1
|
Peterson JK, Hoyos J, Bartlett CR, Gottdenker NL, Kunkel B, Murphy C, Alvarado A. First Report of Chagas Disease Vector Species Triatoma sanguisuga (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi in Delaware. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:925-929. [PMID: 38531096 PMCID: PMC11066352 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In July and October 2023, two live triatomine bugs were found inside a home in New Castle County, Delaware. The bugs were identified as Triatoma sanguisuga, the most widespread triatomine bug species in the United States. Triatoma sanguisuga is a competent vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The two specimens were tested via real-time PCR (qPCR) for infection with T. cruzi, and one of the specimens was positive. Despite T. sanguisuga being endemic to the area, attainment of accurate species identification and T. cruzi testing of the bugs required multiple calls to federal, state, private, and academic institutions over several months. This constitutes the first report of T. sanguisuga infected with T. cruzi in Delaware. In addition, this is the first published report of T. sanguisuga in New Castle County, the northernmost and most densely populated county in Delaware. New Castle County still conforms to the described geographic range of T. sanguisuga, which spans from Texas to the East Coast of the United States. The T. cruzi infection prevalence of the species has not been studied in the northeastern United States, but collections in southern states have found prevalences as high as 60%. The Delaware homeowner's lengthy pursuit of accurate information about the vector highlights the need for more research on this important disease vector in Delaware.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Peterson
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
| | - Juliana Hoyos
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Charles R. Bartlett
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
| | - Nicole L. Gottdenker
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia
| | - Brian Kunkel
- University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Service, Newark, Delaware
| | - Carrie Murphy
- University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Service, Newark, Delaware
| | - Antonio Alvarado
- Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Dover, Delaware
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Strehl CCP, Mitlyng N, Jauquet E, Zieman EA. Venipuncture and Blood Collection on Conscious Virginia Opossums (Didelphis virginiana). J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:168-170. [PMID: 37924238 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00143] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
We developed a venipuncture technique of the ventral caudal vein in conscious Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in cage traps, enabling blood sampling without anesthesia. Blood samples were successfully collected from all 28 opossums in this study by this technique. Draw volume of <0.1 mL occurred in only four opossums (14%).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra C P Strehl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, Illinois 61920, USA
| | - Natalie Mitlyng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, Illinois 61920, USA
| | - Elly Jauquet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, Illinois 61920, USA
| | - Elliott A Zieman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, Illinois 61920, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bernasconi DA, Miller ML, Hill JE, Gupta P, Chipman R, Gilbert AT, Rhodes OE, Dharmarajan G. RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR) SHOW HIGHER TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI DETECTION RATES THAN VIRGINIA OPOSSUMS (DIDELPHIS VIRGINIANA) IN SOUTH CAROLINA, USA. J Wildl Dis 2023; 59:673-683. [PMID: 37846907 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00174] [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: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, a significant public health concern in the Americas, is caused by a protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. The life cycle of T. cruzi involves kissing bugs (Triatoma spp.) functioning as vectors and mammalian species serving as hosts. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and opossums (Didelphis virginiana) have been identified as important reservoir species in the life cycle of T. cruzi, but prevalence in both species in the southeastern US is currently understudied. We quantified T. cruzi prevalence in these two key reservoir species across our study area in South Carolina, US, and identified factors that may influence parasite detection. We collected whole blood from 183 raccoons and 126 opossums and used PCR to detect the presence of T. cruzi. We then used generalized linear models with parasite detection status as a binary response variable and predictor variables of land cover, distance to water, sex, season, and species. Our analysis indicated that raccoons experienced significantly higher parasite detection rates than Virginia opossums, with T. cruzi prevalence found to be 26.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.0-33.8) in raccoons and 10.5% (95% CI, 5.51-17.5) in opossums. Overall, our results concur with previous studies, in that T. cruzi is established in reservoir host populations in natural areas of the southeastern US.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Bernasconi
