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Garrett K, Buchta I, Cleveland CA, Holley A, Sapp SG, Yabsley M. Prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in wild rodents in central Georgia, USA. One Health 2024; 18:100742. [PMID: 38711480 PMCID: PMC11070622 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, is a zoonotic parasite of raccoons (Procyon lotor) that needs a One Health approach to better inform risks to human and animal health. The few studies on B. procyonis in wild rodents have primarily focused on white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and rodent host range of B. procyonis in Georgia (USA) and investigate differences in prevalence at urban/fragmented sites and rural/agriculture sites. We sampled 99 rodents of five species. Larvae were recovered from seven of 78 (9.0%) white-footed mice with a mean of 4.4 larvae (range 1-12). One mouse had a single larva in the brain. Prevalence was not different between urban and rural sites. This report extends the geographic range of this parasite and confirms that rodents serve as paratenic hosts in the southern range. Therefore, baylisascariasis should be considered a differential for neurologic domestic animals, wildlife, or people in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Garrett
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
| | - Ian Buchta
- Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
| | - Amanda Holley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
| | - Sarah G.H. Sapp
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
| | - Michael Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States of America
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Yabsley MJ, Garrett KB, Thompson AT, Box EK, Giner MR, Haynes E, Barron H, Schneider RM, Coker SM, Beasley JC, Borchert EJ, Tumlison R, Surf A, Dukes CG, Olfenbuttel C, Brown JD, Swanepoel L, Cleveland CA. Otterly diverse - A high diversity of Dracunculus species (Spirurida: Dracunculoidea) in North American river otters ( Lontra canadensis). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 23:100922. [PMID: 38516639 PMCID: PMC10955650 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
The genus Dracunculus contains numerous species of subcutaneous parasites of mammals and reptiles. In North America, there are at least three mammal-infecting species of Dracunculus. Reports of Dracunculus infections have been reported from river otters (Lontra canadensis) since the early 1900s; however, little is known about the species infecting otters or their ecology. Most reports of Dracunculus do not have a definitive species identified because females, the most common sex found due to their larger size and location in the extremities of the host, lack distinguishing morphological characteristics, and few studies have used molecular methods to confirm identifications. Thus, outside of Ontario, Canada, where both D. insignis and D. lutrae have been confirmed in otters, the species of Dracunculus in river otters is unknown. In the current study, molecular characterization of nematodes from river otters revealed a high diversity of Dracunculus species. In addition to confirming D. insignis infections, two new clades were detected. One clade was a novel species in any host and the other was a clade previously detected in Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from the USA and a domestic dog from Spain. No infections with D. lutrae were detected and neither new lineage was genetically similar to D. jaguape, which was recently described from a neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) from Argentina. These data also indicate that Dracunculus spp. infections in otters are widespread throughout Eastern North America. Currently the life cycles for most of the Dracunculus spp. infecting otters are unknown. Studies on the diversity, life cycle, and natural history of Dracunculidae parasites in wildlife are important because the related parasite, D. medinensis (human Guinea worm) is the subject of an international eradication campaign and there are increasing reports of these parasites in new geographic locations and new hosts, including new species in humans and domestic dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Alec T. Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Erin K. Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Madeline R. Giner
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Heather Barron
- Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Sanibel, FL, 33957, USA
| | | | - Sarah M. Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - James C. Beasley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Ernest J. Borchert
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Renn Tumlison
- Applied Science and Technology, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR, 71999, USA
| | - Allison Surf
- Applied Science and Technology, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR, 71999, USA
| | - Casey G. Dukes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Colleen Olfenbuttel
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Justin D. Brown
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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Doub EE, Vigil SL, Thompson AT, Korns AL, Yabsley MJ, Ruder MG, Cleveland CA. Species composition of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the Ridge and Valley region of Tennessee, USA. J Med Entomol 2024:tjae028. [PMID: 38470211 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Biting midges in the genus Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are known to transmit many pathogens of veterinary and medical concern. Although much work has been done globally and in certain regions of North America, Culicoides spp. research in rural Appalachia is limited. To begin characterizing the distribution and community structure of Culicoides spp. in Appalachia, we surveyed 2 distinct sites in the Ridge and Valley ecoregion of northeastern Tennessee, USA, from April 2021-September 2021. Culicoides spp. were sampled using 2 methods: Centers for Disease Control ultraviolet LED light traps and potential larval habitat substrate collection (coupled with water chemistry values). Site 1 was dominated by natural features, and Site 2 was a beef cattle operation. During 96 trap nights, a total of 1,568 Culicoides were collected, representing 24 species. Site 1 yielded the highest diversity, with 24 species, while Site 2 yielded 12 species. Overall, the most abundant species in light traps were C. stellifer Coquillett (44%), C. bergi Cochrane (18%), C. haematopotus Malloch (12%), and C. debilipalpis Lutz (11%). From substrate sampling, 8 species were identified. Culicoides haematopotus was the most abundant and was collected during each sampling period. Water chemistry values taken at the time of substrate collection were not significantly related to which Culicoides spp. emerged from a given substrate. Our results indicate a diverse community of Culicoides spp. in our study area, however, further work is needed to identify Culicoides species composition across a variety of landscapes in Appalachia and inform research on vector presence and associated vector disease dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Doub
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Stacey L Vigil
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green Street, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Avery L Korns
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green Street, Athens, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Mark G Ruder
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green Street, Athens, GA, USA
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Strauss AT, Suh DC, Galbraith K, Coker SM, Schroeder K, Brandon C, Warburton EM, Yabsley MJ, Cleveland CA. Correction to: Mysterious microsporidians: springtime outbreaks of disease in Daphnia communities in shallow pond ecosystems. Oecologia 2024; 204:315. [PMID: 37589798 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05432-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Strauss
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Daniel C Suh
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kate Galbraith
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sarah M Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Katie Schroeder
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth M Warburton
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Strauss AT, Suh DC, Galbraith K, Coker SM, Schroeder K, Brandon C, Warburton EM, Yabsley MJ, Cleveland CA. Mysterious microsporidians: springtime outbreaks of disease in Daphnia communities in shallow pond ecosystems. Oecologia 2024; 204:303-314. [PMID: 37470872 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05421-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Parasites can play key roles in ecosystems, especially when they infect common hosts that play important ecological roles. Daphnia are critical grazers in many lentic freshwater ecosystems and typically reach peak densities in early spring. Daphnia have also become prominent model host organisms for the field of disease ecology, although most well-studied parasites infect them in summer or fall. Here, we report field patterns of virulent microsporidian parasites that consistently infect Daphnia in springtime, in a set of seven shallow ponds in Georgia, USA, sampled every 3-4 weeks for 18 months. We detected two distinct parasite taxa, closely matching sequences of Pseudoberwaldia daphniae and Conglomerata obtusa, both infecting all three resident species of Daphnia: D. ambigua, D. laevis, and D. parvula. To our knowledge, neither parasite has been previously reported in any of these host species or anywhere in North America. Infection prevalence peaked consistently in February-May, but the severity of these outbreaks differed substantially among ponds. Moreover, host species differed markedly in terms of their maximum infection prevalence (5% [D. parvula] to 72% [D. laevis]), mean reduction of fecundity when infected (70.6% [D. ambigua] to 99.8% [D. laevis]), mean spore yield (62,000 [D. parvula] to 377,000 [D. laevis] per host), and likelihood of being infected by each parasite. The timing and severity of the outbreaks suggests that these parasites could be impactful members of these shallow freshwater ecosystems, and that the strength of their effects is likely to hinge on the composition of ponds' zooplankton communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Strauss
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Daniel C Suh
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kate Galbraith
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sarah M Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Katie Schroeder
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth M Warburton
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Cleveland CA, Haynes E, Callaghan KC, Fojtik A, Coker S, Doub E, Brown VR, Majewska AA, Yabsley MJ. Distribution and prevalence of antibodies to Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in the United States. Vet Parasitol 2024; 325:110090. [PMID: 38043480 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a reservoir for over 100 viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens that are transmissible to humans, livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife in North America. Numerous historical local surveys and results from a nation-wide survey (2006-2010) indicated that wild pigs in the United States act as reservoirs for Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, two zoonotic pathogens of importance for human and animal health. Since that time, wild pig populations have expanded and increased in density in many areas. Population expansion of wild pigs creates opportunities for the introduction of pathogens to new areas of the country, increasing health risks. The goal of this study was to investigate the current geographic distribution and prevalence of Trichinella spp. and T. gondii antibodies in wild pigs using serum samples collected from 2014 to 2020. Serum samples from 36 states were tested for antibodies to Trichinella spp. (n = 7467) and T. gondii (n = 5984) using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Seroprevalence for Trichinella spp. (12.4%, 927/7467) and T. gondii (40.8%, 2444/5984) are significantly higher compared to a previous 2006-2010 study across all regions. Results from this study also showed a lower seroprevalence (4.8%) for Trichinella spp. in the West region compared to the other regions (South: 13.4%; Midwest: 18.4%; Northeast: 19.1%). There were new detection records for antibodies to Trichinella spp. in 11 states, mostly in the West, Midwest, and Northeast regions compared to a previous study in 2014. Males and juveniles were less likely to be positive for Trichinella spp. antibodies, compared to females and older animals, respectively. Seroprevalence was similar for T. gondii across the regions (31.8-56%) with some states having particularly high seroprevalence (e.g., Hawaii 79.4% and Pennsylvania 68%). There were new T. gondii antibody detection records for 12 states, mostly in the West, Midwest, and Northeast regions. Adults were more likely than juveniles and subadults to be seropositive. These data confirm that the distribution and prevalence of antibodies for Trichinella spp. and T. gondii are increasing in the United States, likely driven by wild pig population growth and range expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Katherine C Callaghan
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Alinde Fojtik
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sarah Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Emily Doub
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Vienna R Brown
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Gettings JR, McMahan CS, Cleveland CA, Varela-Stokes A, Hubbard K, Hamer SA, Walden HS, Yabsley MJ. Association between vector-borne pathogen seroprevalence in shelter-housed and owned dog populations in the contiguous United States of America. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:405. [PMID: 37936243 PMCID: PMC10629048 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05994-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestic dogs are susceptible to numerous vector-borne pathogens that are of significant importance for their health. In addition to being of veterinary importance, many of these pathogens are zoonotic and thus may pose a risk to human health. In the USA, owned dogs are commonly screened for exposure to or infection with several canine vector-borne pathogens. Although the screening data are widely available to show areas where infections are being diagnosed, testing of owned dogs is expected to underestimate the actual prevalence in dogs that have no access to veterinary care. The goal of this study was to measure the association between the widely available data from a perceived low-risk population with temporally and spatially collected data from shelter-housed dog populations. These data were then used to extrapolate the prevalence in dogs that generally lack veterinary care. The focus pathogens included Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi. There was a linear association between the prevalence of selected vector-borne pathogens in shelter-housed and owned dog populations and, generally, the data suggested that prevalence of heartworm (D. immitis) infection and seroprevalence of Ehrlichia spp. and B. burgdorferi are higher in shelter-housed dogs, regardless of their location, compared with the owned population. The seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. was predicted to be higher in areas that have very low to low seroprevalence, but unexpectedly, in areas of higher seroprevalence within the owned population, the seroprevalence was expected to be lower in the shelter-housed dog population. If shelters and veterinarians make decisions to not screen dogs based on the known seroprevalence of the owned group, they are likely underestimating the risk of exposure. This is especially true for heartworm. With this new estimate of the seroprevalence in shelter-housed dogs throughout the USA, shelters and veterinarians can make evidence-based informed decisions on whether testing and screening for these pathogens is appropriate for their local dog population. This work represents an important step in understanding the relationships in the seroprevalences of vector-borne pathogens between shelter-housed and owned dogs, and provides valuable data on the risk of vector-borne diseases in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna R Gettings
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Christopher S McMahan
- School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, 29634, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Andrea Varela-Stokes
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, 39762, USA
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA
| | - Kris Hubbard
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi, 39762, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
| | - Heather S Walden
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.
