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Lui CC, Kulpa M, Verocai GG, Armién AG, Edwards EE, Wiener DJ, Rech RR. Reassessing Stephanofilaria stilesi dermatitis in cattle, with characterization of molecular markers for confirming diagnosis. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:278. [PMID: 37573424 PMCID: PMC10422776 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05905-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stephanofilaria stilesi is a vector-borne filarioid nematode of cattle in North America that is transmitted via the hematophagous horn fly (Haematobia irritans) intermediate host. Despite being relatively common, little attention has been given to a thorough description of S. stilesi lesions and the potential integration of pathological and molecular diagnostic findings to confirm infection. METHODS To characterize the cutaneous lesions caused by S. stilesi in cattle (Bos taurus taurus and Bos taurus indicus), skin of the ventral abdominal midline was collected from 22 animals during postmortem examination. Skin samples were processed for histology, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), DNA extraction, PCR, and Sanger sequencing targeting molecular markers cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (cox1), 12S, 18S rDNA, and 28S rDNA. RESULTS Macroscopically, lesions ranged from 5 × 4 cm to 36 × 10 cm, consisting of one large single lesion, or two to four ovoid areas at the ventral abdominal midline, surrounding the umbilicus. Each lesion presented as ulcerative dermatitis with dry, serocellular crusts, or alopecic and lichenified areas. Histologically, eosinophilic, neutrophilic, and ulcerative dermatitis with furunculosis, folliculitis, and epidermal hyperplasia was observed. Cross sections of adult nematodes were identified in ~ 60% of the cases (n = 13) within intact follicles, sebaceous ducts, crusts, and areas of furunculosis. Stephanofilaria first-stage larvae (L1) were observed in five cases within "vitelline membranes" in the superficial dermis and crusts. Ultrastructurally, the L1 cross sections were compounded of smooth multilayered cuticle and somatic cells. The "vitelline membrane" is a tri-layered membrane where L1 are suspended in a matrix. Stephanofilaria stilesi DNA was found in 5 out of the 13 cases in which adults or L1 were histologically observed (38%) and in 1 out of the 9 cases without adults or L1 present (11%). Phylogenetic analyses suggest a closer relationship of the genus Stephanofilaria with Thelazioidea, instead of the family Filariidae (Filarioidea), in which it has been historically allocated. CONCLUSIONS Our study improved the characterization of lesions and described ultrastructural findings of S. stilesi and highlights that molecular tools should be utilized in combination with histology for improved diagnostic resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinson C Lui
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Matthew Kulpa
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Aníbal G Armién
- California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Erin E Edwards
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Dominique J Wiener
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Raquel R Rech
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Bernstein-Kurtycz LM, Dunham NT, Evenhuis J, Brown MB, Muneza AB, Fennessy J, Dennis PM, Lukas KE. Evaluating the effects of giraffe skin disease and wire snare wounds on the gaits of free-ranging Nubian giraffe. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1959. [PMID: 36737637 PMCID: PMC9898309 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28677-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Giraffe skin disease (GSD), a condition that results in superficial lesions in certain giraffe (Giraffa spp.) populations, has emerged as a potential conservation threat. Preliminary findings suggested that individuals with GSD lesions move with greater difficulty which may in turn reduce their foraging efficiency or make them more vulnerable to predation. A current known threat to some giraffe populations is their mortality associated with entrapment in wire snares, and the morbidity and potential locomotor deficiencies associated with wounds acquired from snares. The goal of our study was to quantify the locomotor kinematics of free-ranging Nubian giraffe (G. camelopardalis camelopardalis) in Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP), Uganda, and compare spatiotemporal limb and neck angle kinematics of healthy giraffe to those of giraffe with GSD lesions, snare wounds, and both GSD lesions and snare wounds. The presence of GSD lesions did not significantly affect spatiotemporal limb kinematic parameters. This finding is potentially because lesions were located primarily on the necks of Nubian giraffe in MFNP. The kinematic parameters of individuals with snare wounds differed from those of healthy individuals, resulting in significantly shorter stride lengths, reduced speed, lower limb phase values, and increased gait asymmetry. Neck angle kinematic parameters did not differ among giraffe categories, which suggests that GSD neck lesions do not impair normal neck movements and range of motion during walking. Overall, MFNP giraffe locomotor patterns are largely conservative between healthy individuals and those with GSD, while individuals with snare wounds showed more discernible kinematic adjustments consistent with unilateral limb injuries. Additional studies are recommended to assess spatiotemporal limb kinematics of giraffe at sites where lesions are found predominantly on the limbs to better assess the potential significance of GSD on their locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Bernstein-Kurtycz
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 4200 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Little Rock Zoo, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - N T Dunham
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 4200 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA. .,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - J Evenhuis
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - M B Brown
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 86099, Eros, Namibia.,Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences Program in Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems, and Society, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - A B Muneza
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 86099, Eros, Namibia
| | - J Fennessy
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 86099, Eros, Namibia
| | - P M Dennis
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 4200 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - K E Lukas
- Division of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 4200 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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