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Tieri EE, Marino L, Zilli K, Pompilii C, Di Teodoro G, Cocco A, Ruberto A, Toro M, Mastrodomenico MT, Salucci S, De Massis F. Survey of Mycobacterium spp. in Eurasian Badgers ( Meles meles) in Central Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:219. [PMID: 38254387 PMCID: PMC10812667 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
A survey to determine the presence of Mycobacterium spp. in the Abruzzo and Molise regions was conducted by testing samples from 124 badgers found dead or road-killed during the 2013-2021 period. Head lymph nodes were collected from all carcasses, as well as mediastinal lymph nodes from 20 of them, for bacteriological and molecular tests; tissues were inoculated onto a set of solid egg-based Lowenstein-Jensen media and in a liquid culture system (BACTEC) and were analyzed by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Organs and lymph nodes from 31 carcasses were collected for histological tests. During post-mortem examinations, macroscopic lesions consistent with a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections were not detected. Mycobacteria were isolated from four animals (3.22%). M. avium subsp. avium was isolated by head lymph nodes from two badgers (1.61%), M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (0.80%) from one, and Mycobacterium spp. from another (0.80%). The significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in wildlife hosts in the absence of clinical signs and gross pathology has yet to be assessed. The most critical aspect came from isolates belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex infection in wildlife due to the possible interference with tuberculin skin tests in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elga Ersilia Tieri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ (IZS Teramo), Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
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Juste RA, Blanco-Vázquez C, Barral M, Prieto JM, Varela-Castro L, Lesellier S, Dave D, Sevilla IA, Martín Ezquerra AB, Adriaensen H, Herrero-García G, Garrido JM, Casais R, Balseiro A. Efficacy of heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis vaccine delivered to European badgers ( Meles meles) through edible bait. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19349. [PMID: 37662827 PMCID: PMC10474426 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Badgers (Meles meles) are a major tuberculosis (TB) reservoir in Europe, with the potential to transmit infection to cattle. Here we assessed whether a recently described oral tuberculosis vaccine based on heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis (HIMB), delivered as edible baits, can protect badgers from infection. Eight badgers were given individually five baits, each one consisting of a ball of peanut butter, natural peanut and oat flakes including a dose of the vaccine containing 5 × 107 colony-forming units. In parallel, a control group of seven badgers did not receive the vaccine. One month and a half later a second dose of the vaccine was offered to the vaccinated group. Ninety-four days after the second dose, all badgers were challenged with M. bovis (103 colony-forming units per animal) delivered endobronchially to the right middle lung lobe. Clinical, immunological, pathological and bacteriological variables were measured throughout the whole study to assess the efficacy of the vaccine. Two vaccinated animals showed high bacterial load of M. bovis and worsening of pathological lesions of TB. Conversely, the other six vaccinated animals showed slight improvement in bacterial load and pathology with respect to the control group. These results suggest that delivering the TB vaccine via food bait can partially protect wild badger populations, although vaccination can lead to either protection or tolerization, likely depending on the animal's immune status and general condition at the time of vaccination. Further optimization of the vaccination trial/strategy is needed to reduce the rate of tolerization, such as altering vaccine dose, number of doses, type of bait, use of adjuvants or route of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón A. Juste
- Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - Cristina Blanco-Vázquez
- Centro de Biotecnología Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), 33394, Asturias, Spain
| | - Marta Barral
- Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - José Miguel Prieto
- Centro de Biotecnología Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), 33394, Asturias, Spain
| | - Lucía Varela-Castro
- Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - Sandrine Lesellier
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), 54220, Malzéville, France
| | - Dipesh Dave
- Bacteriology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA, Weybridge), KT15 3NB, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Iker A. Sevilla
- Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - Ana Belén Martín Ezquerra
- Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hans Adriaensen
- PIXANIM Plateform, Service Imagerie, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), UMR PR China, Val-de-Loire, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Gloria Herrero-García
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Joseba M. Garrido
- Animal Health Department, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), Spain
| | - Rosa Casais
- Centro de Biotecnología Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), 33394, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Balseiro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071, León, Spain
