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Pramono D, Takeuchi D, Katsuki M, AbuEed L, Abdillah D, Kimura T, Kawasaki J, Miyake A, Nishigaki K. FeLIX is a restriction factor for mammalian retrovirus infection. J Virol 2024; 98:e0177123. [PMID: 38440982 PMCID: PMC11019853 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01771-23] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of ancestral viral infections. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an exogenous and endogenous retrovirus in domestic cats. It is classified into several subgroups (A, B, C, D, E, and T) based on viral receptor interference properties or receptor usage. ERV-derived molecules benefit animals, conferring resistance to infectious diseases. However, the soluble protein encoded by the defective envelope (env) gene of endogenous FeLV (enFeLV) functions as a co-factor in FeLV subgroup T infections. Therefore, whether the gene emerged to facilitate viral infection is unclear. Based on the properties of ERV-derived molecules, we hypothesized that the defective env genes possess antiviral activity that would be advantageous to the host because FeLV subgroup B (FeLV-B), a recombinant virus derived from enFeLV env, is restricted to viral transmission among domestic cats. When soluble truncated Env proteins from enFeLV were tested for their inhibitory effects against enFeLV and FeLV-B, they inhibited viral infection. Notably, this antiviral machinery was extended to infection with the Gibbon ape leukemia virus, Koala retrovirus A, and Hervey pteropid gammaretrovirus. Although these viruses used feline phosphate transporter 1 (fePit1) and phosphate transporter 2 as receptors, the inhibitory mechanism involved competitive receptor binding in a fePit1-dependent manner. The shift in receptor usage might have occurred to avoid the inhibitory effect. Overall, these findings highlight the possible emergence of soluble truncated Env proteins from enFeLV as a restriction factor against retroviral infection and will help in developing host immunity and antiviral defense by controlling retroviral spread.IMPORTANCERetroviruses are unique in using reverse transcriptase to convert RNA genomes into DNA, infecting germ cells, and transmitting to offspring. Numerous ancient retroviral sequences are known as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). The soluble Env protein derived from ERVs functions as a co-factor that assists in FeLV-T infection. However, herein, we show that the soluble Env protein exhibits antiviral activity and provides resistance to mammalian retrovirus infection through competitive receptor binding. In particular, this finding may explain why FeLV-B transmission is not observed among domestic cats. ERV-derived molecules can benefit animals in an evolutionary arms race, highlighting the double-edged-sword nature of ERVs.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cats
- Endogenous Retroviruses/genetics
- Endogenous Retroviruses/metabolism
- Gene Products, env/genetics
- Gene Products, env/metabolism
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/classification
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/genetics
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/metabolism
- Leukemia Virus, Gibbon Ape/genetics
- Leukemia Virus, Gibbon Ape/metabolism
- Leukemia, Feline/genetics
- Leukemia, Feline/metabolism
- Leukemia, Feline/virology
- Phosphate Transport Proteins/genetics
- Phosphate Transport Proteins/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Retroviridae Infections/metabolism
- Retroviridae Infections/virology
- Solubility
- Female
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Affiliation(s)
- Didik Pramono
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Dai Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Masato Katsuki
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Loai AbuEed
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Dimas Abdillah
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Tohru Kimura
- The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Junna Kawasaki
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ariko Miyake
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Kazuo Nishigaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
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2
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Nájera F, López G, Del Rey-Wamba T, Malik RA, Garrote G, López-Parra M, Fernández-Pena L, García-Tardío M, Arenas-Rojas R, Simón MA, Zorrilla I, Fernández I, Alcaide EM, Ruiz C, Revuelta L, Salcedo J, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Meli ML. Long-term surveillance of the feline leukemia virus in the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in Andalusia, Spain (2008-2021). Sci Rep 2024; 14:5462. [PMID: 38443503 PMCID: PMC10914683 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55847-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection is considered one of the most serious disease threats for the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Over 14 years (2008-2021), we investigated FeLV infection using point-of-care antigen test and quantitative real-time TaqMan qPCR for provirus detection in blood and tissues in lynxes from Andalusia (Southern Spain). A total of 776 samples from 586 individuals were included in this study. The overall prevalence for FeLV antigen in blood/serum samples was 1.4% (5/360) (95% CI: 0.2-2.6), FeLV proviral DNA prevalence in blood samples was 6.2% (31/503) (95% CI: 4.1-8.6), and FeLV proviral DNA in tissues samples was 10.2% (34/333) (95% CI: 7-13.5). From a subset of 129 longitudinally sampled individuals, 9.3% (12/129) PCR-converted during the study period. Our results suggest that FeLV infection in the Andalusian population is enzootic, with circulation of the virus at low levels in almost all the sampling years. Moreover, since only one viremic individual succumbed to the infection, this study suggests that lynxes may therefore control the infection decreasing the possibility of developing a more aggressive outcome. Although our results indicate that the FeLV infection in the Iberian lynx from Andalusia tends to stay within the regressive stage, continuous FeLV surveillance is paramount to predict potential outbreaks and ensure the survival of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Nájera
- Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Asistencia Técnica de la Dirección General del Medio Natural y Desarrollo Sostenible de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza del Cardenal Siliceo s/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain.
| | - Guillermo López
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain.
