.F.)
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.F.-E.); (R.C.-B.)
| | - Cristina Casalone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy; (F.G.); (C.G.); (B.I.); (K.V.); (E.B.); (P.G.); (M.G.); (T.A.); (S.P.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence:
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17
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O'Byrne AM, Lambourn DM, Rejmanek D, Haman K, O'Byrne M, VanWormer E, Shapiro K. Sarcocystis neurona Transmission from Opossums to Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:84-94. [PMID: 34213686 PMCID: PMC8367900 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01536-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Increasing reports of marine mammal deaths have been attributed to the parasite Sarcocystis neurona. Infected opossums, the only known definitive hosts, shed S. neurona sporocysts in their feces. Sporocysts can contaminate the marine environment via overland runoff, and subsequent ingestion by marine mammals can lead to fatal encephalitis. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of S. neurona in opossums from coastal areas of Washington State (USA) and to compare genetic markers between S. neurona in opossums and marine mammals. Thirty-two road-kill opossums and tissue samples from 30 stranded marine mammals meeting inclusion criteria were included in analyses. Three opossums (9.4%) and twelve marine mammals (40%) were confirmed positive for S. neurona via DNA amplification at the ITS1 locus. Genetic identity at microsatellites (sn3, sn7, sn9) and the snSAG3 gene of S. neurona was demonstrated among one harbor porpoise and two opossums. Watershed mapping further demonstrated plausible sporocyst transport pathways from one of these opossums to the location where an infected harbor porpoise carcass was recovered. Our results provide the first reported link between S. neurona genotypes on land and sea in the Pacific Northwest, and further demonstrate how terrestrial pathogen pollution can impact the health of marine wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M O'Byrne
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, D04 W6F6, Ireland
| | - Dyanna M Lambourn
- Wildlife Program, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA, 98501, USA
| | - Daniel Rejmanek
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Haman
- Wildlife Program, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA, 98501, USA
| | - Michael O'Byrne
- University of Göttingen, Wilhelmsplatz 1, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, 4206 VM3A, Davis, CA, 95616-5270, USA.
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18
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Burgess TL, Tinker MT, Miller MA, Smith WA, Bodkin JL, Murray MJ, Nichol LM, Saarinen JA, Larson S, Tomoleoni JA, Conrad PA, Johnson CK. Spatial epidemiological patterns suggest mechanisms of land-sea transmission for Sarcocystis neurona in a coastal marine mammal. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3683. [PMID: 32111856 PMCID: PMC7048795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60254-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona was recognised as an important cause of mortality in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) after an outbreak in April 2004 and has since been detected in many marine mammal species in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Risk of S. neurona exposure in sea otters is associated with consumption of clams and soft-sediment prey and is temporally associated with runoff events. We examined the spatial distribution of S. neurona exposure risk based on serum antibody testing and assessed risk factors for exposure in animals from California, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Significant spatial clustering of seropositive animals was observed in California and Washington, compared with British Columbia and Alaska. Adult males were at greatest risk for exposure to S. neurona, and there were strong associations with terrestrial features (wetlands, cropland, high human housing-unit density). In California, habitats containing soft sediment exhibited greater risk than hard substrate or kelp beds. Consuming a diet rich in clams was also associated with increased exposure risk. These findings suggest a transmission pathway analogous to that described for Toxoplasma gondii, with infectious stages traveling in freshwater runoff and being concentrated in particular locations by marine habitat features, ocean physical processes, and invertebrate bioconcentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan L Burgess
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, Karen C Drayer Wildlife Health Center, One Health Institute, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Acadia Wildlife Services, P.O. Box 56, South Freeport, ME, 04078, USA
| | - M Tim Tinker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz Field Station, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Nhydra Ecological Consulting, 11 Parklea Dr Head of St, Margarets Bay, NS, B3Z2G6, Canada
| | - Melissa A Miller
- Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 151 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Woutrina A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - James L Bodkin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4201 University Dr., Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA
| | - Michael J Murray
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA, 93940, USA
| | - Linda M Nichol
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Justin A Saarinen
- New College of Florida 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Shawn Larson
- The Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Joseph A Tomoleoni
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz Field Station, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Christine K Johnson
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, Karen C Drayer Wildlife Health Center, One Health Institute, University of California Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Hammerschmitt ME, Henker LC, Lichtler J, da Costa FVA, Soares RM, Llano HAB, Pavarini SP. First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona causing meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat in Brazil. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:675-682. [PMID: 31901995 PMCID: PMC7088143 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06570-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona is the main agent associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Apart from horses, S. neurona has been occasionally described causing neurologic disease in several other terrestrial animals as well as mortality in marine mammals. Herein, we describe the clinical, pathological, and molecular findings of a fatal case of S. neurona-associated meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat. The causing agent was analyzed by multilocus genotyping, confirming the presence of S. neurona DNA in the tissue samples of the affected animal. Significant molecular differences were found in relation to S. neurona isolates detected in other regions of the Americas. In addition, the parasite was identical to Sarcocystis sp. identified in opossum sporocysts in Brazil at molecular level, which suggests that transmission of. S. neurona in Brazil might involve variants of the parasite different from those found elsewhere in the Americas. Studies including more samples of S. neurona would be required to test this hypothesis, as well as to assess the impact of this diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Elisa Hammerschmitt
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil.
