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Tschritter CM, van Coeverden de Groot P, Branigan M, Dyck M, Sun Z, Jenkins E, Buhler K, Lougheed SC. The geographic distribution, and the biotic and abiotic predictors of select zoonotic pathogen detections in Canadian polar bears. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12027. [PMID: 38797747 PMCID: PMC11128453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62800-x] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing Arctic temperatures are facilitating the northward expansion of more southerly hosts, vectors, and pathogens, exposing naïve populations to pathogens not typical at northern latitudes. To understand such rapidly changing host-pathogen dynamics, we need sensitive and robust surveillance tools. Here, we use a novel multiplexed magnetic-capture and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) tool to assess a sentinel Arctic species, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus; n = 68), for the presence of five zoonotic pathogens (Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Francisella tularensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp.), and observe associations between pathogen presence and biotic and abiotic predictors. We made two novel detections: the first detection of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex member in Arctic wildlife and the first of E. rhusiopathiae in a polar bear. We found a prevalence of 37% for E. rhusiopathiae, 16% for F. tularensis, 29% for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, 18% for T. gondii, and 75% for Trichinella spp. We also identify associations with bear age (Trichinella spp.), harvest season (F. tularensis and MTBC), and human settlements (E. rhusiopathiae, F. tularensis, MTBC, and Trichinella spp.). We demonstrate that monitoring a sentinel species, the polar bear, could be a powerful tool in disease surveillance and highlight the need to better characterize pathogen distributions and diversity in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marsha Branigan
- Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Markus Dyck
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, NT, Canada
| | - Zhengxin Sun
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Emily Jenkins
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kayla Buhler
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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2
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Rouse NM, Burek-Huntington K. Cook Inlet beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas with valvular endocarditis, encephalitis, rhabdomyolysis, heavy parasitism and fungal dermatitis. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2023; 155:1-6. [PMID: 37470355 DOI: 10.3354/dao03736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
This is a case report of a Cook Inlet beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas found dead stranded on September 28, 2020 in Turnagain Arm, Alaska. This subadult male had valvular endocarditis, encephalitis, rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuric nephropathy, severe parasitism and fungal dermatitis. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was detected in the heart lesion, eye and external swabs. The level of infection and parasitism in this individual is markedly higher than what has been found in other Cook Inlet belugas, suggesting immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Rouse
- Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, Eagle River, AK 99577, USA
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Aleuy OA, Anholt M, Orsel K, Mavrot F, Gagnon CA, Beckmen K, Côté SD, Cuyler C, Dobson A, Elkin B, Leclerc LM, Taillon J, Kutz S. Association of Environmental Factors with Seasonal Intensity of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Seropositivity among Arctic Caribou. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1650-1658. [PMID: 35876625 PMCID: PMC9328914 DOI: 10.3201/eid2808.212144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Several caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations have been declining concurrently with increases in infectious diseases in the Arctic. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a zoonotic bacterium, was first described in 2015 as a notable cause of illness and death among several Arctic wildlife species. We investigated epidemiologic and environmental factors associated with the seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae in the Arctic and found that seropositivity was highest during warmer months, peaking in September, and was highest among adult males. Summer seroprevalence increases tracked with the oestrid index from the previous year, icing and snowing events, and precipitation from the same year but decreased with growing degree days in the same year. Seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae varied more during the later years of the study. Our findings provide key insights into the influence of environmental factors on disease prevalence that can be instrumental for anticipating and mitigating diseases associated with climate change among Arctic wildlife and human populations.
