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López-Olvera JR, Ramírez E, Martínez-Carrasco C, Granados JE. Wildlife-Livestock Host Community Maintains Simultaneous Epidemiologic Cycles of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in a Mountain Ecosystem. Vet Sci 2024; 11:217. [PMID: 38787189 PMCID: PMC11125856 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11050217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an eye disease caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae that affects domestic and wild caprines, including Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), a medium-sized mountain ungulate. However, its role in IKC dynamics in multi-host communities has been poorly studied. This study assessed M. conjunctivae in Iberian ibex and seasonally sympatric domestic small ruminants in the Natural Space of Sierra Nevada (NSSN), a mountain habitat in southern Spain. From 2015 to 2017, eye swabs were collected from 147 ibexes (46 subadults, 101 adults) and 169 adult domestic small ruminants (101 sheep, 68 goats). Mycoplasma conjunctivae was investigated through real-time qPCR and statistically assessed according to species, sex, age category, year, period, and area. The lppS gene of M. conjunctivae was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was endemic and asymptomatic in the host community of the NSSN. Three genetic clusters were shared by ibex and livestock, and one was identified only in sheep, although each host species could maintain the infection independently. Naïve subadults maintained endemic infection in Iberian ibex, with an epizootic outbreak in 2017 when the infection spread to adults. Wild ungulates are epidemiologically key in maintaining and spreading IKC and other shared diseases among spatially segregated livestock flocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS) and Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Eva Ramírez
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS) and Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Carlos Martínez-Carrasco
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, E-30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - José Enrique Granados
- Parque Nacional y Parque Natural de Sierra Nevada and Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Pinos Genil, E-18191 Granada, Spain;
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Valldeperes M, Yerro PP, López-Olvera JR, Fandos P, Lavín S, Escofet RCS, Mentaberre G, León FJCM, Espinosa J, Ráez-Bravo A, Pérez JM, Tampach S, Estruch J, Velarde R, Granados JE. Diseases of Iberian ibex ( Capra pyrenaica). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023; 69:63. [PMID: 37274486 PMCID: PMC10233571 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01684-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is an ecologically and economically relevant medium-sized emblematic mountain ungulate. Diseases participate in the population dynamics of the species as a regulating agent, but can also threaten the conservation and viability of vulnerable population units. Moreover, Iberian ibex can also be a carrier or even a reservoir of pathogens shared with domestic animals and/or humans, being therefore a concern for livestock and public health. The objective of this review is to compile the currently available knowledge on (1) diseases of Iberian ibex, presented according to their relevance on the health and demography of free-ranging populations; (2) diseases subjected to heath surveillance plans; (3) other diseases reported in the species; and (4) diseases with particular relevance in captive Iberian ibex populations. The systematic review of all the information on diseases affecting the species unveils unpublished reports, scientific communications in meetings, and scientific articles, allowing the first comprehensive compilation of Iberian ibex diseases. This review identifies the gaps in knowledge regarding pathogenesis, immune response, diagnostic methods, treatment, and management of diseases in Iberian ibex, providing a base for future research. Moreover, this challenges wildlife and livestock disease and wildlife population managers to assess the priorities and policies currently implemented in Iberian ibex health surveillance and monitoring and disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Valldeperes
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paloma Prieto Yerro
- Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, C/ Martínez Falero 11, 23470 Cazorla Jaén, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación RNM 118. Biología de Especies Cinegéticas y Plagas, Jaén, Spain
| | - Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Santiago Lavín
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gregorio Mentaberre
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal, Universitat de Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | | | - José Espinosa
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria and Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Arián Ráez-Bravo
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús M. Pérez
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación RNM 118. Biología de Especies Cinegéticas y Plagas, Jaén, Spain
- Department of Animal and Plant Biology, and Ecology, Jaén University, Campus Las Lagunillas, 23071 Jaén, Spain
| | - Stefania Tampach
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Estruch
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roser Velarde
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Bellaterra Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Enrique Granados