| | - Luan Cleber Henker
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Juliana Lichtler
- Setor de Medicina Felina, Hospital de Clínicas Veterinárias, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Vieira Amorim da Costa
- Setor de Medicina Felina, Hospital de Clínicas Veterinárias, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Horwald Alexander Bedoya Llano
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Saulo Petinatti Pavarini
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
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20
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Reisfeld L, Sacristán C, Ferreira Machado E, Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Costa-Silva S, Ewbank AC, Navas-Suárez PE, Guerra JM, Barrel JDSP, Réssio RA, Favero CM, Gastal S, Kolesnikovas CK, Marigo J, Ruoppolo V, Catão-Dias JL. Toxoplasmosis and Sarcocystis spp. infection in wild pinnipeds of the Brazilian coast. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 136:235-241. [PMID: 31724556 DOI: 10.3354/dao03410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The protozoans Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp. (Sarcocystidae: Apicomplexa) affect a wide variety of vertebrates. Both have been reported to infect pinnipeds, with impacts on health ranging from inapparent to fulminant disease and death. However, little is known regarding their infections and associated pathology in South American pinnipeds. We used histological techniques to survey for the presence of T. gondii and Sarcocystis spp. in 51 stranded pinnipeds from Brazil. Immunohistochemical and molecular assays were employed in those cases consistent with Sarcocystidae infection. T. gondii cysts were detected in the central nervous system and heart of a South American fur seal Arctocephalus australis, associated with meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and endocarditis, and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, this animal presented Sarcocystis sp. cysts in brain and heart tissues. Four additional specimens-2 Subantarctic fur seals A. tropicalis, an Antarctic fur seal A. gazella and another South American fur seal-presented intrasarcoplasmic cysts compatible with Sarcocystis spp. in muscle samples. There was no inflammation associated with the Sarcocystis spp. tissue cysts and all cysts were negative for S. neurona immunohistochemistry. The B1 gene of T. gondii was amplified in the 5 pinnipeds infected by Sarcocystidae protozoans. To our knowledge, this is the first report of toxoplasmosis in wild South American pinnipeds and of Sarcocystis spp. in South American fur seals. Detection of terrestrial parasites in aquatic mammals could be an indicator of their presence in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Reisfeld
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
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21
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Reiling SJ, Measures L, Feng S, Boone R, Merks H, Dixon BR. Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis sp. and Neospora caninum-like parasites in seals from northern and eastern Canada: potential risk to consumers. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019; 17:e00067. [PMID: 32095635 PMCID: PMC7033983 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic parasites of seals that are harvested for food may pose a health risk when seal meat or organ tissues of infected animals are eaten raw or undercooked. In this study, 124 tissue samples from 81 seals, comprising four species, were collected from northern and eastern Canada. Tissues from 23 ringed seals (Pusa hispida), 8 hooded seals (Cystophora cristata), 21 harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus), and 29 grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) were tested for parasites of the Sarcocystidae family including Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp., and Neospora spp. using nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was present in 26% of ringed seals, 63% of hooded seals, 57% of harp seals, and 31% of grey seals. Sarcocystis sp. DNA was found in 9% of ringed seals, 13% of hooded seals, 14% of harp seals, and 4% of grey seals, while N. caninum-like DNA was present in 26% of ringed seals. While it is unclear how pinnipeds may become infected with these protozoans, horizontal transmission is most likely. However, one harp seal pup (4 days old) was PCR-positive for T. gondii, suggesting vertical transmission may also occur. Phylogenetic analysis of the 18S gene region indicates that Sarcocystis sp. in these seals belongs to a unique genotype. Furthermore, this study represents a new host report for T. gondii in harp seals, a new host and geographic report for N. caninum-like parasites in ringed seals, and four new hosts and geographic reports for Sarcocystis sp. These results demonstrate that parasites of the Sarcocystidae family are prevalent in northern and eastern Canadian seals. While the zoonotic potential of Sarcocystis sp. and the N. caninum-like parasite are unclear, consumption of raw or undercooked seal meat or organ tissues pose a risk of T. gondii infection to consumers. Tissues from ringed, hooded, harp and grey seals in Canada were PCR-positive for Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis and Neospora. Raw or undercooked seal meat may pose a risk for zoonotic transmission of T. gondii to consumers. The risk for zoonotic transmission of Sarcocystis sp. and the Neospora caninum-like parasite is unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Reiling
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Lena Measures
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, QC, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Sandy Feng
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Ryan Boone
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Harriet Merks
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Brent R. Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
- Corresponding author. Address: 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, A.L. 2204E, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
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22
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SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA-ASSOCIATED MENINGOENCEPHALITIS IN A PACIFIC WALRUS ( ODOBENDUS ROSMARUS DIVERGENS). J Zoo Wildl Med 2019; 48:1219-1222. [PMID: 29297810 DOI: 10.1638/2017-0093.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A 21-yr-old intact male walrus ( Odobendus rosmarus divergens) presented with acute onset of shifting lameness, initially associated with breeding behaviors. Further clinical signs manifested, including muscle tremors, anorexia, hematuria, and coughing. Diagnostics were limited, as the animal would not offer behaviors for voluntary sample collection. Signs were addressed with anti-inflammatories, anticonvulsants, and antibiotics. The walrus developed cluster seizures and ultimately, respiratory and cardiac arrest. Postmortem lesions included meningoencephalitis with intra- and extracellular protozoal zoites and schizonts, as well as interstitial pneumonia with intraendothelial protozoa. Immunolabeling of the protozoal organisms revealed Sarcocystis neurona. Previous S. neurona infections in an odobenid have not been reported. Protozoal infection should be considered in all species of captive marine mammals with nonspecific orthopedic, neurological, and respiratory clinical signs.