| | - Tere Del Rey-Wamba
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Rimsha A Malik
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Germán Garrote
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Marcos López-Parra
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Leonardo Fernández-Pena
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Maribel García-Tardío
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Rafael Arenas-Rojas
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Miguel A Simón
- Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, avda. Manuel Siurot, nº 50, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Irene Zorrilla
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Isabel Fernández
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Eva M Alcaide
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carmen Ruiz
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, C/ Johan G. Gutenberg 1, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Luis Revuelta
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Salcedo
- Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, avda. Manuel Siurot, nº 50, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marina L Meli
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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Ngo MH, AbuEed L, Kawasaki J, Oishi N, Pramono D, Kimura T, Sakurai M, Watanabe K, Mizukami Y, Ochi H, Anai Y, Odahara Y, Umehara D, Kawamura M, Watanabe S, Miyake A, Nishigaki K. Multiple recombination events between endogenous retroviral elements and feline leukemia virus. J Virol 2024; 98:e0140023. [PMID: 38240589 PMCID: PMC10878261 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01400-23] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an exogenous retrovirus that causes malignant hematopoietic disorders in domestic cats, and its virulence may be closely associated with viral sequences. FeLV is classified into several subgroups, including A, B, C, D, E, and T, based on viral receptor interference properties or receptor usage. However, the transmission manner and disease specificity of the recombinant viruses FeLV-D and FeLV-B remain unclear. The aim of this study was to understand recombination events between exogenous and endogenous retroviruses within a host and elucidate the emergence and transmission of recombinant viruses. We observed multiple recombination events involving endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) in FeLV from a family of domestic cats kept in one house; two of these cats (ON-T and ON-C) presented with lymphoma and leukemia, respectively. Clonal integration of FeLV-D was observed in the ON-T case, suggesting an association with FeLV-D pathogenesis. Notably, the receptor usage of FeLV-B observed in ON-T was mediated by feline Pit1 and feline Pit2, whereas only feline Pit1 was used in ON-C. Furthermore, XR-FeLV, a recombinant FeLV containing an unrelated sequence referred to the X-region, which is homologous to a portion of the 5'-leader sequence of Felis catus endogenous gammaretrovirus 4 (FcERV-gamma4), was isolated. Genetic analysis suggested that most recombinant viruses occurred de novo; however, the possibility of FeLV-B transmission was also recognized in the family. This study demonstrated the occurrence of multiple recombination events between exogenous and endogenous retroviruses in domestic cats, highlighting the contribution of ERVs to pathogenic recombinant viruses.IMPORTANCEFeline leukemia virus subgroup A (FeLV-A) is primarily transmitted among cats. During viral transmission, genetic changes in the viral genome lead to the emergence of novel FeLV subgroups or variants with altered virulence. We isolated three FeLV subgroups (A, B, and D) and XR-FeLV from two cats and identified multiple recombination events in feline endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), such as enFeLV, ERV-DC, and FcERV-gamma4, which are present in the cat genome. This study highlights the pathogenic contribution of ERVs in the emergence of FeLV-B, FeLV-D, and XR-FeLV in a feline population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Ha Ngo
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Loai AbuEed
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Junna Kawasaki
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Didik Pramono
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Tohru Kimura
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Masashi Sakurai
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Institute of Gene Research, Science Research Center, Yamaguchi University, Minami-kogushi, Ube, Japan
| | - Yoichi Mizukami
- Institute of Gene Research, Science Research Center, Yamaguchi University, Minami-kogushi, Ube, Japan
| | - Haruyo Ochi
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Yukari Anai
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Yuka Odahara
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Daigo Umehara
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Maki Kawamura
- Life Science Division, Advanced Technology Institute, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Shinya Watanabe
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Ariko Miyake
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Kazuo Nishigaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Japan
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Gilbertson MLJ, Hart SN, VanderWaal K, Onorato D, Cunningham M, VandeWoude S, Craft ME. Seasonal changes in network connectivity and consequences for pathogen transmission in a solitary carnivore. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17802. [PMID: 37853051 PMCID: PMC10584909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44815-y] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variation in habitat use and animal behavior can alter host contact patterns with potential consequences for pathogen transmission dynamics. The endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) has experienced significant pathogen-induced mortality and continues to be at risk of future epidemics. Prior research has found increased panther movement in Florida's dry versus wet seasons, which may affect panther population connectivity and seasonally increase potential pathogen transmission. Our objective was to determine if Florida panthers are more spatially connected in dry seasons relative to wet seasons, and test if identified connectivity differences resulted in divergent predicted epidemic dynamics. We leveraged extensive panther telemetry data to construct seasonal panther home range overlap networks over an 11 year period. We tested for differences in network connectivity, and used observed network characteristics to simulate transmission of a broad range of pathogens through dry and wet season networks. We found that panthers were more spatially connected in dry seasons than wet seasons. Further, these differences resulted in a trend toward larger and longer pathogen outbreaks when epidemics were initiated in the dry season. Our results demonstrate that seasonal variation in behavioral patterns-even among largely solitary species-can have substantial impacts on epidemic dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie L J Gilbertson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - S Niamh Hart
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Dave Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Naples, FL, 34114, USA
| | - Mark Cunningham
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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AbuEed L, Makundi I, Miyake A, Kawasaki J, Minoura C, Koshida Y, Nishigaki K. Feline Foamy Virus Transmission in Tsushima Leopard Cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) on Tsushima Island, Japan. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040835. [PMID: 37112816 PMCID: PMC10146696 DOI: 10.3390/v15040835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tsushima leopard cats (TLC; Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) only inhabit Tsushima Island, Nagasaki, Japan and are critically endangered and threatened by infectious diseases. The feline foamy virus (FFV) is widely endemic in domestic cats. Therefore, its transmission from domestic cats to TLCs may threaten the TLC population. Thus, this study aimed to assess the possibility that domestic cats could transmit FFV to TLCs. Eighty-nine TLC samples were screened, and FFV was identified in seven (7.86%). To assess the FFV infection status of domestic cats, 199 domestic cats were screened; 14.07% were infected. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the FFV partial sequence from domestic cats and TLC sequences clustered in one clade, suggesting that the two populations share the same strain. The statistical data minimally supported the association between increased infection rate and sex (p = 0.28), indicating that FFV transmission is not sex dependent. In domestic cats, a significant difference was observed in FFV detection in feline immunodeficiency virus (p = 0.002) and gammaherpesvirus1 infection statuses (p = 0.0001) but not in feline leukemia virus infection status (p = 0.21). Monitoring FFV infection in domestic cats and TLC populations is highly recommended as part of TLC surveillance and management strategies.