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Baker E, Jensen A, Miller D, Garrett KB, Cleveland CA, Brown J, Van Why K, Gerhold R. Hepatozoon spp. infection in wild canids in the eastern United States. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:372. [PMID: 37858216 PMCID: PMC10588249 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05968-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatozoon spp. are apicomplexan parasites known to cause musculoskeletal disease in a variety of animals. Two species are known to infect wild and domestic canids in the US: Hepatozoon canis and H. americanum. METHODS In this study, blood, heart, and/or spleen samples were collected from 278 wild canids (180 coyotes, 93 red foxes, and 5 gray foxes) in the eastern US and tested via PCR for Hepatozoon. Histology slides of heart and skeletal muscle were assessed for Hepatozoon cysts and associated inflammation when fresh tissue was available (n = 96). RESULTS Hepatozoon spp. were found in 24.2% (59/278) of individuals, with Hepatozoon canis in 14.0% (34/278) and H. americanum in 10.7% (26/278). One coyote was positive for both H. canis and H. americanum. Foxes were more likely to be positive for H. canis than coyotes (23% and 7% respectively, P = 0.0008), while only coyotes were positive for H. americanum. Of the eight sampled states, H. canis was present in six (Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) while H. americanum was found in two southern states (South Carolina and Louisiana). Infection status was positively correlated with myositis and myocarditis, and heart or muscle cysts were found in 83% (5/6) of H. americanum-positive coyotes. CONCLUSION This survey showed a moderate prevalence of H. canis and H. americanum in states where the parasite was previously unrecorded including South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Baker
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Alex Jensen
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University Clemson, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Debra Miller
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- One Health Initiative, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Kayla Buck Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Justin Brown
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kyle Van Why
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Harrisburg, PA, USA
| | - Richard Gerhold
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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Doub EE, Thompson AT, Korns AL, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ, Ruder MG. Immobilization of Raccoons (Procyon lotor) with Nalbuphine, Medetomidine, and Azaperone. J Wildl Dis 2023; 59:520-523. [PMID: 37151190 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Chemical immobilization is widely used by wildlife and veterinary professionals for the safe handling of animals. A combination of nalbuphine (40 mg/mL), azaperone (10 mg/mL), and medetomidine (10 mg/mL), known as NAM, is a low-volume combination with field immobilization practicality and fewer regulations restricting its use in the US than some other drug combinations. We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of NAM as an immobilizing agent for raccoons (Procyon lotor). From May 2021 to February 2022, 16 adult raccoons were captured in cage traps and immobilized with 0.3 mL NAM intramuscularly (12 mg nalbuphine, 3 mg medetomidine, and 3 mg azaperone, regardless of body weight). After administration, time to sedation was measured; body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation were monitored and recorded every 5 min for 20 min. Each raccoon was weighed; the dose administered was calculated (range 2.2-4.1 mg/kg, mean 3 mg/kg). Mean induction time was 6 min (4-17 min); time to recovery following administration of 15 mg atipamezole, 7.5 mg naltrexone for reversal, was 10 min (6-18 min). Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and respiration rate remained steady during immobilization. Rectal temperature steadily declined. Overall, NAM appeared to be a practical option for raccoon immobilization, providing rapid induction and reversal as well as adequate sedation for short-term handling and minimally invasive sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Doub
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Avery L Korns
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Mark G Ruder
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
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10
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Hazelrig CM, Gettings JR, Cleveland CA, Varela-Stokes A, Majewska AA, Hubbard K, Burton KW, Yabsley MJ. Spatial and risk factor analyses of vector-borne pathogens among shelter dogs in the Eastern United States. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:197. [PMID: 37301970 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05813-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vector-borne infections pose significant health risks to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in the United States may be infected with and serve as sentinel hosts for several zoonotic vector-borne pathogens. In this study, we analyzed the geographical distribution, risk factors, and co-infections associated with infection with Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, and Dirofilaria immitis in shelter dogs in the Eastern United States. METHODS From 2016 to 2020, blood samples from 3750 shelter dogs from 19 states were examined with IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx® Plus tests to determine the seroprevalence of infection with tick-borne pathogens and infection with D. immitis. We assessed the impact of factors including age, sex, intact status, breed group, and location on infection using logistic regression. RESULTS The overall seroprevalence of D. immitis was 11.2% (n = 419/3750), the seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. was 2.4% (n = 90/3750), the seroprevalence of Ehrlichia spp. was 8.0% (n = 299/3750), and the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi was 8.9% (n = 332/3750). Regional variation in seroprevalence was noted: D. immitis (17.4%, n = 355/2036) and Ehrlichia spp. (10.7%, n = 217/2036) were highest in the Southeast while seroprevalence for B. burgdorferi (19.3%, n = 143/740) and Anaplasma spp. (5.7%, n = 42/740) were highest in the Northeast. Overall, 4.8% (n = 179/3750) of dogs had co-infections, the most common of which were D. immitis/Ehrlichia spp. (1.6%, n = 59/3750), B. burgdorferi/Anaplasma spp. (1.5%, n = 55/3750), and B. burgdorferi/Ehrlichia spp. (1.2%, n = 46/3750). Risk factors significantly influenced infection across the evaluated pathogens were location and breed group. All evaluated risk factors were significant for the seroprevalence of D. immitis antigens. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate a regionally variable risk of infection with vector-borne pathogens in shelter dogs throughout the Eastern United States, likely due to varying distributions of vectors. However, as many vectors are undergoing range expansions or other changes in distribution associated with climate and landscape change, continued vector-borne pathogen surveillance is important for maintaining reliable risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna M Hazelrig
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Jenna R Gettings
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Andrea Varela-Stokes
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kris Hubbard
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- West Asheville Family Vet, Asheville, NC, USA
| | - K Wade Burton
- IDEXX Laboratories, One IDEXX Drive, Westbrook, ME, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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11
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Garrett K, Brown J, Grunert RKA, Hunte J, Ruder MG, Van Why K, Yabsley MJ, Cleveland CA. Echinococcus Species Infections among Wild Canids in Pennsylvania, USA. J Wildl Dis 2023:492078. [PMID: 37036486 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Echinococcus species are zoonotic tapeworms that can impact the health of wildlife, domestic animals, livestock, and humans. Two species of interest in North America are Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus canadensis (Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato). The primary wildlife definitive hosts for E. multilocularis and E. canadensis are similar, including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and wolves (Canis lupus). These two Echinococcus spp. use different intermediate hosts, including small mammals for E. multilocularis and artiodactylids for E. canadensis. Although historically absent from much of the eastern US, recent reports in new US states (e.g., Virginia, Vermont, Maine, Missouri) highlight the need for Echinococcus spp. surveillance in this region. During 2019-2020, 308 gastrointestinal tracts were collected from wild canids in Pennsylvania and microscopically screened for adult Echinococcus species. Two coyotes (2/155) were co-infected with both E. multilocularis and E. canadensis as determined by molecular confirmation. No red foxes (n=137) or gray foxes (n=16) were positive. These data indicate both Echinococcus species are present in Pennsylvanian coyotes, highlighting the need to understand the ecological and epidemiological consequences for human and animal health better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Justin Brown
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Shortlidge Rd., University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Ryan K A Grunert
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Jonathan Hunte
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 501 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Mark G Ruder
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Kyle Van Why
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, P.O. Box 60827, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17106, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
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12
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Cleveland CA, Dallas TA, Vigil S, Mead DG, Corn JL, Park AW. Vector communities under global change may exacerbate and redistribute infectious disease risk. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:963-972. [PMID: 36847842 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07799-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne parasites may be transmitted by multiple vector species, resulting in an increased risk of transmission, potentially at larger spatial scales compared to any single vector species. Additionally, the different abilities of patchily distributed vector species to acquire and transmit parasites will lead to varying degrees of transmission risk. Investigation of how vector community composition and parasite transmission change over space due to variation in environmental conditions may help to explain current patterns in diseases but also informs our understanding of how patterns will change under climate and land-use change. We developed a novel statistical approach using a multi-year, spatially extensive case study involving a vector-borne virus affecting white-tailed deer transmitted by Culicoides midges. We characterized the structure of vector communities, established the ecological gradient controlling change in structure, and related the ecology and structure to the amount of disease reporting observed in host populations. We found that vector species largely occur and replace each other as groups, rather than individual species. Moreover, community structure is primarily controlled by temperature ranges, with certain communities being consistently associated with high levels of disease reporting. These communities are essentially composed of species previously undocumented as potential vectors, whereas communities containing putative vector species were largely associated with low levels, or even absence, of disease reporting. We contend that the application of metacommunity ecology to vector-borne infectious disease ecology can greatly aid the identification of transmission hotspots and an understanding of the ecological drivers of parasite transmission risk both now and in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS), Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Tad A Dallas
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29205, USA.