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23
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Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Carvalho VL, Díaz-Delgado J, Ressio RA, Fernandes NCCA, Guerra JM, Sacristán C, Groch KR, Silvestre-Perez N, Ferreira-Machado E, Costa-Silva S, Navas-Suárez P, Meirelles ACO, Favero C, Marigo J, Bertozzi CP, Colosio AC, Marcondes MCC, Cremer MJ, Dos Santos Silva N, Ferreira Neto JS, Keid LB, Soares R, Sierra E, Fernández A, Catão-Dias JL. Molecular, serological, pathological, immunohistochemical and microbiological investigation of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of Brazil reveals new cetacean hosts. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 66:1674-1692. [PMID: 30980699 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Brucella-exposure and infection is increasingly recognized in marine mammals worldwide. To better understand the epidemiology and health impacts of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of Brazil, molecular (conventional PCR and/or real-time PCR), serological (Rose Bengal Test [RBT], Competitive [c]ELISA, Serum Agglutination Test [SAT]), pathological, immunohistochemical (IHC) and/or microbiological investigations were conducted in samples of 129 stranded or by-caught marine mammals (orders Cetartiodactyla [n = 124], Carnivora [n = 4] and Sirenia [n = 1]). Previous serological tests performed on available sera of 27 of the 129 animals (26 cetaceans and one manatee), indicated 10 seropositive cetaceans. Conventional PCR and/or real-time PCR performed in cases with available organs (n = 119) and/or blood or swabs (n = 10) revealed 4/129 (3.1%) Brucella-infected cetaceans (one of them with positive serology; the remaining three with no available sera). Pathological, IHC and/or microbiological analyses conducted in PCR/real-time PCR and/or seropositive cases (n = 13) revealed Brucella-type lesions, including meningitis/meningoencephalitis, pneumonia, necrotizing hepatitis, pericarditis and osteoarthritis in some of those animals, and positive IHC was found in all of them (excepting two live-stranded animals without available organs). Brucella spp. culture attempts were unsuccessful. Our results demonstrated exposure, asymptomatic, acute and chronic Brucella sp. infection in several cetacean species in the Brazilian coast, highlighting the role of this pathogen in stranding and/or death, particularly in Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) off Ceará State. Novel hosts susceptible to Brucella included the franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei), the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) and the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Additionally, three coinfection cases involving Brucella spp. and cetacean morbillivirus, Edwarsiella tarda and Proteus mirabilis were detected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first long-term and large-scale survey of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of South America, widening the spectrum of susceptible hosts and geographical distribution range of this agent with zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Sánchez-Sarmiento
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vitor L Carvalho
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Brazil
| | - Josué Díaz-Delgado
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Sacristán
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kátia R Groch
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Silvestre-Perez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Ferreira-Machado
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Samira Costa-Silva
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Navas-Suárez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C O Meirelles
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Brazil
| | - Cintia Favero
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Marigo
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolina P Bertozzi
- Instituto de Biociências, campus do Litoral Paulista, IB/CLP - Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, São Vicente, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marta J Cremer
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Tetrápodes Marinhos e Costeiros, University of the Region of Joinville, São Francisco do Sul, Brazil
| | - Nairléia Dos Santos Silva
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose Soares Ferreira Neto
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lara B Keid
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Soares
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eva Sierra
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - José L Catão-Dias
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Seguel M, Colegrove KM, Field C, Whoriskey S, Norris T, Duignan P. Polyphasic Rhabdomyositis in California Sea Lions ( Zalophus Californianus): Pathology and Potential Causes. Vet Pathol 2019; 56:619-629. [PMID: 30983529 DOI: 10.1177/0300985819829526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A myositis syndrome has been recognized for more than a decade in California sea lions (CSLs; Zalophus californianus) but a detailed description of the lesions and potential causes of this condition is lacking. The tissues of 136 stranded CSLs with rhabdomyositis were examined. Rhabdomyositis was considered incidental in 67% (91/136) of the CSLs, and a factor contributing to the animal stranding (significant rhabdomyositis) in 33% (45/136). Of the 91 cases with incidental rhabdomyositis, lesions consisted of a few small foci of lymphohistiocytic inflammation. Of the 45 cases with significant rhabdomyositis, 28 (62%) also presented with major comorbidities such as leptospirosis (2 animals) and domoic acid toxicosis (6 animals), whereas 17 (38%) had severe polyphasic rhabdomyositis as the only major disease process associated with mortality. In these animals, most striated muscles had multiple white streaks and diffuse atrophy. Microscopically, there was myofiber necrosis surrounded by lymphocytes and histiocytes admixed with areas of myofiber regeneration, and/or moderate to severe rhabdomyocyte atrophy usually adjacent to intact Sarcocystis neurona cysts. At the interface of affected and normal muscle, occasional T lymphocytes infiltrated the sarcoplasm of intact myocytes, and occasional myofibers expressed MHCII proteins in the sarcoplasm. S. neurona antibody titers and cyst burden were higher in animals with significant polymyositis antibody titers of (26125 ± 2164, 4.5 ± 1.2 cysts per section) and active myonecrosis than animals with incidental rhabdomyositis antibody titers of (7612 ± 1042, 1.7 ± 0.82 cysts per section). The presented findings suggest that S. neurona infection and immune-mediated mechanisms could be associated with significant polyphasic rhabdomyositis in CSLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Seguel