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Barcelona, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación RNM 118. Biología de Especies Cinegéticas y Plagas, Jaén, Spain
- Parque Nacional y Parque Natural de Sierra Nevada. Ctra., Antigua de Sierra Nevada Km 7, Pinos Genil, 18191 Granada, Spain
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Deeney AS, Collins R, Ridley AM. Identification of Mycoplasma species and related organisms from ruminants in England and Wales during 2005-2019. BMC Vet Res 2021; 17:325. [PMID: 34641885 PMCID: PMC8513359 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-021-03037-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mycoplasma species have been associated with economically important diseases affecting ruminants worldwide and include contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and contagious agalactia, listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The Mycoplasma Team at the Animal and Plant Health Agency provides an identification service for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species of veterinary importance to the United Kingdom (UK), supporting the detection of new and emerging pathogens, as well as contributing to the surveillance of endemic, and the OIE listed diseases exotic to the UK. Mycoplasma and other Mollicutes species were identified from diagnostic samples from farmed ruminants in England and Wales using a combination of culture and 16S rRNA gene-based PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, submitted between 2005 and 2019. Results A total of 5578 mollicutes identifications, which include mycoplasmas and the related acholeoplasmas and ureaplasmas, were made from farmed ruminant animals during the study period. Throughout the study period, the pathogen Mycoplasma bovis was consistently the most frequently identified species, accounting for 1411 (32%) of 4447 molecular identifications in cattle, primarily detected in the lungs of pneumonic calves, followed by joints and milk of cattle showing signs of arthritis and mastitis, respectively. M. bovirhinis, M. alkalescens, M. dispar, M. arginini and Ureaplasma diversum, were also common. Mixed species, principally M. bovis with M. alkalescens, M. arginini or M. bovirhinis were also prevalent, particularly from respiratory samples. The non-cultivable blood-borne haemoplasmas Candidatus ‘Mycoplasma haemobos’ and Mycoplasma wenyonii were identified from cattle, with the latter species most often associated with milk-drop. M. ovipneumoniae was the predominant species identified from sheep and goats experiencing respiratory disease, while M. conjunctivae preponderated in ocular samples. The UK remains free of the ruminant mycoplasmas listed by OIE. Conclusions The continued high prevalence of M. bovis identifications confirms its ongoing dominance and importance as a significant pathogen of cattle in England and Wales, particularly in association with respiratory disease. M. ovipneumoniae has seen a general increase in prevalence in recent years, notably in coughing lambs and should therefore be considered as a primary differential diagnosis of respiratory disease in small ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alannah S Deeney
- Mycoplasma Team, Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Surrey, UK.
| | - Rachael Collins
- Animal and Plant Health Agency Veterinary Investigation Centre, Starcross, Exeter, UK
| | - Anne M Ridley
- Mycoplasma Team, Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Surrey, UK
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Investigation of the Prevalence of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae in Southern Xinjiang, China. J Vet Res 2021; 65:155-160. [PMID: 34250299 PMCID: PMC8256467 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2021-0021] [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: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction It is very important to monitor the infection of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae as a potential threat to the sheep industry. Southern Xinjiang is a major sheep breeding base in China, however, there is no relevant information concerning the infection of the region’s ovine stock with this bacteria at present. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap. Material and Methods A total of 824 nasal swabs and the lungs of six sheep that died of pneumonia were collected in four regions between 2018 and 2020. Primers specific for M. ovipneumoniae and universal ones for the genus were used for PCR. Sequencing was undertaken of 159 universal primer-positive samples (153 nasal swabs and 6 lungs) and of 84 specific primer-positive samples (80 nasal swabs, 20 per region; and 4 lungs, 1 per region). The lungs were also sampled for the isolation of M. ovipneumoniae. A phylogenetic tree based on partial sequences of the Mycoplasma 16S rRNA gene was built. Results The overall nasal swab positive rate for M. ovipneumoniae was 40.78%; the rate of animals older than 12 months was significantly different to those of younger sheep (< 3 months, 53.39%; 3 – 12 months, 46.01%; >12 months, 31.76%). Four strains of M. ovipneumoniae were isolated from six lungs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated their origin outside southern Xinjiang. Two other species were also detected: M. arginine and M. conjunctivae. Conclusion Our survey indicated that a high level of M. ovipneumoniae asymptomatic colonisation in sheep, especially in lambs, affects southern Xinjiang and also confirmed the existence of M. conjunctivae and M. arginine. Our results showed that the health of sheep in southern Xinjiang is facing a great threat, and relevant prevention and control measures should be strengthened.