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Mavrot F, Orsel K, Hutchins W, Adams LG, Beckmen K, Blake JE, Checkley SL, Davison T, Di Francesco J, Elkin B, Leclerc LM, Schneider A, Tomaselli M, Kutz SJ. Novel insights into serodiagnosis and epidemiology of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a newly recognized pathogen in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231724. [PMID: 32315366 PMCID: PMC7173868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Muskoxen are a key species of Arctic ecosystems and are important for food security and socio-economic well-being of many Indigenous communities in the Arctic and Subarctic. Between 2009 and 2014, the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated for the first time in this species in association with multiple mortality events in Canada and Alaska, raising questions regarding the spatiotemporal occurrence of the pathogen and its potential impact on muskox populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS We adapted a commercial porcine E. rhusiopathiae enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to test 958 blood samples that were collected from muskoxen from seven regions in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic between 1976 and 2017. The cut-off between negative and positive results was established using mixture-distribution analysis, a data-driven approach. Based on 818 samples for which a serological status could be determined and with complete information, we calculated trends in sample seroprevalences in population time-series and compared them with population trends in the investigated regions. RESULTS Overall, 219/818 (27.8%, 95% Confidence Interval: 24.7-31.0) samples were classified as positive for exposure to E. rhusiopathiae. There were large variations between years and regions. Seropositive animals were found among the earliest serum samples tested; 1976 in Alaska and 1991 in Canada. In Alaskan muskoxen, sample seroprevalence increased after 2000 and, in two regions, peak seroprevalences occurred simultaneously with population declines. In one of these regions, concurrent unusual mortalities were observed and E. rhusiopathiae was isolated from muskox carcasses. In Canada, there was an increase in sample seroprevalence in two muskox populations following known mortality events that had been attributed to E. rhusiopathiae. CONCLUSION Our results indicate widespread exposure of muskoxen to E. rhusiopathiae in western Canada and Alaska. Although not new to the Arctic, we documented an increased exposure to the pathogen in several regions concurrent with population declines. Understanding causes for the apparent increased occurrence of this pathogen and its association with large scale mortality events for muskoxen is critical to evaluate the implications for wildlife and wildlife-dependent human populations in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Mavrot
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karin Orsel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Wendy Hutchins
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Layne G. Adams
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Sitca, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kimberlee Beckmen
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - John E. Blake
- University of Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Sylvia L. Checkley
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tracy Davison
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | | | - Brett Elkin
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | | | - Angela Schneider
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matilde Tomaselli
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Polar Knowledge Canada, Ottawa, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Susan J. Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Opriessnig T, Forde T, Shimoji Y. Erysipelothrix Spp.: Past, Present, and Future Directions in Vaccine Research. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:174. [PMID: 32351978 PMCID: PMC7174600 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Erysipelothrix spp. comprise a group of small Gram-positive bacteria that can infect a variety of hosts including mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and insects. Among the eight Erysipelothrix species that have been described to date, only Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae plays a major role in farmed livestock where it is the causative agent of erysipelas. E. rhusiopathiae also has zoonotic potential and can cause erysipeloid in humans with a clear occupational link to meat and fish industries. While there are 28 known Erysipelothrix serovars, over 80% of identified isolates belong to serovars 1 or 2. Vaccines to protect pigs against E. rhusiopathiae first became available in 1883 as a response to an epizootic of swine erysipelas in southern France. The overall vaccine repertoire was notably enlarged between the 1940s and 1960s following major outbreaks of swine erysipelas in the Midwest USA and has changed little since. Traditionally, E. rhusiopathiae serovar 1a or 2 isolates were inactivated (bacterins) or attenuated and these types of vaccines are still used today on a global basis. E. rhusiopathiae vaccines are most commonly used in pigs, poultry, and sheep where the bacterium can cause considerable economic losses. In addition, erysipelas vaccination is also utilized in selected vulnerable susceptible populations, such as marine mammals in aquariums, which are commonly vaccinated at regular intervals. While commercially produced erysipelas vaccines appear to provide good protection against clinical disease, in recent years there has been an increase in perceived vaccine failures in farmed animals, especially in organic outdoor operations. Moreover, clinical erysipelas outbreaks have been reported in animal populations not previously considered at risk. This has raised concerns over a possible lack of vaccine protection across various production species. This review focuses on summarizing the history and the present status of E. rhusiopathiae vaccines, the current knowledge on protection including surface antigens, and also provides an outlook into future directions for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Opriessnig
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom.,Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Taya Forde
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Yoshihiro Shimoji
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan.,Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
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Groeschel M, Forde T, Turvey S, Joffe AM, Hui C, Naidu P, Mavrot F, Kutz S, Singh AE. An unusual case of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae prosthetic joint infection from the Canadian Arctic: whole genome sequencing unable to identify a zoonotic source. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:282. [PMID: 30909869 PMCID: PMC6434803 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-3913-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a zoonotic pathogen that causes erysipeloid and is most frequently associated with exposure to domestic swine. Infection of native and prosthetic joints is a rarely reported manifestation. Case presentation We describe a case of E. rhusiopathiae prosthetic joint infection in a woman with a history of exposure to wild animals in the Canadian Arctic. Patient management involved a 1-stage surgical revision exchange with an antibiotic impregnated cement spacer and 6 weeks of intravenous penicillin G followed by 6 weeks of oral amoxicillin. Ten previously reported cases of E. rhusiopathiae joint infection are reviewed. Recent increases in mortality due to infection with this organism among host animal populations in the Canadian Arctic have generated concern regarding a potential increase in human infections. However, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the organism was unable to identify a zoonotic origin for this case. Conclusions Consideration should be given to E. rhusiopathiae as a cause of joint infections if the appropriate epidemiologic and host risk factors exist. Expanded use of WGS in other potential animal hosts and environmental sources may provide important epidemiologic information in determining the source of human infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Groeschel
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Taya Forde
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Shannon Turvey
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3B20-11111 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5K 0L4, Canada
| | - A Mark Joffe
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3B20-11111 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5K 0L4, Canada
| | - Catherine Hui
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Prenilla Naidu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Fabien Mavrot
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ameeta E Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3B20-11111 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5K 0L4, Canada.