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 15950 North Gate Boulevard, Nampa, Idaho 83687, USA
| | - Madison L Miller
- Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, 5655 Central Expressway, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh 517646, India
| | - Jacob E Hill
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Building 737-A Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
| | - Pooja Gupta
- Utah Public Health Laboratory, Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 4431 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, Salt Lake City, Utah 84129, USA
| | - Richard Chipman
- National Rabies Management Program, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, USA
| | - Amy T Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - Olin E Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Building 737-A Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
| | - Guha Dharmarajan
- Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, 5655 Central Expressway, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh 517646, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Torhorst CW, Ledger KJ, White ZS, Milleson MP, Corral CC, Beatty NL, Wisely SM. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mammals in Florida: New insight into the transmission of T. cruzi in the southeastern United States. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:237-245. [PMID: 37575667 PMCID: PMC10422094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
In Latin America, synanthropic mammalian reservoirs maintain Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasitic protozoan, where they facilitate the transmission of the parasite to humans and other reservoir hosts in peridomestic settings. In the United States, raccoons (Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are known synanthropic T. cruzi reservoir hosts; however, the role these species have in the peridomestic transmission cycle in the US is not well understood. This study aimed to identify the suite of mammalian reservoirs of T. cruzi in Florida. We also compared infection prevalence in raccoon populations sampled from within and outside of the estimated distribution of the common T. cruzi vector in Florida to gain insight into how the arthropod vector distribution impacts the distribution of infected reservoirs in the state. Finally, to investigate the impact of peridomestic landscapes on parasite prevalence, we compared the prevalence of T. cruzi-infected raccoons and opossums across five paired peridomestic and sylvatic sites. We live-trapped and collected peripheral blood samples from 135 raccoons, 112 opossums, 18 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), and nine species of rodents in north central Florida. Using quantitative PCR methods, we found that raccoons (42.2%, 95% CI [34.2-50.7%]) and opossums (50.9%, 95% CI [41.8-60.0%]) were infected with T. cruzi and the prevalence across habitats was similar for both raccoons (peridomestic: n = 77, 44.2%, 95% CI [33.6-55.3%], sylvatic: n = 58, 39.7%, 95% CI [28.1-52.5%]) and opossums (peridomestic: n = 66, 48.5%, 95% CI [36.8-60.3%], sylvatic: n = 46, 54.3%, 95% CI [40.2-67.8%]). Raccoons sampled outside the estimated distribution of Triatoma sanguisuga were not infected with T. cruzi (n = 73, 0.0%, 95% CI [0.0-5.0%]). Our study did not indicate that peridomestic habitats in Florida maintained a higher infection prevalence than their sylvatic counterparts; however, we did find a difference in prevalence within vs. outside the estimated vector distribution in Florida.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carson W. Torhorst
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kimberly J. Ledger
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zoe S. White
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael P. Milleson
- United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Emergency Response Program, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Catalina C. Corral
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Norman L. Beatty
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine in the College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Samantha M. Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Reperant LA. Putative 14th Century Outbreak of Foodborne Chagas Disease, Mexico. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023. [PMID: 37327016 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0092] [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: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A severe epidemic erupted in Coyoacán at the southern end of Lake Texcoco, in Central Mexico, around 1330. Chroniclers of the 16th century reported that after disrupted fish supply, the inhabitants of Coyoacán had suffered high morbidity and mortality. They developed edema of their eyelids, face, and feet, and hemorrhagic diarrhea. Many died, mainly the young and the old. Pregnant women miscarried. The disease is classically considered an illness of nutritional origin. However, its clinical picture and the circumstances of its emergence are remarkably consistent with an outbreak of foodborne Chagas disease, possibly acquired upon the hunting and consumption of alternative food sources, such as infected opossums (Didelphis spp.), unique reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi.