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Aguilar XF, López-Olvera JR, Ribas MP, Begovoeva M, Velarde R, Cardells J, Cabezón O. Mycoplasma conjunctivae in insect vectors and anatomic locations related to transmission and persistence. Vet Microbiol 2018; 228:7-11. [PMID: 30593383 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma conjunctivae is an obligate microparasite that causes Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in Caprinae species. IKC is a long-recognised disease, but little attention has been paid to the mechanisms of transmission of the mycoplasma and its occurrence in locations other than the eyes. In this study, the presence of M. conjunctivae is assessed in the eyes, external ear canals (EEC), nasal cavity, and vagina of host species as well as in potential vectors, which may be involved in the transmission and persistence of infection within the host. M. conjunctivae was detected by qPCR in 7.2 % (CI 95% 4.7-11.0) of the ear swabs and 9.5 % (CI 95% 6.4-13.9) of the nasal swabs from Pyrenean chamois, Iberian ibex, domestic sheep and mouflon without statistical differences between species. Mycoplasma detection in nasal swabs was mostly associated with ocular infection (95.6%), but this was not the case for EEC (52.6%). Among the eye-positive ruminants, 27.3% were positive in ear swabs and 64.7% in nasal swabs, and the threshold cycle values of the qPCR were correlated only between eye and nasal swabs (p < 0.01; r2 = 0.56). M. conjunctivae was detected in 1.7% - 7.1 % of Musca spp. captured during an IKC outbreak in Iberian ibex and in one out of three endemic sheep flocks. The results indicate that the transmission of M. conjunctivae may occur by direct contact with eye or nasal secretions and/or indirectly through flies. The M. conjunctivae DNA detection in EEC suggests that it can colonise the auditory tract, but the significance for its persistence within the host should be further assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Fernández Aguilar
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain; UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain.
| | - Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Maria Puig Ribas
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Mattia Begovoeva
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Roser Velarde
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Jesús Cardells
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain; Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Avda. seminario s/n, Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Oscar Cabezón
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group - Servei d' Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain; UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
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Brambilla A, Keller L, Bassano B, Grossen C. Heterozygosity-fitness correlation at the major histocompatibility complex despite low variation in Alpine ibex ( Capra ibex). Evol Appl 2018; 11:631-644. [PMID: 29875807 PMCID: PMC5979623 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Crucial for the long-term survival of wild populations is their ability to fight diseases. Disease outbreaks can lead to severe population size reductions, which makes endangered and reintroduced species especially vulnerable. In vertebrates, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays an important role in determining the immune response. Species that went through severe bottlenecks often show very low levels of genetic diversity at the MHC. Due to the known link between the MHC and immune response, such species are expected to be at particular risk in case of disease outbreaks. However, so far, only few studies have shown that low MHC diversity is correlated with increased disease susceptibility in species after severe bottlenecks. We investigated genetic variation at the MHC and its correlations with disease resistance and other fitness-related traits in Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), a wild goat species that underwent a strong bottleneck in the last century and that is known to have extremely low genetic variability, both genome-wide and at the MHC. We studied MHC variation in male ibex of Gran Paradiso National Park, the population used as a source for all postbottleneck reintroductions. We found that individual MHC heterozygosity (based on six microsatellites) was not correlated with genome-wide neutral heterozygosity. MHC heterozygosity, but not genome-wide heterozygosity, was positively correlated with resistance to infectious keratoconjunctivitis and with body mass. Our results show that genetic variation at the MHC plays an important role in disease resistance and, hence, should be taken into account for successfully managing species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Brambilla
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurich (ZH)Switzerland
- Alpine Wildlife Research CentreGran Paradiso National ParkNoasca (TO)Italy
| | - Lukas Keller
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurich (ZH)Switzerland
| | - Bruno Bassano
- Alpine Wildlife Research CentreGran Paradiso National ParkNoasca (TO)Italy
| | - Christine Grossen
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurich (ZH)Switzerland
