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Shultz L, López-Pérez AM, Jasuja R, Helman S, Prager K, Tokuyama A, Quinn N, Bucklin D, Rudd J, Clifford D, Brown J, Riley S, Foley J. Vector-Borne Disease in Wild Mammals Impacted by Urban Expansion and Climate Change. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:286-299. [PMID: 38015408 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01650-x] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Ecologies of zoonotic vector-borne diseases may shift with climate and land use change. As many urban-adapted mammals can host ectoparasites and pathogens of human and animal health concern, our goal was to compare patterns of arthropod-borne disease among medium-sized mammals across gradients of rural to urban landscapes in multiple regions of California. DNA of Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found in 1-5% of raccoons, coyotes, and San Joaquin kit foxes; Borrelia burgdorferi in one coyote, rickettsiae in two desert kit foxes, and Yersinia pestis in two coyotes. There was serological evidence of rickettsiae in 14-37% of coyotes, Virginia opossums, and foxes; and A. phagocytophilum in 6-40% of coyotes, raccoons, Virginia opossums, and foxes. Of six flea species, one Ctenocephalides felis from a raccoon was positive for Y. pestis, and Ct. felis and Pulex simulans fleas tested positive for Rickettsia felis and R. senegalensis. A Dermacentor similis tick off a San Joaquin kit fox was PCR-positive for A. phagocytophilum. There were three statistically significant risk factors: risk of A. phagocytophilum PCR-positivity was threefold greater in fall vs the other three seasons; hosts adjacent to urban areas had sevenfold increased A. phagocytophilum seropositivity compared with urban and rural areas; and there was a significant spatial cluster of rickettsiae within greater Los Angeles. Animals in areas where urban and rural habitats interconnect can serve as sentinels during times of change in disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Shultz
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrés M López-Pérez
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, Xalapa, Veracruz, A.C. 91073, México.
| | - Raina Jasuja
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Sarah Helman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Prager
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amanda Tokuyama
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Niamh Quinn
- South Coast Research and Extension Center, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Danielle Bucklin
- South Coast Research and Extension Center, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jaime Rudd
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA
| | - Deana Clifford
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA
| | - Justin Brown
- National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Calabasas, CA, USA
| | - Seth Riley
- National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Calabasas, CA, USA
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Milich KA, Dong C, Rosenkrantz WS, Herrin BH. Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in shelter dogs in Los Angeles County. Top Companion Anim Med 2022; 50:100676. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcam.2022.100676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Fisher SR, Del Pinto LA, Fisher RN. Establishment of brown anoles ( Anolis sagrei) across a southern California county and potential interactions with a native lizard species. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8937. [PMID: 32296613 PMCID: PMC7150543 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The brown anole, Anolis sagrei, is a native species to the Caribbean; however, A. sagrei has invaded multiple parts of the USA, including Florida, Louisiana, Hawai'i and more recently California. The biological impacts of A. sagrei invading California are currently unknown. Evidence from the invasion in Taiwan shows that they spread quickly and when immediate action is not taken eradication stops being a viable option. In Orange County, California, five urban sites, each less than 100 ha, were surveyed for an average of 49.2 min. Approximately 200 A. sagrei were seen and verified across all survey sites. The paucity of native lizards encountered during the surveys within these sites suggests little to no overlap between the dominant diurnal western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, and A. sagrei. This notable lack of overlap could indicate a potentially disturbing reality that A. sagrei are driving local extirpations of S. occidentalis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert N. Fisher
- Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, San Diego, CA, USA
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Pluemer M, Dubay S, Drake D, Crimmins S, Veverka T, Hovanec H, Torkelson M, Mueller M. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in an urban landscape: prevalence and risk factors for disease. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juz022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanized areas contain fragmented landscapes and abundant resources, resulting in concentrated and increased wildlife populations in relatively close contact with other wildlife species, humans, and their domestic pets, thereby posing novel disease risks and facilitating inter-specific disease transmission. We trapped and radio-collared 15 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 14 coyotes (Canis latrans) in the urban landscape of Madison, Wisconsin, to determine the prevalence of disease among these canids and to examine how these canids were using the landscape. Using Fisher’s exact probability tests, we found that coyotes had a significantly higher seroprevalence of Lyme disease (P = 0.002) and a higher prevalence of canine heartworm disease (P = 0.02) than foxes. Red foxes did not select specific habitat types in the urban landscape, but coyotes selected for forest and grass cover types, and avoided developed sites. Understanding the prevalence of disease in urban canid populations is important because diseases affecting urban canids cause morbidity and mortality and are transmissible to domestic dogs, and vice versa. Additionally, urban canids may serve as sentinels for zoonotic diseases such as Lyme disease and leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Pluemer