- 1 Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Colegrove
- 2 Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Brookfield, IL, USA
| | - Cara Field
- 3 The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, CA, USA
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25
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Villagra-Blanco R, Silva LMR, Conejeros I, Taubert A, Hermosilla C. Pinniped- and Cetacean-Derived ETosis Contributes to Combating Emerging Apicomplexan Parasites ( Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum) Circulating in Marine Environments. BIOLOGY 2019; 8:biology8010012. [PMID: 30857289 PMCID: PMC6466332 DOI: 10.3390/biology8010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Leukocytes play a major role in combating infections either by phagocytosis, release of antimicrobial granules, or extracellular trap (ET) formation. ET formation is preceded by a certain leukocyte cell death form, known as ETosis, an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of the innate immune system also observed in marine mammals. Besides several biomolecules and microbial stimuli, marine mammal ETosis is also trigged by various terrestrial protozoa and metazoa, considered nowadays as neozoan parasites, which are circulating in oceans worldwide and causing critical emerging marine diseases. Recent studies demonstrated that pinniped- and cetacean-derived polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and monocytes are able to form different phenotypes of ET structures composed of nuclear DNA, histones, and cytoplasmic peptides/proteases against terrestrial apicomplexan parasites, e.g., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Detailed molecular analyses and functional studies proved that marine mammal PMNs and monocytes cast ETs in a similar way as terrestrial mammals, entrapping and immobilizing T. gondii and N. caninum tachyzoites. Pinniped- and cetacean leukocytes induce vital and suicidal ETosis, with highly reliant actions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX), generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and combined mechanisms of myeloperoxidase (MPO), neutrophil elastase (NE), and DNA citrullination via peptidylarginine deiminase IV (PAD4).This scoping review intends to summarize the knowledge on emerging protozoans in the marine environment and secondly to review limited data about ETosis mechanisms in marine mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liliana M R Silva
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Iván Conejeros
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Anja Taubert
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Carlos Hermosilla
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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26
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Cesar MO, Matushima ER, Zwarg T, de Oliveira AS, Sanches TC, Joppert AM, Keid LB, Oliveira TMF, Ferreira HL, Llano HAB, Konradt G, Bianchi MV, Gregori F, Gondim LFP, Soares RM. Multilocus characterization of Sarcocystis falcatula -related organisms isolated in Brazil supports genetic admixture of high diverse SAG alleles among the isolates. Exp Parasitol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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27
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Bowden GD, Land KM, O'Connor RM, Fritz HM. High-throughput screen of drug repurposing library identifies inhibitors of Sarcocystis neurona growth. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2018; 8:137-144. [PMID: 29547840 PMCID: PMC6114104 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis neurona is the primary etiologic agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a serious neurologic disease of horses. Many horses in the U.S. are at risk of developing EPM; approximately 50% of all horses in the U.S. have been exposed to S. neurona and treatments for EPM are 60-70% effective. Advancement of treatment requires new technology to identify new drugs for EPM. To address this critical need, we developed, validated, and implemented a high-throughput screen to test 725 FDA-approved compounds from the NIH clinical collections library for anti-S. neurona activity. Our screen identified 18 compounds with confirmed inhibitory activity against S. neurona growth, including compounds active in the nM concentration range. Many identified inhibitory compounds have well-defined mechanisms of action, making them useful tools to study parasite biology in addition to being potential therapeutic agents. In comparing the activity of inhibitory compounds identified by our screen to that of other screens against other apicomplexan parasites, we found that most compounds (15/18; 83%) have activity against one or more related apicomplexans. Interestingly, nearly half (44%; 8/18) of the inhibitory compounds have reported activity against dopamine receptors. We also found that dantrolene, a compound already formulated for horses with a peak plasma concentration of 37.8 ± 12.8 ng/ml after 500 mg dose, inhibits S. neurona parasites at low concentrations (0.065 μM [0.036-0.12; 95% CI] or 21.9 ng/ml [12.1-40.3; 95% CI]). These studies demonstrate the use of a new tool for discovering new chemotherapeutic agents for EPM and potentially providing new reagents to elucidate biologic pathways required for successful S. neurona infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Bowden
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Kirkwood M Land
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Roberta M O'Connor
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Heather M Fritz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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28
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Colegrove KM, Burek-Huntington KA, Roe W, Siebert U. Pinnipediae. PATHOLOGY OF WILDLIFE AND ZOO ANIMALS 2018. [PMCID: PMC7150363 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00023-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This chapter reviews common diseases of pinnipeds, including species in the Otariidae (fur seals and sea lions), Phocidae (true seals), and Odobenidae (walrus) families. Much of the knowledge on pathologic conditions of pinnipeds comes from necropsies of stranded animals and those housed in captivity. As such, disease knowledge is biased toward species frequently housed in zoos and aquaria, those that strand more commonly, or those in which free-ranging populations are more easily accessible. Though historically systematic evaluations of wild populations have rarely been accomplished, in the past 10 years, with advances in marine mammal medicine and anesthesia, biologists and veterinarians more frequently completed live animal health field investigations to evaluate health and disease in free-ranging pinniped populations.