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Ahmad I, Raji YE, Hassan L, Samaila A, Aliyu B, Zinsstag J, Fasina FO. Systematic review and meta-analysis of tuberculosis in animals in Nigeria. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17215. [PMID: 37383186 PMCID: PMC10293676 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious and chronic disease caused by mycobacteria belonging to theMycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in domestic and wild animals. MTBC strains infection has been confirmed in many animal species in Nigeria, including captive wildlife, cattle, dromedary camels, goats, and pigs. Despite widespread infection and the potential impact of the disease on public health, active surveillance and control strategies are absent in Nigeria. This study aimed to conduct the first comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the distribution of tuberculosis and analyze the potential moderators of infection in animals in Nigeria. Eligible studies (sixty-one (Cadmus et al., 2014) [61] prevalence and seven (Menzies and Neill, 2000) [7] case reports) were retrieved and included in the analysis. The analyses showed an overall pooled TB prevalence of 7.0% (95% CI: 6.0-8.0) comprising of infection distributed in cattle (8.0%, 95% CI: 7.0-8.0), goats (0.47%, 95% CI: 0-1.2), sheep (0.27%, 95% CI: 0.14-0.46), camels (13.0%, 95% CI: 0-47), and wildlife (13.0%, 95% CI: 9-16) respectively. The occurrence of infection was significantly moderated by the publication periods, geographical location, sample size, and detection methods. TB prevalence was heterogeneous across several predictors, with the year of publication exhibiting a higher rate (46%) of the detected heterogeneity. These findings should provide policy-relevant information to guide the design and establishment of prevention and control measures amenable to the local situations in Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Ahmad
- Animal Health and Livestock Development, Gusau, Zamfara, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yakubu Egigogo Raji
- Department of Pathology, Clinical Microbiology Unit, College of Health Sciences Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Nigeria
| | - Latiffah Hassan
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abdullahi Samaila
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medical Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria
| | - Basiru Aliyu
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi, Nigeria
| | - Jakob Zinsstag
- Human and Animal Health Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, PO Box, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Folorunso O. Fasina
- Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Office in Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
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4
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Jiménez-Martín D, Cano-Terriza D, Risalde MA, Napp S, Álvarez J, Fernández-Morente M, Fernández-Molera V, Moreno I, Infantes-Lorenzo JA, García-Bocanegra I. Seroepidemiology of tuberculosis in sheep in southern Spain. Prev Vet Med 2023; 215:105920. [PMID: 37094444 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a multi-host infectious disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). In Mediterranean ecosystems, where multiple animal hosts of TB are present, identifying the role of the different species involved in the epidemiology of TB is a key point to be able to implement proper control measures. Sheep are susceptible to MTC infection but have traditionally been considered a spillover host. However, the occurrence of outbreaks involving sheep in recent years evidences the need to better understand the role of this small ruminant species in the epidemiology of the disease. Here, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with MTC seropositivity in sheep in Andalusia (southern Spain), a region with one of the highest prevalence of MTC infection in both cattle and wild ungulates. A total of 2266 sheep from 83 flocks were tested for antibodies against MTC using an in-house indirect ELISA. Anti-MTC antibodies were detected in 16 (0.7%) of the 2266 sheep (adjusted true prevalence 0.29%, 95% posterior probability interval 0.01-1.05). Seropositivity was found in 14.5% (12/83; 95%CI: 6.9-22.0) of the sheep farms analyzed. A semi-extensive management system was identified as a risk factor associated with MTC seropositivity in sheep farms (OR = 3.7; p < 0.038; 95%CI: 1.1-12.4) in the study area. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first active TB surveillance study carried out to assess MTC exposure in sheep. Our results indicate MTC circulation in sheep farms in southern Spain. However, the low individual seroprevalence obtained suggests that sheep may play a limited role in the epidemiology of TB in this region. Serosurveillance programs could be a valuable tool to detect MTC circulation in sheep in risk scenarios or target farms, in order to optimize control measures on TB animal in multi-host Mediterranean ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Jiménez-Martín
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes (ENZOEM), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes (ENZOEM), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
| | - María A Risalde
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes (ENZOEM), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Sebastián Napp
- IRTA, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Julio Álvarez
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria VISAVET, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Inmaculada Moreno
- Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Infantes-Lorenzo
- Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes (ENZOEM), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
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5
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Tuberculosis Epidemiology and Spatial Ecology at the Cattle-Wild Boar Interface in Northern Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/2147191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious chronic disease due to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) bacteria. Monitoring of wildlife, especially potential reservoirs, is important for detecting changes in disease occurrence and assessing the impact of interventions. Here, we examined whether wild boar (Sus scrofa) may contribute to the re-emergence of TB in Asturias (10,604 km2), northern Spain. Although this province was declared free of TB in cattle in November 2021, MTC bacteria remain prevalent in several “hotspots,” with the European badger (Meles meles) suggested as a TB potential wild reservoir. Drawing on data from the Spanish National Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program and the Government of the Principality of Asturias covering the period 2014–2020, we analyzed the prevalence of TB in cattle and wild boar in this region. In hotspots (592 km2), we also investigated the ranging behavior and habitat use of five cows that belonged to farms with a history of TB and six trapped sympatric wild boar. During the observation period, TB prevalence was 0.14% among cattle overall and 0.13–0.41% in hotspots, which was much lower than the prevalence in wild boar, which was 3.15% overall and 5.23–5.96% in hotspots. Infected cattle and infected wild boar in hotspots shared the same strains of M. bovis, and GPS tracking showed spatiotemporal overlap between the species, mainly around pastures during sunrise (06:00–07:00 h) and sunset (19:00–20:00 h). Our results suggest that in addition to cattle and badgers, wild boar possibly help maintain TB in northern Spain, increasing the host richness that influences TB transmission risk in the area, which should be taken into account in monitoring and eradication efforts.
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Santos N, Colino EF, Arnal MC, de Luco DF, Sevilla I, Garrido JM, Fonseca E, Valente AM, Balseiro A, Queirós J, Almeida V, Vicente J, Gortázar C, Alves PC. Complementary roles of wild boar and red deer to animal tuberculosis maintenance in multi-host communities. Epidemics 2022; 41:100633. [PMID: 36174428 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2022.100633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The contribution of wildlife species to pathogen maintenance in multi-host communities has seldom been quantified. To assess the relative contribution of the main wildlife hosts of animal tuberculosis (TB) to its maintenance, we estimated the basic reproduction number (R0) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in wild boar and red deer at 29 sites in the Iberian Peninsula. Host abundance and true TB prevalence were estimated for each species at each site by sampling from distributions incorporating the uncertainty in the proportion of the population harvested each year, sensitivity, and specificity of the diagnostic methods, while excretion of mycobacteria was estimated using site-occupancy models. The distributions of these parameters were then used to estimate, at each site, the R0,wild boar (range 0.1 - 55.9, average 8.7, standard deviation 11.8), and the R0,red deer (0.1 - 18.9, 2.2, 3.9). Animal TB is maintained in epidemiological scenarios ranging from any single species acting as a maintenance host (the wild boar in 18 sites and the red deer in 5), to facultative multi-host disease (6 sites). The prevalence of TB in the red deer is likely an important driver of the epidemiology in multi-host communities. The wild boar was the main maintenance host of TB in most of the study sites and could have an epidemiological role linking the wildlife multi-host community and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Santos
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Elisa Ferreras Colino
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María Cruz Arnal
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Daniel Fernández de Luco
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Iker Sevilla
- Animal Health Department. NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Joseba M Garrido
- Animal Health Department. NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development. Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Eliana Fonseca
- Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, I.P., Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana M Valente
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ana Balseiro
- Animal Health Department, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (IGM, CSIC-ULE), León, Spain; Animal Health Department, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (IGM, CSIC-ULE), León, Spain
| | - João Queirós
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Virgílio Almeida
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Campus da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal; CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Campus da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Christian Gortázar
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Paulo Célio Alves
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Estação Biológica de Mértola (EBM), CIBIO, Mértola, Portugal