| | - Stacey Vigil
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS), Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Daniel G Mead
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS), Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Joseph L Corn
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS), Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Andrew W Park
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E. Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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13
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Coker SM, Box EK, Stilwell N, Thiele EA, Cotton JA, Haynes E, Yabsley MJ, Cleveland CA. Development and validation of a quantitative PCR for the detection of Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010830. [PMID: 36206300 PMCID: PMC9581357 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm) is a parasitic nematode that can cause the debilitating disease dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) in humans. The global Guinea Worm Eradication Program has led intervention and eradication efforts since the 1980s, and Guinea worm infections in people have decreased >99.99%. With the final goal of eradication drawing nearer, reports of animal infections from some remaining endemic countries pose unique challenges. Currently, confirmation of suspected Guinea worm infection relies on conventional molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is not specific to Guinea worm and, therefore, requires sequencing of the PCR products to confirm the identity of suspect samples, a process that often takes a few weeks. To decrease the time required for species confirmation, we developed a quantitative PCR assay targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene of Guinea worm. Our assay has a limit of detection of 10 copies per reaction. The mean analytical parameters (± SE) were as follows: efficiency = 93.4 ± 7.7%, y-intercept = 40.93 ± 1.11, slope = -3.4896 ± 0.12, and the R2 = 0.999 ± 0.004. The assay did not amplify other nematodes found in Guinea worm-endemic regions and demonstrated 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Implementation of this quantitative PCR assay for Guinea worm identification could eliminate the need for DNA sequencing to confirm species. Thus, this approach can be implemented to provide more rapid confirmation of Guinea worm infections, leading to faster execution of Guinea worm interventions while increasing our understanding of infection patterns. Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) is a parasitic nematode that causes debilitating disease in humans. The Guinea Worm Eradication Program would benefit from having a rapid molecular test that can confirm species identification without time-consuming DNA sequencing. We developed a qPCR protocol targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene of Guinea worm. The assay was validated analytically over 12 experiments using a standard serial dilution as well as diagnostically on DNA samples from non-target host species and other parasites (n = 180) and Guinea worm samples (n = 200) from a diversity of hosts and geographic regions. This assay could reliably detect 10 copies of the target DNA sequence and had a mean efficiency of 93.4% with 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Erin K. Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Natalie Stilwell
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Thiele
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States of America
| | - James A. Cotton
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MJY); (CAC)
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MJY); (CAC)
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14
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Haynes E, Cleveland CA, Garrett KB, Grunert RKA, Bryan JA, Sidouin M, Oaukou PT, Ngandolo BNR, Yabsley MJ. Characterization of the genetics and epidemiology of Brugia sp. in domestic dogs in Chad, Africa. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 35:100784. [PMID: 36184112 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases pose a threat to domestic animal health, as domestic animals can serve as reservoirs for certain zoonotic parasitic infections, including Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) and lymphatic filariasis. Surveillance for these parasites in domestic animals is needed to understand infection prevalence and transmission cycles, with the goal of instituting appropriate interventions. The goal of this research was to report our finding of Brugia sp. infection in dogs from Chad, Africa, and to characterize the genetics and epidemiology of the parasite. During a recent Chadian canine pathogen surveillance project, we identified Brugia sp. infections in a total of 46 out of 428 dogs (10.7%) sampled at three time points in 2019-2020. We found high levels of sequence similarity to B. malayi and B. pahangi based on amplification of 18S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS-2 regions. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences placed the Chadian Brugia sp. in a clade with other Brugia spp. but grouped it separately from both B. malayi and B. pahangi. Analysis of Hha I sequences showed the greatest similarity with B. patei, a parasite previously reported from dogs, cats, and wildlife hosts in Kenya. Epidemiologic analysis using generalized linear regression modeling found significantly higher odds of Brugia sp. detection among dogs in villages in southern Chad compared to those in the northern region. Further, within the northern region, there were higher odds of detection in the dry season, compared to the wet season, which is consistent with the ecology of a presumably mosquito-borne parasite. The same 428 dogs were tested for Dirofilaria immitis antigen using a commercial assay (IDEXX SNAP 4Dx) at the earliest time point of the study, with 119 dogs testing positive. However, no association was noted between Brugia infection and a dog being positive for Di. immitis antigen, with only seven of the 119 Di. immitis antigen-positive dogs being Brugia-positive. This is the first report of Brugia sp. in domestic dogs in Chad and additional research is needed to definitively identify the species present, elucidate transmission, and understand potential risks to canine and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ryan K A Grunert
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - John A Bryan
- Zachery Consulting LLC, 2595 Rogers Mill Road, Danielsville, GA 30633, USA
| | - Metinou Sidouin
- The Carter Center, 453 Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA
| | | | | | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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15
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Cleveland CA, Garrett KB, Box EK, Thompson AT, Haynes EK, Elder DL, Richards RL, Majewska AA, Guagliardo SAJ, Wiegand RE, Bryan II JA, Torres-Velez F, Unterwegner K, Romero M, Zirimwabagabo H, Sidouin M, Oaukou PT, Ada MM, Ngandolo BNR, Mackenzie CD, Geary TG, Weiss AJ, Yabsley MJ. Investigating Flubendazole as an Anthelmintic Treatment for Guinea Worm (Dracunculus medinensis): Clinical Trials in Laboratory-Reared Ferrets and Domestic Dogs in Chad. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:tpmd211222. [PMID: 35226875 PMCID: PMC9128682 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm [GW]), a zoonotic nematode targeted for eradication, has been managed using interventions aimed at humans; however, increases in domestic dog GW infections highlight the need for novel approaches. We conducted two clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of subcutaneously injected flubendazole (FBZ) as a treatment of GW infection. The first trial was conducted administering FBZ to experimentally infected ferrets; the second trial involved administering FBZ or a placebo to domestic dogs in the Republic of Tchad (Chad). We found contrasting results between the two trials. When adult gravid female GW were recovered from ferrets treated with FBZ, larvae presented in poor condition, with low to no motility, and an inability to infect copepods. Histopathology results indicated a disruption to morulae development within uteri of worms from treated animals. Results from the trial in Chadian dogs failed to indicate significant treatment of or prevention against GW infection. However, the difference in treatment intervals (1 month for ferrets and 6 months for dogs) or the timing of treatment (ferrets were treated later in the GW life-cycle than dogs) could explain different responses to the subcutaneous FBZ injections. Both trials provided valuable data guiding the use of FBZ in future trials (such as decreasing treatment intervals or increasing the dose of FBZ in dogs to increase exposure), and highlighted important lessons learned during the implementation of a field-based, double-blinded randomized control trial in Chadian dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Robert L. Richards
- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
- Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | | | | | - Ryan E. Wiegand
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mbang Mahammat Ada
- Programme National d’Eradication du Ver de Guinée, Ministry of Health, N’Djamena, Chad
| | | | | | - Timothy G. Geary
- McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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16
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Box EK, Cleveland CA, Subramaniam K, Waltzek TB, Yabsley MJ. Molecular Confirmation of Ranavirus Infection in Amphibians From Chad, Africa. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:733939. [PMID: 34604370 PMCID: PMC8481899 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.733939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ranaviruses are DNA viruses (Family Iridoviridae; Subfamily Alphairidovirinae) and ranaviral disease is considered an emerging infectious disease of ectothermic vertebrates. Ranavirus infection can have varying pathological effects on infected amphibians, reptiles, and fish, most notably causing significant mortality events and population declines. Despite having a broad global range with reports from six continents, only a single incidental finding in Xenopus longipes from mainland Africa (Cameroon) is known and lacks molecular confirmation. Thus, there is a considerable knowledge gap concerning ranaviruses in Africa. We opportunistically obtained tissue samples from 160 amphibians representing five genera (Hoplobatrachus, Hylarana, Ptychadena, Pyxicephalus, and Xenopus) and two turtles (Pelomedusa sp.) from Chad, Africa. Samples were tested for ranavirus infection using a conventional PCR assay targeting the major capsid protein (MCP). A total of 25/160 (16%) frogs tested positive including 15/87 (17%) Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, 10/58 (17%) Ptychadena spp., 0/3 Pyxicephalus spp., 0/9 Xenopus spp., and 0/3 Hylarana spp. One of two turtles tested positive. Partial MCP gene sequences indicated all samples were >98% similar to several frog virus 3 (FV3)-like sequences. Additional gene targets (DNA polymerase [DNApol], ribonucleotide reductase alpha [RNR- α], ribonucleotide reductase beta subunit [RNR- β]) were sequenced to provide further detailed classification of the virus. Sequences of individual gene targets indicate that the ranavirus detected in frogs in Chad is most similar to tiger frog virus (TFV), a FV3-like virus previously isolated from diseased amphibians cultured in China and Thailand. Full genome sequencing of one sample indicates that the Chad frog virus (CFV) is a well-supported sister group to the TFVs previously determined from Asia. This work represents the first molecular confirmation of ranaviruses from Africa and is a first step in comparing ranavirus phylogeography on a local and global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kuttichantran Subramaniam
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas B Waltzek
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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17
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Box EK, Cleveland CA, Garrett KB, Grunert RK, Hutchins K, Majewska AA, Thompson AT, Wyckoff ST, Ehlers C, Yabsley MJ. Copepod consumption by amphibians and fish with implications for transmission of Dracunculus species. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021; 15:231-237. [PMID: 34189031 PMCID: PMC8217678 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes in the genus Dracunculus have a complex life cycle that requires more than one host species in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The most well-studied species, Dracunculus medinensis, is the causative agent of human Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis). There are several other Dracunculus species that infect non-human animals, primarily wildlife (reptiles and mammals). The classic route of D. medinensis transmission to humans is through the ingestion of water containing the intermediate host, a cyclopoid copepod, infected with third-stage larvae (L3s). However, many animal hosts (e.g., terrestrial snakes, dogs) of other Dracunculus sp. appear unlikely to ingest a large number of copepods while drinking. Therefore, alternative routes of infection (e.g., paratenic or transport hosts) may facilitate Dracunculus transmission to these species. To better understand the role of paratenic and transport hosts in Dracunculus transmission to animal definitive hosts, we compared copepod ingestion rates for aquatic species (fish, frogs [tadpoles and adults], and newts) which may serve as paratenic or transport hosts. We hypothesized that fish would consume more copepods than amphibians. Our findings confirm that African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and fish consume copepods, but that fish ingest, on average, significantly higher numbers (68% [34/50]) than adult African clawed frogs (36% [18/50]) during a 24-h time period. Our results suggest that amphibians and fish may play a role in the transmission of Dracunculus to definitive hosts. Still, additional research is required to determine whether, in the wild, fish or frogs are serving as paratenic or transport hosts. If so, they may facilitate Dracunculus transmission. However, if these animals simply act as dead-end hosts or as means of copepod population control, they may decrease Dracunculus transmission. Copepod ingestion during 24 h was assessed for fish and amphibians. Significant numbers of copepods were consumed by fish and adult Xenopus. Tadpoles and newts did not consume large numbers of copepods during this time. Fish and amphibians may facilitate Dracunculus transmission. Further studies may elucidate how copepod ingestion impact parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Ryan K Grunert
