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Mordecai G, Di Cicco E, Deeg C, Bateman A, Teffer A, Miller K. Comment on a perspective: Molecular detections of new agents in finfish-Interpreting biological significance for fish health management. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2024; 36:220-230. [PMID: 39042565 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Impact statementThe rapid development of genomic technologies has begun a new paradigm in the study and management of emerging infectious diseases. To inform the conservation of fish, here we examine different perspectives on how to determine thresholds for management action in the context of molecular tools and fisheries policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Mordecai
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Christoph Deeg
- Pacific Salmon Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Pacific Salmon Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amy Teffer
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristi Miller
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Breban R. Emergence failure of early epidemics: A mathematical modeling approach. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301415. [PMID: 38809831 PMCID: PMC11135784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301415] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemic or pathogen emergence is the phenomenon by which a poorly transmissible pathogen finds its evolutionary pathway to become a mutant that can cause an epidemic. Many mathematical models of pathogen emergence rely on branching processes. Here, we discuss pathogen emergence using Markov chains, for a more tractable analysis, generalizing previous work by Kendall and Bartlett about disease invasion. We discuss the probability of emergence failure for early epidemics, when the number of infected individuals is small and the number of the susceptible individuals is virtually unlimited. Our formalism addresses both directly transmitted and vector-borne diseases, in the cases where the original pathogen is 1) one step-mutation away from the epidemic strain, and 2) undergoing a long chain of neutral mutations that do not change the epidemiology. We obtain analytic results for the probabilities of emergence failure and two features transcending the transmission mechanism. First, the reproduction number of the original pathogen is determinant for the probability of pathogen emergence, more important than the mutation rate or the transmissibility of the emerged pathogen. Second, the probability of mutation within infected individuals must be sufficiently high for the pathogen undergoing neutral mutations to start an epidemic, the mutation threshold depending again on the basic reproduction number of the original pathogen. Finally, we discuss the parameterization of models of pathogen emergence, using SARS-CoV1 as an example of zoonotic emergence and HIV as an example for the emergence of drug resistance. We also discuss assumptions of our models and implications for epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romulus Breban
- Institut Pasteur, Unité d’Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Paris, France
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3
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Bennett J, Niebuhr CN, Lagrue C, Middlemiss KL, Webster T, Filion A. New insights into avian malaria infections in New Zealand seabirds. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:184. [PMID: 38625416 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08210-4] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The past few years have been marked by a drastic increase in pathogen spillover events. However, the extent and taxonomic range at which these events take place remain as crucial unanswered questions in many host-pathogen systems. Here, we take advantage of opportunistically sampled bird carcasses from the South Island of New Zealand, with the aim of identifying Plasmodium spp. infections in native and endemic New Zealand seabird species. In total, six samples from five bird species were positive for avian malaria, including four of which were successfully sequenced and identified as Plasmodium matutinum LINN1 lineage. These results provide new Plasmodium infection records in seabirds, including the first documented case in Procellariiformes in New Zealand, highlighting the potential disease risk to these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerusha Bennett
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Chris N Niebuhr
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, 7640, New Zealand
| | - Clément Lagrue
- New Zealand Department of Conservation, 265 Princes St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Karen L Middlemiss
- New Zealand Department of Conservation, Munro Building, 186 Bridge Street, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand
| | - Trudi Webster
- Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, 265 Princes St, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Antoine Filion
- Department of Integrative Biology, 501 Life Sciences West, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
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4
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Meyer M, Melville DW, Baldwin HJ, Wilhelm K, Nkrumah EE, Badu EK, Oppong SK, Schwensow N, Stow A, Vallo P, Corman VM, Tschapka M, Drosten C, Sommer S. Bat species assemblage predicts coronavirus prevalence. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2887. [PMID: 38575573 PMCID: PMC10994947 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46979-1] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic disturbances and the subsequent loss of biodiversity are altering species abundances and communities. Since species vary in their pathogen competence, spatio-temporal changes in host assemblages may lead to changes in disease dynamics. We explore how longitudinal changes in bat species assemblages affect the disease dynamics of coronaviruses (CoVs) in more than 2300 cave-dwelling bats captured over two years from five caves in Ghana. This reveals uneven CoV infection patterns between closely related species, with the alpha-CoV 229E-like and SARS-related beta-CoV 2b emerging as multi-host pathogens. Prevalence and infection likelihood for both phylogenetically distinct CoVs is influenced by the abundance of competent species and naïve subadults. Broadly, bat species vary in CoV competence, and highly competent species are more common in less diverse communities, leading to increased CoV prevalence in less diverse bat assemblages. In line with the One Health framework, our work supports the notion that biodiversity conservation may be the most proactive measure to prevent the spread of pathogens with zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Meyer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Dominik W Melville
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Heather J Baldwin
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kerstin Wilhelm
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Evans Ewald Nkrumah
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer K Badu
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Samuel Kingsley Oppong
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Nina Schwensow
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Adam Stow
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter Vallo
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Victor M Corman
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco Tschapka
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian Drosten
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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5
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Hindle IJ, Forbes LK, Walters SJ, Carver S. The effects of spatially-constrained treatment regions upon a model of wombat mange. J Math Biol 2024; 88:53. [PMID: 38565734 PMCID: PMC10987376 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-024-02078-9] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The use of therapeutic agents is a critical option to manage wildlife disease, but their implementation is usually spatially constrained. We seek to expand knowledge around the effectiveness of management of environmentally-transmitted Sarcoptes scabiei on a host population, by studying the effect of a spatially constrained treatment regime on disease dynamics in the bare-nosed wombat Vombatus ursinus. A host population of wombats is modelled using a system of non-linear partial differential equations, a spatially-varying treatment regime is applied to this population and the dynamics are studied over a period of several years. Treatment could result in mite decrease within the treatment region, extending to a lesser degree outside, with significant increases in wombat population. However, the benefits of targeted treatment regions within an environment are shown to be dependent on conditions at the start (endemic vs. disease free), as well as on the locations of these special regions (centre of the wombat population or against a geographical boundary). This research demonstrates the importance of understanding the state of the environment and populations before treatment commences, the effects of re-treatment schedules within the treatment region, and the transient large-scale changes in mite numbers that can be brought about by sudden changes to the environment. It also demonstrates that, with good knowledge of the host-pathogen dynamics and the spatial terrain, it is possible to achieve substantial reduction in mite numbers within the target region, with increases in wombat numbers throughout the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy J Hindle
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Lawrence K Forbes
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Stephen J Walters
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Scott Carver
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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6
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Xie Y, Ahmad I, Ikpe TIS, Sofia EF, Seno H. What Influence Could the Acceptance of Visitors Cause on the Epidemic Dynamics of a Reinfectious Disease?: A Mathematical Model. Acta Biotheor 2024; 72:3. [PMID: 38402514 PMCID: PMC10894808 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-024-09478-w] [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: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
The globalization in business and tourism becomes crucial more and more for the economical sustainability of local communities. In the presence of an epidemic outbreak, there must be such a decision on the policy by the host community as whether to accept visitors or not, the number of acceptable visitors, or the condition for acceptable visitors. Making use of an SIRI type of mathematical model, we consider the influence of visitors on the spread of a reinfectious disease in a community, especially assuming that a certain proportion of accepted visitors are immune. The reinfectivity of disease here means that the immunity gained by either vaccination or recovery is imperfect. With the mathematical results obtained by our analysis on the model for such an epidemic dynamics of resident and visitor populations, we find that the acceptance of visitors could have a significant influence on the disease's endemicity in the community, either suppressive or supportive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xie
- Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba 6-3-09, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Ishfaq Ahmad
- Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba 6-3-09, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Miyagi, Japan
| | - ThankGod I S Ikpe
- Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba 6-3-09, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Elza F Sofia
- Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba 6-3-09, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hiromi Seno
- Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba 6-3-09, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Miyagi, Japan.