Collapse
|
6
|
Durden C, Tian Y, Knape K, Klemashevich C, Norman KN, Carey JB, Hamer SA, Hamer GL. Fluralaner systemic treatment of chickens results in mortality in Triatoma gerstaeckeri, vector of the agent of Chagas disease. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:178. [PMID: 37268980 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05805-1] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease remains a persistent vector-borne neglected tropical disease throughout the Americas and threatens both human and animal health. Diverse control methods have been used to target triatomine vector populations, with household insecticides being the most common. As an alternative to environmental sprays, host-targeted systemic insecticides (or endectocides) allow for application of chemicals to vertebrate hosts, resulting in toxic blood meals for arthropods (xenointoxication). In this study, we evaluated three systemic insecticide products for their ability to kill triatomines. METHODS Chickens were fed the insecticides orally, following which triatomines were allowed to feed on the treated chickens. The insecticide products tested included: Safe-Guard® Aquasol (fenbendazole), Ivomec® Pour-On (ivermectin) and Bravecto® (fluralaner). Triatoma gerstaeckeri nymphs were allowed to feed on insecticide-live birds at 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days post-treatment. The survival and feeding status of the T. gerstaeckeri insects were recorded and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and logistic regression. RESULTS Feeding on fluralaner-treated chickens resulted 50-100% mortality in T. gerstaeckeri over the first 14 days post-treatment but not later; in contrast, all insects that fed on fenbendazole- and ivermectin-treated chickens survived. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ) analysis, used to detect the concentration of fluralaner and fenbendazole in chicken plasma, revealed the presence of fluralaner in plasma at 3, 7, and 14 days post-treatment but not later, with the highest concentrations found at 3 and 7 days post-treatment. However, fenbendazole concentration was below the limit of detection at all time points. CONCLUSIONS Xenointoxication using fluralaner in poultry is a potential new tool for integrated vector control to reduce risk of Chagas disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Durden
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
- Schubot Center for Avian Health, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Yuexun Tian
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Koyle Knape
- Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Cory Klemashevich
- Integrated Metabolomics Analysis Core, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Keri N Norman
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - John B Carey
- Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
- Schubot Center for Avian Health, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Gabriel L Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gulas-Wroblewski BE, Gorchakov R, Kairis RB, Dowler RC, Murray KO. Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi, the Etiologic Agent of Chagas Disease, Infection in Texas Skunks (Mammalia: Mephitidae). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023; 23:18-28. [PMID: 36633561 PMCID: PMC10024073 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0056] [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] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Chagas disease is one of the world's most neglected tropical diseases, infecting over six million people across the Americas. The hemoparasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent for the disease, circulating in domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic transmission cycles that are maintained by triatomine vectors and a diversity of wild and synanthropic hosts. Public health and wildlife management interventions targeting the interruption of T. cruzi transmission rely on an understanding of the dynamics driving the ecology of this zoonotic pathogen. One wildlife host that purportedly plays a role in the transmission of Chagas disease within the southern United States is the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), although infection prevalence in this species is poorly understood. Materials and Methods: To this end, we conducted a PCR-based surveillance of T. cruzi in 235 wild skunks, representing 4 species, across 76 counties and 10 ecoregions in Texas, United States, along with an evaluation of risk factors associated with the infection. Results: We recovered an overall T. cruzi prevalence of 17.9% for all mephitid taxa aggregated, ranging between 6.7% for plains spotted skunks (Spilogale putorius interrupta) and 42.9% for western spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis). We report the first cases of T. cruzi infection in plains spotted and American hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus leuconotus), of important note for conservation medicine since populations of both species are declining within Texas. Although not statistically significant, we also detected trends for juveniles to exhibit greater infection risk than adults and for differential sex biases in T. cruzi prevalence between taxa, which align with variations in species-specific seasonal activity patterns. No geographic or taxonomic risk factors were identified. Conclusion: Our study contributed key data for population viability analyses and epidemiologic models in addition to providing a baseline for future T. cruzi surveillance among skunks and other wildlife species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie E. Gulas-Wroblewski
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Rodion Gorchakov
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Rebecca B. Kairis