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Katherine Hutchins
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322, GA, USA
| | - Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Seth T Wyckoff
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Coles Ehlers
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA.,Young Scholars Program at the University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
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18
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Guagliardo SAJ, Wiegand R, Roy SL, Cleveland CA, Zirimwabagabo H, Chop E, Tchindebet Ouakou P, Ruiz-Tiben E, R. Hopkins D, J. Weiss A. Correlates of Variation in Guinea Worm Burden among Infected Domestic Dogs. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:1418-1424. [PMID: 33617473 PMCID: PMC8045642 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Guinea Worm Eradication Program has been extraordinarily successful-in 2019, there were 53 human cases reported, down from the estimated 3.5 million in 1986. Yet the occurrence of Guinea worm in dogs is a challenge to eradication efforts, and underlying questions about transmission dynamics remain. We used routine surveillance data to run negative binomial regressions predicting worm burden among infected dogs in Chad. Of 3,371 infected dogs reported during 2015-2018, 38.5% had multiple worms. A multivariable model showed that the number of dogs in the household was negatively associated with worm burden (adjusted incidence rate ratio [AIRR] = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.97, P < 0.0001) after adjusting for dog age (AIRR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96-1.01, P > 0.1). This could relate to the amount of infective inocula (e.g., contaminated food or water) shared by multiple dogs in a household. Other significant univariable associations with worm burden included dog history of Guinea worm infection (IRR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.18-1.45) and dog owners who were hunters (IRR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.99, P < 0.05) or farmers (IRR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.77-0.90, P < 0.0001). Further analysis showed that the number of dogs in the household was significantly and positively correlated with nearly all other independent variables (e.g., owner occupation: farmer, fisherman, or hunter; dog age, sex, and history of Guinea worm). The associations we identified between worm burden and dogs per household, and dogs per household and owner characteristics should be further investigated with more targeted studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Anne J. Guagliardo
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ryan Wiegand
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sharon L. Roy
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Elisabeth Chop
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Donald R. Hopkins
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Adam J. Weiss
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Cleveland CA, Eberhard ML, Garrett KB, Thompson AT, Swanepoel L, Miller EA, Stephens OL, Yabsley MJ. Dracunculus Species in Meso-mammals from Georgia, United States, and Implications for the Guinea Worm Eradication Program in Chad, Africa. J Parasitol 2021; 106:616-622. [PMID: 33009554 DOI: 10.1645/18-178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and diversity of parasitic nematodes in wildlife have been well studied for certain species, yet for others considerable gaps in knowledge exist. The parasitic nematode Dracunculus insignis infects North American wildlife, and past research on this species has led to an increased understanding of the potential host diversity and transmission of the closely related human Guinea worm, Dracunculus medinensis (which is currently the focus of a global eradication program). Many definitive hosts have been documented for D. insignis; however, the life cycle has been studied only in laboratories, and only a single phylogenetic study has been conducted on D. insignis (from Canada). The goals of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of infections with Dracunculus species among wildlife at a single site (Di-Lane plantation) in the southeastern United States, evaluate the genetic diversity of parasites at this site, and investigate potential paratenic hosts that may be involved in transmission. Over 3 yr, we sampled 228 meso-mammals, reporting an overall prevalence of infection with Dracunculus insignis of 20% (46/228). Amphibians and fish were sampled in the same geographic area as infected meso-mammals. Dracunculus insignis third-stage larvae were recovered from 2 different species of amphibians, but all fish sampled were negative. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene showed very little diversity of Dracunculus at Di-Lane; however, we did recover a single nematode from a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) that falls outside of the D. insignis clade, more closely aligns with Dracunculus lutrae, and may represent an undescribed species. This work documents the occurrence of D. insignis in frogs, a potential transmission pathway for D. insignis at a single geographic site in nature. When applied to the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program, and Chad, Africa, in particular, this work increases our knowledge of the potential role of aquatic animals in the transmission of Dracunculus species and informs on potential intervention strategies that may be applied to the eradication of Guinea worm in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia 589 D. W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Mark L Eberhard
- (Retired) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30333
| | - Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia 589 D. W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia 589 D. W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia 589 D. W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Elizabeth A Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
| | - Odin L Stephens
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia 589 D. W. Brooks Dr., Athens, Georgia 30602.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, Georgia 30602
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20
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Priest JW, Ngandolo BNR, Lechenne M, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ, Weiss AJ, Roy SL, Cama V. Development of a Multiplex Bead Assay for the Detection of Canine IgG 4 Antibody Responses to Guinea Worm. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:303-312. [PMID: 33124546 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased levels of guinea worm (GW) disease transmission among dogs in villages along the Chari River in Chad threaten the gains made by the GW Eradication Program. Infected dogs with preemergent worm blisters are difficult to proactively identify. If these dogs are not contained, blisters can burst upon submersion in water, leading to the contamination of the water supply with L1 larvae. Guinea worm antigens previously identified using sera from human dracunculiasis patients were coupled to polystyrene beads for multiplex bead assay analysis of 41 non-endemic (presumed negative) dog sera and 39 sera from GW-positive dogs from Chad. Because commercially available anti-dog IgG secondary antibodies did not perform well in the multiplex assay, dog IgGs were partially purified, and a new anti-dog IgG monoclonal antibody was developed. Using the new 4E3D9 monoclonal secondary antibody, the thioredoxin-like protein 1-glutathione-S-transferase (GST), heat shock protein (HSP1)-GST, and HSP2-GST antigen multiplex assays had sensitivities of 69-74% and specificities of 73-83%. The domain of unknown function protein 148 (DUF148)-GST antigen multiplex assay had a sensitivity of 89.7% and a specificity of 85.4%. When testing samples collected within 1 year of GW emergence (n = 20), the DUF148-GST assay had a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 97.6% with a receiver-operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.94. Using sera from two experimentally infected dogs, antibodies to GW antigens were detected within 6 months of exposure. Our results suggest that, when used to analyze paired, longitudinal samples collected 1-2 months apart, the DUF148/GST multiplex assay could identify infected dogs 4-8 months before GW emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Priest
- 1Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Christopher A Cleveland
- 4Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- 4Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.,5Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | | | - Sharon L Roy
- 7Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.,8World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Dracunculiasis Eradication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Vitaliano Cama
- 7Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.,8World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Dracunculiasis Eradication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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21
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Fenton H, McBurney S, Elsmo EJ, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ. Lesions associated with Bartonella taylorii-like bacterium infection in a free-ranging, young-of-the-year raccoon from Prince Edward Island, Canada. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:362-365. [PMID: 33463406 DOI: 10.1177/1040638720988515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A young-of-the year, female raccoon was presented with clinical signs of weakness and tremors. The raccoon was euthanized, and autopsy findings included poor body condition, diffuse lymphadenopathy, and pale, firm kidneys with petechial hemorrhages throughout the renal cortex. Histologic lesions included systemic fibrinoid vascular necrosis and severe renal lesions, including lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis and fibrinosuppurative glomerulonephritis. Inflammatory vascular lesions were also present within the uvea, heart, lymph nodes, and the lamina propria of the gastric wall. Ancillary testing was negative for Borrelia burgdorferi, Leptospira sp., Aleutian disease virus, canine distemper virus, feline coronavirus, porcine circovirus 2, and rabies virus. Transmission electron microscopy revealed large numbers of ~1.3 × 0.35 µm bacterial rods surrounded by a trilaminar cell wall located within the glomeruli and associated with aggregates of fibrin and vascular damage. Analysis of partial citrate synthase gene and 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer region sequences from kidney tissue confirmed that the organism was a Bartonella spp. that was related to numerous Bartonella spp. from shrews in Europe. This group formed a sister clade to the genetically diverse Bartonella taylorii group that has been reported from a wide range of Eurasian rodent and flea species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Fenton
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
| | - Scott McBurney
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
| | - Elizabeth J Elsmo
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Madison, WI
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA
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22