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MORTALITY TRENDS IN NORTHERN SEA OTTERS ( ENHYDRA LUTRIS KENYONI) COLLECTED FROM THE COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON, USA (2002-15). J Wildl Dis 2017; 54:238-247. [PMID: 29261446 DOI: 10.7589/2017-05-122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During 2002-15 we examined the causes of mortality in a population of northern sea otters ( Enhydra lutris kenyoni). Beachcast sea otters were collected primarily from the US coast of Washington. Although there are no permanent sea otter residents in Oregon, several beachcast otters were collected from the Oregon coast. Infectious diseases were the primary cause of death (56%) for otters we examined. Sarcocystosis was the leading infectious cause of death (54%) and was observed throughout the study period. Some infectious diseases, such as morbilliviral encephalitis and leptospirosis, were documented for a limited number of years and then not detected again despite continued testing for these pathogens in necropsied animals. Trauma was the second most common cause of death (14%) during the study period. The continued stable growth of the Washington population of otters suggests they are able to tolerate current mortality rates.
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Dubey JP, Trupkiewicz JG, Verma SK, Mowery JD, Adedoyin G, Georoff T, Grigg ME. Atypical fatal sarcocystosis associated with Sarcocystis neurona in a White-nosed coati (Nasua narica molaris). Vet Parasitol 2017; 247:80-84. [PMID: 29080770 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Sarcocystis neurona is an important cause of disease in horses (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, EPM) and marine mammals. Isolated reports of clinical EPM-like disease have been documented in a zebra, raccoon, domestic cat, domestic dog, ferret, skunk, mink, lynx, red panda and fisher. The predominant disease is encephalomyelitis associated with schizonts in neural tissues. Here, we report highly disseminated sarcocystosis, in many tissues of a captive White-nosed coati (Nasua narica molaris). The 14year old, neutered male coati was euthanized due to progressive weakness, lethargy, and inappetence. Schizonts, including free and intracellular merozoites were detected in many cell types, and differed morphologically from S. neurona schizonts in horses. Only a few sarcocysts were seen in skeletal muscle and the myocardium. Immunohistochemically, the protozoa reacted positively to S. neurona but not to Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Severe inflammtory disease detected in the stomach, intestine, adrenal and thyroid glands, ciliary body of eye, and urinary bladder associated with schizonts in the coati has not been reported earlier in any host with EPM. Although, a few schizonts were found in the brain, encephalitis was minimal and not the cause of clinical signs. Multilocus PCR-DNA sequencing using DNA derived from the coati lung tissue identified an S. neurona infection using the 18S, 28S and ITS-1 markers, and a novel genotype using primer pairs against antigenic surface proteins (SnSAG3, SnSAG4, SnSAG1-5-6) and microsatellite markers (MS, SN7, SN9). Although the genotype was similar to the widely distributed Type VI strain, it possessed a novel allele at SnSAG5, and a different MS combination of repeats at SN7 and SN9. Whether this severe parasitism was related to the host or the parasite needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center,Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
| | | | - Shiv K Verma
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center,Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Joseph D Mowery
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit,Building 12, Beltsville, MD 20705,USA
| | - Gloria Adedoyin
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tim Georoff
- Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Borges JC, Lima DD, da Silva EM, Moreira ALDO, Marmontel M, Carvalho VL, Amaral RD, Lazzarini SM, Alves LC. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp. in aquatic mammals in northern and northeastern Brazil. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2017; 126:25-31. [PMID: 28930082 DOI: 10.3354/dao03156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium and Giardia are protozoans that can infect humans and wild and domestic animals. Due to the growing importance of diseases caused by protozoan parasites in aquatic species, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of infection by Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp. in aquatic and marine mammals in the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil. We collected 553 fecal samples from 15 species of wild-ranging and captive aquatic mammals in northern and northeastern Brazil. All samples were analyzed by the Kinyoun technique for identification of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Giardia sp. cysts were identified by means of the centrifugal-flotation technique in zinc sulfate solution. Subsequently, all samples were submitted for direct immunofluorescence testing. The overall frequency of infection was 15.55% (86/553) for Cryptosporidium spp. and 9.04% (50/553) for Giardia sp. The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in samples from 5 species: neotropical river otter Lontra longicaudis (15.28%), giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis (41.66%), Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis (9.67%), Amazonian manatee Trichechus inunguis (16.03%), and Antillean manatee T. manatus (13.79%). Giardia sp. was identified in L. longicaudis (9.23%), P. brasiliensis (29.16%), pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps (100%), dwarf sperm whale K. sima (25%), S. guianensis (9.67%), T. inunguis (3.81%), and T. manatus (10.34%). This is the first report of Cryptosporidium spp. in L. longicaudis, P. brasiliensis, and S. guianensis, while the occurrence of Giardia sp., in addition to the 2 otter species, was also identified in manatees, thus extending the number of hosts susceptible to these parasitic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Carlos Borges
- Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, CEP: 52.171-900, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Chaney SB, Marsh AE, Lewis S, Carman M, Howe DK, Saville WJ, Reed SM. Sarcocystis neurona manipulation using culture-derived merozoites for bradyzoite and sporocyst production. Vet Parasitol 2017; 238:35-42. [PMID: 28372843 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 03/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) remains a significant central nervous system disease of horses in the American continents. Sarcocystis neurona is considered the primary causative agent and its intermediate life stages are carried by a wide host-range including raccoons (Procyon lotor) in North America. S. neurona sarcocysts mature in raccoon skeletal muscle and can produce central nervous system disease in raccoons, mirroring the clinical presentation in horses. The study aimed to develop laboratory tools whereby the life cycle and various life stages of S. neurona could be better studied and manipulated using in vitro and in vivo systems and compare the biology of two independent isolates. This study utilized culture-derived parasites from S. neurona strains derived from a raccoon or from a horse to initiate raccoon infections. Raccoon tissues, including fresh and cryopreserved tissues, were used to establish opossum (Didelphis virginiana) infections, which then shed sporocyts with retained biological activity to cause encephalitis in mice. These results demonstrate that sarcocysts can be generated using in vitro-derived S. neurona merozoites, including an isolate originally derived from a naturally infected horse with clinical EPM. This study indicates the life cycle can be significantly manipulated in the laboratory without affecting subsequent stage development, allowing further purification of strains and artificial maintenance of the life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Chaney
- Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Antoinette E Marsh
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
| | - Stephanie Lewis
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Michelle Carman
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Daniel K Howe
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, 108 Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, KY, 40546, United States
| | - William J Saville
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Stephen M Reed
- Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, KY, 40511, United States
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Ferguson SH, Young BG, Yurkowski DJ, Anderson R, Willing C, Nielsen O. Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability. PeerJ 2017; 5:e2957. [PMID: 28168119 PMCID: PMC5292026 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
To assess whether demographic declines of Arctic species at the southern limit of their range will be gradual or punctuated, we compared large-scale environmental patterns including sea ice dynamics to ringed seal (Pusa hispida) reproduction, body condition, recruitment, and stress in Hudson Bay from 2003 to 2013. Aerial surveys suggested a gradual decline in seal density from 1995 to 2013, with the lowest density occurring in 2013. Body condition decreased and stress (cortisol) increased over time in relation to longer open water periods. The 2010 open water period in Hudson Bay coincided with extremes in large-scale atmospheric patterns (North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, El Nino-Southern Oscillation) resulting in the earliest spring breakup and the latest ice formation on record. The warming event was coincident with high stress level, low ovulation rate, low pregnancy rate, few pups in the Inuit harvest, and observations of sick seals. Results provide evidence of changes in the condition of Arctic marine mammals in relation to climate mediated sea ice dynamics. We conclude that although negative demographic responses of Hudson Bay seals are occurring gradually with diminishing sea ice, a recent episodic environmental event played a significant role in a punctuated population decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven H. Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Brent G. Young
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - David J. Yurkowski
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Randi Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Cornelia Willing
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Ole Nielsen