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert C. Dowler
- Department of Biology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, USA
| | - Kristy O. Murray
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Torhorst CW, White ZS, Bhosale CR, Beatty NL, Wisely SM. Identification of the parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, in multiple tissues of epidemiological significance in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana): Implications for environmental and vertical transmission routes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010974. [PMID: 36534706 PMCID: PMC9810149 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasitic protozoan, is endemic to the Americas and the causative agent of Chagas disease in humans. In South America, opossums facilitate transmission via infected anal gland secretions in addition to transmission via triatomine vectors. In North America, the Virginia opossum is a reservoir host for the parasite with transmission routes that are not clearly defined. The unique biology of this marsupial provides the opportunity to investigate vertical transmission in this wildlife species in situ. Our objectives were to investigate alternative routes of transmission that may facilitate spillover into other species and to determine if vertical transmission was evident. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Virginia opossums were sampled at 10 trapping locations over a 10-month period in a 5-county region of north central Florida. Peripheral blood, fecal swabs, and anal gland secretions were collected from each adult individual, and peripheral blood was collected from joey opossums. Total DNA was extracted from each collected sample type, and T. cruzi infected individuals and the infecting Discrete Typing Unit (DTU) were identified using real time PCR methods. Adult Virginia opossums (n = 112) were infected with T. cruzi (51.8%, 95% CI [42.6-60.8%]) throughout the sampled period and at each location. T. cruzi DNA was found in each of the three biological sample types. Vertical transmission of T. cruzi was inferred in one litter of mother-dependent (n = 20, 5.0%, 95% CI [0.9-23.6%]) joey opossums where 2 joeys from this same litter were rtPCR positive for T. cruzi. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We inferred vertical transmission from mother to neonate which may serve to amplify the prevalence of T. cruzi in adult Virginia opossums. T. cruzi DNA was detected in the anal gland secretions of Virginia opossums. Infected anal gland secretions suggest a possible environmental route of transmission for T. cruzi via the deposition of contaminated feces and spraint at wildlife latrines. Only DTU1 was identified in the sampled population which is consistent with human autochthonous cases in the United States.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carson W. Torhorst
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Zoe S. White
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Chanakya R. Bhosale
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Norman L. Beatty
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine in the College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Samantha M. Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Herrera DJ, Cove MV, McShea WJ, Decker S, Flockhart DTT, Moore SM, Gallo T. Spatial and temporal overlap of domestic cats (Felis catus) and native urban wildlife. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1048585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-roaming domestic cats (Felis catus) are known to pose threats to ecosystem health via transmission of zoonotic diseases and predation of native wildlife. Likewise, free-roaming cats are also susceptible to predation or disease transmission from native wildlife. Physical interactions are required for many of these risks to be manifested, necessitating spatial and temporal overlap between cats and wildlife species. Therefore, knowledge of the location and extent of shared habitat and activity periods would benefit management programs. We used data from a 3-year camera trap survey to model species-specific occupancy and identify landscape variables that contribute to the distribution of free-roaming domestic cats and eight native mammal species in Washington, DC. (USA). Our analysis includes five species that are common prey items of domestic cats, and three species that are potential disease vectors or are otherwise known to be a risk to cats. We then predicted the probability of occupancy and estimated the probability of spatial overlap between cats and each native wildlife species at multiple scales. We also used kernel density estimations to calculate temporal overlap between cats and each native wildlife species. Across spatial scales, occupancy for potential disease vector species was generally positively correlated with canopy cover and open water. Prey species were also generally positively correlated with canopy cover, but displayed negative associations with human population density and inconsistent associations with average per capita income. Domestic cat occupancy was negatively correlated with natural habitat characteristics and positively correlated with human population density. Predicted spatial overlap between domestic cats and native wildlife was greatest for potential disease vector species. Temporal overlap was high (>0.50) between cats and all but two native wildlife species, indicating that temporal overlap is probable wherever species overlap spatially. Our findings indicate that the risk to and from domestic cats varies across urban landscapes, but primarily arises from human activities. As such, humans are implicated in the negative outcomes that result from cats interacting with wildlife. Data-driven management to reduce such interactions can aid in cat population management, biodiversity conservation, and public health campaigns.