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Durrant C, Thiele EA, Holroyd N, Doyle SR, Sallé G, Tracey A, Sankaranarayanan G, Lotkowska ME, Bennett HM, Huckvale T, Abdellah Z, Tchindebet O, Wossen M, Logora MSY, Coulibaly CO, Weiss A, Schulte-Hostedde AI, Foster JM, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ, Ruiz-Tiben E, Berriman M, Eberhard ML, Cotton JA. Population genomic evidence that human and animal infections in Africa come from the same populations of Dracunculus medinensis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008623. [PMID: 33253172 PMCID: PMC7728184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Guinea worm-Dracunculus medinensis-was historically one of the major parasites of humans and has been known since antiquity. Now, Guinea worm is on the brink of eradication, as efforts to interrupt transmission have reduced the annual burden of disease from millions of infections per year in the 1980s to only 54 human cases reported globally in 2019. Despite the enormous success of eradication efforts to date, one complication has arisen. Over the last few years, hundreds of dogs have been found infected with this previously apparently anthroponotic parasite, almost all in Chad. Moreover, the relative numbers of infections in humans and dogs suggests that dogs are currently the principal reservoir on infection and key to maintaining transmission in that country. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In an effort to shed light on this peculiar epidemiology of Guinea worm in Chad, we have sequenced and compared the genomes of worms from dog, human and other animal infections. Confirming previous work with other molecular markers, we show that all of these worms are D. medinensis, and that the same population of worms are causing both infections, can confirm the suspected transmission between host species and detect signs of a population bottleneck due to the eradication efforts. The diversity of worms in Chad appears to exclude the possibility that there were no, or very few, worms present in the country during a 10-year absence of reported cases. CONCLUSIONS This work reinforces the importance of adequate surveillance of both human and dog populations in the Guinea worm eradication campaign and suggests that control programs aiming to interrupt disease transmission should stay aware of the possible emergence of unusual epidemiology as pathogens approach elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Durrant
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. Thiele
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States of America
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R. Doyle
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Guillaume Sallé
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- INRA—U. Tours, UMR 1282 ISP Infectiologie et Santé Publique, Nouzilly, France
| | - Alan Tracey
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Geetha Sankaranarayanan
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Magda E. Lotkowska
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley M. Bennett
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Present Address: Berkeley Lights Inc., Emeryville, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas Huckvale
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Zahra Abdellah
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ouakou Tchindebet
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mesfin Wossen
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Cheick Oumar Coulibaly
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Adam Weiss
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Jeremy M. Foster
- New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben
- Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (JAC); (MB)
| | - Mark L. Eberhard
- Retired, Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - James A. Cotton
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (JAC); (MB)
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23
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Richards RL, Cleveland CA, Hall RJ, Tchindebet Ouakou P, Park AW, Ruiz-Tiben E, Weiss A, Yabsley MJ, Ezenwa VO. Identifying correlates of Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) infection in domestic dog populations. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008620. [PMID: 32925916 PMCID: PMC7515199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Few human infectious diseases have been driven as close to eradication as dracunculiasis, caused by the Guinea worm parasite (Dracunculus medinensis). The number of human cases of Guinea worm decreased from an estimated 3.5 million in 1986 to mere hundreds by the 2010s. In Chad, domestic dogs were diagnosed with Guinea worm for the first time in 2012, and the numbers of infected dogs have increased annually. The presence of the parasite in a non-human host now challenges efforts to eradicate D. medinensis, making it critical to understand the factors that correlate with infection in dogs. In this study, we evaluated anthropogenic and environmental factors most predictive of detection of D. medinensis infection in domestic dog populations in Chad. Using boosted regression tree models to identify covariates of importance for predicting D. medinensis infection at the village and spatial hotspot levels, while controlling for surveillance intensity, we found that the presence of infection in a village was predicted by a combination of demographic (e.g. fishing village identity, dog population size), geographic (e.g. local variation in elevation), and climatic (e.g. precipitation and temperature) factors, which differed between northern and southern villages. In contrast, the presence of a village in a spatial infection hotspot, was primarily predicted by geography and climate. Our findings suggest that factors intrinsic to individual villages are highly predictive of the detection of Guinea worm parasite presence, whereas village membership in a spatial infection hotspot is largely determined by location and climate. This study provides new insight into the landscape-scale epidemiology of a debilitating parasite and can be used to more effectively target ongoing research and possibly eradication and control efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L. Richards
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Richard J. Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Andrew W. Park
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Adam Weiss
- The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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24
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Thompson AT, Dominguez K, Cleveland CA, Dergousoff SJ, Doi K, Falco RC, Greay T, Irwin P, Lindsay LR, Liu J, Mather TN, Oskam CL, Rodriguez-Vivas RI, Ruder MG, Shaw D, Vigil SL, White S, Yabsley MJ. Molecular Characterization of Haemaphysalis Species and a Molecular Genetic Key for the Identification of Haemaphysalis of North America. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:141. [PMID: 32232062 PMCID: PMC7082797 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae), the Asian longhorned tick, is native to East Asia, but has become established in Australia and New Zealand, and more recently in the United States. In North America, there are other native Haemaphysalis species that share similar morphological characteristics and can be difficult to identify if the specimen is damaged. The goal of this study was to develop a cost-effective and rapid molecular diagnostic assay to differentiate between exotic and native Haemaphysalis species to aid in ongoing surveillance of H. longicornis within the United States and help prevent misidentification. We demonstrated that restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) can be used to differentiate H. longicornis from the other Haemaphysalis species found in North America. Furthermore, we show that this RFLP assay can be applied to Haemaphysalis species endemic to other regions of the world for the rapid identification of damaged specimens. The work presented in this study can serve as the foundation for region specific PCR-RFLP keys for Haemaphysalis and other tick species and can be further applied to other morphometrically challenging taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec T. Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kristen Dominguez
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Shaun J. Dergousoff
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Kandai Doi
- Laboratory of Wildlife Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan
| | - Richard C. Falco
- New York State Department of Health, Louis Calder Center, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, United States
| | - Telleasha Greay
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Peter Irwin
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - L. Robbin Lindsay
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jingze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Thomas N. Mather
- Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Charlotte L. Oskam
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Roger I. Rodriguez-Vivas
- Campus of Biology and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, National Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Mark G. Ruder
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - David Shaw
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Stacey L. Vigil
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Seth White
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Garrett KB, Box EK, Cleveland CA, Majewska AA, Yabsley MJ. Dogs and the classic route of Guinea Worm transmission: an evaluation of copepod ingestion. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1430. [PMID: 31996759 PMCID: PMC6989452 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58191-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dracunculus medinensis, the causative agent of Guinea worm disease in humans, is being reported with increasing frequency in dogs. However, the route(s) of transmission to dogs is still poorly understood. Classical transmission to humans occurs via drinking water that contains cyclopoid copepods infected with third stage larvae of D. medinensis, but due to the method of dog drinking (lapping) compared to humans (suction and/or retrieval of water into containers), it seems unlikely that dogs would ingest copepods readily through drinking. We exposed lab raised beagles to varying densities of uninfected copepods in 2 liters of water to evaluate the number of copepods ingested during a drinking event. We confirmed dogs can ingest copepod intermediate hosts while drinking; however, low numbers were ingested at the densities that are typically observed in Chad suggesting this transmission route may be unlikely. Overall, the relative importance of the classic transmission route and alternate transmission routes, such as paratenic and transport hosts, needs investigation in order to further clarify the epidemiology of guinea worm infections in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
| | - Erin K Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Emory University, Biology Department, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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26
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Thompson AT, Cleveland CA, Koser TM, Wyckoff ST, Yabsley MJ. The Occurrence of Physaloptera hispida and a Mastophorus Sp. in Pulmonary Vessels of Hispid Cotton Rats ( Sigmodon hispidus) from Georgia, U.S.A. J Parasitol 2019. [PMID: 31580784 DOI: 10.1645/18-176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
During 2017-2018, a survey for the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea), in rodents from Piedmont and Lower Coastal Plains physiographic regions of Georgia was conducted. On 4 occasions, a single worm was recovered from the pulmonary vessels of a single cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidis). One of these worms was identified as a Physaloptera sp. and the remaining 3 as a Mastophorus sp. by morphology. No A. cantonensis were found. Physaloptera (Nematoda: Physalopteroidea) and Mastophorus species (Nematoda: Spiruroidea) are stomach parasites of many wild and domestic animals. This is the first report of these species in the pulmonary vessels of a definitive host. To better characterize these parasites, representative specimens were collected from cotton rat stomachs and identified morphologically and molecularly. Based on partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences, Physaloptera hispida from stomachs were identical to the Physaloptera sp. from the pulmonary vessels. The COI sequences from the Mastophorus sp. from the stomach exhibited a higher degree of variability but confirmed that the pulmonary worms were the same Mastophorus species. Furthermore, sequences of Mastophorus from a coastal site clustered separately from a clade of Mastophorus sequences from cotton rats from a Piedmont site. Our data show that adult worms recovered from pulmonary vessels of cotton rats could be either Physaloptera or Mastophorus sp., indicating that these parasitic worms are not always restricted to the stomach and that worms from pulmonary vessels must be carefully examined to obtain a definitive diagnosis of A. cantonensis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Troy M Koser
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Seth T Wyckoff
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
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27
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Thompson AT, Cleveland CA, Koser TM, Wyckoff ST, Yabsley MJ. The Occurrence of Physaloptera hispida and a Mastophorus Sp. in Pulmonary Vessels of Hispid Cotton Rats ( Sigmodon hispidus) from Georgia, U.S.A. J Parasitol 2019; 105:718-723. [PMID: 31580784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