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Acevedo-Jiménez GE, Sarmiento-Silva RE, Alonso-Morales RA, Córdova-Ponce R, Ramírez-Álvarez H. Detection and genetic characterization of feline retroviruses in domestic cats with different clinical signs and hematological alterations. Arch Virol 2023. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05627-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Detection and genetic characterization of feline retroviruses in domestic cats with different clinical signs and hematological alterations. Arch Virol 2023; 168:2. [DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05627-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Feline Leukemia Virus Frequently Spills Over from Domestic Cats to North American Pumas. J Virol 2022; 96:e0120122. [PMID: 36374109 PMCID: PMC9749473 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01201-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a gammaretrovirus with horizontally transmitted and endogenous forms. Domestic cats are the primary reservoir species, but FeLV outbreaks in endangered Florida panthers and Iberian lynxes have resulted in mortalities. To assess prevalence and interspecific/intraspecific transmission, we conducted an extensive survey and phylogenetic analysis of FeLV infection in free-ranging pumas (n = 641) and bobcats (n = 212) and shelter domestic cats (n = 304). Samples were collected from coincident habitats across the United States between 1985 and 2018. FeLV infection was detected in 3.12% of the puma samples, 0.47% of the bobcat samples, and 6.25% of the domestic cat samples analyzed. Puma prevalence varied by location, with Florida having the highest rate of infection. FeLV env sequences revealed variation among isolates, and we identified two distinct clades. Both progressive and regressive infections were identified in cats and pumas. Based on the time and location of sampling and phylogenetic analysis, we inferred 3 spillover events between domestic cats and pumas; 3 puma-to-puma transmissions in Florida were inferred. An additional 14 infections in pumas likely represented spillover events following contact with reservoir host domestic cat populations. Our data provide evidence that FeLV transmission from domestic cats to pumas occurs widely across the United States, and puma-to-puma transmission may occur in genetically and geographically constrained populations. IMPORTANCE Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that primarily affects domestic cats. Close interactions with domestic cats, including predation, can lead to the interspecific transmission of the virus to pumas, bobcats, or other feline species. Some infected individuals develop progressive infections, which are associated with clinical signs of disease and can result in mortality. Therefore, outbreaks of FeLV in wildlife, including the North American puma and the endangered Florida panther, are of high conservation concern. This work provides a greater understanding of the dynamics of the transmission of FeLV between domestic cats and wild felids and presents evidence of multiple spillover events and infections in all sampled populations. These findings highlight the concern for pathogen spillover from domestic animals to wildlife but also identify an opportunity to understand viral evolution following cross-species transmissions more broadly.
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Gilbertson MLJ, Fountain-Jones NM, Malmberg JL, Gagne RB, Lee JS, Kraberger S, Kechejian S, Petch R, Chiu ES, Onorato D, Cunningham MW, Crooks KR, Funk WC, Carver S, VandeWoude S, VanderWaal K, Craft ME. Apathogenic proxies for transmission dynamics of a fatal virus. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:940007. [PMID: 36157183 PMCID: PMC9493079 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.940007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying drivers of transmission-especially of emerging pathogens-is a formidable challenge for proactive disease management efforts. While close social interactions can be associated with microbial sharing between individuals, and thereby imply dynamics important for transmission, such associations can be obscured by the influences of factors such as shared diets or environments. Directly-transmitted viral agents, specifically those that are rapidly evolving such as many RNA viruses, can allow for high-resolution inference of transmission, and therefore hold promise for elucidating not only which individuals transmit to each other, but also drivers of those transmission events. Here, we tested a novel approach in the Florida panther, which is affected by several directly-transmitted feline retroviruses. We first inferred the transmission network for an apathogenic, directly-transmitted retrovirus, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and then used exponential random graph models to determine drivers structuring this network. We then evaluated the utility of these drivers in predicting transmission of the analogously transmitted, pathogenic agent, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), and compared FIV-based predictions of outbreak dynamics against empirical FeLV outbreak data. FIV transmission was primarily driven by panther age class and distances between panther home range centroids. FIV-based modeling predicted FeLV dynamics similarly to common modeling approaches, but with evidence that FIV-based predictions captured the spatial structuring of the observed FeLV outbreak. While FIV-based predictions of FeLV transmission performed only marginally better than standard approaches, our results highlight the value of proactively identifying drivers of transmission-even based on analogously-transmitted, apathogenic agents-in order to predict transmission of emerging infectious agents. The identification of underlying drivers of transmission, such as through our workflow here, therefore holds promise for improving predictions of pathogen transmission in novel host populations, and could provide new strategies for proactive pathogen management in human and animal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie L. J. Gilbertson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | | | - Jennifer L. Malmberg
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Roderick B. Gagne
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Wildlife Futures Program, Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA, United States
| | - Justin S. Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Sarah Kechejian
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Raegan Petch
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Elliott S. Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Dave Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Naples, FL, United States
| | - Mark W. Cunningham
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Kevin R. Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - W. Chris Funk
- Department of Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Meggan E. Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
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10
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Carrete M, Clavero M, Arrondo E, Traveset A, Bernardo‐Madrid R, Vilà M, Blas J, Nogales M, Delibes M, García‐Rodríguez A, Hernández‐Brito D, Romero‐Vidal P, Tella JL. Emerging laws must not protect stray cats and their impacts. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Anna Traveset
- Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, CSIC‐UIB Mallorca Spain
| | | | | | - Julio Blas
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - Manuel Nogales
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, IPNA, CSIC Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain
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11
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Gilbertson MLJ, Onorato D, Cunningham M, VandeWoude S, Craft ME. Paradoxes and synergies: Optimizing management of a deadly virus in an endangered carnivore. J Appl Ecol 2022; 59:1548-1558. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dave Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Naples FL USA
| | - Mark Cunningham
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gainesville FL USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO 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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12
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Huang S, Li X, Guo L, You D, Xie W, Xu H, Liu D, Wang Y, Zeng X, Hou Z, Liu E, Ma L, Yang S, Chai H, Wang Y. Prevalence of four viruses in Captive Siberian Tigers from Northeastern China. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e1434-e1444. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuping Huang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Lijun Guo
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Dan You
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Wei Xie
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | | | - Dan Liu
- Siberian Tiger Park Harbin China
| | - Yulong Wang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Xiangwei Zeng
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Zhijun Hou
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Enqi Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Liying Ma
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Siyuan Yang
- Heilongjiang Vocational College for Nationalities Harbin China
| | - Hongliang Chai
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
| | - Yajun Wang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area Northeast Forestry University Harbin China
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13
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Gagne RB, Kraberger S, McMinn R, Trumbo DR, Anderson CR, Logan KA, Alldredge MW, Griffin K, Vandewoude S. Viral Sequences Recovered From Puma Tooth DNA Reconstruct Statewide Viral Phylogenies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.734462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring pathogens in wildlife populations is imperative for effective management, and for identifying locations for pathogen spillover among wildlife, domestic species and humans. Wildlife pathogen surveillance is challenging, however, as sampling often requires the capture of a significant proportion of the population to understand host pathogen dynamics. To address this challenge, we assessed the ability to use hunter-collected teeth from puma across Colorado to recover genetic data of two feline retroviruses, feline foamy virus (FFV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIVpco) and show they can be utilized for this purpose. Comparative phylogenetic analyses of FIVpco and FFV from tooth and blood samples to previous analyses conducted with blood samples collected over a nine-year period from two distinct areas was undertaken highlighting the value of tooth derived samples. We found less FIVpco phylogeographic structuring than observed from sampling only two regions and that FFV data confirmed previous findings of endemic infection, minimal geographic structuring, and supported frequent cross-species transmission from domestic cats to pumas. Viral analysis conducted using intentionally collected blood samples required extensive financial, capture and sampling efforts. This analysis illustrates that viral genomic data can be cost effectively obtained using tooth samples incidentally-collected from hunter harvested pumas, taking advantage of samples collected for morphological age identification. This technique should be considered as an opportunistic method to provide broad geographic sampling to define viral dynamics more accurately in wildlife.