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Clair LS, Hopf-Dennis C, Peters-Kennedy J, Lucio-Forster A, Childs-Sanford S. SARCOPTIC MANGE IN FREE-RANGING NORTH AMERICAN PORCUPINES (ERETHIZON DORSATUM) IN NEW YORK STATE. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 54:855-864. [PMID: 38252012 DOI: 10.1638/2023-0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcoptic mange causes pruritic and crusting dermatitis in a large number of mammalian species with varying population impacts. Between 2016 and 2022, 15 North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) were diagnosed with sarcoptic mange at Cornell University's Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital in Ithaca, New York. Disease severity varied among individuals but all shared a similar unique presentation with thick, pale tan to yellow crusts limited in distribution to the ventral, nonquilled areas of the body, including the ventral abdomen and thorax, distal limbs, and face. The thick, hard nature of the crusts resulted in additional complications in many individuals, including inability to move the jaw and cracking and fissuring of the crusts and skin over joints of the limbs. Mites were plentiful within the crusts, with some burrowing into the epidermis as deep as the stratum spinosum. Secondary bacterial and/or fungal dermatitis were common, resulting in sepsis and death in three of the porcupines. Treatment with avermectins (ivermectin and/or selamectin) for 4-5 wk was successful in 12 cases in combination with other supportive care measures, including subcutaneous fluids, antimicrobials, and analgesics. Porcupines were hospitalized for an average of 18 d (ranging from 7 to 50 d) prior to transfer to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for continued treatment and eventual release back into the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura St Clair
- Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA,
| | - Cynthia Hopf-Dennis
- Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jeanine Peters-Kennedy
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Araceli Lucio-Forster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sara Childs-Sanford
- Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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8
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Keiser P, Hörweg C, Kübber-Heiss A, Hering-Hagenbeck S, Shahi-Barogh B, Reitl K, Vielgrader H, Voracek T, Fuehrer HP, Ebmer D. Sarcoptes scabiei infestation in a captive lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris): case report, morphological and molecular genetic mite identification. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:3181-3188. [PMID: 37882819 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08009-9] [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: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Sarcoptes scabiei (Acari: Sarcoptidae) is a globally distributed parasitic mite species, which causes mange in a broad spectrum of domestic and wild mammals. In the present study, we report a case of chronic S. scabiei infestation in a captive lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) held in a multi-species exhibit at Vienna Zoo. The adult male showed clinically manifested mange flare-ups three times at an interval of up to 12 months, diagnosed by positive deep-skin scrapings and successfully treated by oral applications of ivermectin (0.1-0.2 mg/kg body weight) and washings with antimicrobial solutions. Clinical symptoms including pruritus, alopecia, erythema, crusts, and superficial bleedings were limited to the axillar and pectoral region, as well as distal limbs. The affected tapir died from underlying bacterial pneumonia during general anesthesia. Skin scrapings, necropsy, and histopathological analysis of mite material (eggs, larvae, and adults) permitted further morphological and molecular identification. The morphological features described here matched the characteristics for the species S. scabiei and molecular data verified morphological identification. Cross-species transmission plays a key role in the expansion of this neglected emerging panzootic disease and urban wildlife could potentially bridge the gap between free-ranging wildlife reservoirs and zoo animals. However, further examinations are needed to detect the primary source of infestation and discover transmission pathways within the zoo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perrine Keiser
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 6, 1130, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Hörweg
- 3rd Zoological Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Burgring 7, 1010, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Kübber-Heiss
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Bita Shahi-Barogh
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Reitl
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 6, 1130, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hanna Vielgrader
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 6, 1130, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Voracek
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 6, 1130, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - David Ebmer
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 6, 1130, Vienna, Austria.
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Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Sepúlveda-García P, Cabello J, Celis S, Valencia C, Ortiz C, Kemec I, Moreira-Arce D, Orsola M, Canales N, Garnham A, Vera F, Muller A. Molecular survey and phylogenetic analysis of Bartonella sp., Coxiella sp., and hemoplamas in pudu ( Pudu puda) from Chile: first report of Bartonella henselae in a wild ungulate species. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1161093. [PMID: 38033637 PMCID: PMC10687462 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1161093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent evidence shows a high diversity of infectious agents in wildlife that represent a threat to human, domestic, and wild animal health. In Chile, wild populations of the most common cervid species, pudu (Pudu puda), have been reported as hosts for novel pathogens such as Mycoplasma ovis-like and a novel ecotype of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. A better understanding of the epidemiology of this group and other intracellular bacteria that might have cervids as hosts would enlighten their population relevance. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp., hemotropic mycoplasmas, and Coxiella burnetii in pudus from Chile. Methods The DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 69 wild free-ranging and 30 captive pudus from Chile. A combination of real-time (nouG gene for Bartonella and IS1111 element for C. burnetii) and conventional PCR (16S rRNA for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and rpoB, gltA, and ITS for Bartonella spp.) was used for pathogen screening and molecular characterization. Results DNA of Bartonella spp. was detected in 10.1% [95% CI (5.2-18.2%)] samples, hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 1.7% [95% CI (0.08-10.1%)], and C. burnetii in 1.0% [95% CI (0.05-6.3%)] samples. Two sequenced samples were identified as Mycoplasma ovis-like, and one free-ranging pudu was positive for C. burnetii. While one captive and two free-ranging pudus were positive for Bartonella henselae, one wild pudu was co-positive for B. henselae and Bartonella sp., similar to Bartonellae identified in ruminants. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. henselae in wild ungulate species, and C. burnetii and Bartonella spp. in wild ungulate species in South America. Further research will be necessary to evaluate the potential role of pudu as reservoirs of infection and identify the sources for disease transmission among humans and wild and domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paulina Sepúlveda-García
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Javier Cabello
- Centro de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Chiloé-Silvestre, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
| | - Sebastian Celis
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Parque Zoológico Buin Zoo, Buin, Chile
| | - Carola Valencia
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Sede De La Patagonia, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Carolina Ortiz
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Parque Zoológico Buin Zoo, Buin, Chile
| | - Ignacio Kemec
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Parque Zoológico Buin Zoo, Buin, Chile
| | - Dario Moreira-Arce
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Orsola
- Centro Integrativo de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nivia Canales
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Antonio Garnham
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Frank Vera
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Sede De La Patagonia, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Ananda Muller
- Biomedical Sciences Department, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Risely A, Müller-Klein N, Schmid DW, Wilhelm K, Clutton-Brock TH, Manser MB, Sommer S. Climate change drives loss of bacterial gut mutualists at the expense of host survival in wild meerkats. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5816-5828. [PMID: 37485753 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and climate-driven increases in infectious disease threaten wildlife populations globally. Gut microbial responses are predicted to either buffer or exacerbate the negative impacts of these twin pressures on host populations. However, examples that document how gut microbial communities respond to long-term shifts in climate and associated disease risk, and the consequences for host survival, are rare. Over the past two decades, wild meerkats inhabiting the Kalahari have experienced rapidly rising temperatures, which is linked to the spread of tuberculosis (TB). We show that over the same period, the faecal microbiota of this population has become enriched in Bacteroidia and impoverished in lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a group of bacteria including Lactococcus and Lactobacillus that are considered gut mutualists. These shifts occurred within individuals yet were compounded over generations, and were better explained by mean maximum temperatures than mean rainfall over the previous year. Enriched Bacteroidia were additionally associated with TB exposure and disease, the dry season and poorer body condition, factors that were all directly linked to reduced future survival. Lastly, abundances of LAB taxa were independently and positively linked to future survival, while enriched taxa did not predict survival. Together, these results point towards extreme temperatures driving an expansion of a disease-associated pathobiome and loss of beneficial taxa. Our study provides the first evidence from a longitudinally sampled population that climate change is restructuring wildlife gut microbiota, and that these changes may amplify the negative impacts of climate change through the loss of gut mutualists. While the plastic response of host-associated microbiotas is key for host adaptation under normal environmental fluctuations, extreme temperature increases might lead to a breakdown of coevolved host-mutualist relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Risely
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- School of Science, Engineering, and the Environment, Salford University, Salford, UK
| | - Nadine Müller-Klein
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik W Schmid
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wilhelm
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
| | - Marta B Manser
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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11
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Teitelbaum CS, Masto NM, Sullivan JD, Keever AC, Poulson RL, Carter DL, Blake-Bradshaw AG, Highway CJ, Feddersen JC, Hagy HM, Gerhold RW, Cohen BS, Prosser DJ. North American wintering mallards infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza show few signs of altered local or migratory movements. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14473. [PMID: 37660131 PMCID: PMC10475108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40921-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza viruses pose a threat to wildlife and livestock health. The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds and poultry in North America in late 2021 was the first such outbreak since 2015 and the largest outbreak in North America to date. Despite its prominence and economic impacts, we know relatively little about how HPAI spreads in wild bird populations. In January 2022, we captured 43 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in Tennessee, USA, 11 of which were actively infected with HPAI. These were the first confirmed detections of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in the Mississippi Flyway. We compared movement patterns of infected and uninfected birds and found no clear differences; infected birds moved just as much during winter, migrated slightly earlier, and migrated similar distances as uninfected birds. Infected mallards also contacted and shared space with uninfected birds while on their wintering grounds, suggesting ongoing transmission of the virus. We found no differences in body condition or survival rates between infected and uninfected birds. Together, these results show that HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection was unrelated to body condition or movement behavior in mallards infected at this location during winter; if these results are confirmed in other seasons and as HPAI H5N1 continues to evolve, they suggest that these birds could contribute to the maintenance and dispersal of HPAI in North America. Further research on more species across larger geographic areas and multiple seasons would help clarify potential impacts of HPAI on waterfowl and how this emerging disease spreads at continental scales, across species, and potentially between wildlife and domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire S Teitelbaum
- Akima Systems Engineering, Herndon, VA, USA.
- Contractor to U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA.
- Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
| | - Nicholas M Masto
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffery D Sullivan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Allison C Keever
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca L Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Deborah L Carter
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Cory J Highway
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | | | - Heath M Hagy
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Stanton, TN, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Bradley S Cohen
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Diann J Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA
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12
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Simonis MC, Hartzler LK, Campbell J, Carter TC, Cooper LN, Cross K, Etchison K, Hemberger T, King RA, Reynolds RJ, Samar Y, Scafini MR, Stankavich S, Turner GG, Rúa MA. Long-term spring through fall capture data of Eptesicus fuscus in the eastern USA before and after white-nose syndrome. Data Brief 2023; 49:109353. [PMID: 37600136 PMCID: PMC10439297 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109353] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases threaten wildlife populations. Without well monitored wildlife systems, it is challenging to determine accurate population and ecosystem losses following disease emergence. North American temperate bats present a unique opportunity for studying the broad impacts of wildlife disease emergence, as their federal monitoring programs were prioritized in the USA throughout the 20th century and they are currently threatened by the invasive fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which causes white-nose syndrome. Here we provide a long-term dataset for capture records of Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat) across the eastern USA, spanning 16 years before and 14 years after Pd invasion into North America. These data represent 30,496 E. fuscus captures across 3,567 unique sites. We encourage the use of this dataset for quantifying impacts of wildlife disease and other threats to wildlife (e.g., climate change) with the incorporation of other available data. We welcome additional data contributions for E. fuscus captures across North and Central America as well as the inclusion of other variables into the dataset that contribute to the quantification of wildlife health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly C. Simonis
- Wright State University, Environmental Sciences PhD Program, Dayton, OH, United States
- University of Oklahoma, Department of Biology, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Lynn K. Hartzler
- Wright State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Joshua Campbell
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Timothy C. Carter
- Ball State University, Department of Biology, Muncie, IN, United States
| | - Lisa Noelle Cooper
- North Eastern Ohio Medical School, Musculoskeletal Research Focus Area, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Rootstown, OH, United States
| | - Katelin Cross
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Jackson, MS, United States
- Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Katherine Etchison
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Traci Hemberger
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, KY, United States
| | - R. Andrew King
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Indiana Field Office, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | | | - Yasmeen Samar
- Wright State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Dayton, OH, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Sarah Stankavich
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, TX, United States
- Ohio Division of Wildlife, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | - Megan A. Rúa
- Wright State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Dayton, OH, United States
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13
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Carver S, Lewin ZM, Burgess LG, Wilkinson V, Whitehead J, Driessen MM. Density independent decline from an environmentally transmitted parasite. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230169. [PMID: 37607579 PMCID: PMC10444343 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0169] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive environmentally transmitted parasites have the potential to cause declines in host populations independent of host density, but this is rarely characterized in naturally occurring populations. We investigated (1) epidemiological features of a declining bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) population in central Tasmania owing to a sarcoptic mange (agent Sarcoptes scabiei) outbreak, and (2) reviewed all longitudinal wombat-mange studies to improve our understanding of when host population declines may occur. Over a 7-year period, the wombat population declined 80% (95% CI 77-86%) and experienced a 55% range contraction. The average apparent prevalence of mange was high 27% (95% CI 21-34), increased slightly over our study period, and the population decline continued unabated, independent of declining host abundance. Combined with other longitudinal studies, our research indicated wombat populations may be at risk of decline when apparent prevalence exceeds 25%. This empirical study supports the capacity of environmentally transmitted parasites to cause density independent host population declines and suggests prevalence limits may be an indicator of impending decline-causing epizootics in bare-nosed wombats. This research is the first to test effects of density in mange epizootics where transmission is environmental and may provide a guide for when apparent prevalence indicates a local conservation threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Carver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Zachary M. Lewin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Leah G. Burgess
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Vicky Wilkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
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14
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McEachran MC, Mladonicky J, Picasso-Risso C, Drake DAR, Phelps NBD. Release of live baitfish by recreational anglers drives fish pathogen introduction risk. Prev Vet Med 2023; 217:105960. [PMID: 37478526 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105960] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Emerging diseases of wildlife are an existential threat to biodiversity, and human-mediated movements of live animals are a primary vector of their spread. Wildlife disease risk analyses offer an appealing alternative to precautionary approaches because they allow for explicit quantification of uncertainties and consideration of tradeoffs. Such considerations become particularly important in high-frequency invasion pathways with hundreds of thousands of individual vectors, where even low pathogen prevalence can lead to substantial risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the landscape-level dynamics of human behavior-mediated pathogen introduction risk in the context of a high-frequency invasion pathway. One such pathway is the use and release of live fish used as bait by recreational anglers. We used a stochastic risk assessment model parameterized by angler survey data from Minnesota, USA, to simulate one year of fishing in Minnesota and estimate the total number of risky trips for each of three pathogens: viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, the microsporidian parasite Ovipleistophora ovariae, and the Asian fish tapeworm Schizocotyle acheilognathi. We assessed the number of introductions under four scenarios: current/baseline conditions, outbreak conditions (increased pathogen prevalence), source-focused control measures (decreased pathogen prevalence), and angler-focused control measures (decreased rates of release). We found that hundreds of thousands of introduction events can occur per year, even for regulated pathogens at low pathogen prevalence. Reducing the rate of illegal baitfish release had significant impact on risky trips in scenarios where a high number of anglers were involved, but was less impactful in circumstances with limited outbreaks and fewer affected anglers. In contrast, reducing pathogen prevalence in the source populations of baitfish had relatively little impact. In order to make meaningful changes in pathogen introduction risk, managers should focus efforts on containing local outbreaks and reducing illegal baitfish release to reduce pathogen introduction risk. Our study also demonstrates the risk associated with high-frequency invasion pathways and the importance of incorporating human behaviors into wildlife disease models and risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C McEachran
- Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, 135E Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 135E Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States
| | - Janice Mladonicky
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 225 Veterinary Medical Center, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55108, United States
| | - Catalina Picasso-Risso
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 225 Veterinary Medical Center, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55108, United States
| | - D Andrew R Drake
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Nicholas B D Phelps
- Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, 135E Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 135E Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States.
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15
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Manes C, Carthy RR, Hull V. A Coupled Human and Natural Systems Framework to Characterize Emerging Infectious Diseases-The Case of Fibropapillomatosis in Marine Turtles. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091441. [PMID: 37174478 PMCID: PMC10177368 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091441] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife have markedly increased in the last few decades. Unsustainable, continuous, and rapid alterations within and between coupled human and natural systems have significantly disrupted wildlife disease dynamics. Direct and indirect anthropogenic effects, such as climate change, pollution, encroachment, urbanization, travel, and trade, can promote outbreaks of infectious diseases in wildlife. We constructed a coupled human and natural systems framework identifying three main wildlife disease risk factors behind these anthropogenic effects: (i) immune suppression, (ii) viral spillover, and (iii) disease propagation. Through complex and convoluted dynamics, each of the anthropogenic effects and activities listed in our framework can lead, to some extent, to one or more of the identified risk factors accelerating disease outbreaks in wildlife. In this review, we present a novel framework to study anthropogenic effects within coupled human and natural systems that facilitate the emergence of infectious disease involving wildlife. We demonstrate the utility of the framework by applying it to Fibropapillomatosis disease of marine turtles. We aim to articulate the intricate and complex nature of anthropogenically exacerbated wildlife infectious diseases as multifactorial. This paper supports the adoption of a One Health approach and invites the integration of multiple disciplines for the achievement of effective and long-lasting conservation and the mitigation of wildlife emerging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Manes
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Raymond R Carthy
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Vanessa Hull
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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16
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Rodríguez-Caro RC, Graciá E, Blomberg SP, Cayuela H, Grace M, Carmona CP, Pérez-Mendoza HA, Giménez A, Salguero-Gómez R. Anthropogenic impacts on threatened species erode functional diversity in chelonians and crocodilians. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1542. [PMID: 36977697 PMCID: PMC10050202 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37089-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Anthropocene is tightly associated with a drastic loss of species worldwide and the disappearance of their key ecosystem functions. The orders Testudines (turtles and tortoises) and Crocodilia (crocodiles, alligators, and gharials) contain numerous threatened, long-lived species for which the functional diversity and potential erosion by anthropogenic impacts remains unknown. Here, we examine 259 (69%) of the existing 375 species of Testudines and Crocodilia, quantifying their life history strategies (i.e., trade-offs in survival, development, and reproduction) from open-access data on demography, ancestry, and threats. We find that the loss of functional diversity in simulated extinction scenarios of threatened species is greater than expected by chance. Moreover, the effects of unsustainable local consumption, diseases, and pollution are associated with life history strategies. In contrast, climate change, habitat disturbance, and global trade affect species independent of their life history strategy. Importantly, the loss of functional diversity for threatened species by habitat degradation is twice that for all other threats. Our findings highlight the importance of conservation programmes focused on preserving the functional diversity of life history strategies jointly with the phylogenetic representativity of these highly threatened groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- R C Rodríguez-Caro
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, 03202, Alicante, Spain.