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Fernández-Aguilar X, Cabezón O, Frey J, Velarde R, Serrano E, Colom-Cadena A, Gelormini G, Marco I, Mentaberre G, Lavín S, López-Olvera JR. Long-term dynamics of Mycoplasma conjunctivae at the wildlife-livestock interface in the Pyrenees. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186069. [PMID: 29016676 PMCID: PMC5633175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional roles of domestic and wild host populations in infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) epidemiology have been extensively discussed claiming a domestic reservoir for the more susceptible wild hosts, however, based on limited data. With the aim to better assess IKC epidemiology in complex host-pathogen alpine systems, the long-term infectious dynamics and molecular epidemiology of Mycoplasma conjunctivae was investigated in all host populations from six study areas in the Pyrenees and one in the Cantabrian Mountains (Northern Spain). Detection of M. conjunctivae was performed by qPCR on 3600 eye swabs collected during seven years from hunted wild ungulates and sympatric domestic sheep (n = 1800 animals), and cluster analyses of the strains were performed including previous reported local strains. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was consistently detected in three Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) populations, as well as in sheep flocks (17.0% of sheep) and occasionally in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) from the Pyrenees (22.2% in one year/area); statistically associated with ocular clinical signs only in chamois. Chamois populations showed different infection dynamics with low but steady prevalence (4.9%) and significant yearly fluctuations (0.0%– 40.0%). Persistence of specific M. conjunctivae strain clusters in wild host populations is demonstrated for six and nine years. Cross-species transmission between chamois and sheep and chamois and mouflon were also sporadically evidenced. Overall, independent M. conjunctivae sylvatic and domestic cycles occurred at the wildlife-livestock interface in the alpine ecosystems from the Pyrenees with sheep and chamois as the key host species for each cycle, and mouflon as a spill-over host. Host population characteristics and M. conjunctivae strains resulted in different epidemiological scenarios in chamois, ranging from the fading out of the mycoplasma to the epidemic and endemic long-term persistence. These findings highlight the capacity of M. conjunctivae to establish diverse interactions and persist in host populations, also with different transmission conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Fernández-Aguilar
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- * E-mail: (XF); (JLO)
| | - Oscar Cabezón
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Joachim Frey
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roser Velarde
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Serrano
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departamento de Biologia & Cesam, Universidad de Aveiro (UA), Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Andreu Colom-Cadena
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Giuseppina Gelormini
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ignasi Marco
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Gregorio Mentaberre
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Santiago Lavín
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- * E-mail: (XF); (JLO)
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8
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Fernández-Aguilar X, Cabezón O, Granados JE, Frey J, Serrano E, Velarde R, Cano-Manuel FJ, Mentaberre G, Ráez-Bravo A, Fandos P, López-Olvera JR. Postepizootic Persistence of Asymptomatic Mycoplasma conjunctivae Infection in Iberian Ibex. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e00690-17. [PMID: 28526790 PMCID: PMC5514678 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00690-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The susceptibility of the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) to Mycoplasma conjunctivae ocular infection and the changes in their interaction over time were studied in terms of clinical outcome, molecular detection, and IgG immune response in a captive population that underwent a severe infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) outbreak. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was detected in the Iberian ibex, coinciding with the IKC outbreak. Its prevalence had a decreasing trend in 2013 that was consistent with the clinical resolution (August, 35.4%; September, 8.7%; November, 4.3%). Infections without clinical outcome were, however, still detected in the last handling in November. Sequencing and cluster analyses of the M. conjunctivae strains found 1 year later in the ibex population confirmed the persistence of the same strain lineage that caused the IKC outbreak but with a high prevalence (75.3%) of mostly asymptomatic infections and with lower DNA load of M. conjunctivae in the eyes (mean quantitative PCR [qPCR] cycle threshold [CT ], 36.1 versus 20.3 in severe IKC). Significant age-related differences of M. conjunctivae prevalence were observed only under IKC epizootic conditions. No substantial effect of systemic IgG on M. conjunctivae DNA in