During 2017-2018, a survey for the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea), in rodents from Piedmont and Lower Coastal Plains physiographic regions of Georgia was conducted. On 4 occasions, a single worm was recovered from the pulmonary vessels of a single cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidis). One of these worms was identified as a Physaloptera sp. and the remaining 3 as a Mastophorus sp. by morphology. No A. cantonensis were found. Physaloptera (Nematoda: Physalopteroidea) and Mastophorus species (Nematoda: Spiruroidea) are stomach parasites of many wild and domestic animals. This is the first report of these species in the pulmonary vessels of a definitive host. To better characterize these parasites, representative specimens were collected from cotton rat stomachs and identified morphologically and molecularly. Based on partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences, Physaloptera hispida from stomachs were identical to the Physaloptera sp. from the pulmonary vessels. The COI sequences from the Mastophorus sp. from the stomach exhibited a higher degree of variability but confirmed that the pulmonary worms were the same Mastophorus species. Furthermore, sequences of Mastophorus from a coastal site clustered separately from a clade of Mastophorus sequences from cotton rats from a Piedmont site. Our data show that adult worms recovered from pulmonary vessels of cotton rats could be either Physaloptera or Mastophorus sp., indicating that these parasitic worms are not always restricted to the stomach and that worms from pulmonary vessels must be carefully examined to obtain a definitive diagnosis of A. cantonensis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Troy M Koser
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Seth T Wyckoff
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
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28
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Niedringhaus KD, Brown JD, Ternent MA, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ. A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears ( Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange. Vet Sci 2019; 6:vetsci6040075. [PMID: 31547006 PMCID: PMC6958396 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci6040075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases, particularly of wildlife, are intrinsically linked to human and domestic animal health. Reports of sarcoptic mange in black bears (Ursus americanus) are increasing in multiple states in the USA and while the reason is unknown, mange in other species has been associated with immunosuppression from multiple causes. Serum from bears across Pennsylvania were collected to determine the seroprevalence of five pathogens important for animal and/or human health: Canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine adenovirus-1 (CAV), Toxoplasma gondii, and Trichinella sp. from bears with sarcoptic mange as well as bears that were clinically normal. Several of these pathogens, particularly canine distemper virus, are associated with immunosuppression and secondary infections in other hosts. In addition to describing the seroprevalence and relating these findings to data from other regions, statistics were performed to determine if antibodies to any of these pathogens were associated with mange in bears. The overall seroprevalence to these pathogens was as follows: CDV 7.1% (17/240), CPV 16% (15/94), CAV 6.9% (6/87), Toxoplasma gondii 64.9% (194/299), and Trichinella spiralis 3.2% (7/220). While there was no association between mange and antibodies to these pathogens, infection with one or more of these pathogens has implications for bears, other wildlife, domestic animal, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Niedringhaus
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Justin D Brown
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Mark A Ternent
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA.
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Cleveland CA, Swanepoel L, Box EK, De Nicola A, Yabsley MJ. Rickettsia species in ticks collected from wild pigs (Sus scrofa) and Philippine deer (Rusa marianna) on Guam, Marianna Islands, USA. Acta Trop 2019; 194:89-92. [PMID: 30898613 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence and diversity of ticks on wildlife species on Guam is understudied, as to date no work has been conducted on the infection of these ticks with Rickettsia (obligate intracellular pathogens that use a variety of ectoparasites as vectors and can cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife species). The goal of our study was to investigate the presence of Rickettsia species on the island of Guam by testing ticks found on Philippine deer (Rusa marianna) and wild pigs (Sus scrofa). Increasing numbers of these species have led to increased interactions with humans, including hunting, highlighting the importance of studies on vector prevalence and associated zoonotic pathogens. In this study, ticks were removed from Philippine deer and wild pigs in March and April of 2015 and tested for Rickettsia spp. using nested PCR. Overall, a low prevalence of Rickettsia spp. was detected (5.4% (6/112 ticks)). Ticks removed from wild pigs were identified as Amblyomma breviscutatum, one of which was positive for Rickettsia ambylommatis. Ticks recovered from Philippine deer were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus, and five were positive for Rickettsia; two with R. amblyommatis and one with 'Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis', a recently proposed species in the R. felis cluster. The remaining two sequences were short and species classification was not possible. Rickettsia felis is a known zoonotic pathogen in the spotted fever group of Rickettsia and there is evidence that 'C. R. senegalensis' can also cause illness in people. This study confirms the occurrence of Rickettsia in ticks on Guam and highlights the presence of potential human pathogenic species in the R. felis cluster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Erin K Box
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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30
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Swanepoel L, Cleveland CA, Olfenbuttel C, Dukes CG, Brown D, Brown JD, Surf A, Tumlison R, Yabsley MJ. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Dirofilaria lutrae Orihle, 1965 in North American river otters (Lontra canadensis). Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2019; 14:187-190. [PMID: 31014728 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilaria lutrae Orihle, 1965 is a subcutaneous filarial worm found in North American river otters (Lontra canadensis). Previous studies reported the geographical range of this worm to include Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina, USA. Although D. lutrae does not cause disease in otters, it must be distinguished from Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856), which causes heartworm disease in otters. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of D. lutrae in several states and to investigate the phylogenetic relationship of D. lutrae and other Dirofilaria species. Adult D. lutrae were collected from 32 of 40 (80%) otters from North Carolina (n = 38), South Carolina (n = 1), and Kentucky (n = 1), whereas all otters from Georgia (n = 1), Pennsylvania (n = 2), Arkansas (n = 184) and California (n = 1) were negative for D. lutrae. A portion of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) was amplified from nine North Carolina specimens and one South Carolina specimen. Sequence analysis indicated that all but one were identical to each other and D. lutrae was phylogenetically most closely related to D. immitis; however, few Dirofilaria sequences are available for comparison. Because other subcutaneous parasites may be detected in otters, parasites should be carefully examined to confirm their identity. Finally, given the high prevalence of D. lutrae in otters in some southeastern states, microfilaria found in blood samples of otters must be correctly identified because treatment for D. lutrae is generally not warranted and some pharmaceutical treatments can cause mortality in otters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia Athens, GA, United States
| | - Colleen Olfenbuttel
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Casey G Dukes
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Dalton Brown
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Justin D Brown
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA, United States
| | - Allison Surf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR, United States
| | - Renn Tumlison
- Department of Biological Sciences, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR, United States
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia Athens, GA, United States.
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Kolton CB, Marston CK, Stoddard RA, Cossaboom C, Salzer JS, Kozel TR, Gates-Hollingsworth MA, Cleveland CA, Thompson AT, Dalton MF, Yabsley MJ, Hoffmaster AR. Detection of Bacillus anthracis in animal tissues using InBios active anthrax detect rapid test lateral flow immunoassay. Lett Appl Microbiol 2019; 68:480-484. [PMID: 30776143 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Active Anthrax Detect (AAD) Rapid Test lateral flow immunoassay is a point-of-care assay that was under investigational use for detecting Bacillus anthracis capsular polypeptide (polyglutamic acid) in human blood, serum and plasma. Small sample volumes, rapid results and no refrigeration required allow for easy use in either the field or laboratory. Although the test was developed for use in suspect cases of human inhalation anthrax, its features also make it a potentially powerful tool for testing suspect animal cases. We tested animal tissue samples that were confirmed or ruled out for B. anthracis. The AAD Rapid Tests were also deployed in the field, testing animal carcasses during an anthrax outbreak in hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibius) and Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Namibia. Evaluation of all samples showed a specificity of 82% and sensitivity of 98%. However, when the assay was used on specimens from only fresh carcasses (dead for <24 h), the specificity increased to 96%. The AAD Rapid Test is a rapid and simple screening assay, but confirmatory testing needs to be done, especially when the age of the sample (days animal has been deceased) is unknown. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In countries where anthrax is endemic, many human outbreaks are often caused by epizootics. Earlier detection of infected animals may allow for identification of exposed people, early implementation of prevention and control methods, and ultimately lessen the number of people and animals affected. Detection of Bacillus anthracis in animal tissues using a simple, rapid and field-deployable method would allow for faster outbreak response. We evaluated a simple sample collection and processing method for use with the Active Anthrax Detect Rapid Test lateral flow immunoassay to screen dead animals for anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- C B Kolton
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C K Marston
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - R A Stoddard
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C Cossaboom
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J S Salzer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - C A Cleveland
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - A T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - M F Dalton
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - M J Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - A R Hoffmaster
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Niedringhaus KD, Burchfield HJ, Elsmo EJ, Cleveland CA, Fenton H, Shock BC, Muise C, Brown JD, Munk B, Ellis A, Hall RJ, Yabsley MJ. Trichomonosis due to Trichomonas gallinae infection in barn owls (Tyto alba) and barred owls (Strix varia) from the eastern United States. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2019; 16:100281. [PMID: 31027606 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Trichomonosis is an important cause of mortality in multiple avian species; however, there have been relatively few reports of this disease in owls. Two barn owls (Tyto alba) and four barred owls (Strix varia) submitted for diagnostic examination had lesions consistent with trichomonosis including caseous necrosis and inflammation in the oropharynx. Microscopically, these lesions were often associated with trichomonads and molecular testing, if obtainable, confirmed the presence of Trichomonas gallinae, the species most commonly associated with trichomonosis in birds. The T. gallinae genotype in one barn owl and two barred owls was identified as ITS-OBT-Tg-1 by sequence analysis. Columbids are the primary hosts for T. gallinae, and columbid remains found within the nest box of the barn owls were the likely source of infection. This study is the first to formally describe the strains and genetic variation of T. gallinae samples from clinical cases of trichomonosis in barn and barred owls in the eastern USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Niedringhaus
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Holly J Burchfield
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Elsmo
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Heather Fenton
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Barbara C Shock
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Charlie Muise
- Georgia Bird Study Group, Barnesville, GA 30204, USA
| | - Justin D Brown
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Brandon Munk
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Angela Ellis
- Antech Diagnostics, 1111 Marcus Ave., Suite M28, Bldg 5B, Lake Success, NY 11042, USA.