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante, San Vicent del Raspeig, 03690, Alicante, Spain.
| | - E Graciá
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, 03202, Alicante, Spain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03312, Orihuela, Spain
| | - S P Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - H Cayuela
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, F-769622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - M Grace
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - C P Carmona
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
| | - H A Pérez-Mendoza
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Autónoma de México, 54090, Tlalnepantla, México
| | - A Giménez
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, 03202, Alicante, Spain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03312, Orihuela, Spain
| | - R Salguero-Gómez
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
- Max Plank Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuße Straße 1, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
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17
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Abstract
Zoonoses are diseases and infections naturally transmitted between humans and vertebrate animals. Over the years, zoonoses have become increasingly significant threats to global health. They form the dominant group of diseases among the emerging infectious diseases (EID) and currently account for 73% of EID. Approximately 25% of zoonoses originate in domestic animals. The etiological agents of zoonoses include different pathogens, with viruses accounting for approximately 30% of all zoonotic infections. Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted directly or indirectly, by contact, via aerosols, through a vector, or vertically in utero. Zoonotic diseases are found in every continent except Antarctica. Numerous factors associated with the pathogen, human activities, and the environment play significant roles in the transmission and emergence of zoonotic diseases. Effective response and control of zoonotic diseases call for multiple-sector involvement and collaboration according to the One Health concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyewale Tomori
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Nigeria; ,
| | - Daniel O Oluwayelu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria; ,
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18
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Investigation and sequence analysis of psittacine beak and feather disease virus and avian polyomavirus from companion birds in Windhoek, Namibia. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106739. [PMID: 36375521 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106739] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The commercial farming and trading of parrots and ornamental birds as companion animals are important economic activities in many countries. Some of the bird species farmed/traded are captured from the wild or are closely related to wild birds and therefore represent a risk of pathogen exchange/introduction. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and avian poliomavirus (APV) are among the viruses with the biggest impact on companion bird populations and have been detected in different hosts worldwide. Despite their relevance for both domesticated and wild birds, our knowledge of BFDV and APV epidemiology remains limited in several African countries. In the present study, 143 cloacal swabs were collected from companion birds in Windhoek, Namibia, and tested by polymerase chain reaction for BFDV and APV. Of the samples tested, 35/143 (24.48%) tested positive for BFDV; 11/143 (7.69%) were positive for APV; and 6/143 (4.2%) tested positive for both pathogens. Positive amplicons, consisting of segments of the ORF1 and VP1 genes, were sequenced and compared with sequences from viruses identified in other countries. Four Namibian-only clades of BFDV were identified, loosely related to foreign strains, which suggest the occurrence of multiple introduction events in the past, potentially from South Africa, followed by local, independent evolution. In contrast, the Namibian APV sequences were identical to each other and form a single clade. In both instances, no correlation was observed between the sampling host and the viral phylogeny, suggesting the absence of host-specific adaptation and a remarkable, unconstrained viral circulation within Namibian borders. Therefore, while regulations and control measures developed against foreign strain introduction have proven to be effective over time, the spread of BFDV and APV within Namibia's borders appears undeterred. Additional resources should be dedicated to limit strain circulation in commercial farming facilities, markets and small-scale traders.
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19
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Wu NC. Pathogen load predicts host functional disruption: A meta‐analysis of an amphibian fungal panzootic. Funct Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C. Wu
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
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20
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Lambertini C, Ernetti JR, Missassi AFR, Jorge RF, da Silva Leite D, Lima AP, Toledo LF. Chytrid fungus in amphibians from the lowland Brazilian Amazon. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 152:115-125. [PMID: 36519683 DOI: 10.3354/dao03709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the main threats to biodiversity. The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is associated with several amphibian losses around the globe, and environmental conditions may dictate the success of pathogen spread. The Brazilian Amazon has been considered climatically unsuitable for chytrid fungus, but additional information on Bd dynamics in this ecoregion is still lacking. We sampled 462 amphibians (449 anurans, 4 caudatans and 9 caecilians), representing 57 species from the Brazilian Amazon, and quantified Bd infections using qPCR. We tested whether abiotic variables predicted the risk of Bd infections, and tested for relationships between biotic variables and Bd. Finally, we experimentally tested the effects of Bd strains CLFT 156 and CLFT 102 (from the southern and northern Atlantic Forest, respectively) on Atelopus manauensis. We detected higher Bd prevalence than those previously reported for the Brazilian Amazon, and positive individuals in all 3 orders of amphibians sampled. Both biotic and abiotic predictors were related to prevalence, and no variable explained infection load. Moreover, we detected higher Bd prevalence in forested than open areas, while the host's reproductive biology was not a factor. We detected higher mortality in the experimental group infected with CLFT 156, probably because this strain was isolated from a region characterized by discrepant climatic conditions (latitudinally more distant) when compared with the host's sampling site in Amazon. The lowland Brazilian Amazon is still underexplored and future studies targeting all amphibian orders are essential to better understand Bd infection dynamics in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Lambertini
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil
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21
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Hindle IJ, Forbes LK, Carver S. The effect of spatial dynamics on the behaviour of an environmentally transmitted disease. JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS 2022; 16:144-159. [PMID: 35404769 DOI: 10.1080/17513758.2022.2061614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the spread of pathogens through the environment is critical to a fuller comprehension of disease dynamics. However, many mathematical models of disease dynamics ignore spatial effects. We seek to expand knowledge around the interaction between the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) and sarcoptic mange (etiologic agent Sarcoptes scabiei), by extending an aspatial mathematical model to include spatial variation. S. scabiei was found to move through our modelled region as a spatio-temporal travelling wave, leaving behind pockets of localized host extinction, consistent with field observations. The speed of infection spread was also comparable with field research. Our model predicts that the inclusion of spatial dynamics leads to the survival and recovery of affected wombat populations when an aspatial model predicts extinction. Collectively, this research demonstrates how environmentally transmitted S. scabiei can result in travelling wave dynamics, and that inclusion of spatial variation reveals a more resilient host population than aspatial modelling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy J Hindle
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Lawrence K Forbes
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Scott Carver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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22
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Zhou M, Peng P, Zhang X, Hussain S, Lu Y, Han L, Chen D, Li H, Liu Q, Tian L, Sun H, Hou Z. The genetic characteristics of Sarcoptes scabiei from Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii) and goral (Naemorhedus goral arnouxianus) compared with other mites from different hosts and geographic locations using ITS2 and cox1 sequences. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3611-3618. [PMID: 36201043 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07686-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Abstract
Scabies is a common parasitic disease in many mammalian species, caused by the infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei. There is no consistent conclusion on whether Sarcoptes mites from different hosts or geographic locations have apparent genetic divergence. In this study, we collected and morphologically identified S. scabiei from Chinese serow and goral, and we described the genetic diversity of S. scabiei and other mites based on phylogenetic analyses of the ITS2 and cox1 sequence fragments, including data available in GenBank. The mites isolated from Chinese serow and goral were S. scabiei, and they were morphologically similar. The phylogenetic trees and haplotype networks showed that S. scabiei from other locations worldwide did not cluster according to host divergence or geographical distribution. Additionally, the Fst values were - 0.224 to 0.136 and - 0.045 to 1 between S. scabiei from different hosts, including humans and domestic and wild animals, based on partial ITS and cox1 sequences. Worldwide S. scabiei samples formed three clusters (with H2, H5, and H12 at their centers) in the ITS and one cluster (with C9 at the center) in the cox1 haplotype phylogenetic network. The S. scabiei collected from Chinese serow and goral were morphologically similar and had the same genotype. A study on the genetic characteristics of S. scabiei from Chinese serow and goral together with other mites from different hosts and geographic locations around the world showed no obvious divergence. These findings indicated that scabies likely is a zoonotic disease and that the global prevalence of scabies is probably related to the worldwide trade of domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengchao Zhou
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Peng Peng
- General Station for Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- General Station for Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shenyang, China
| | - Shakeel Hussain
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yaxian Lu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Lei Han
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Denghui Chen
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Hongjia Li
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Quan Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Lihong Tian
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China. .,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
| | - Heting Sun
- General Station for Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shenyang, China.
| | - Zhijun Hou
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China. .,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
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Goldberg AR, Eads DA, Biggins DE. Plague circulation in small mammals elevates extinction risk for the endangered Peñasco least chipmunk. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
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ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR INVESTIGATION OF EXUDATIVE CLOACITIS IN KĀKĀPŌ (STRIGOPS HABROPTILUS) ON WHENUA HOU (CODFISH ISLAND), NEW ZEALAND. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:769-781. [PMID: 36302364 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00201] [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: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) are critically endangered nocturnal parrots endemic to New Zealand. Exudative cloacitis is a disease only affecting the breeding population of Kākāpō on Whenua Hou (Codfish Island), for which a consistent primary pathogenic organism involved has not been identified. This epidemiological study was conducted to identify the environmental factors contributing to the initiation of this disease in Kākāpō by 1) producing and describing a case series; 2) mapping the geographic distribution of exudative cloacitis cases; 3) investigating the chemical characteristics of Kākāpō roosting sites; and 4) assessing the effects of climatic factors on the incidence of exudative cloacitis each year. Soil samples from the Kākāpō roost sites and other areas of the Whenua Hou were examined for pH, ammonium, and moisture contents. From 2002 to 2017, 22 sporadic cases of exudative cloacitis have been diagnosed and the disease distribution on Whenua Hou overlaps the Kākāpō distribution. A mixed group of adults and juveniles was affected and there was no evidence of spatial or temporal clustering of the disease. Current findings on the chemical characteristics of Kākāpō roosting sites do not show any evidence that these factors are involved in the initiation of the exudative cloacitis. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the ammonium and moisture levels of the roosts are worthy of more detailed study in future cases. We were not able to demonstrate any significant influence of broad measures of climate on the incidence of exudative cloacitis on Whenua Hou. Prospective data collection would help for a complete epidemiological investigation of this disease in future cases.