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14
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Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) Endogenous and Exogenous Recombination Events Result in Multiple FeLV-B Subtypes during Natural Infection. J Virol 2021; 95:e0035321. [PMID: 34232703 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00353-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is associated with a range of clinical signs in felid species. Differences in disease processes are closely related to genetic variation in the envelope (env) region of the genome of six defined subgroups. The primary hosts of FeLV are domestic cats of the Felis genus that also harbor endogenous FeLV (enFeLV) elements stably integrated in their genomes. EnFeLV elements display 86% nucleotide identity to exogenous, horizontally transmitted FeLV (FeLV-A). Variation between enFeLV and FeLV-A is primarily in the long terminal repeat (LTR) and env regions, which potentiates generation of the FeLV-B recombinant subgroup during natural infection. The aim of this study was to examine recombination behavior of exogenous FeLV (exFeLV) and enFeLV in a natural FeLV epizootic. We previously described that of 65 individuals in a closed colony, 32 had productive FeLV-A infection, and 22 of these individuals had detectable circulating FeLV-B. We cloned and sequenced the env gene of FeLV-B, FeLV-A, and enFeLV spanning known recombination breakpoints and examined between 1 and 13 clones in 22 animals with FeLV-B to assess sequence diversity and recombination breakpoints. Our analysis revealed that FeLV-A sequences circulating in the population, as well as enFeLV env sequences, are highly conserved. We documented many recombination breakpoints resulting in the production of unique FeLV-B genotypes. More than half of the cats harbored more than one FeLV-B variant, suggesting multiple recombination events between enFeLV and FeLV-A. We concluded that FeLV-B was predominantly generated de novo within each host, although we could not definitively rule out horizontal transmission, as nearly all cats harbored FeLV-B sequences that were genetically highly similar to those identified in other individuals. This work represents a comprehensive analysis of endogenous-exogenous retroviral interactions with important insights into host-virus interactions that underlie disease pathogenesis in a natural setting. IMPORTANCE Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a felid retrovirus with a variety of disease outcomes. Exogenous FeLV-A is the virus subgroup almost exclusively transmitted between cats. Recombination between FeLV-A and endogenous FeLV analogues in the cat genome may result in emergence of largely replication-defective but highly virulent subgroups. FeLV-B is formed when the 3' envelope (env) region of endogenous FeLV (enFeLV) recombines with that of the exogenous FeLV (exFeLV) during viral reverse transcription and integration. Both domestic cats and wild relatives of the Felis genus harbor enFeLV, which has been shown to limit FeLV-A disease outcome. However, enFeLV also contributes genetic material to the recombinant FeLV-B subgroup. This study evaluates endogenous-exogenous recombination outcomes in a naturally infected closed colony of cats to determine mechanisms and risk of endogenous retroviral recombination during exogenous virus exposure that leads to enhanced virulence. While FeLV-A and enFeLV env regions were highly conserved from cat to cat, nearly all individuals with emergent FeLV-B had unique combinations of genotypes, representative of a wide range of recombination sites within env. The findings provide insight into unique recombination patterns for emergence of new pathogens and can be related to similar viruses across species.