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Cleveland CA, Eberhard ML, Thompson AT, Garrett KB, Swanepoel L, Zirimwabagabo H, Moundai T, Ouakou PT, Ruiz-Tiben E, Yabsley MJ. A search for tiny dragons (Dracunculus medinensis third-stage larvae) in aquatic animals in Chad, Africa. Sci Rep 2019; 9:375. [PMID: 30675007 PMCID: PMC6344555 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37567-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dracunculus medinensis, or human Guinea worm (GW), causes a painful and debilitating infection. The global Guinea Worm Eradication Program (GWEP) has successfully reduced human GW cases from 3.5 million in 21 countries in 1986 to only 30 cases in three remaining countries in 2017. Since 2012, an increase in GW infections in domestic dogs, cats and baboons has been reported. Because these infections have not followed classical GW epidemiological patterns resulting from water-borne transmission, it has been hypothesized that transmission occurs via a paratenic host. Thus, we investigated the potential of aquatic animals to serve as paratenic hosts for D. medinensis in Chad, Africa. During three rainy and two dry season trips we detected no GW larvae in 234 fish, two reptiles and two turtles; however, seven GW larvae were recovered from 4 (1.4%) of 276 adult frogs. These data suggest GW infections may occur from ingestion of frogs but the importance of this route is unknown. Additional studies are needed, especially for other possible routes (e.g., ingestion of fish intestines that were recently shown to be a risk). Significantly, 150 years after the life cycle of D. medinensis was described, our data highlights important gaps in the knowledge of GW ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, 30601, United States.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, United States.
| | | | - Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, 30601, United States
| | - Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, 30601, United States
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, 30601, United States
| | | | | | | | - Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben
- The Carter Center, 453 Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30307, United States
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, 30601, United States.
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, United States.
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Cleveland CA, Garrett KB, Cozad RA, Williams BM, Murray MH, Yabsley MJ. The wild world of Guinea Worms: A review of the genus Dracunculus in wildlife. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2018; 7:289-300. [PMID: 30094178 PMCID: PMC6072916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Nematodes are an extremely diverse and speciose group of parasites. Adult dracunculoid nematodes (Superfamily Dracunculoidea) occur in the tissues and serous cavities of mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds. Of the dracunculid group, perhaps best known is Dracunculus medinensis, the human Guinea Worm. Considerable work has been done on D. medinensis; however recent infections in peri-domestic dogs and the finding of naturally-infected paratenic hosts (previously unreported for D. medinensis) indicate we still have much to learn about these parasites. Furthermore, among eight species in the Old World and six species in the New World there is a lack of general life history knowledge as well as questions on species occurrence, host diversity, and transmission dynamics. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the genus Dracunculus, in order of a theoretical evolutionary progression from reptilian to mammalian hosts. Species descriptions, where available, are provided but also show where gaps occur in our knowledge of various species. Additionally, many first reports of Dracunculus spp. were done prior to the development and use of molecular tools. This is especially important for this group of parasites as speciation based on morphology is only applicable to males of the genus, and males, given their size, are notoriously difficult to recover from definitive hosts. Therefore, we also discuss current molecular tools used in the investigation of this group of parasites. Given recent host-switching events, the dracunculids are of increasing importance and require further work to expand our understanding of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A. Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Cozad
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Brianna M. Williams
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Maureen H. Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W, Brooks Dr, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, 30602, GA, USA
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Mulreany LM, Niedringhaus KD, Fenton HMA, Smith C, Smith R, Gardiner CH, Lewis BC, Craig T, Williams BH, Garner MM, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ. Filarial dermatitis caused by Filaria taxideae in domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) from the western United States. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2018; 14:155-160. [PMID: 31014722 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Filaria taxideae is a common subcutaneous filarial parasite of American badgers (Taxidea taxus) that has also been reported in skunks in the Western USA. Dermatitis associated with this parasite has been reported in badgers and skunks; however, many individuals have no gross lesions. With the exception of a captive red panda in California, there have been no reports of F. taxidae infection in domestic or exotic/pet animals. In this case series, we document F. taxideae in domestic ferrets from California, Texas, and Colorado and describe the clinical presentation, gross and histologic lesions, and the molecular characterization of this parasite. In two cases, ferrets were positive on Dirofilaria immitis antigen tests but had no evidence of heartworm infection suggesting that F. taxideae antigens can cross-react. These findings indicate that F. taxideae should be considered in cases of dermatitis in ferrets in areas where this parasite may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Mulreany
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, 205 Duck Pond Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Kevin D Niedringhaus
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Heather M A Fenton
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Government of the Northwest Territories, 5(th) Floor, Scotia Centre, P.O. Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT XIA 2L9, Canada.
| | | | - Richard Smith
- Smith Veterinary Services, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762, USA
| | - Chris H Gardiner
- Veterinary Pathology Service, Joint Pathology Center, 606 Stephen Sitter Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Barbara C Lewis
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, P.O. Drawer 3040, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Thomas Craig
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, P.O. Drawer 3040, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Bruce H Williams
- Veterinary Pathology Service, Joint Pathology Center, 606 Stephen Sitter Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | | | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Elsmo EJ, Fenton H, Cleveland CA, Shock B, Cunningham M, Howerth EW, Yabsley MJ. Necrotizing interstitial pneumonia and suppurative myocarditis associated with Bartonella henselae infection in three Florida pumas. J Vet Diagn Invest 2018; 30:728-732. [PMID: 30027827 DOI: 10.1177/1040638718789226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Three Florida pumas ( Puma concolor coryi) that had spent time in captivity prior to being released in the wild were found exhibiting respiratory signs and reluctance to move. All 3 pumas died shortly after immobilization, despite supportive veterinary care. Significant autopsy findings included necrotizing interstitial pneumonia, with pulmonary edema and hyaline membranes, and suppurative myocarditis. Organisms morphologically consistent with Bartonella henselae were identified in intravascular histiocytes in the lung of one of the pumas on histopathology and confirmed via transmission electron microscopy. B. henselae was detected in fresh lung tissue and confirmed by PCR and sequence analysis (16S-23S spacer region, pap31, and rpoB genes) from one of the affected pumas. In all affected pumas, B. henselae was detected by PCR in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung tissue, and positively staining organisms were identified in sections of lung by immunohistochemistry for B. henselae. In situ hybridization detected B. henselae DNA in lung tissue from 2 of 3 affected pumas. Our case series suggests that B. henselae can be associated with a fatal disease syndrome in Florida pumas. The cause of susceptibility to fatal disease associated with B. henselae infection in these pumas remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Elsmo
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Heather Fenton
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Barbara Shock
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Mark Cunningham
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Elizabeth W Howerth
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Departments of Population Health (Elsmo, Fenton, Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Veterinary Pathology (Elsmo, Howerth), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Cleveland, Shock, Yabsley).,Department of Biology, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN (Shock).,Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL (Cunningham)
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Williams BM, Cleveland CA, Verocai GG, Swanepoel L, Niedringhaus KD, Paras KL, Nagamori Y, Little SE, Varela-Stokes A, Nemeth N, Wyrosdick H, Tucker A, Deal L, Gauthier D, Prouty S, DeAngelo C, Marsh A, Piepgras D, Cook LH, Milliren KB, Becker JS, Lyons C, Clark J, Stumph J, Borst MM, Craig T, Tucker KL, Ward A, Baird EM, Burke KA, Camp JW, Davis CA, Pulaski CN, Yabsley MJ. Dracunculus infections in domestic dogs and cats in North America; an under-recognized parasite? Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2018; 13:148-155. [PMID: 31014864 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
We reviewed 62 new cases and 18 published reports of Dracunculus infections in domestic dogs and cats to describe the epidemiology of this parasite in dogs and cats in North America. We collected host and parasite data when available, including age, sex, and breed of dog, nematode location in the host, and any clinical signs at presentation and/or description of the apparent lesion. For dogs, infections were noted in six of the AKC breed groups, but none was reported from the toy group or the miscellaneous breed class. Age of infected dogs ranged from 7 months to 19 years (median 4 years; average 5.3 years), and infection rates were similar in male and female dogs. Most nematodes were associated with the distal extremities, but worms were also found in the chest/thorax, abdomen, head, and flank. Although most infected dogs had a single worm, three dogs had two or more worms that were collected from multiple lesions. Three new cat cases, with similar lesions, presentations and seasonality, were detected in Alabama, North Carolina and Texas. Cases were reported from a wide geographic range throughout eastern North America, during every month of the year, but 72% of infections were diagnosed in the late winter to early spring (December to May). All collected worms were larvigerous females which cannot be identified to species based on morphologic characters. Thus, we attempted to amplify and sequence a portion of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for specific identification. Although 13 worms from 12 cases were available, sequences were obtained for only eight worms from seven cases. These eight worms were D. insignis, a common parasite of raccoons (Procyon lotor) and other primarily carnivorous mammals. Female worms are the most likely to be detected in dogs and cats because male worms do not emerge, parasites should be preserved in ethanol for molecular identification. Although this study used convenience sampling of available data, we found that the parasite is widespread throughout the eastern US and Canada and that Dracunculus infections in dogs are more common than is revealed in published literature. However, more research is needed to understand the epidemiology, including transmission route(s), prevalence, and distribution of this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna M Williams
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Kevin D Niedringhaus
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Kelsey L Paras
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Yoko Nagamori
- Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Susan E Little
- Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Andrea Varela-Stokes
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA..