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Carver S, Peters A, Richards SA. Model Integrated Disease Management to facilitate effective translatable solutions for wildlife disease issues. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Carver
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania
| | - Andrew Peters
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Charles Sturt University
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Pitarch A, Diéguez-Uribeondo J, Martín-Torrijos L, Sergio F, Blanco G. Fungal signatures of oral disease reflect environmental degradation in a facultative avian scavenger. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155397. [PMID: 35460785 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Degradation of natural ecosystems increases the risk of infections in wildlife due to microbiota dysbiosis. However, little is known about its influence on the development of fungal communities in predators and facultative avian scavengers. We evaluated the incidence of oral disease in wild nestling black kites (Milvus migrans) under contrasting environmental degradation conditions, and explored their oral fungal patterns using molecular methods and multivariate analysis. Oral lesions were found in 36.8% of the 38 nestlings examined in an anthropogenically altered habitat (southeastern Madrid, Spain), but in none of the 105 nestlings examined in a well-conserved natural area (Doñana National Park, Spain). In a subsample of 48 black kites, the composition of the oral fungal community differed among symptomatic nestlings from Madrid (SM) and asymptomatic nestlings from Madrid (AM) and Doñana (AD). Opportunistic fungal pathogens (e.g., Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex, Mucor spp., Rhizopus oryzae) were more prevalent in SM and AM than in AD. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses revealed that fungal patterns were distinct between both study areas, and that anthropogenic and natural environmental factors had a greater impact on them than oral disease. Fungal signatures associated with anthropogenic and natural stresses harbored some taxa that could be used to flag oral infection (F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex and Alternaria), indicate environmental degradation (Alternaria) or provide protective benefits in degraded environments (Trichoderma, Epicoccum nigrum and Sordaria). Co-occurrence associations between potentially beneficial and pathogenic fungi were typical of AM and AD, hinting at a possible role in host health. This study shows that early-life exposure to highly degraded environments induces a shift towards a higher prevalence of pathogenic species in the oral cavity of black kites, favoring oral disease. Furthermore, our findings suggest potential ecological applications of the monitoring of oral mycobiome as a bioindication of oral disease and environmental degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Pitarch
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and Ramón y Cajal Institute of Health Research (IRYCIS), Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Teaching Unit of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Arcos de Jalón, 118, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Sergio
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estacion Biologica de Doñana-CSIC, Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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Acebes P, Vargas S, Castillo H. Sarcoptic mange outbreaks in vicuñas (Cetartiodactyla: Camelidae): A scoping review and future prospects. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e1201-e1212. [PMID: 35157357 PMCID: PMC9790737 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14479] [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: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Sarcoptic mange is considered an emerging disease-causing countless epizootics and significantly affecting wild mammals worldwide. The vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) is a medium-sized South American wild camelid inhabiting Andean ecosystems, where several populations are live-sheared by Andean peasant communities as a way of providing an economic income to the people while promoting vicuña conservation. Institutions and scientists have shown concern for the impact and extent of sarcoptic mange in several vicuña populations across their range, as well as the lack of consistent knowledge about this disease in the species. Here, we perform a review about sarcoptic mange distribution throughout the vicuña's native range, evidence of effects of age and sex, the modes of transmission and the veterinary treatments employed. The review retrieved a few scientific papers, but found several reports and academic studies mostly considered as 'grey literature'. Mange was recorded across the entire native vicuña range (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru). Mange prevalence varied across vicuña studies (up to 60% prevalence in some populations) and severely affected a number of populations, being an important source of mortality. Mange was reported as more frequent in adults than in offspring. The modes of mange transmission remain unclear, although direct transmission between infected and healthy animals seems to be the most likely, including the transmission between domestic camelids and vicuñas. Regarding the treatments employed, ivermectin was the most frequently used. We further identified several gaps in knowledge and point to future research lines, which seek to promote both species conservation and the maintenance of live-shearing vicuñas under sustainable approaches in low-income Andean peasant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Acebes
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group (TEG‐UAM)Departamento de EcologíaUniversidad Autónoma de MadridMadridEspaña,Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global. Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadridEspaña,IUCN SSC South American Camelid Specialist Group
| | - Solange Vargas
- IUCN SSC South American Camelid Specialist Group,Departamento de BiologíaUniversidad de La SerenaLa SerenaChile,Universidad Católica del NorteCoquimboChile
| | - Hugo Castillo
- IUCN SSC South American Camelid Specialist Group,Facultad de Medicina VeterinariaUniversidad Nacional Mayor de San MarcosLimaPerú,CONOPAInstituto de Investigación y Desarrollo de Camélidos SudamericanosLimaPerú
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Description of a Sarcoptic Mange Outbreak in Alpine Chamois Using an Enhanced Surveillance Approach. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162077. [PMID: 36009667 PMCID: PMC9405409 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sarcoptic mange represents an important concern for chamois management; in our study, the effects of an epidemic were monitored on an alpine population from 2006 to 2020. Passive surveillance and demographic data were analyzed in order to describe a mange outbreak. Furthermore, an enhanced passive surveillance protocol was implemented in a subpart of the study area in order to evaluate the efficiency of the ordinary one. Generally, the demographic decline caused by the epidemic reached the highest values between the first and the third year after the first mange cases. The enhanced passive surveillance approach proved to be an important asset for disease surveillance: However, its adoption may be too costly if applied for longer periods on a wide scale. Passive surveillance, in both ordinary and enhanced surveillance protocol, should encompass the use of other monitoring strategies in the future to study the eco-epidemiology of this disease in wild Caprinae. Abstract Since 1995, the Alpine chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) population of the Dolomites has been affected by sarcoptic mange with considerable management concerns. In this study, 15 years (2006–2020) of passive surveillance and demographic data were analyzed in order to describe a mange outbreak. Furthermore, an enhanced passive surveillance protocol was implemented in order to evaluate the efficiency of ordinary vs. enhanced surveillance protocol in identifying dead chamois in the field and in reaching a correct diagnosis. Our results confirm the role of mange as a determining factor for chamois mortality, while stressing the importance of a wider view on the factors affecting population dynamics. The enhanced passive surveillance protocol increased the probability of carcass retrieval and identification of the cause of death; however, its adoption may be too costly if applied for long periods on a wide scale. Passive surveillance, in both ordinary and enhanced surveillance protocol, should encompass the use of other strategies in the future to study the eco-epidemiology of the disease in wild Caprinae.
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Schmid DW, Fackelmann G, Wasimuddin, Rakotondranary J, Ratovonamana YR, Montero BK, Ganzhorn JU, Sommer S. A framework for testing the impact of co-infections on host gut microbiomes. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:48. [PMID: 35945629 PMCID: PMC9361228 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00198-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections disturb gut microbial communities beyond their natural range of variation, possibly leading to dysbiosis. Yet it remains underappreciated that most infections are accompanied by one or more co-infections and their collective impact is largely unexplored. Here we developed a framework illustrating changes to the host gut microbiome following single infections, and build on it by describing the neutral, synergistic or antagonistic impacts on microbial α- and ß-diversity expected from co-infections. We tested the framework on microbiome data from a non-human primate population co-infected with helminths and Adenovirus, and matched patterns reported in published studies to the introduced framework. In this case study, α-diversity of co-infected Malagasy mouse lemurs (Microcebus griseorufus) did not differ in comparison with that of singly infected or uninfected individuals, even though community composition captured with ß-diversity metrices changed significantly. Explicitly, we record stochastic changes in dispersion, a sign of dysbiosis, following the Anna-Karenina principle rather than deterministic shifts in the microbial gut community. From the literature review and our case study, neutral and synergistic impacts emerged as common outcomes from co-infections, wherein both shifts and dispersion of microbial communities following co-infections were often more severe than after a single infection alone, but microbial α-diversity was not universally altered. Important functions of the microbiome may also suffer from such heavily altered, though no less species-rich microbial community. Lastly, we pose the hypothesis that the reshuffling of host-associated microbial communities due to the impact of various, often coinciding parasitic infections may become a source of novel or zoonotic diseases.