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Shelli Dubay
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - David Drake
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Shawn Crimmins
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Tessa Veverka
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Holly Hovanec
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Miranda Torkelson
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Marcus Mueller
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Schreiber C, Krücken J, Beck S, Maaz D, Pachnicke S, Krieger K, Gross M, Kohn B, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Pathogens in ticks collected from dogs in Berlin/Brandenburg, Germany. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:535. [PMID: 25441762 PMCID: PMC4262381 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0535-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick-borne diseases are a major health risk for humans and dogs. In addition to collection and analysis of questing ticks, analysis of host-associated ticks for the presence of pathogens is a valuable method to gain insight into transmission patterns of tick-borne diseases. METHODS Ticks were collected from dogs living in the Berlin/Brandenburg area. The three tick species Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus and Dermacentor reticulatus were examined for the presence of Babesia spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasmataceae. Conventional PCR followed by sequencing was used for pathogen detection and characterization. RESULTS Babesia spp. were found in 2.5% and 3% of I. ricinus and I. hexagonus, respectively. Sequencing revealed the presence of Babesia microti, Babesia capreoli and Babesia venatorum. D. reticulatus were free of Babesia canis. Rickettsia spp. were detected in 61% of I. ricinus, 44% of I. hexagonus and 39% of D. reticulatus. Specifically detected were Rickettsia raoulti in D. reticulatus and I. hexagonus, Rickettsia helvetica in I. ricinus and I. hexagonus and Rickettsia monacensis in I. hexagonus. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis have been reported previously in I. ricinus (6.5% and 4.3%, respectively) and I. hexagonus (3.9% and 5.9%). Borrelia spp. were found in 11.6% of I. ricinus and 11.2% of I. hexagonus. Subsequent genospecies analysis revealed Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia miyamotoi. Simultanous presence of more than one pathogen was found in 20% of I. ricinus and in 59% of I. hexagonus whereas the total frequency of any pathogen was 65% in I. ricinus, 59% in I. hexagonus and 64% in D. reticulatus. Ticks in which A. phagocytophilum was detected had a significantly increased risk of also containing Rickettsia. Ticks harbouring a pathogen had significantly higher scutal indices than ticks without presence of any pathogen. CONCLUSIONS Frequencies of potential human or canine pathogens in ticks were considerable and DNA of all four groups of pathogens was detected. Differences in scutal indices might suggest that pathogens are frequently taken up by ticks when feeding on dogs in Berlin/Brandenburg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Schreiber
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. .,Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Stephanie Beck
- Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Denny Maaz
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. .,Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | - Marcus Gross
- Institute for Statistics and Economy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Immunization with a Borrelia burgdorferi BB0172-derived peptide protects mice against lyme disease. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88245. [PMID: 24505447 PMCID: PMC3914939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most prevalent arthropod borne disease in the US and it is caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), which is acquired through the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. Vaccine development efforts focused on the von Willebrand factor A domain of the borrelial protein BB0172 from which four peptides (A, B, C and D) were synthesized and conjugated to Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin, formulated in Titer Max® adjuvant and used to immunize C3H/HeN mice subcutaneously at days 0, 14 and 21. Sera were collected to evaluate antibody responses and some mice were sacrificed for histopathology to evaluate vaccine safety. Twenty-eight days post-priming, protection was evaluated by needle inoculation of half the mice in each group with 103 Bb/mouse, whereas the rest were challenged with 105Bb/mouse. Eight weeks post-priming, another four groups of similarly immunized mice were challenged using infected ticks. In both experiments, twenty-one days post-challenge, the mice were sacrificed to determine antibody responses, bacterial burdens and conduct histopathology. Results showed that only mice immunized with peptide B were protected against challenge with Bb. In addition, compared to the other the treatment groups, peptide B-immunized mice showed very limited inflammation in the heart and joint tissues. Peptide B-specific antibody titers peaked at 8 weeks post-priming and surprisingly, the anti-peptide B antibodies did not cross-react with Bb lysates. These findings strongly suggest that peptide B is a promising candidate for the development of a new DIVA vaccine (Differentiate between Infected and Vaccinated Animals) for protection against Lyme disease.