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15
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Kraberger S, Serieys LE, Richet C, Fountain-Jones NM, Baele G, Bishop JM, Nehring M, Ivan JS, Newkirk ES, Squires JR, Lund MC, Riley SP, Wilmers CC, van Helden PD, Van Doorslaer K, Culver M, VandeWoude S, Martin DP, Varsani A. Complex evolutionary history of felid anelloviruses. Virology 2021; 562:176-189. [PMID: 34364185 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Anellovirus infections are highly prevalent in mammals, however, prior to this study only a handful of anellovirus genomes had been identified in members of the Felidae family. Here we characterise anelloviruses in pumas (Puma concolor), bobcats (Lynx rufus), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), caracals (Caracal caracal) and domestic cats (Felis catus). The complete anellovirus genomes (n = 220) recovered from 149 individuals were diverse. ORF1 protein sequence similarity network analysis coupled with phylogenetic analysis, revealed two distinct clusters that are populated by felid-derived anellovirus sequences, a pattern mirroring that observed for the porcine anelloviruses. Of the two-felid dominant anellovirus groups, one includes sequences from bobcats, pumas, domestic cats and an ocelot, and the other includes sequences from caracals, Canada lynx, domestic cats and pumas. Coinfections of diverse anelloviruses appear to be common among the felids. Evidence of recombination, both within and between felid-specific anellovirus groups, supports a long coevolution history between host and virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center of Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Laurel Ek Serieys
- Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA; Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Cécile Richet
- The Biodesign Center of Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | | | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jacqueline M Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Mary Nehring
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Jacob S Ivan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W. Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | | | - John R Squires
- US Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 E. Beckwith Ave., Missoula, MT, 59801, USA
| | - Michael C Lund
- The Biodesign Center of Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Seth Pd Riley
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, National Park Service, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | | | - Paul D van Helden
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research/SAMRC Centre for TB Research/Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
| | - Koenraad Van Doorslaer
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The BIO5 Institute, Department of Immunobiology, Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, UA Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Melanie Culver
- U.S. Geological Survey, Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA; School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Darren P Martin
- Computational Biology Group, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center of Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA; Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
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16
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Sacristán I, Acuña F, Aguilar E, García S, José López M, Cabello J, Hidalgo‐Hermoso E, Sanderson J, Terio KA, Barrs V, Beatty J, Johnson WE, Millán J, Poulin E, Napolitano C. Cross-species transmission of retroviruses among domestic and wild felids in human-occupied landscapes in Chile. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1070-1082. [PMID: 33897821 PMCID: PMC8061269 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Human transformation of natural habitats facilitates pathogen transmission between domestic and wild species. The guigna (Leopardus guigna), a small felid found in Chile, has experienced habitat loss and an increased probability of contact with domestic cats. Here, we describe the interspecific transmission of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) between domestic cats and guignas and assess its correlation with human landscape perturbation. Blood and tissue samples from 102 free-ranging guignas and 262 domestic cats were collected and analyzed by PCR and sequencing. Guigna and domestic cat FeLV and FIV prevalence were very similar. Phylogenetic analysis showed guigna FeLV and FIV sequences are positioned within worldwide domestic cat virus clades with high nucleotide similarity. Guigna FeLV infection was significantly associated with fragmented landscapes with resident domestic cats. There was little evidence of clinical signs of disease in guignas. Our results contribute to the understanding of the implications of landscape perturbation and emerging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vanessa Barrs
- University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public HealthCity University of Hong KongKowloonHong Kong
| | - Julia Beatty
- University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public HealthCity University of Hong KongKowloonHong Kong
| | - Warren E. Johnson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashintonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
- The Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchSilver SpringMarylandUSA
- Present address:
The Walter Reed Biosystematics UnitSmithsonian InstitutionSuitlandMarylandUSA
| | - Javier Millán
- Universidad Andres BelloSantiagoChile
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón‐IA2University of Zaragoza‐CITAZaragozaSpain
- Fundación ARAIDZaragozaSpain
| | - Elie Poulin
- Universidad de ChileSantiagoChile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB)SantiagoChile
| | - Constanza Napolitano
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB)SantiagoChile
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y BiodiversidadUniversidad de Los LagosOsornoChile
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17
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Loock DJE, Rendón-Franco E, Williams ST, van Niekerk J, Swanepoel LH. Viral Prevalence in Wild Serval Population is Driven by Season and Sex. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:113-122. [PMID: 34059963 PMCID: PMC8166362 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01533-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the key factors influencing the population dynamics of threatened species such as felids is disease, but long-term studies of the factors influencing seroprevalence of wild felids are extremely rare, hindering conservation efforts. We set out to determine seroprevalence of six viral diseases (feline panleukopenia virus, feline leukemia virus, feline coronavirus, feline calicivirus, feline herpes virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus) among a population of serval (Leptailurus serval) with an extremely high density in South Africa. We captured 55 individuals over four years and screened blood samples for antibodies to each virus. We found that seroprevalence were high (ranging from 30.0% positive for a single virus to 1.8% positive for up to five viruses) and that seroprevalence was influenced by season and sex, but not body condition. We suggest further monitoring of this population and recommend that long-term studies are conducted for serval and other felids to determine whether these trends are representative on a broader scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan J E Loock
- Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 930, South Africa.
| | - Emilio Rendón-Franco
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, UAM-Unidad Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04960, México
| | - Samual T Williams
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Johan van Niekerk
- Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 930, South Africa
| | - Lourens H Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
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18
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Malmberg JL, White LA, VandeWoude S. Bioaccumulation of Pathogen Exposure in Top Predators. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:411-420. [PMID: 33549372 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions present heightened opportunities for pathogen spillover, as predators are at risk of exposure to infectious agents harbored by prey. Epizootics with high morbidity and mortality have been recorded following prey-to-predator spillover events, which have had significant conservation implications for sensitive species. Using felids as a detailed case study, we have documented both virulent and clinically silent infections in apex predators following transfer of microbes from prey. We draw on these examples and others to examine the mechanisms that determine frequency and outcome of predator exposure to prey-based pathogens. We propose that predator-prey dynamics should be more thoroughly considered in empirical research and disease dynamic modeling approaches in order to reveal answers to outstanding questions relating to pathogen bioaccumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Malmberg
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Laramie, WY82070, USA.
| | - Lauren A White
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 21401, USA.
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1619, USA.