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Fenton H, Daoust PY, Forzán MJ, Vanderstichel RV, Ford JKB, Spaven L, Lair S, Raverty S. Causes of mortality of harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2017; 122:171-183. [PMID: 28117296 DOI: 10.3354/dao03080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing public interest in the overall health of the marine environment. Harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena have a coastal distribution, and stranded animals function as sentinels for population and ecosystem health. The goal of this retrospective study was to join datasets from the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific coasts of Canada to investigate causes of morbidity and mortality in this species. A total of 241 necropsy records were reviewed including 147 (61%) from the Pacific region and 94 (39%) from the Atlantic region from 1988 to 2011. A cause of death could be determined with confidence in 118 (49%) of these cases. Of these 118 cases, the leading cause of mortality for both regions, together and separately, was infectious disease. In the Pacific region, this was followed by traumatic and anthropogenic causes, whereas in the Atlantic region, it was followed by emaciation/starvation, mortality of dependent calves, and anthropogenic causes. Pathogens of potential zoonotic significance or indicative of environmental contamination, e.g. Salmonella sp. and Cryptococcus gattii, were identified. Numerous parasitic species were observed within the lungs, liver, stomach, middle ear, and subcutaneous tissues, although they were usually interpreted as incidental findings. Anthropogenic causes may be underrepresented as they are notoriously difficult to diagnose with certainty, thereby making up a proportion of the 'unknown causes of death' (51%) category. Improved standardization of data collection and documentation is required to better understand harbor porpoise and ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Fenton
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
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Barbieri MM, Kashinsky L, Rotstein DS, Colegrove KM, Haman KH, Magargal SL, Sweeny AR, Kaufman AC, Grigg ME, Littnan CL. Protozoal-related mortalities in endangered Hawaiian monk seals Neomonachus schauinslandi. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2016; 121:85-95. [PMID: 27667806 DOI: 10.3354/dao03047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Protozoal infections have been widely documented in marine mammals and may cause morbidity and mortality at levels that result in population level effects. The presence and potential impact on the recovery of endangered Hawaiian monk seals Neomonachus schauinslandi by protozoal pathogens was first identified in the carcass of a stranded adult male with disseminated toxoplasmosis and a captive monk seal with hepatitis. We report 7 additional cases and 2 suspect cases of protozoal-related mortality in Hawaiian monk seals between 2001 and 2015, including the first record of vertical transmission in this species. This study establishes case definitions for classification of protozoal infections in Hawaiian monk seals. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were the primary diagnostic modalities used to define cases, given that these analyses establish a direct link between disease and pathogen presence. Findings were supported by serology and molecular data when available. Toxoplasma gondii was the predominant apicomplexan parasite identified and was associated with 100% of mortalities (n = 8) and 50% of suspect cases (n = 2). Incidental identification of sarcocysts in the skeletal muscle without tissue inflammation occurred in 4 seals, including one co-infected with T. gondii. In 2015, 2 cases of toxoplasmosis were identified ante-mortem and shared similar clinical findings, including hematological abnormalities and histopathology. Protozoal-related mortalities, specifically due to toxoplasmosis, are emerging as a threat to the recovery of this endangered pinniped and other native Hawaiian taxa. By establishing case definitions, this study provides a foundation for measuring the impact of these diseases on Hawaiian monk seals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Barbieri
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Division, Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, Honolulu, HI 96818, USA
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California mussels (Mytilus californianus) as sentinels for marine contamination with Sarcocystis neurona. Parasitology 2016; 143:762-9. [PMID: 27003262 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016000354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona is a terrestrial parasite that can cause fatal encephalitis in the endangered Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). To date, neither risk factors associated with marine contamination nor the route of S. neurona infection to marine mammals has been described. This study evaluated coastal S. neurona contamination using California mussels (Mytilus californianus) as sentinels for pathogen pollution. A field investigation was designed to test the hypotheses that (1) mussels can serve as sentinels for S. neurona contamination, and (2) S. neurona contamination in mussels would be highest during the rainy season and in mussels collected near freshwater. Initial validation of molecular assays through sporocyst spiking experiments revealed the ITS-1500 assay to be most sensitive for detection of S. neurona, consistently yielding parasite amplification at concentrations ⩾5 sporocysts/1 mL mussel haemolymph. Assays were then applied on 959 wild-caught mussels, with detection of S. neurona confirmed using sequence analysis in three mussels. Validated molecular assays for S. neurona detection in mussels provide a novel toolset for investigating marine contamination with this parasite, while confirmation of S. neurona in wild mussels suggests that uptake by invertebrates may serve as a route of transmission to susceptible marine animals.