Collapse
|
10
|
Busselman RE, Meyers AC, Zecca IB, Auckland LD, Castro AH, Dowd RE, Curtis-Robles R, Hodo CL, Saunders AB, Hamer SA. High incidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infections in dogs directly detected through longitudinal tracking at 10 multi-dog kennels, Texas, USA. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009935. [PMID: 34758049 PMCID: PMC8631682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is increasingly recognized as a health concern for dogs in the USA, and infected dogs may signal geographic regions of risk for human disease. Dogs living in multi-dog kennel environments (kennels with more than one dog) where triatomine vectors are endemic may be at high risk for infection. We monitored a cohort of 64 T. cruzi-infected and uninfected dogs across 10 kennels in Texas, USA, to characterize changes in infection status over one year. We used robust diagnostic criteria in which reactivity on multiple independent platforms was required to be considered positive. Among the 30 dogs enrolled as serologically- and/or PCR-positive, all but one dog showed sustained positive T. cruzi diagnostic results over time. Among the 34 dogs enrolled as serologically- and PCR-negative, 10 new T. cruzi infections were recorded over a 12-month period. The resulting incidence rate for dogs initially enrolled as T. cruzi-negative was 30.7 T. cruzi infections per 100 dogs per year. This study highlights the risk of T. cruzi infection to dogs in kennel environments. To protect both dog and human health, there is an urgent need to develop more integrated vector control methods as well as prophylactic and curative antiparasitic treatment options for T. cruzi infection in dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Busselman
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alyssa C. Meyers
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Italo B. Zecca
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lisa D. Auckland
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andres H. Castro
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rebecca E. Dowd
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rachel Curtis-Robles
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Carolyn L. Hodo
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, Bastrop, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ashley B. Saunders
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Busselman RE, Hamer SA. Chagas Disease Ecology in the United States: Recent Advances in Understanding Trypanosoma cruzi Transmission Among Triatomines, Wildlife, and Domestic Animals and a Quantitative Synthesis of Vector-Host Interactions. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2021; 10:325-348. [PMID: 34758274 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-013120-043949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease present in the Americas, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted by triatomine kissing bug vectors. Hundreds of vertebrate host species are involved in the ecology of Chagas disease. The sylvatic nature of most triatomines found in the United States accounts for high levels of animal infections but few reports of human infections. This review focuses on triatomine distributions and animal infections in the southern United States. A quantitative synthesis of available US data from triatomine bloodmeal analysis studies shows that dogs, humans, and rodents are key taxa for feeding triatomines. Imperfect and unvalidated diagnostic tools in wildlife complicate the study of animal T. cruzi infections, and integrated vector management approaches are needed to reduce parasite transmission in nature. The diversity of animal species involved in Chagas disease ecology underscores the importance of a One Health approach for disease research and management. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, Volume 10 is February 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Busselman
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA;
