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Shock BC, Jones HH, Garrett KB, Hernandez SM, Burchfield HJ, Haman K, Schwantje H, Telford SR, Cunningham MW, Yabsley MJ. Description of B abesia coryicola sp. nov. from Florida pumas ( Puma concolor coryi) from southern Florida, USA. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100963. [PMID: 39169986 PMCID: PMC11337720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100963] [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: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Previously, a high prevalence of piroplasms has been reported from Florida pumas (Puma concolor coryi) from southern Florida. In the current study, we describe the biological characteristics of a novel Babesia species in Florida pumas. Ring-stage trophozoites were morphologically similar to trophozoites of numerous small babesids of felids including B. leo, B. felis, and Cytauxzoon felis. Parasitemias in Florida pumas were very low (<1%) and hematologic values of 25 Babesia-infected Florida pumas were within normal ranges for P. concolor. Phylogenetic analysis of near full-length 18S rRNA gene, β-tubulin, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, cytochrome c oxidase subunit III, and cytochrome b gene sequences indicated that this Babesia species is a member of the Babesia sensu stricto clade and is related to groups of Babesia spp. from carnivores or ungulates, although the closest group varied by gene target. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region sequences from this Babesia sp. from 19 Florida pumas were 85.7-99.5% similar to each other and ∼88% similar to B. odocoilei. Similarly, an ITS-2 sequence from one puma was 96% similar to B. bigemina and 92% similar to a Babesia sp. from a red panda (Ailurus fulgens). Infected pumas were positive for antibodies that reacted with B. odocoilei, B. canis, and B. bovis antigens with titers of 1:256, 1:128, and 1:128, respectively. No serologic reactivity was noted for Theileria equi. No molecular evidence of congenital infection was detected in 24 kittens born to 11 Babesia-infected female pumas. Pumas from other populations in the United States [Louisiana (n = 1), North Dakota (n = 5) and Texas (n = 28)], British Columbia, Canada (n = 9), and Costa Rica (n = 2) were negative for this Babesia sp. Collectively, these data provide morphologic, serologic, genetic, and natural history data for this novel Babesia sp. which we propose the name Babesia coryicola sp. nov. sp. This is the first description of a felid-associated Babesia species in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara C. Shock
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Håkon H. Jones
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Holly J. Burchfield
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Katie Haman
- Wildlife Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA, 98504, USA
| | - Helen Schwantje
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sam R. Telford
- Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Mark W. Cunningham
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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Kennedy SM, Passler T, Ditchkoff SS, Brown VR, Raithel GW, Chamorro MF, Walz PH, Kyriakis CS, Falkenberg SM. Seroprevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus in Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) in 17 States in the USA. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:647-659. [PMID: 38752344 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-23-00066] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the most detrimental invasive species in the USA. They are damaging to crops and agriculture, pose a public health risk as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, and may also spread disease to livestock. One pathogen identified in wild pigs is bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a virus that causes an economically important disease of cattle (Bos taurus and Bos indicus). We sought to determine the BVDV seroprevalence in wild pigs in 17 states across the US and to determine whether age category, sex, or location were associated with a positive antibody titer. Serum samples from 945 wild pigs were collected from 17 US states. Virus neutralization assays were performed to determine antibody titers against BVDV-1b and BVDV-2a. Total BVDV seroprevalence for the study area was 5.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.11-8.89). Seroprevalence across all evaluated states was determined to be 4.4% (95% CI, 2.48-6.82) for BVDV-1b and 3.6% (95% CI, 1.54-5.60) for BVDV-2a. The seroprevalence for individual states varied from 0% to 16.7%. There was no statistical difference in median antibody titer for BVDV-1b or BVDV-2a by sex or age category. State seroprevalences for both BVDV-1b and BVDV-2a were associated with wild pig population estimates for those states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shari M Kennedy
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 1500 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
- Current address: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, 2065 W. Farm Road, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Thomas Passler
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 1500 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Stephen S Ditchkoff
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, 3301 Forestry Wildlife, Auburn University, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Vienna R Brown
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, 4101 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - Gage W Raithel
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Manuel F Chamorro
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 1500 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Paul H Walz
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Constantinos S Kyriakis
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Shollie M Falkenberg
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
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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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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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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