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7
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Wagner B, Erb HN. Dogs and horses with antibodies to outer-surface protein C as on-time sentinels for ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi in New York State in 2011. Prev Vet Med 2012; 107:275-9. [PMID: 22841496 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2012] [Revised: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 07/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Reported cases of Lyme disease (a chronic disease caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi) in humans increased more than two-fold between 1992 and 2006 in the United States. Recently, the annual number of reported human Lyme disease cases stabilized (according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention) but the geographic distribution seemed to increase. In New York (NY) State, USA, a spread from the original Lyme disease focus in southeastern parts of the state has occurred. We determined incidence risks of new companion animal infection in 2011 with B. burgdorferi by county in 451 dog and 2100 horse sera; the samples were non-randomly collected by referring veterinarians in NY State between June 15, 2011 and January 31, 2012 because of suspicion of infection with B. burgdorferi or during annual health checks. All samples were submitted to the New York State Animal Health Center; the samples were submitted from 50 out of 62 counties in the state. Incident infections were determined by measuring antibodies to outer surface protein C (OspC; a marker of early infection that is detectable in serum from 3 weeks to 5 months after infection). Incident infections with B. burgdorferi were detected in 23% (95% confidence interval (CI): 19, 27) of canine samples and in 8% (95%CI: 7, 10) of equine samples. In 21 counties, samples were submitted from only one species (i.e. only dogs or only horses) that indicated incident infection. Recognition of incidence infections in dogs and horses might serve as a sentinel for infected ticks in different NY State counties; detection of the OspC antigen can provide a sensitive, new tool to allow recognition of risk for possible human and animal infection with B. burgdorferi by geographic region. We recommend that both dogs and horses be part of such a passive surveillance system.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Raizman EA, Holland JD, Shukle JT. White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as a Potential Sentinel for Human Lyme Disease in Indiana. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 60:227-33. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01518.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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9
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Smith FD, Ballantyne R, Morgan ER, Wall R. Estimating Lyme disease risk using pet dogs as sentinels. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 35:163-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Revised: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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10
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Imai DM, Barr BC, Daft B, Bertone JJ, Feng S, Hodzic E, Johnston JM, Olsen KJ, Barthold SW. Lyme Neuroborreliosis in 2 Horses. Vet Pathol 2011; 48:1151-7. [DOI: 10.1177/0300985811398246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Lyme neuroborreliosis—characterized as chronic, necrosuppurative to nonsuppurative, perivascular to diffuse meningoradiculoneuritis—was diagnosed in 2 horses with progressive neurologic disease. In 1 horse, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto was identified by polymerase chain reaction amplification of B burgdorferi sensu stricto–specific gene targets ( ospA, ospC, flaB, dbpA, arp). Highest spirochetal burdens were in tissues with inflammation, including spinal cord, muscle, and joint capsule. Sequence analysis of ospA, ospC, and flaB revealed 99.9% sequence identity to the respective genes in B burgdorferi strain 297, an isolate from a human case of neuroborreliosis. In both horses, spirochetes were visualized in affected tissues with Steiner silver impregnation and by immunohistochemistry, predominantly within the dense collagenous tissue of the dura mater and leptomeninges.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. M. Imai
- Center of Comparative Medicine, Davis, California
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - B. C. Barr
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis and San Bernardino, California
- Western University of Health Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pomona, California
| | - B. Daft
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis and San Bernardino, California
| | - J. J. Bertone
- Western University of Health Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pomona, California
| | - S. Feng
- Center of Comparative Medicine, Davis, California
| | - E. Hodzic
- Center of Comparative Medicine, Davis, California
| | - J. M. Johnston
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - K. J. Olsen
- Center of Comparative Medicine, Davis, California
| | - S. W. Barthold
- Center of Comparative Medicine, Davis, California
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
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Lempereur L, De Cat A, Caron Y, Madder M, Claerebout E, Saegerman C, Losson B. First molecular evidence of potentially zoonotic Babesia microti and Babesia sp. EU1 in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Belgium. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 11:125-30. [PMID: 20575647 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the first molecular evidence of the presence of Babesia sp. EU1 and Babesia microti in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Belgium. A 1-year national survey collected 1005 ticks from cats and dogs. A polymerase chain reaction technique amplifying a part of the 18S rRNA gene detected Babesia spp. in 11 out of 841 selected and validated tick extracts. Subsequent sequencing identified Ba. microti (n=3) and Babesia sp. EU1 (n=6). This study has demonstrated a low infection rate (1.31% with 95% CI: 0.65-2.33) of Babesia spp. carriage in I. ricinus ticks in Belgium but, for the first time, reports two potentially zoonotic species belonging to this genus. Coinfection with Ba. microti and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto also was demonstrated. In addition, this study clearly demonstrates that inhibitors of polymerase chain reaction amplification are present in engorged ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Lempereur