the eye was evidenced with a linear mixed-models selection, which indicated that systemic IgG does not necessarily drive the resolution of M. conjunctivae infection and does not explain the epidemiological changes observed. The results show how both epidemiological scenarios, i.e., severe IKC outbreak and mostly asymptomatic infections, can consecutively occur by entailing mycoplasma persistence.IMPORTANCEMycoplasma infections are reported in a wide range of epidemiological scenarios that involve severe disease to asymptomatic infections. This study allows a better understanding of the transition between two different Mycoplasma conjunctivae epidemiological scenarios described in wild host populations and highlights the ability of M. conjunctivae to adapt, persist, and establish diverse interactions with its hosts. The proportion of asymptomatic and clinical M. conjunctivae infections in a host population may not be regarded only in response to intrinsic host species traits (i.e., susceptibility) but also to a specific host-pathogen interaction, which in turn influences the infection dynamics. Both epidemic infectious keratoconjunctivitis and a high prevalence of asymptomatic M. conjunctivae infections may occur in the same host population, depending on the circulation of M. conjunctivae, its maintenance, and the progression of the host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Fernández-Aguilar
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Oscar Cabezón
- UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Joachim Frey
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Serrano
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Biología & Cesam, Universidad de Aveiro (UA), Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Roser Velarde
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gregorio Mentaberre
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arián Ráez-Bravo
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Gelormini G, Gauthier D, Vilei EM, Crampe JP, Frey J, Ryser-Degiorgis MP. Infectious keratoconjunctivitis in wild Caprinae: merging field observations and molecular analyses sheds light on factors shaping outbreak dynamics. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:67. [PMID: 28259139 PMCID: PMC5336646 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-0972-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an ocular infectious disease caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae which affects small domestic and wild mountain ruminants. Domestic sheep maintain the pathogen but the detection of healthy carriers in wildlife has raised the question as to whether M. conjunctivae may also persist in the wild. Furthermore, the factors shaping the dynamics of IKC outbreaks in wildlife have remained largely unknown. The aims of this study were (1) to verify the etiological role of M. conjunctivae in IKC outbreaks recorded between 2002 and 2010 at four study sites in different regions of France (Pyrenees and Alps, samples from 159 Alpine ibex Capra ibex, Alpine chamois Rupicapra rupicapra and Pyrenean chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica); (2) to establish whether there existed any epidemiological links between the different regions through a cluster analysis of the detected strains (from 80 out of the 159 animals tested); (3) to explore selected pathogen, host and environmental factors potentially influencing the dynamics of IKC in wildlife, by joining results obtained by molecular analyses and by field observations (16,609 animal observations). All of the samples were tested for M. conjunctivae by qPCR, and cluster analysis was based on a highly variable part of the lppS gene. Results We documented infections with M. conjunctivae in epidemic and endemic situations, both in symptomatic and asymptomatic animals. The identified M. conjunctivae strains were site-specific and persisted in the local wild population for at least 6 years. In epidemic situations, peaks of cases and disease resurgence were associated with the emergence of new similar strains in a given area. Social interactions, seasonal movements and the landscape structure such as natural and anthropogenic barriers influenced the spatio-temporal spread of IKC. Adults were more affected than young animals and host susceptibility differed depending on the involved strain. Conclusion Our study indicates that IKC is a multifactorial disease and that M. conjunctivae can persist in wildlife populations. The disease course in individual animals and populations is influenced by both host and mycoplasma characteristics, and the disease spread within and among populations is shaped by host behavior and landscape structure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-017-0972-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Gelormini
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI), Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Edy M Vilei
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Joachim Frey
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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10