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Busi A, Ospina-Pérez EM, Rodríguez-Hurtado C, Mejía-Fontecha IY, Ossa-López PA, Rivera-Páez FA, Ramírez-Chaves HE. Infestation, histology, and molecular confirmation of Sarcoptes scabiei in an Andean porcupine ( Coendou quichua) from the Central Andes of Colombia. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:266-272. [PMID: 35814637 PMCID: PMC9260439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious, worldwide disease that affects the skin of mammals, including humans. It is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, however, the information available in wild mammal populations in the world, and particularly in Colombia is limited. Here, we document a new case of sarcoptic mange in an Andean porcupine (Coendou quichua) from the Andean region of Colombia. We morphologically and molecularly confirmed the mite as S. scabiei and documented the histopathology associated with scabies, and show the different stages of the life cycle of S. scabiei from the Andean porcupine skin samples. Our review of reports of additional cases of scabies in wild mammal species in South America showed 15 species, mostly carnivores, artiodactyls, and rodents. Considering the limited information in Colombia, it is urgent to evaluate the risk of this condition on mammals which would contribute to the epidemiological knowledge and the potential implications of sarcoptic mange in the ecology and conservation of wild mammals in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Busi
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias Agrarias, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Erika Mayerly Ospina-Pérez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias – Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Caterine Rodríguez-Hurtado
- Professional Universitaria, Parque Nacional Natural Selva de Florencia, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, Corregimiento de Florencia, Samaná, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Ingrith Y. Mejía-Fontecha
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 58 No. 21-50, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Paula A. Ossa-López
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias – Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Fredy A. Rivera-Páez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Héctor E. Ramírez-Chaves
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 58 No. 21-50, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
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Jeong MA, Jeong YJ, Kim KI. Virulence difference between red sea bream iridovirus mixed subtype I/II and subtype II and the expression of viral and apoptosis-related genes in infected rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 127:195-202. [PMID: 35643355 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the virulence of the red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) subtype II (17RbGs isolate) and a novel RSIV mixed subtype I/II (17SbTy isolate), which was genetically characterized in a previous study, were compared. The infectivity to rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) determined by infectious dose (ID50) revealed that 17RbGs isolate was significantly more infective than 17SbTy isolate using both intraperitoneal injection and bath immersion. In a cohabitation challenge test that mimicked natural conditions, the cumulative mortality of the donor (RSIV-injected rock bream) and the recipient (cohabited naïve rock bream) was significantly higher in the 17RbGs group than in the 17SbTy group, regardless of RSIV injected doses, supporting the correlation between genetic mutation and pathogenicity. In addition, the maximum viral shedding ratio identified from RSIV-infected rock bream suggested that viral transmission through infection with the 17SbTy isolate could have a lower relative risk than that of infection with the 17RbGs isolate. In particular, the odds ratio based on the spleen index after 17RbGs infection was 55.00, which was inconsistent with that of 17SbTy infection (19.38), hence supporting the virulence difference between RSIVs. Furthermore, the expression of viral genes, including DNA membrane and myristoylated protein genes with insertion and deletion mutations, and that of caspase-8, which is related to caspase-dependent apoptosis induced by RSIV infection, were significantly upregulated at 11 days post 17RbGs-infection compared to that following 17SbTy infection. Notably, although viral genes were highly expressed in the early infection stage and caspase-8 was upregulated, the low caspase-3 expression may have inhibited apoptosis, reflecting the difference in virulence between different RSIV isolates. Several virulence factors, including pathogenicity, viral shedding ratio, odds ratio, and gene expression, support that RSIV mixed subtype I/II may be a less pathogenic RSIV isolate compared with general RSIV subtype II in a natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min A Jeong
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Jin Jeong
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Il Kim
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
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McKee RK, Buhlmann KA, Moore CT, Allender MC, Stacy NI, Tuberville TD. Island of misfit tortoises: waif gopher tortoise health assessment following translocation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac051. [PMID: 37501911 PMCID: PMC9328764 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Translocation, the intentional movement of animals from one location to another, is a common management practice for the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Although the inadvertent spread of pathogens is a concern with any translocation effort, waif tortoises-individuals that have been collected illegally, injured and rehabilitated or have unknown origins-are generally excluded from translocation efforts due to heightened concerns of introducing pathogens and subsequent disease to naïve populations. However, repurposing these long-lived animals for species recovery is desirable when feasible, and introducing waif tortoises may bolster small populations facing extirpation. The objective of this study was to assess the health of waif tortoises experimentally released at an isolated preserve in Aiken County, SC, USA. Our assessments included visual examination, screening for 14 pathogens using conventional or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and haematological evaluation. Of the 143 individuals assessed in 2017 and 2018, most individuals (76%; n = 109 of 143) had no overt clinical evidence of disease and, when observed, clinical findings were mild. In both years, we detected two known tortoise pathogens, Mycoplasma agassizii and Mycoplasma testudineum, at a prevalence of 10.2-13.9% and 0.0-0.8%, respectively. Additionally, we found emydid Mycoplasma, a bacterium commonly found in box turtles (Terrapene spp.), in a single tortoise that showed no clinical evidence of infection. The presence of nasal discharge was an important, but imperfect, predictor of Mycoplasma spp. infection in translocated tortoises. Hemogram data were comparable with wild populations. Our study is the first comprehensive effort to assess pathogen prevalence and hemogram data of waif gopher tortoises following translocation. Although caution is warranted and pathogen screening necessary, waif tortoises may be an important resource for establishing or augmenting isolated populations when potential health risks can be managed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K McKee
- Corresponding author: Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Mailing: P.O. Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Tel: 828-226-0926.
| | - Kurt A Buhlmann
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
| | - Clinton T Moore
- U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Matthew C Allender
- Wildlife Epidemiology Lab, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Nicole I Stacy
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tracey D Tuberville
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
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Pacheco H, Lopes AM, Bárcena J, Blanco E, Abrantes J, Esteves P, Choquet R, Alves PC, Santos N. Multi‐event capture‐recapture models estimate the diagnostic performance of serological tests for myxoma and rabbit haemorrhagic disease viruses in the absence of reference samples. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e3024-e3035. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Pacheco
- CIISA – Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
| | - Ana M. Lopes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS)/Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica (UMIB) University of Porto Porto Portugal
| | - Juan Bárcena
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA‐INIA/CSIC) Valdeolmos Madrid Spain
| | - Esther Blanco
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA‐INIA/CSIC) Valdeolmos Madrid Spain
| | - Joana Abrantes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
- Department of Biology Faculty of Sciences University of Porto Porto Portugal
| | - Pedro Esteves
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
- Department of Biology Faculty of Sciences University of Porto Porto Portugal
| | - Rémi Choquet
- CEFE – Centre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive Univ Montpellier CNRS EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - Paulo Célio Alves
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
- Department of Biology Faculty of Sciences University of Porto Porto Portugal
- Estação Biológica de Mértola (EBM) CIBIO Mértola Portugal
| | - Nuno Santos
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
- Estação Biológica de Mértola (EBM) CIBIO Mértola Portugal
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Holland OJ, Toomey M, Ahrens C, Hoffmann AA, Croft LJ, Sherman CDH, Miller AD. Whole genome resequencing reveals signatures of rapid selection in a virus-affected commercial fishery. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3658-3671. [PMID: 35555938 PMCID: PMC9327721 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases are recognized as one of the greatest global threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Consequently, there is a growing urgency to understand the speed at which adaptive phenotypes can evolve and spread in natural populations to inform future management. Here we provide evidence of rapid genomic changes in wild Australian blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) following a major population crash associated with an infectious disease. Genome scans on H. rubra were performed using pooled whole genome resequencing data from commercial fishing stocks varying in historical exposure to haliotid herpesvirus-1 (HaHV-1). Approximately 25,000 single nucleotide polymorphism loci associated with virus exposure were identified, many of which mapped to genes known to contribute to HaHV-1 immunity in the New Zealand pāua (Haliotis iris) and herpesvirus response pathways in haliotids and other animal systems. These findings indicate genetic changes across a single generation in H. rubra fishing stocks decimated by HaHV-1, with stock recovery potentially determined by rapid evolutionary changes leading to virus resistance. This is a novel example of apparently rapid adaptation in natural populations of a nonmodel marine organism, highlighting the pace at which selection can potentially act to counter disease in wildlife communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen J. Holland
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
- Deakin Genomics CentreDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Madeline Toomey
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
- Deakin Genomics CentreDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Collin Ahrens
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
- Research Centre for Ecosystem ResilienceAustralian Institute of Botanical ScienceRoyal Botanic GardenSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- School of BioSciencesBio21 InstituteThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Laurence J. Croft
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
- Deakin Genomics CentreDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Craig D. H. Sherman
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
| | - Adam D. Miller
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
- Deakin Genomics CentreDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
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Bains J, Carver S, Hua S. Pathophysiological and Pharmaceutical Considerations for Enhancing the Control of Sarcoptes scabiei in Wombats Through Improved Transdermal Drug Delivery. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:944578. [PMID: 35836504 PMCID: PMC9274280 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.944578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcoptic scabiei is an invasive parasitic mite that negatively impacts wombats, causing sarcoptic mange disease, characterized by alopecia, intense pruritus, hyperkeratosis, and eventual mortality. Evidence suggests that wombats may be unable to recovery from infection without the assistance of treatments. Transdermal drug delivery is considered the most ideal route of administration for in situ treatment in free-ranging wombats, as it is non-invasive and avoids the need to capture affected individuals. Although there are effective antiparasitic drugs available, an essential challenge is adequate administration of drugs and sufficient drug retention and absorption when delivered. This review will describe the implications of sarcoptic mange on the physiology of wombats as well as discuss the most widely used antiparasitic drugs to treat S. scabiei (ivermectin, moxidectin, and fluralaner). The prospects for improved absorption of these drugs will be addressed in the context of pathophysiological and pharmaceutical considerations influencing transdermal drug delivery in wombats with sarcoptic mange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaskaran Bains
- Therapeutic Targeting Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Susan Hua
- Therapeutic Targeting Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Susan Hua
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Michalska-Smith M, VanderWaal K, Craft ME. Asymmetric host movement reshapes local disease dynamics in metapopulations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9365. [PMID: 35672422 PMCID: PMC9171740 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12774-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the movement of individuals affects disease dynamics is critical to accurately predicting and responding to the spread of disease in an increasingly interconnected world. In particular, it is not yet known how movement between patches affects local disease dynamics (e.g., whether pathogen prevalence remains steady or oscillates through time). Considering a set of small, archetypal metapopulations, we find three surprisingly simple patterns emerge in local disease dynamics following the introduction of movement between patches: (1) movement between identical patches with cyclical pathogen prevalence dampens oscillations in the destination while increasing synchrony between patches; (2) when patches differ from one another in the absence of movement, adding movement allows dynamics to propagate between patches, alternatively stabilizing or destabilizing dynamics in the destination based on the dynamics at the origin; and (3) it is easier for movement to induce cyclical dynamics than to induce a steady-state. Considering these archetypal networks (and the patterns they exemplify) as building blocks of larger, more realistically complex metapopulations provides an avenue for novel insights into the role of host movement on disease dynamics. Moreover, this work demonstrates a framework for future predictive modelling of disease spread in real populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Michalska-Smith
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA. .,Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
| | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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The population genetics of the causative agent of snake fungal disease indicate recent introductions to the USA. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001676. [PMID: 35737674 PMCID: PMC9223401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Snake fungal disease (SFD; ophidiomycosis), caused by the pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), has been documented in wild snakes in North America and Eurasia, and is considered an emerging disease in the eastern United States of America. However, a lack of historical disease data has made it challenging to determine whether Oo is a recent arrival to the USA or whether SFD emergence is due to other factors. Here, we examined the genomes of 82 Oo strains to determine the pathogen’s history in the eastern USA. Oo strains from the USA formed a clade (Clade II) distinct from European strains (Clade I), and molecular dating indicated that these clades diverged too recently (approximately 2,000 years ago) for transcontinental dispersal of Oo to have occurred via natural snake movements across Beringia. A lack of nonrecombinant intermediates between clonal lineages in Clade II indicates that Oo has actually been introduced multiple times to North America from an unsampled source population, and molecular dating indicates that several of these introductions occurred within the last few hundred years. Molecular dating also indicated that the most common Clade II clonal lineages have expanded recently in the USA, with time of most recent common ancestor mean estimates ranging from 1985 to 2007 CE. The presence of Clade II in captive snakes worldwide demonstrates a potential mechanism of introduction and highlights that additional incursions are likely unless action is taken to reduce the risk of pathogen translocation and spillover into wild snake populations. Snake fungal disease is an emerging disease in eastern North America, but the origins of the disease have been unclear. This study uses population genetic data to show that the fungus that causes the disease was introduced multiple times to North America over the last few hundred years.