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Shiraiwa K, Ogawa Y, Nishikawa S, Eguchi M, Shimoji Y. Identification of serovar 1a, 1b, 2, and 5 strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae by a conventional gel-based PCR. Vet Microbiol 2018; 225:101-104. [PMID: 30322520 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Among the four species of the genus Erysipelothrix, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is the main species that causes disease in swine and poultry and has also been isolated from human patients. Recently, E. rhusiopathiae infections in domesticated animals have increased in many countries and are also the cause of emerging wildlife disease in arctic and boreal ecosystems. Historically, E. rhusiopathiae has been differentiated from other Erysipelothrix species by their serovars, which are determined based on cell wall antigens. Serotyping of Erysipelothrix is important, as specific E. rhusiopathiae serovars (1a, 1b, and 2) are associated with disease in pigs, poultry, and humans. However, serotyping is laborious and time-consuming and requires a full set of serovar reference strains and strain-specific antiserum. In this study, to develop a conventional gel-based PCR assay that can detect the main disease-associated serovars of E. rhusiopathiae, the draft genome sequences of E. rhusiopathiae strains of serovars 1a, 1b, 2, and 5, the last of which is often isolated from wild animals, were analyzed. Primers were designed based on the serovar-specific sequences of the strains and tested for field strains isolated from extensive origins. Among two hundred and ninety-seven isolates of various serovar strains of E. rhusiopathiae and other Erysipelothrix species, the PCR assay identified serovar 1a, 1b, 2, and 5 strains of E. rhusiopathiae. This conventional gel-based PCR assay should be useful for serovar surveillance of E. rhusiopathiae isolates in domesticated and wild animals as well as in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumasa Shiraiwa
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Yohsuke Ogawa
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Sayaka Nishikawa
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Masahiro Eguchi
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Shimoji
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan; Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
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Kolbjørnsen Ø, Bergsjø B, Sveen J, Opriessnig T. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae serotype 5-associated metritis in a Norwegian Red heifer. APMIS 2017; 126:160-165. [PMID: 29155459 PMCID: PMC5813199 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This report summarized the findings of a case of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection in a farmed Norwegian Red heifer located in the south‐east of Norway. The 2.5‐year‐old pregnant heifer was found dead after a short episode of inappetence. On gross exam, the heifer was severely dehydrated with uterine torsion. Microscopically, necrosis of the endometrium was present throughout the uterus along with presence of intralesional Gram‐positive bacteria, interstitial nephritis, and pyelonephritis. E. rhusiopathiae was isolated from the uterus and placenta and was also demonstrated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the uterus, placenta, and kidney. The E. rhusiopathiae isolate was further characterized as serotype 5. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial metritis associated with E. rhusiopathiae serotype 5 infection. The etiology of the infection is unknown but the E. rhusiopathiae could have been a primary or opportunistic pathogen. Serotype 5 of E. rhusiopathiae has been identified in several mammalian species in recent years and could be emerging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Øyvor Kolbjørnsen
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjarne Bergsjø
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jeanette Sveen
- Romerike Department, Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Trondheimsvegen, Kløfta, Norway
| | - Tanja Opriessnig
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.,Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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