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Gupta S, Chahota R, Bhardwaj B, Priyanka P, Verma S, Sharma M. Identification of Chlamydiae and Mycoplasma species in ruminants with ocular infections. Lett Appl Microbiol 2014; 60:135-139. [PMID: 25421836 DOI: 10.1111/lam.12362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is a highly contagious ocular inflammatory condition, which is often reported in domestic small and large ruminants. Multiple infectious aetiologies are reported to be involved, but information about the role of certain fastidious bacterial pathogens such as chlamydiae and mycoplasmas is limited in India. Hence, this study was performed to determine the role of these pathogens and their identification by molecular approach. A total of 53 samples from 31 ovine, 14 caprine and eight bovine having clinical symptoms were collected and tested using species-specific PCR tests for chlamydiae and mycoplasmas followed by nucleotide sequence analysis. The results showed 77.41, 14.29 and 25% samples were chlamydiae positive in ovine, caprine and bovine, respectively, whereas 41.93, 14.29 and 37.5% prevalence of mycoplasma infection was detected in ovine, caprine and bovines, respectively. Chlamydophila abortus, Chlamydophila psittaci, Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma hyorhinis were detected from tested samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time these species are identified in IKC cases from India. Coinfection of both chlamydial and mycoplasmal species was detected in eight IKC cases of ovine which suggest synergistic roles played by both chlamydiae and mycoplasma in IKC samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Gupta
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
| | - R Chahota
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
| | - B Bhardwaj
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
| | - P Priyanka
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
| | - S Verma
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
| | - M Sharma
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur, India
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11
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Arnal M, Herrero J, de la Fe C, Revilla M, Prada C, Martínez-Durán D, Gómez-Martín A, Fernández-Arberas O, Amores J, Contreras A, García-Serrano A, de Luco DF. Dynamics of an infectious keratoconjunctivitis outbreak by Mycoplasma conjunctivae on Pyrenean Chamois Rupicapra p. pyrenaica. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61887. [PMID: 23637923 PMCID: PMC3634822 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Between 2006 and 2008, an outbreak of Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) affected Pyrenean chamois Rupicapra p. pyrenaica, an endemic subspecies of mountain ungulate that lives in the Pyrenees. The study focused on 14 mountain massifs (180,000 ha) where the species’ population is stable. Cases of IKC were detected in ten of the massifs and, in five of them, mortality was substantial. The outbreak spread quickly from the first location detected, with two peaks in mortality that affected one (2007) and three (2008) massifs. In the latter, the peak was seasonal (spring to autumn) and, in the former, the outbreak persisted through winter. To identify the outbreak’s aetiology, we examined 105 Pyrenean chamois clinically affected with IKC. TaqMan rt-PCR identified Mycoplasma conjunctivae in 93 (88.5%) of the chamois. Another rt-PCR detected Chlamydophila spp. in 14 of chamois, and 12 of those had mixed infections with mycoplasmas. In the period 2000–2007, the chamois population increased slightly (λ 1.026) but decreased significantly during the IKC outbreak (λ 0.8, 2007–2008; λ 0.85, 2008–2009) before increasing significantly after the outbreak (λ 1.1, 2009–2010). Sex-biased mortality shifted the adult sex ratio toward males (from 0.6 to 0.7 males per female) and reduced productivity slightly. Hunting was practically banned in the massifs where chamois experienced significant mortality and allowed again after the outbreak ended. Long-term monitoring of wild populations provides a basis for understanding the impacts of disease outbreaks and improves management decisions, particularly when species are subject to extractive exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maríacruz Arnal
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
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12
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Holzwarth N, Pospischil A, Marreros N, Ryser-Degiorgis MP, Mavrot F, Frey J, Thoma R, Borel N. Alpine ibex (Capra i. ibex) is not a reservoir for chlamydial infections of domestic ruminants and humans. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-010-0416-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Zimmermann L, Jambresic S, Giacometti M, Frey J. Specificity of Mycoplasma conjunctivae strains for alpine chamois Rupicapra r. rupicapra. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2008. [DOI: 10.2981/0909-6396(2008)14[118:somcsf]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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14