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Robertson A, Palphramand KL, McDonald RA, Middleton S, Chambers MA, Delahay RJ, Carter SP. Uptake of baits by wild badgers: Influences of deployment method, badger age and activity patterns on potential delivery of an oral vaccine. Prev Vet Med 2022; 206:105702. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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González-Barrio D. Zoonoses and Wildlife: One Health Approach. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040480. [PMID: 35203188 PMCID: PMC8868120 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David González-Barrio
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo Km 2, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
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Oleaga Á, Vázquez CB, Royo LJ, Barral TD, Bonnaire D, Armenteros JÁ, Rabanal B, Gortázar C, Balseiro A. Canine distemper virus in wildlife in south-western Europe. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:e473-e485. [PMID: 34536064 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Multi-host pathogens emerging and re-emerging at the wildlife-domestic animal interface affect wildlife management and conservation. This is the case of canine distemper virus (CDV), a paramyxovirus closely related to human measles virus and rinderpest virus of cattle. With an area of 10,603 km2 , Asturias region in Atlantic Spain is a hotspot of carnivore diversity, which includes the largest Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) population and one of the largest wolf (Canis lupus) populations in south-western Europe. In 2020-2021, we recorded mortality due to distemper in four carnivore species including three mustelids (Eurasian badger Meles meles, European marten Martes martes and European polecat Mustela putorius) and one canid (red fox, Vulpes vulpes). Clinical signs and pathology were similar across species and consistent with the emergence of a highly pathogenic viral strain, with CDV antigen mainly located in the central nervous system, lungs, spleen and lymph nodes. A molecular study in eight wild carnivore species, also including the Iberian wolf, Eurasian brown bear, American mink (Neovison vison) and stone marten (Martes foina), revealed 19.51% (16/82) of positivity. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CDV belonged to the previously described European lineage. A retrospective serosurvey (2008-2020) showed a high seroprevalence of CDV antibodies (43.4%) in 684 analyzed badgers, indicating a long-term though not stable viral circulation in this multi-host community. The possible triggers of the 2020-2021 outbreak and the implications for carnivore management and conservation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Oleaga
- Sociedad de Servicios del Principado de Asturias S.A. (SERPA), Gijón, Spain
| | - Cristina Blanco Vázquez
- Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario del Principado de Asturias (SERIDA), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Luis José Royo
- Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario del Principado de Asturias (SERIDA), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Thiago Doria Barral
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Debby Bonnaire
- Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs Agroalimentaires de Bretagne atlantique, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - José Ángel Armenteros
- Consejería de Fomento, Ordenación del Territorio y Medio Ambiente del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Benjamín Rabanal
- Laboratorio de Técnicas Instrumentales, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - Christian Gortázar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ana Balseiro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), León, Spain
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10
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Interaction Patterns between Wildlife and Cattle Reveal Opportunities for Mycobacteria Transmission in Farms from North-Eastern Atlantic Iberian Peninsula. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082364. [PMID: 34438821 PMCID: PMC8388635 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions taking place between sympatric wildlife and livestock may contribute to interspecies transmission of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex or non-tuberculous mycobacteria, leading to the spread of relevant mycobacterioses or to interferences with the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of interactions between wildlife and cattle in a low bovine tuberculosis prevalence Atlantic region. Camera traps were set during a one-year period in cattle farms with a history of tuberculosis and/or non-tuberculous mycobacterioses. The frequency and duration of wildlife visits, and the number of individuals per visit, were analysed through generalized linear mixed models. The seasons, type of place, type of point, and period of the day were the explanatory variables. A total of 1293 visits were recorded during 2741 days of camera observation. Only 23 visits showed direct contacts with cattle, suggesting that mycobacteria transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface would occur mainly through indirect interactions. Cattle pastures represented the most appropriate habitat for interspecies transmission of mycobacteria, and badgers' latrines appear to be a potential hotspot for mycobacteria circulation between badgers, wild boars, foxes, and cattle. According to both previous epidemiological information and the interaction patterns observed, wild boars, badgers, foxes, and small rodents are the species or group most often in contact with livestock, and thus may be the most involved in the epidemiology of mycobacterioses in the wildlife-livestock interface in this area.
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