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19
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Chiu ES, VandeWoude S. Endogenous Retroviruses Drive Resistance and Promotion of Exogenous Retroviral Homologs. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 9:225-248. [PMID: 33290087 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-050620-101416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) serve as markers of ancient viral infections and provide invaluable insight into host and viral evolution. ERVs have been exapted to assist in performing basic biological functions, including placentation, immune modulation, and oncogenesis. A subset of ERVs share high nucleotide similarity to circulating horizontally transmitted exogenous retrovirus (XRV) progenitors. In these cases, ERV-XRV interactions have been documented and include (a) recombination to result in ERV-XRV chimeras, (b) ERV induction of immune self-tolerance to XRV antigens, (c) ERV antigen interference with XRV receptor binding, and (d) interactions resulting in both enhancement and restriction of XRV infections. Whereas the mechanisms governing recombination and immune self-tolerance have been partially determined, enhancement and restriction of XRV infection are virus specific and only partially understood. This review summarizes interactions between six unique ERV-XRV pairs, highlighting important ERV biological functions and potential evolutionary histories in vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliott S Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA; ,
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA; ,
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20
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Sacristán I, Esperón F, Pérez R, Acuña F, Aguilar E, García S, López MJ, Neves E, Cabello J, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Terio KA, Millán J, Poulin E, Napolitano C. Epidemiology and molecular characterization of Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 infection in the wild felid Leopardus guigna in Chile. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:3335-3348. [PMID: 33238057 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Landscape anthropization has been identified as one of the main drivers of pathogen emergence worldwide, facilitating pathogen spillover between domestic species and wildlife. The present study investigated Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 infection using molecular methods in 98 free-ranging wild guignas (Leopardus guigna) and 262 co-occurring owned, free-roaming rural domestic cats. We also assessed landscape anthropization variables as potential drivers of infection. Protoparvovirus DNA was detected in guignas across their entire distribution range, with observed prevalence of 13.3% (real-time PCR) and 9% (conventional PCR) in guignas, and 6.1% (conventional PCR) in cats. Prevalence in guigna did not vary depending on age, sex, study area or landscape variables. Prevalence was higher in juvenile cats (16.7%) than in adults (4.4%). Molecular characterization of the virus by amplification and sequencing of almost the entire vp2 gene (1,746 bp) from one guigna and five domestic cats was achieved, showing genetic similarities to canine parvovirus 2c (CPV-2c) (one guigna and one cat), feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) (one cat), CPV-2 (no subtype identified) (two cats), CPV-2a (one cat). The CVP-2c-like sequence found in a guigna clustered together with domestic cat and dog CPV-2c sequences from South America, suggesting possible spillover from a domestic to a wild species as the origin of infection in guigna. No clinical signs of disease were found in PCR-positive animals except for a CPV-2c-infected guigna, which had haemorrhagic diarrhoea and died a few days after arrival at a wildlife rescue centre. Our findings reveal widespread presence of Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 across the guigna distribution in Chile and suggest that virus transmission potentially occurs from domestic to wild carnivores, causing severe disease and death in susceptible wild guignas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Sacristán
- PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Esperón
- Grupo de Epidemiología y Sanidad Ambiental, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (INIA-CISA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén Pérez
- Sección Genética Evolutiva, Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de la República de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Francisca Acuña
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Emilio Aguilar
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián García
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María José López
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Elena Neves
- Grupo de Epidemiología y Sanidad Ambiental, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (INIA-CISA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Cabello
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | | | - Karen A Terio
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Brookfield, IL, USA
| | - Javier Millán
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Zaragoza, Spain.,Fundación ARAID, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Elie Poulin
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile
| | - Constanza Napolitano
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile.,Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Santiago, Chile
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21
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Presence of Endogenous Viral Elements Negatively Correlates with Feline Leukemia Virus Susceptibility in Puma and Domestic Cat Cells. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01274-20. [PMID: 32817213 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01274-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While feline leukemia virus (FeLV) has been shown to infect felid species other than the endemic domestic cat host, differences in FeLV susceptibility among species has not been evaluated. Previous reports have noted a negative correlation between endogenous FeLV (enFeLV) copy number and exogenous FeLV (exFeLV) infection outcomes in domestic cats. Since felids outside the genus Felis do not harbor enFeLV genomes, we hypothesized absence of enFeLV results in more severe disease consequences in felid species lacking these genomic elements. We infected primary fibroblasts isolated from domestic cats (Felis catus) and pumas (Puma concolor) with FeLV and quantitated proviral and viral antigen loads. Domestic cat enFeLV env and long terminal repeat (LTR) copy numbers were determined for each individual and compared to FeLV viral outcomes. FeLV proviral and antigen levels were also measured in 6 naturally infected domestic cats and 11 naturally infected Florida panthers (P. concolor coryi). We demonstrated that puma fibroblasts are more permissive to FeLV than domestic cat cells, and domestic cat FeLV restriction was highly related to enFeLV-LTR copy number. Terminal tissues from FeLV-infected Florida panthers and domestic cats had similar exFeLV proviral copy numbers, but Florida panther tissues have higher FeLV antigen loads. Our work indicates that enFeLV-LTR elements negatively correlate with exogenous FeLV replication. Further, Puma concolor samples lacking enFeLV are more permissive to FeLV infection than domestic cat samples, suggesting that endogenization can play a beneficial role in mitigating exogenous retroviral infections. Conversely, presence of endogenous retroelements may relate to new host susceptibility during viral spillover events.IMPORTANCE Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) can infect a variety of felid species. Only the primary domestic cat host and related small cat species harbor a related endogenous virus in their genomes. Previous studies noted a negative association between the endogenous virus copy number and exogenous virus infection in domestic cats. This report shows that puma cells, which lack endogenous FeLV, produce more virus more rapidly than domestic cat fibroblasts following cell culture challenge. We document a strong association between domestic cat cell susceptibility and FeLV long terminal repeat (LTR) copy number, similar to observations in natural FeLV infections. Viral replication does not, however, correlate with FeLV env copy number, suggesting that this effect is specific to FeLV-LTR elements. This discovery indicates a protective capacity of the endogenous virus against the exogenous form, either via direct interference or indirectly via gene regulation, and may suggest evolutionary outcomes of retroviral endogenization.
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22
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Payne N, Kraberger S, Fontenele RS, Schmidlin K, Bergeman MH, Cassaigne I, Culver M, Varsani A, Van Doorslaer K. Novel Circoviruses Detected in Feces of Sonoran Felids. Viruses 2020; 12:v12091027. [PMID: 32942563 PMCID: PMC7551060 DOI: 10.3390/v12091027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sonoran felids are threatened by drought and habitat fragmentation. Vector range expansion and anthropogenic factors such as habitat encroachment and climate change are altering viral evolutionary dynamics and exposure. However, little is known about the diversity of viruses present in these populations. Small felid populations with lower genetic diversity are likely to be most threatened with extinction by emerging diseases, as with other selective pressures, due to having less adaptive potential. We used a metagenomic approach to identify novel circoviruses, which may have a negative impact on the population viability, from confirmed bobcat (Lynx rufus) and puma (Puma concolor) scats collected in Sonora, Mexico. Given some circoviruses are known to cause disease in their hosts, such as porcine and avian circoviruses, we took a non-invasive approach using scat to identify circoviruses in free-roaming bobcats and puma. Three circovirus genomes were determined, and, based on the current species demarcation, they represent two novel species. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that one circovirus species is more closely related to rodent associated circoviruses and the other to bat associated circoviruses, sharing highest genome-wide pairwise identity of approximately 70% and 63%, respectively. At this time, it is unknown whether these scat-derived circoviruses infect felids, their prey, or another organism that might have had contact with the scat in the environment. Further studies should be conducted to elucidate the host of these viruses and assess health impacts in felids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Payne
- Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA;
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; (S.K.); (R.S.F.); (K.S.)
| | - Rafaela S Fontenele
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; (S.K.); (R.S.F.); (K.S.)
| | - Kara Schmidlin
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; (S.K.); (R.S.F.); (K.S.)
| | - Melissa H Bergeman
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
| | | | - Melanie Culver
- Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA;
- U.S. Geological Survey, Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; (S.K.); (R.S.F.); (K.S.)