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Oliveira RPAD, Collere FCM, Ferrari LDR, Coradi VDS, Soares NDA, Leandro ADS, Oliveira WFD, Galvão SR, Kafka R, Delai RM, Martini R, Saldanha A, Santos LPD, Cubas ZS, Lange RR, Vieira TSWJ, Vieira RFDC. 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris' and tick-borne pathogens screening in white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) from Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu Cities, Paraná State, southern Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2021; 30:e009721. [PMID: 34495043 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hemoplasmas are epierythrocytic bacteria that infect mammals. 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris' was detected in white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) from southern and central-western Brazil. The present study aimed at: i) screening opossums for tick-borne (TBP) pathogens (Piroplasmida and Anaplasmataceae) and ii) detecting and characterizing hemoplasma species infecting opossums from Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu cities in the Paraná State, southern Brazil. Thirty blood samples from white-eared opossums were evaluated by PCR assays. Animals were not infested by ectoparasites. The mammalian endogenous gapdh gene was consistently amplified in all samples. All opossums tested negative for Theileria/Babesia spp. and Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp. by PCR based on 18S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes, respectively. A genus-specific PCR assay based on the 16S rRNA gene of hemoplasmas showed that three/13 (23.08%; CI 95%: 8.18-50.26%) opossums from Foz do Iguaçu were positive for hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. All opossums from Curitiba tested negative for hemoplasmas. Sequencing of both the 16S and 23S rRNA genes revealed that the animals were infected by 'Ca. M. haemoalbiventris'. Although 'Ca. M. haemoalbiventris' is prevalent in opossums in Brazil, clinical signs associated with its infection and its putative vectors remain unknown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Flávia Carolina Meira Collere
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Larissa Dantas Roeder Ferrari
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Vanessa Dos Santos Coradi
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Nathália de Albuquerque Soares
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - André de Souza Leandro
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Brasil
| | | | - Sandro Roberto Galvão
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Brasil
| | - Rosinei Kafka
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Brasil
| | - Robson Michael Delai
- Laboratório de Saúde Única, Centro de Medicina Tropical das Três Fronteiras, Fundação Itaiguapy, Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Brasil
| | - Rafaella Martini
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - André Saldanha
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Leonardo Pereira Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | | | - Rogério Ribas Lange
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | | | - Rafael Felipe da Costa Vieira
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmitidas por Vetores, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.,Global One Health initiative - GOHi, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Trypanosoma cruzi and Incidental Sarcocystis spp. in Endangered Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) of South Texas, USA. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:667-671. [PMID: 34015810 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The federally endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) population of south Texas, USA is declining; fewer than an estimated 80 ocelots remain. South Texas has robust transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite causing Chagas disease in humans and various mammals. This parasite's impact in ocelots is unknown. Blood from live-trapped ocelots was collected by US Fish and Wildlife Service personnel in an annual monitoring program; additionally, tissues were obtained from carcasses collected from 2010 to 2017 around Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in south Texas and placed in scientific collections. Variable samples were available from 21 ocelots: skeletal muscle (n=15), heart tissue (n=5), lung (n=1), kidney (n=1), spleen (n=1), liver (n=1), blood clot (n=9), and serum (n=3). Overall, 3/21 (14.3%) ocelots showed evidence of T. cruzi infection or exposure, with T. cruzi PCR-positive samples of skeletal muscle, heart, and blood clot, respectively. All three were infected with the T. cruzi discrete taxonomic unit "TcI"; one of these ocelots also had anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Lymphoplasmacytic inflammation was noted in the PCR-positive heart tissue and in some PCR-negative tissues from this and other individuals. Incidentally, Sarcocystis spp. were noted histologically in five ocelots. Trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated cardiac lesions suggest that this parasite should be further investigated in vulnerable populations.