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Belloy L, Janovsky M, Vilei EM, Pilo P, Giacometti M, Frey J. Molecular epidemiology of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in Caprinae: transmission across species in natural outbreaks. Appl Environ Microbiol 2003; 69:1913-9. [PMID: 12676664 PMCID: PMC154764 DOI: 10.1128/aem.69.4.1913-1919.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma conjunctivae is the etiological agent of infectious keratoconjunctivitis, a highly contagious ocular infection that affects both domestic and wild Caprinae species in the European Alps. In order to study the transmission and spread of M. conjunctivae across domestic and wild Caprinae populations, we developed a molecular method for subtyping and identifying strains of M. conjunctivae. This method is based on DNA sequence determination of a variable domain within the gene lppS, a gene that encodes an antigenic lipoprotein of M. conjunctivae. This domain of lppS shows variations among different strains but remains constant upon generations of individual strains on growth medium and thus allows identification of individual strains and estimation of their phylogenetic intercorrelations. The variable domain of lppS is amplified by PCR using primers that match conserved sequences of lppS flanking it. Sequence analysis of the amplified fragment enables fine subtyping of M. conjunctivae strains. The method is applicable both to isolated strains and to clinical samples directly without requiring the cultivation of the strain. Using this method, we show that M. conjunctivae was transmitted between domestic and wild animals that were grazing in proximate pastures. Certain animals also presented infections with two different strains simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Belloy
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Berne, Switzerland
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15
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Ofri R, Horowitz IH, Raz D, Shvartsman E, Kass PH. Intraocular pressure and tear production in five herbivorous wildlife species. Vet Rec 2002; 151:265-8. [PMID: 12233828 DOI: 10.1136/vr.151.9.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The intraocular pressure and rate of tear production were measured in 18 addax antelopes (Addax nasomaculatus), four impalas (Aepyceros melampus), 11 wide-lipped rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum), 10 white-tailed wildebeests (Connochaetes gnou) and seven scimitar-horned oryxes (Oryx dammah). The animals were anaesthetised with an intramuscular injection of etorphine hydrochloride and acepromazine maleate, and the Schirmer tear test I was used to evaluate tear production, and applanation tonometry was used to evaluate the intraocular pressure. The mean (sd) rate of tear production ranged from 17.6 (3.1) mm/minute in the rhinoceros to 28.8 (8.3) mm/minute in the addax. The intraocular pressure ranged from 8.0 (1.2) mmHg in the impala to 32.1 (10.4) mmHg in the rhinoceros. The rate of tear production in the addax and the intraocular pressure in the rhinoceros appear to be the highest values of these variables to have been reported in any species.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ofri
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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16
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Grattarola C, Frey J, Abdo EM, Orusa R, Nicolet J, Giacometti M. Mycoplasma conjunctivae infections in chamois and ibexes affected with infectious keratoconjunctivitis in the Italian Alps. Vet Rec 1999; 145:588-9. [PMID: 10606022 DOI: 10.1136/vr.145.20.588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C Grattarola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Sezione di Aosta, Italy
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17
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Giacometti M, Nicolet J, Frey J, Krawinkler M, Meier W, Welle M, Johansson KE, Degiorgis MP. Susceptibility of alpine ibex to conjunctivitis caused by inoculation of a sheep-strain of Mycoplasma conjunctivae. Vet Microbiol 1998; 61:279-88. [PMID: 9646477 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1135(98)00186-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the susceptibility of alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) to mycoplasmal conjunctivitis induced by a strain of Mycoplasma conjunctivae isolated from domestic sheep by inoculation of three alpine ibexes with 1.2 x 10(6) colony forming units of M. conjunctivae in the conjunctival sac of both eyes. One more ibex was exposed to the infection by contact. Experimental animals were free of M. conjunctivae and ocular Chlamydia infection before inoculation. Conjunctivitis and serous to mucous lachrymation became apparent in all four ibexes. Clinical signs began within 2 days in inoculated animals and 22 days after the beginning of the experiment in the contact ibex. M. conjunctivae was demonstrated up to the 63th day post-inoculation by cultural and PCR-methods. After 63 days, histopathologic examination revealed nearly normal ocular tissues, and M. conjunctivae could be detected from two eyes only. No other infectious agents which might cause conjunctivitis or keratitis, including Chlamydia psittaci and Branhamella ovis, were involved. Our investigation indicates that sheep-strains of M. conjunctivae can induce conjunctivitis in alpine ibex, thus showing pathogenicity of this organism for Caprinae species other than domestic sheep and goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Giacometti
- Institute of Animal Pathology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
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