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Girard YA, Johnson CK, Fritz HM, Shapiro K, Packham AE, Melli AC, Carlson-Bremer D, Gulland FM, Rejmanek D, Conrad PA. Detection and characterization of diverse coccidian protozoa shed by California sea lions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2015; 5:5-16. [PMID: 27141438 PMCID: PMC4840268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Tissue-cyst forming coccidia in the family Sarcocystidae are etiologic agents of protozoal encephalitis in marine mammals including the federally listed Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris). California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), whose coastal habitat overlaps with sea otters, are definitive hosts for coccidian protozoa provisionally named Coccidia A, B and C. While Coccidia A and B have unknown clinical effects on aquatic wildlife hosts, Coccidia C is associated with severe protozoal disease in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). In this study, we conducted surveillance for protozoal infection and fecal shedding in hospitalized and free-ranging California sea lions on the Pacific Coast and examined oocyst morphology and phenotypic characteristics of isolates via mouse bioassay and cell culture. Coccidia A and B were shed in similar frequency, particularly by yearlings. Oocysts shed by one free-ranging sea lion sampled at Año Nuevo State Park in California were previously unidentified in sea lions and were most similar to coccidia infecting Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi) diagnosed with protozoal disease in Oregon (USA). Sporulated Coccidia A and B oocysts did not replicate in three strains of mice or in African green monkey kidney cells. However, cultivation experiments revealed that the inoculum of fecally-derived Coccidia A and B oocysts additionally contained organisms with genetic and antigenic similarity to Sarcocystis neurona; despite the absence of detectable free sporocysts in fecal samples by microscopic examination. In addition to the further characterization of Coccidia A and B in free-ranging and hospitalized sea lions, these results provide evidence of a new role for sea lions as putative mechanical vectors of S. neurona, or S. neurona-like species. Future work is needed to clarify the distribution, taxonomical status, and pathogenesis of these parasites in sea lions and other marine mammals that share their the near-shore marine environment. Diverse coccidian protozoa shed by California sea lions (CSL) were characterized. Oocyst shedding patterns, taxonomy, morphology and pathogenicity were examined. Mice and cell cultures were not susceptible to Coccidia A or B of CSL origin. Sarcocystis neurona-like zoites grew in cells inoculated with CSL fecal samples. California sea lions may serve as mechanical vectors of an S. neurona-like organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette A Girard
- Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christine K Johnson
- Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Heather M Fritz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Andrea E Packham
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ann C Melli
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patricia A Conrad
- Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Dual congenital transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona in a late-term aborted pup from a chronically infected southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Parasitology 2015; 143:276-88. [PMID: 26494610 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015001377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona are protozoan parasites with terrestrial definitive hosts, and both pathogens can cause fatal disease in a wide range of marine animals. Close monitoring of threatened southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) in California allowed for the diagnosis of dual transplacental transmission of T. gondii and S. neurona in a wild female otter that was chronically infected with both parasites. Congenital infection resulted in late-term abortion due to disseminated toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii and S. neurona DNA was amplified from placental tissue culture, as well as from fetal lung tissue. Molecular characterization of T. gondii revealed a Type X genotype in isolates derived from placenta and fetal brain, as well as in all tested fetal organs (brain, lung, spleen, liver and thymus). This report provides the first evidence for transplacental transmission of T. gondii in a chronically infected wild sea otter, and the first molecular and immunohistochemical confirmation of concurrent transplacental transmission of T. gondii and S. neurona in any species. Repeated fetal and/or neonatal losses in the sea otter dam also suggested that T. gondii has the potential to reduce fecundity in chronically infected marine mammals through parasite recrudescence and repeated fetal infection.
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Verma SK, Calero-Bernal R, Lovallo MJ, Sweeny AR, Grigg ME, Dubey JP. Detection of Sarcocystis spp. infection in bobcats (Lynx rufus). Vet Parasitol 2015; 212:422-6. [PMID: 26138150 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan Sarcocystis neurona is an important cause of severe clinical disease of horses (called equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, EPM), marine mammals, companion animals, and several species of wildlife animals in the Americas. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is its definitive host in the USA and other animals act as intermediate or aberrant hosts. Samples of tongue and heart from 35 bobcats hunted for fur and food from Mississippi State, USA in February, 2014 were used for the present study. Muscles were examined for Sarcocystis infection by microscopic examination of either unfixed muscle squash preparations or pepsin digests, by histopathology of fixed samples, and by molecular methods. Sarcocystis-like bradyzoites were found in digests of 14 hearts and 10 tongues of 35 bobcats. In histological sections, sarcocysts were found in 26 of 35 bobcats; all appeared relatively thin-walled similar to S. felis sarcocysts under light microscope at 1000× magnification. S. neurona-like sarcocysts having thickened villar tips were seen in unstained muscle squash of tongue of two bobcats and PCR-DNA sequencing identified them definitively as S. neurona-like parasites. DNA extracted from bradyzoites obtained from tongue and heart muscle digests was analyzed by PCR-DNA sequencing at the ITS1 locus. Results indicated the presence of S. neurona-like parasite in 26 of 35 samples. ITS1 sequences identical to S. dasypi were identified in 3 bobcats, 2 of which were also co-infected with S. neurona-like parasite. The high prevalence of sarcocysts in bobcat tissues suggested an efficient sylvatic cycle of Sarcocystis spp. in the remote regions of Mississippi State with the bobcat as a relevant intermediate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Verma
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - R Calero-Bernal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - M J Lovallo
- Game Mammals Section, Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - A R Sweeny
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - M E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
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Dubey JP, Howe DK, Furr M, Saville WJ, Marsh AE, Reed SM, Grigg ME. An update on Sarcocystis neurona infections in animals and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Vet Parasitol 2015; 209:1-42. [PMID: 25737052 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a serious disease of horses, and its management continues to be a challenge for veterinarians. The protozoan Sarcocystis neurona is most commonly associated with EPM. S. neurona has emerged as a common cause of mortality in marine mammals, especially sea otters (Enhydra lutris). EPM-like illness has also been recorded in several other mammals, including domestic dogs and cats. This paper updates S. neurona and EPM information from the last 15 years on the advances regarding life cycle, molecular biology, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
| | - D K Howe
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0099, USA
| | - M Furr
- Marion du Pont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, 17690 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg, VA 20176, USA
| | - W J Saville
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - A E Marsh
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - S M Reed
- Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, KY 40511, USA
| | - M E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Allergy, and Infectious Diseases, 4 Center Drive, Room B1-06, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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