Collapse
|
14
|
Dumonteil E, Desale H, Tu W, Duhon B, Wolfson W, Balsamo G, Herrera C. Shelter cats host infections with multiple Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units in southern Louisiana. Vet Res 2021; 52:53. [PMID: 33823911 PMCID: PMC8025558 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-021-00923-z] [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: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic parasite endemic in the southern US and the Americas, which may frequently infect dogs, but limited information is available about infections in cats. We surveyed a convenience sample of 284 shelter cats from Southern Louisiana to evaluate T. cruzi infection using serological and PCR tests. Parasites from PCR positive cats were also genotyped by PCR and deep sequencing to assess their genetic diversity. We detected a seropositivity rate for T. cruzi of at least 7.3% (17/234), and 24.6% of cats (70/284) were PCR positive for the parasite. Seropositivity increased with cat age (R2 = 0.91, P = 0.011), corresponding to an incidence of 7.2% ± 1.3 per year, while PCR positivity decreased with age (R2 = 0.93, P = 0.007). Cats were predominantly infected with parasites from TcI and TcVI DTUs, and to a lesser extent from TcIV and TcV DTUs, in agreement with the circulation of these parasite DTUs in local transmission cycles. These results indicate that veterinarians should have a greater awareness of T. cruzi infection in pets and that it would be important to better evaluate the risk for spillover infections in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA. .,Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Hans Desale
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Brandy Duhon
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Wendy Wolfson
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Gary Balsamo
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section, Office of Public Health, Department of Health, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:4091-4111. [PMID: 33788021 PMCID: PMC8599228 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07072-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control of insect populations) in the environment they inhabit. Nevertheless, as synanthropic animals, they are well adapted to human dwellings, occupying shelters within the cities, peripheral areas, and rural settings. These marsupials can harbor numerous pathogens, which may affect people, pets, and livestock. Among those, some protozoa (e.g., Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii), helminths (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Alaria marcianae, Paragonimus spp.) and arthropods (e.g., ticks, fleas) present substantial public health and veterinary importance, due to their capacity to cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here, we reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors, and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the risks of pathogens transmission due to the direct and indirect interaction of humans and domestic animals with Didelphis spp. in the Americas.
Collapse
|
16
|
Beatty NL, Klotz SA. Autochthonous Chagas Disease in the United States: How Are People Getting Infected? Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:967-969. [PMID: 32602437 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the United States, Chagas disease is diagnosed in less than 1% of the estimated > 300,000 people who have the disease. However, the actual prevalence remains unknown, and these estimates may be wide of the mark (too high or too low). The greater part of those living with the disease acquired the infection in an endemic region of Latin America, but autochthonous transmission in the United States is increasingly being described. These cases are considered rare, and the transmission routes are largely unknown. Although triatomines or "kissing bugs" harbor Trypanosoma cruzi in North America, most autochthonous cases are presumed rather than confirmed exposures to naturally infected kissing bugs. Public knowledge of Chagas is growing, and efforts are underway to provide greater awareness, but what are the risk factors for human transmission of Chagas disease in the United States?
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norman L Beatty
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Stephen A Klotz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rojo G, Pèlissier F, Sandoval-Rodriguez A, Bacigalupo A, García V, Pinto R, Ortiz S, Botto-Mahan C, Cattan PE, Solari A. Organs infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and DTU identification in the naturally infected rodent Octodon degus. Exp Parasitol 2020; 215:107931. [PMID: 32464222 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a public health problem in America. Its parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, presents different discrete typing units (DTUs), colonizes organs of mammalian hosts in chronic infections, and presents tropism for particular organs in experimental infections. We evaluated T. cruzi tropism towards organs on the naturally infected rodent Octodon degus, identifying the parasites' DTUs, by means of conventional PCR and hybridization. Almost all the analyzed organs presented T. cruzi. More than 42% of the tested oesophagus, skin, skeletal muscle, brain and intestine showed T. cruzi DNA. Other nine types of organs were infected in over 15%. These results suggest that there is some tropism by T. cruzi in chronically infected O. degus. DTU TcV was present in 92.5% of infected organs with identified DTUs; this DTU is frequently reported in human infections in the Southern Cone of South America. Few organs showed mixed DTU infections. This is one of the few reports on the outcome of chronic natural T. cruzi-infection in wild mammal hosts exposed to naturally infected vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Rojo
- Instituto de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ICA3), Universidad de O'Higgins, Rancagua, Chile; Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Francisca Pèlissier
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alejandra Sandoval-Rodriguez
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
| | - Vanessa García
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Raquel Pinto
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Sylvia Ortiz
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Carezza Botto-Mahan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Pedro E Cattan
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Aldo Solari
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|