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Pathology of Parasitic Diseases, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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Berrada ZL, Telford SR. Burden of tick-borne infections on American companion animals. Top Companion Anim Med 2010; 24:175-81. [PMID: 19945085 PMCID: PMC2802828 DOI: 10.1053/j.tcam.2009.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2009] [Accepted: 06/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This review examines the biology of ticks and tick-borne infections in the United States. The most common tick-borne diseases in dogs and cats are discussed. We demonstrate that there is much interest in tick-borne infections at the level of the lay public (pet owners), describe trends in the distribution and prevalence of tick-borne infections in the United States, summarize some issues in understanding the degree of ill health due to tick-borne infections, and suggest some avenues for research that would clarify these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenda L Berrada
- Division of Infectious Diseases and New England Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
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Aguirre AA. Wild canids as sentinels of ecological health: a conservation medicine perspective. Parasit Vectors 2009; 2 Suppl 1:S7. [PMID: 19426446 PMCID: PMC2679399 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-s1-s7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The extinction of species across the globe is accelerating, directly or indirectly due to human activities. Biological impoverishment, habitat fragmentation, climate change, increasing toxification, and the rapid global movement of people and other living organisms have worked synergistically to diminish ecosystem function. This has resulted in unprecedented levels of disease emergence, driven by human-induced environmental degradation, which poses a threat to the survival and health of biodiversity. The emerging discipline of conservation medicine addresses these concerns through the following entities: humans; global climate; habitat destruction and alteration; biodiversity, including wildlife populations; domestic animals; and pathogens, parasites and pollutants. Furthermore, conservation medicine focuses on explicit linkages between these entities. As a crisis discipline, the usefulness of conservation medicine ultimately will depend on its applicability to solving problems. The perspectives and scientific findings of conservation medicine provide input into biomedical education; and policy and management of ecosystems, habitats and imperiled species. A sentinel species is one that has presented itself, or has been selected, to provide insight into the state (health) of an ecosystem, based on user-defined (e.g., researchers, conservationists or policymakers) objectives (e.g., disease, parasites, toxics, climate change, habitat destruction), coupled with the utility and vulnerability of this species to the perceived stress. The scientific information generated by the sentinel species should empower stakeholders and decision-makers to take mitigative action or support predictive capabilities; the "utility" of the species selected should consider its value and relevance to conservationists and to society at large (e.g., education and outreach; social sciences). Wild canids may serve as excellent sentinel species of emerging canine vector-borne diseases. Several canine vector-borne diseases or antibodies to these pathogens have been identified in wild canids including visceral leishmaniosis, Lyme disease, heartworm, hepatozoonosis and anaplasmosis to name a few. These reports are relatively recent as they relate to wildlife-domestic animal interactions, globalisation, translocations, habitat fragmentation and climate change. These pathogens and their relationship to wild canids are described herein. Further research needs to be performed to elucidate the role of the 36 extant species of wild canids in the epidemiology of canine vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Alonso Aguirre
- Wildlife Trust, 460 West 34th St, 17th Fl, New York, NY 10001, USA.
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Rabinowitz PM, Odofin L, Dein FJ. From "us vs. them" to "shared risk": can animals help link environmental factors to human health? ECOHEALTH 2008; 5:224-9. [PMID: 18787924 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-008-0170-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2007] [Accepted: 01/11/2008] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Linking human health risk to environmental factors can be a challenge for clinicians, public health departments, and environmental health researchers. While it is possible that nonhuman animal species could help identify and mitigate such linkages, the fields of animal and human health remain far apart, and the prevailing human health attitude toward disease events in animals is an "us vs. them" paradigm that considers the degree of threat that animals themselves pose to humans. An alternative would be the development of the concepts of animals as models for environmentally induced disease, as well as potential "sentinels" providing early warning of both noninfectious and infectious hazards in the environment. For such concepts to truly develop, critical knowledge gaps need to be addressed using a "shared risk" paradigm based on the comparative biology of environment-host interactions in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter MacGarr Rabinowitz
- Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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Abstract
Despite more than 25 years' experience with Lyme borreliosis, much remains to be learned about this complex zoonosis. Practicing veterinarians, particularly those in the northeastern and upper midwestern states, where Lyme borreliosis is highly endemic, should be familiar with the ecologic features and typical clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis. Interpretation of signs and serologic test results should be made with consideration of the regional prevalence of Lyme borreliosis and the animal's opportunity for exposure to infected Ixodes spp. The availability of recently marketed topical acaracides is a valuable adjunctive measure in prevention of Lyme borreliosis. A maximally effective prevention strategy should include consideration of environmental modification, activity restrictions, routine examinations for ticks, prompt removal of attached ticks, and vaccination. Technologic advances, such as the C6 EIA and the Osp A recombinant vaccine, offer the promise of additional tools for the clinical management and prevention of this tick-borne zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Curtis L Fritz
- California Department of Health Services, Division of Communicable Disease Control, Vector-Borne Disease Section, PO Box 942732, MS 7307, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, USA
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