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Vector-Borne Viral Diseases as a Current Threat for Human and Animal Health—One Health Perspective. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11113026. [PMID: 35683413 PMCID: PMC9181581 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11113026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, an increase in the emergence or re-emergence of arthropod-borne viruses has been observed in many regions. Viruses such as dengue, yellow fever, or zika are a threat for millions of people on different continents. On the other hand, some arboviruses are still described as endemic, however, they could become more important in the near future. Additionally, there is a group of arboviruses that, although important for animal breeding, are not a direct threat for human health. Those include, e.g., Schmallenberg, bluetongue, or African swine fever viruses. This review focuses on arboviruses and their major vectors: mosquitoes, ticks, biting midges, and sandflies. We discuss the current knowledge on arbovirus transmission, ecology, and methods of prevention. As arboviruses are a challenge to both human and animal health, successful prevention and control are therefore only possible through a One Health perspective.
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Filion A, Deschamps L, Niebuhr CN, Poulin R. Anthropogenic landscape alteration promotes higher disease risk in wild New Zealand avian communities. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265568. [PMID: 35333899 PMCID: PMC8956180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic changes can have dramatic effects on wild populations. Moreover, by promoting the emergence of vector-borne diseases in many ecosystems, those changes can lead to local extinction of native wildlife. One of those diseases, avian malaria, has been shown to be on the rise in New Zealand, threatening native bird species that are among the most extinction-prone in the world. It is thus of prime importance to better understand the potential cascading effects that anthropogenic modifications have on those fragile species. Here, we aim to test how long-lasting modification to regional environmental filters can subsequently alter local biotic filters, in turn promoting the emergence of avian malaria in New Zealand avian communities. To this end, we used Bayesian structural equation modelling to unravel the drivers of disease emergence within the complex interplay between landscape and local species pools. We show that altered landscape, quantified through a lower enhanced vegetation index, leads to more infections in Turdus spp. and modification in avian community composition, potentially raising the probability of infection for other species in the community. In addition, we show that climatic variables associated with the presence of vectors play a predominant role in shaping the regional pattern of avian malaria occurrence. Our results suggest long-lasting impacts of anthropogenic changes on regional environmental filters and demonstrate that conservation efforts should align toward restoring the landscape to prevent further emergence of infectious diseases in wild ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Filion
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Lucas Deschamps
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivières (Québec), Canada
| | | | - Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Jarošová J, Antolová D, Iglodyová A, Königová A, Dolinská MU, Víchová B. Molecular identification of Taenia hydatigena from domestic and free-living animals in Slovakia, Central Europe. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1345-1354. [PMID: 35278128 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07481-z] [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: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Taenia hydatigena is a cosmopolitan tapeworm that uses canids or felines as definitive hosts, while the larval stage (metacestode), formerly referred to as cysticercus tenuicollis, infects a wide variety of intermediate hosts, in particular ruminants. In the present study, we used partial nucleotide sequences of the cox1 and nad1 genes of T. hydatigena from different animal species to analyse the intraspecies genetic diversity of this economically important parasite. Twenty-four samples of metacestodes or adults of T. hydatigena from infected sheep, chamois, roe deer, fallow deer, wild boar, and dogs from Slovakia were collected and further analysed. Several haplotypes of T. hydatigena were identified with unique mutations that have not been previously recorded in Slovakia. Analysis of nucleotide polymorphism revealed the existence of 9 and 13 haplotypes, with relatively low nucleotide pairwise divergence ranging between 0.3-1.3 and 0.2-1.8% for the Hcox and Hnad haplotypes, respectively. In general, low nucleotide and high haplotype diversities in the overall population of T. hydatigena from the study indicate a high number of closely related haplotypes within the explored population; nucleotide diversity per site was low for cox1 (Pi = 0.00540) and slightly higher for nad1 (Pi = 0.00898). A molecular study confirmed the existence of genetic variation within T. hydatigena isolates from Slovakia. However, further investigations with more samples collected from different intermediate and definitive hosts are required in order to investigate the epidemiological significance of the apparent genetic differences observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Jarošová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Antolová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Adriana Iglodyová
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, 041 81, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Alžbeta Königová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | | | - Bronislava Víchová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia.
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41
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Hartmann AM, Maddox ML, Ossiboff RJ, Longo AV. Sustained Ranavirus Outbreak Causes Mass Mortality and Morbidity of Imperiled Amphibians in Florida. ECOHEALTH 2022; 19:8-14. [PMID: 35000043 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01572-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A persistent 2-month long outbreak of Ranavirus in a natural community of amphibians contributed to a mass die-off of gopher frog tadpoles (Lithobates capito) and severe disease in striped newts (Notophthalmus perstriatus) in Florida. Ongoing mortality in L. capito and disease signs in N. perstriatus continued for 5 weeks after the first observation. Hemorrhagic disease and necrosis were diagnosed from pathological examination of L. capito tadpoles. We confirmed detection of a frog virus 3 (FV3)-like Ranavirus via quantitative PCR in all species. Our findings highlight the susceptibility of these species to Rv and the need for long-term disease surveillance during epizootics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arik M Hartmann
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | - Max L Maddox
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Robert J Ossiboff
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Ana V Longo
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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Monk JD, Smith JA, Donadío E, Perrig PL, Crego RD, Fileni M, Bidder O, Lambertucci SA, Pauli JN, Schmitz OJ, Middleton AD. Cascading effects of a disease outbreak in a remote protected area. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1152-1163. [PMID: 35175672 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Disease outbreaks induced by humans increasingly threaten wildlife communities worldwide. Like predators, pathogens can be key top-down forces in ecosystems, initiating trophic cascades that may alter food webs. An outbreak of mange in a remote Andean protected area caused a dramatic population decline in a mammalian herbivore (the vicuña), creating conditions to test the cascading effects of disease on the ecological community. By comparing a suite of ecological measurements to pre-disease baseline records, we demonstrate that mange restructured tightly linked trophic interactions previously driven by a mammalian predator (the puma). Following the mange outbreak, scavenger (Andean condor) occurrence in the ecosystem declined sharply and plant biomass and cover increased dramatically in predation refuges where herbivory was historically concentrated. The evidence shows that a disease-induced trophic cascade, mediated by vicuña density, could supplant the predator-induced trophic cascade, mediated by vicuña behaviour, thereby transforming the Andean ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia D Monk
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Justine A Smith
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Emiliano Donadío
- Fundación Rewilding Argentina, Los Antiguos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
| | - Paula L Perrig
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, INIBIOMA - CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina.,Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ramiro D Crego
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia, USA
| | - Martin Fileni
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Owen Bidder
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Sergio A Lambertucci
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, INIBIOMA - CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Jonathan N Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Oswald J Schmitz
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Arthur D Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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Kophamel S, Illing B, Ariel E, Difalco M, Skerratt LF, Hamann M, Ward LC, Méndez D, Munns SL. Importance of health assessments for conservation in noncaptive wildlife. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13724. [PMID: 33634525 PMCID: PMC9291856 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife health assessments help identify populations at risk of starvation, disease, and decline from anthropogenic impacts on natural habitats. We conducted an overview of available health assessment studies in noncaptive vertebrates and devised a framework to strategically integrate health assessments in population monitoring. Using a systematic approach, we performed a thorough assessment of studies examining multiple health parameters of noncaptive vertebrate species from 1982 to 2020 (n = 261 studies). We quantified trends in study design and diagnostic methods across taxa with generalized linear models, bibliometric analyses, and visual representations of study location versus biodiversity hotspots. Only 35% of studies involved international or cross-border collaboration. Countries with both high and threatened biodiversity were greatly underrepresented. Species that were not listed as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List represented 49% of assessed species, a trend likely associated with the regional focus of most studies. We strongly suggest following wildlife health assessment protocols when planning a study and using statistically adequate sample sizes for studies establishing reference ranges. Across all taxa blood analysis (89%), body composition assessments (81%), physical examination (72%), and fecal analyses (24% of studies) were the most common methods. A conceptual framework to improve design and standardize wildlife health assessments includes guidelines on the experimental design, data acquisition and analysis, and species conservation planning and management implications. Integrating a physiological and ecological understanding of species resilience toward threatening processes will enable informed decision making regarding the conservation of threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Kophamel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Björn Illing
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Morgan Difalco
- School of Natural SciencesBangor UniversityBangorWalesUK
| | - Lee F. Skerratt
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural SciencesThe University of MelbourneWerribeeVictoriaAustralia
| | - Mark Hamann
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Leigh C. Ward
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Diana Méndez
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and MedicineJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Suzanne L. Munns
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
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A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IDENTIFIED AT POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION OF CAPTIVE LANGURS ( TRACHYPITHECUS SPP) FROM SIX UNITED KINGDOM ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS: A 19-YEAR REVIEW. J Zoo Wildl Med 2022; 52:1123-1134. [PMID: 34998281 DOI: 10.1638/2021-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Langurs are Asian primates belonging to the Colobinae subfamily. Langur populations are declining, with most species categorized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Investigation into the threats to population viability and sustainability would be beneficial but there is limited literature available on common diseases or causes of death in these species, either in captive or free-ranging settings. This study aimed to evaluate the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in Trachypithecus species submitted for postmortem examination by six United Kingdom zoological institutions between 2001 and 2020, to inform best practice husbandry guidelines. Necropsy and histopathology reports from 88 individuals of Trachypithecus species from six zoological organizations in the United Kingdom were analyzed. Species included Javan langurs (Trachypithecus auratus; n = 35), dusky langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus; n = 28), François' langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi; n = 16), purple-faced langurs (Trachypithecus vetulus; n = 4), silvered langurs (Trachypithecus cristatus; n = 4), and Phayre's langur (Trachypithecus phayrei; n = 1). Morbidities and causes of death were recorded. Gastrointestinal diseases and systemic infections were the leading causes of death (27.4% and 21.0% of cases where cause of death was known, respectively); linear foreign bodies were the most common cause of death. Interstitial pneumonia was frequently observed secondary to systemic infection. Heart abnormalities, anthracosis, and hemosiderosis were common but not directly associated with mortality. Further investigation is necessary to assess the importance of these conditions and whether they predispose to other diseases. This study provides a baseline for future research evaluating captive and free-ranging langur health and highlights husbandry practices that may decrease morbidity in these species.