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- Correspondence: (A.V.); (K.V.D.)
| | - Koenraad Van Doorslaer
- Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA;
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- The BIO5 Institute, Department of Immunobiology, Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, UA Cancer Center, University of Arizona Tucson, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
- Correspondence: (A.V.); (K.V.D.)
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23
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The effect of castration on home range size and activity patterns of domestic cats living in a natural area in a protected area on a Brazilian island. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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Smiley Evans T, Shi Z, Boots M, Liu W, Olival KJ, Xiao X, Vandewoude S, Brown H, Chen JL, Civitello DJ, Escobar L, Grohn Y, Li H, Lips K, Liu Q, Lu J, Martínez-López B, Shi J, Shi X, Xu B, Yuan L, Zhu G, Getz WM. Synergistic China-US Ecological Research is Essential for Global Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness. ECOHEALTH 2020; 17:160-173. [PMID: 32016718 PMCID: PMC7088356 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-020-01471-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The risk of a zoonotic pandemic disease threatens hundreds of millions of people. Emerging infectious diseases also threaten livestock and wildlife populations around the world and can lead to devastating economic damages. China and the USA-due to their unparalleled resources, widespread engagement in activities driving emerging infectious diseases and national as well as geopolitical imperatives to contribute to global health security-play an essential role in our understanding of pandemic threats. Critical to efforts to mitigate risk is building upon existing investments in global capacity to develop training and research focused on the ecological factors driving infectious disease spillover from animals to humans. International cooperation, particularly between China and the USA, is essential to fully engage the resources and scientific strengths necessary to add this ecological emphasis to the pandemic preparedness strategy. Here, we review the world's current state of emerging infectious disease preparedness, the ecological and evolutionary knowledge needed to anticipate disease emergence, the roles that China and the USA currently play as sources and solutions to mitigating risk, and the next steps needed to better protect the global community from zoonotic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tierra Smiley Evans
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Zhengli Shi
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Michael Boots
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Wenjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Xiangming Xiao
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Center for Spatial Analysis, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | - Heidi Brown
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ji-Long Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | | | - Luis Escobar
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Yrjo Grohn
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Karen Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Qiyoung Liu
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahai Lu
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Jishu Shi
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, US-China Center for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Xiaolu Shi
- Department of Microbiology, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Biao Xu
- School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihong Yuan
- School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoqiang Zhu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
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25
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Kraberger S, Fountain-Jones NM, Gagne RB, Malmberg J, Dannemiller NG, Logan K, Alldredge M, Varsani A, Crooks KR, Craft M, Carver S, VandeWoude S. Frequent cross-species transmissions of foamy virus between domestic and wild felids. Virus Evol 2020; 6:vez058. [PMID: 31942245 PMCID: PMC6955097 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vez058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging viral outbreaks resulting from host switching is an area of continued scientific interest. Such events can result in disease epidemics or in some cases, clinically silent outcomes. These occurrences are likely relatively common and can serve as tools to better understand disease dynamics, and may result in changes in behavior, fecundity, and, ultimately survival of the host. Feline foamy virus (FFV) is a common retrovirus infecting domestic cats globally, which has also been documented in the North American puma (Puma concolor). The prevalent nature of FFV in domestic cats and its ability to infect wild felids, including puma, provides an ideal system to study cross-species transmission across trophic levels (positions in the food chain), and evolution of pathogens transmitted between individuals following direct contact. Here we present findings from an extensive molecular analysis of FFV in pumas, focused on two locations in Colorado, and in relation to FFV recovered from domestic cats in this and previous studies. Prevalence of FFV in puma was high across the two regions, ∼77 per cent (urban interface site) and ∼48 per cent (rural site). Comparison of FFV from pumas living across three states; Colorado, Florida, and California, indicates FFV is widely distributed across North America. FFV isolated from domestic cats and pumas was not distinguishable at the host level, with FFV sequences sharing >93 per cent nucleotide similarity. Phylogenetic, Bayesian, and recombination analyses of FFV across the two species supports frequent cross-species spillover from domestic cat to puma during the last century, as well as frequent puma-to-puma intraspecific transmission in Colorado, USA. Two FFV variants, distinguished by significant difference in the surface unit of the envelope protein, were commonly found in both hosts. This trait is also shared by simian foamy virus and may represent variation in cell tropism or a unique immune evasion mechanism. This study elucidates evolutionary and cross-species transmission dynamics of a highly prevalent multi-host adapted virus, a system which can further be applied to model spillover and transmission of pathogenic viruses resulting in widespread infection in the new host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kraberger
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Nicholas M Fountain-Jones
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Roderick B Gagne
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer Malmberg
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas G Dannemiller
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ken Logan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Mat Alldredge
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Meggan Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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26
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Assessing cross-species transmission of hemoplasmas at the wild-domestic felid interface in Chile using genetic and landscape variables analysis. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16816. [PMID: 31727935 PMCID: PMC6856521 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53184-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-occurrence of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) and wild felids in rural landscapes can facilitate pathogen transmission. However, in the relatively-isolated regions of southern South America there have been no comprehensive studies to assess disease transmission risks between domestic cats and forest-dwelling wild felids such as guigna (Leopardus guigna). We evaluated hemoplasma infection and the possibility of transmission between domestic cats and guignas by comparing spatial and phylogenetic patterns of pathogen prevalence. Blood/spleen samples were collected from 102 wild guignas and 262 co-occurring rural domestic cats across the entire distribution range of guigna in Chile. Hemoplasma infection was assessed by direct sequencing of the 16S RNA gene. Infection with hemoplasmas was common and geographically widespread across different bioclimatic areas for both species. The most common feline Mycoplasma species in guigna and domestic cats were Candidatus M. haemominutum (CMhm) (15.7% guigna; 10.3% domestic cat) and Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) (9.8% guigna, 6.1% domestic cat). A previously undescribed Mycoplasma sp. sequence was found in two guignas and one cat. Continuous forest-landscapes were associated with higher hemoplasma-prevalence in guignas. Shared hemoplasma nucleotide sequence types between guigna and domestic cats were rare, suggesting that cross-species transmission between guignas and domestic cats may occur, but is probably uncommon. Ectoparasites, which have been linked with hemoplasma transmission, were not found on guignas and were infrequent on domestic cats. Our results suggest that transmission pathways vary among hemoplasma species and, contrary to our predictions, domestic cats did not appear to be the main driver of hemoplasma infection in guignas in these human-dominated landscapes.