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Ondračková M, Janáč M, Borcherding J, Grabowska J, Bartáková V, Jurajda P. Non-native gobies share predominantly immature parasites with local fish hosts. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.21050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Markéta Ondračková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Michal Janáč
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Jost Borcherding
- General Ecology, Institute for Zoology of the University of Cologne, Ecological Field Station Rees, Cologne, Germany; e-mail:
| | - Joanna Grabowska
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland; e-mail:
| | - Veronika Bartáková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; e-mail: , , ,
| | - Pavel Jurajda
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; e-mail: , , ,
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Investigating Associations Among Relatedness, Genetic Diversity, and Causes of Mortality In Southern Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:63-75. [PMID: 34818404 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00019] [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: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) population recovery is influenced by a variety of factors, including predation, biotoxin exposure, infectious disease, oil spills, habitat degradation, and resource limitation. This population has also experienced a significant genetic bottleneck, resulting in low genetic diversity. We investigated how two metrics, familial relatedness and genetic diversity, are correlated with common causes of mortality in southern sea otters, including cardiomyopathy, acanthocephalan (Profilicollis spp.) peritonitis, systemic protozoal infection (Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona), domoic acid intoxication, end-lactation syndrome, and shark bite. Microsatellite genetic markers were used to examine this association in 356 southern sea otters necropsied from 1998 to 2012. Significant associations with genetic diversity or familial relatedness (P<0.05) were observed for cardiomyopathy, acanthocephalan peritonitis, and sarcocystosis, and these associations varied by sex. Adult male cardiomyopathy cases (n=86) were more related than the null expectation (P<0.049). Conversely, female acanthocephalan peritonitis controls (n=110) were more related than the null expectation (P<0.004). Including genetic diversity as a predictor for fatal acanthocephalan peritonitis in the multivariate logistic model significantly improved model fit; lower genetic diversity was associated with reduced odds of sea otter death due to acanthocephalan peritonitis. Finally, male sarcocystosis controls (n=158) were more related than the null expectation (P<0.011). Including genetic diversity in the multivariate logistic model for fatal S. neurona infection improved model fit; lower genetic diversity was associated with increased odds of sea otter death due to S. neurona. Our study suggests that genetic diversity and familial relatedness, in conjunction with other factors such as age and sex, may influence outcome (survival or death) in relation to several common southern sea otter diseases. Our findings can inform policy for conservation management, such as potential reintroduction efforts, as part of species recovery.
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Santa MA, Musiani M, Ruckstuhl KE, Massolo A. A review on invasions by parasites with complex life cycles: the European strain of Echinococcus multilocularis in North America as a model. Parasitology 2021; 148:1532-1544. [PMID: 35060461 PMCID: PMC8564803 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021001426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In a fast-changing and globalized world, parasites are moved across continents at an increasing pace. Co-invasion of parasites and their hosts is leading to the emergence of infectious diseases at a global scale, underlining the need for integration of biological invasions and disease ecology research. In this review, the ecological and evolutionary factors influencing the invasion process of parasites with complex life cycles were analysed, using the invasion of the European strain of Echinococcus multilocularis in North America as a model. The aim was to propose an ecological framework for investigating the invasion of parasites that are trophically transmitted through predator–prey interactions, showing how despite the complexity of the cycles and the interactions among multiple hosts, such parasites can overcome multiple barriers and become invasive. Identifying the key ecological processes affecting the success of parasite invasions is an important step for risk assessment and development of management strategies, particularly for parasites with the potential to infect people (i.e. zoonotic).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Santa
- Department of Biology, University of Calgary, AlbertaT2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- Department of Biology, University of Calgary, AlbertaT2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Alessandro Massolo
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, AlbertaT2N 4Z6, Canada
- Ethology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
- UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, 25030, France
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Browne E, Driessen MM, Cross PC, Escobar LE, Foley J, López-Olvera JR, Niedringhaus KD, Rossi L, Carver S. Sustaining Transmission in Different Host Species: The Emblematic Case of Sarcoptes scabiei. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Some pathogens sustain transmission in multiple different host species, but how this epidemiologically important feat is achieved remains enigmatic. Sarcoptes scabiei is among the most host generalist and successful of mammalian parasites. We synthesize pathogen and host traits that mediate sustained transmission and present cases illustrating three transmission mechanisms (direct, indirect, and combined). The pathogen traits that explain the success of S. scabiei include immune response modulation, on-host movement capacity, off-host seeking behaviors, and environmental persistence. Sociality and host density appear to be key for hosts in which direct transmission dominates, whereas in solitary hosts, the use of shared environments is important for indirect transmission. In social den-using species, combined direct and indirect transmission appears likely. Empirical research rarely considers the mechanisms enabling S. scabiei to become endemic in host species—more often focusing on outbreaks. Our review may illuminate parasites’ adaptation strategies to sustain transmission through varied mechanisms across host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Browne
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Michael M Driessen
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water, and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania
| | - Paul C Cross
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, United States
| | - Luis E Escobar
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States
| | - Jorge R López-Olvera
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kevin D Niedringhaus
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States
| | - Luca Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Scott Carver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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50
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Eskew EA, Fraser D, Vonhof MJ, Pinsky ML, Maslo B. Host gene expression in wildlife disease: making sense of species-level responses. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6517-6530. [PMID: 34516689 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are significant threats to wildlife conservation, yet the impacts of pathogen exposure and infection can vary widely among host species. As such, conservation biologists and disease ecologists have increasingly aimed to understand species-specific host susceptibility using molecular methods. In particular, comparative gene expression assays have been used to contrast the transcriptomic responses of disease-resistant and disease-susceptible hosts to pathogen exposure. This work usually assumes that the gene expression responses of disease-resistant species will reveal the activation of molecular pathways contributing to host defence. However, results often show that disease-resistant hosts undergo little gene expression change following pathogen challenge. Here, we discuss the mechanistic implications of these "null" findings and offer methodological suggestions for future molecular studies of wildlife disease. First, we highlight that muted transcriptomic responses with minimal immune system recruitment may indeed be protective for nonsusceptible hosts if they limit immunopathology and promote pathogen tolerance in systems where susceptible hosts suffer from genetic dysregulation. Second, we argue that overly narrow investigation of responses to pathogen exposure may overlook important, constitutively active molecular pathways that underlie species-specific defences. Finally, we outline alternative study designs and approaches that complement interspecific transcriptomic comparisons, including intraspecific gene expression studies and genomic methods to detect signatures of selection. Collectively, these insights will help ecologists extract maximal information from conservation-relevant transcriptomic data sets, leading to a deeper understanding of host defences and, ultimately, the implementation of successful conservation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan A Eskew
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Devaughn Fraser
- Wildlife Genetics Research Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Maarten J Vonhof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Malin L Pinsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Brooke Maslo
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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