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27
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Malmberg JL, Lee JS, Gagne RB, Kraberger S, Kechejian S, Roelke M, McBride R, Onorato D, Cunningham M, Crooks KR, VandeWoude S. Altered lentiviral infection dynamics follow genetic rescue of the Florida panther. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191689. [PMID: 31640509 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife translocations are a commonly used strategy in endangered species recovery programmes. Although translocations require detailed assessment of risk, their impact on parasite distribution has not been thoroughly assessed. This is despite the observation that actions that alter host-parasite distributions can drive evolution or introduce new parasites to previously sequestered populations. Here, we use a contemporary approach to amplify viral sequences from archived biological samples to characterize a previously undocumented impact of the successful genetic rescue of the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). Our efforts reveal transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) during translocation of pumas from Texas to Florida, resulting in extirpation of a historic Florida panther FIV subtype and expansion of a genetically stable subtype that is highly conserved in Texas and Florida. We used coalescent theory to estimate viral demography across time and show an exponential increase in the effective population size of FIV coincident with expansion of the panther population. Additionally, we show that FIV isolates from Texas are basal to isolates from Florida. Interestingly, FIV genomes recovered from Florida and Texas demonstrate exceptionally low interhost divergence. Low host genomic diversity and lack of additional introgressions may underlie the surprising lack of FIV evolution over 2 decades. We conclude that modern FIV in the Florida panther disseminated following genetic rescue and rapid population expansion, and that infectious disease risks should be carefully considered during conservation efforts involving translocations. Further, viral evolutionary dynamics may be significantly altered by ecological niche, host diversity and connectivity between host populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Malmberg
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Justin S Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Roderick B Gagne
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Sarah Kechejian
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Dave Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Naples, FL, USA
| | - Mark Cunningham
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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28
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Sacristán I, Sieg M, Acuña F, Aguilar E, García S, López MJ, Cevidanes A, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Cabello J, Vahlenkamp TW, Millán J, Poulin E, Napolitano C. Molecular and serological survey of carnivore pathogens in free-roaming domestic cats of rural communities in southern Chile. J Vet Med Sci 2019; 81:1740-1748. [PMID: 31611482 PMCID: PMC6943315 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.19-0208] [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] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Owned, free-roaming domestic cats are abundant in the Chilean countryside, having high
probability of contact with wildlife and potentially participating as reservoirs of
zoonotic pathogens. In the present study, 131 cats from two remote study areas (Valdivia
and Chiloe Island) in southern Chile were analyzed for infection/exposure to eight
pathogens. Serum samples from 112 cats were tested for antigens against feline leukemia
virus (FeLV antigen-ELISA) and antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus
(FIV-ELISA) and canine distemper virus (CDV-serum neutralization), yielded occurrence of
8.9, 1.7 and 0.8% respectively. The presence of DNA of five vector-borne pathogens,
piroplasmids, Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp.,
Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. was investigated
in thirty cats. Overall observed occurrence was 6.6% (2/30) for both
Anaplasma platys, and B. henselae, and 3.3% (1/30) for
both Bartonella sp. and Theileria equi. Observed
occurrence for all vector-borne pathogens in Valdivia area was significantly higher than
in Chiloe Island (5/15 vs 0/15; P=0.04). Our results represent the first
description of exposure to CDV and DNA detection of T. equi and
A. platys in domestic cats in Chile. The results highlight the
importance of performing pathogen screening in owned, free-roaming rural cats to evaluate
their potential role as reservoirs of infection and vectors for disease transmission to
wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Sacristán
- PhD Programe in Conservation Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile
| | - Michael Sieg
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Francisca Acuña
- Faculty of Veterinary and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Avda. Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Emilio Aguilar
- Faculty of Veterinary and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Avda. Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián García
- Faculty of Veterinary and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Avda. Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
| | - María José López
- Faculty of Veterinary and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Avda. Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aitor Cevidanes
- PhD Programe in Conservation Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Javier Cabello
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad San Sebastián, Patagonia Campus, Lago Panguipulli 1390, Puerto Montt, Chile.,Center of Biodiversity Conservation Chiloé Silvestre, Ancud, 5710000, Chile
| | - Thomas W Vahlenkamp
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Javier Millán
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile
| | - Elie Poulin
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratory of Molecular Ecology, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Constanza Napolitano
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile.,Department of Biological Sciences and Biodiversity, Universidad de Los Lagos, Av. Fuchslocher 1305, Osorno, Chile
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29
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Kraberger S, Serieys L, Fountain-Jones N, Packer C, Riley S, Varsani A. Novel smacoviruses identified in the faeces of two wild felids: North American bobcat and African lion. Arch Virol 2019; 164:2395-2399. [PMID: 31240485 PMCID: PMC7086625 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-019-04329-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Smacoviruses are small circular single-stranded DNA viruses that appear to be prevalent in faeces of a range of animals and have also been found in a few insect species. In this study, we report the first viral genomes from faeces of free-roaming wild felids on two continents. Two smacoviruses were recovered from the faeces of two North American bobcats (Lynx rufus), and one was recovered from an African lion (Panthera leo). All three genomes are genetically different, sharing 59-69% genome-wide sequence identity to other smacoviruses. These are the first full smacovirus genome sequences associated with a large top-end feline predator, and their presence in these samples suggests that feline faeces are a natural niche for the organisms that these viruses infect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Laurel Serieys
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag X3, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.,Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, Campus Mail Stop, 1153 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, National Park Service, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | - Nicolas Fountain-Jones
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55408, USA
| | - Seth Riley
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, National Park Service, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA. .,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA. .,Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA. .,Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa.
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