| | - Nicole Nemeth
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Heidi Wyrosdick
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37966, USA.
| | - Alison Tucker
- Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, North Carolina Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, 2101 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.
| | - Leigh Deal
- Beckley Veterinary Hospital, Beckley, WV 25801, USA.
| | - Dawn Gauthier
- Uxbridge Veterinary Hospital, Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1M9, Canada.
| | - Susanne Prouty
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1971 Commonwealth Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Christina DeAngelo
- Guilford Veterinary Hospital, 81 Saw Mill Road, Guilford, CT 06437, USA.
| | - Antoinette Marsh
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Deborah Piepgras
- Lakeland Veterinary Hospital, 7372 Woida Road, Baxter, MN 56425, USA.
| | - Lyn H Cook
- Thomasville Veterinary Hospital, 724 National Hwy, Thomasville, NC 27360, USA.
| | - Karl B Milliren
- Thomasville Veterinary Hospital, 724 National Hwy, Thomasville, NC 27360, USA.
| | - Jackie S Becker
- T.B. Rescue Resources and Transport, Lafayette, IN 47909, USA.
| | - Cyndy Lyons
- Brinker Veterinary Hospital, 975 S Rd, Lake Orion, Lapeer, MI 48362, USA.
| | | | - Jessica Stumph
- First Flight Mobile Veterinary Services, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949, USA.
| | - Mindy M Borst
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Laboratory, Texas A&M, College Station, TX 77841, USA.
| | - Thomas Craig
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Laboratory, Texas A&M, College Station, TX 77841, USA.
| | - Kathy L Tucker
- South Haven Animal Hospital, South Haven, MI 49090, USA.
| | - Ashley Ward
- Bryson Veterinary Clinic, 11146 US Highway 231, Wetumpka, AL 36092, USA.
| | - Elaine M Baird
- Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, South University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Kathleen A Burke
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine West Lafayette, Purdue University, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Joseph W Camp
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine West Lafayette, Purdue University, IN 47907, USA.
| | | | - Cassan N Pulaski
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Cleveland CA, Eberhard ML, Thompson AT, Smith SJ, Zirimwabagabo H, Bringolf R, Yabsley MJ. Possible Role of Fish as Transport Hosts for Dracunculus spp. Larvae. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:1590-1592. [PMID: 28820381 PMCID: PMC5572877 DOI: 10.3201/eid2309.161931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To inform Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm) eradication efforts, we evaluated the role of fish as transport hosts for Dracunculus worms. Ferrets fed fish that had ingested infected copepods became infected, highlighting the importance of recommendations to cook fish, bury entrails, and prevent dogs from consuming raw fish and entrails.
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Lockwood BH, Stasiak I, Pfaff MA, Cleveland CA, Yabsley MJ. Widespread distribution of ticks and selected tick-borne pathogens in Kentucky (USA). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:738-741. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Niedringhaus KD, Fenton HMA, Cleveland CA, Anderson AN, Schwartz D, Alex CE, Rogers KH, Mete A, Yabsley MJ. Case Series: Virulent hemosporidiosis infections in juvenile great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) from Louisiana and California, USA. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2018; 12:49-54. [PMID: 31014809 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A total of eight juvenile great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) were found lethargic and on the ground in spring 2015, 2016, and 2017, including one fledgling from Louisiana, USA and seven nestlings from California, USA. One bird survived to release after rehabilitation; seven birds died or were euthanized due to poor prognosis and were necropsied. Necropsy findings were similar and included general pallor of all tissues, particularly the subcutis and lungs, and enlarged liver and spleen. Histopathology revealed multi-organ necrosis, abundant meronts containing merozoites, and intracytoplasmic pigmented haemosporidian parasites in blood cells in one bird. Leucocytozoon lineages lSTOCC16 and BUVIR06 were identified by polymerase chain reaction and genetic sequencing. The systemic Leucocytozoon infections were likely associated with morbidity and mortality in these owls. A second parasite, Haemoproteus lineage hSTVAR01, was also identified in an owl from Louisiana. This is the first identification of Leucocytozoon lineages that have been associated with mortality in young great horned owls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Niedringhaus
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Heather M A Fenton
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - A Nikki Anderson
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2000 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
| | - Diana Schwartz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Charles E Alex
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Krysta H Rogers
- Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Road, Suite D, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, USA.
| | - Aslι Mete
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California - Davis, 620 W. Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Yabsley MJ, Vanstreels RET, Martinsen ES, Wickson AG, Holland AE, Hernandez SM, Thompson AT, Perkins SL, West CJ, Bryan AL, Cleveland CA, Jolly E, Brown JD, McRuer D, Behmke S, Beasley JC. Parasitaemia data and molecular characterization of Haemoproteus catharti from New World vultures (Cathartidae) reveals a novel clade of Haemosporida. Malar J 2018; 17:12. [PMID: 29310650 PMCID: PMC5759834 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-2165-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background New World vultures (Cathartiformes: Cathartidae) are obligate scavengers comprised of seven species in five genera throughout the Americas. Of these, turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and black vultures (Coragyps atratus) are the most widespread and, although ecologically similar, have evolved differences in morphology, physiology, and behaviour. Three species of haemosporidians have been reported in New World vultures to date: Haemoproteus catharti, Leucocytozoon toddi and Plasmodium elongatum, although few studies have investigated haemosporidian parasites in this important group of species. In this study, morphological and molecular methods were used to investigate the epidemiology and molecular biology of haemosporidian parasites of New World vultures in North America. Methods Blood and/or tissue samples were obtained from 162 turkey vultures and 95 black vultures in six states of the USA. Parasites were identified based on their morphology in blood smears, and sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear adenylosuccinate lyase genes were obtained for molecular characterization. Results No parasites were detected in black vultures, whereas 24% of turkey vultures across all sampling locations were positive for H. catharti by blood smear analysis and/or PCR testing. The phylogenetic analysis of cytochrome b gene sequences revealed that H. catharti is closely related to MYCAMH1, a yet unidentified haemosporidian from wood storks (Mycteria americana) in southeastern USA and northern Brazil. Haemoproteus catharti and MYCAMH1 represent a clade that is unmistakably separate from all other Haemoproteus spp., being most closely related to Haemocystidium spp. from reptiles and to Plasmodium spp. from birds and reptiles. Conclusions Haemoproteus catharti is a widely-distributed parasite of turkey vultures in North America that is evolutionarily distinct from other haemosporidian parasites. These results reveal that the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships of avian haemosporidians are still being uncovered, and future studies combining a comprehensive evaluation of morphological and life cycle characteristics with the analysis of multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genes will be useful to redefine the genus boundaries of these parasites and to re-evaluate the relationships amongst haemosporidians of birds, reptiles and mammals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-017-2165-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Ralph E T Vanstreels
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.,DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Ellen S Martinsen
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington DC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Alexandra G Wickson
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Amanda E Holland
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Sonia M Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Alec T Thompson
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Susan L Perkins
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - A Lawrence Bryan
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Emily Jolly
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Justin D Brown
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Dave McRuer
- Wildlife Center of Virginia, Waynesboro, VA, USA
| | - Shannon Behmke
- Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
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Eberhard ML, Yabsley MJ, Zirimwabagabo H, Bishop H, Cleveland CA, Maerz JC, Bringolf R, Ruiz-Tiben E. Possible Role of Fish and Frogs as Paratenic Hosts of Dracunculus medinensis, Chad. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:1428-30. [PMID: 27434418 PMCID: PMC4982183 DOI: 10.3201/eid2208.160043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tadpoles fed infected copepods can harbor infective D. medinensis larvae and thus serve as potential paratenic hosts. Copepods infected with Dracunculus medinensis larvae collected from infected dogs in Chad were fed to 2 species of fish and tadpoles. Although they readily ingested copepods, neither species of fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) nor fathead minnow (Pimephalis promelas), were found to harbor Dracunculus larvae when examined 2–3 weeks later. Tadpoles ingested copepods much more slowly; however, upon examination at the same time interval, tadpoles of green frogs (Lithobates [Rana] clamitans) were found to harbor small numbers of Dracunculus larvae. Two ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were fed fish or tadpoles that had been exposed to infected copepods. Only the ferret fed tadpoles harbored developing Dracunculus larvae at necropsy 70–80 days postexposure. These observations confirm that D. medinensis, like other species in the genus Dracunculus, can readily survive and remain infective in potential paratenic hosts, especially tadpoles.
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Mehrpad S, Cleveland CA, DeNicola A, Dubey J, Yabsley MJ. Survey for selected pathogens in Philippine deer ( Rusa marianna ) from Guam, Marianna Islands, USA. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports 2018; 11:36-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2017.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Abstract
Guam has high wild pig densities with risk of pathogen transmission to people and animals. Exposure to numerous pathogens was detected in contrast to surveys of domestic pigs. New reports of pseudorabies virus, PRRS virus, Brucella, and Leptospira in pigs on Guam. Highlights that domestic swine-wild pig interactions should be prevented. Precautions are needed when handling wild pigs to minimize the pathogen transmission.
Pigs (Sus scrofa) were introduced to Guam in the 1600’s and are now present in high densities throughout the island. Wild pigs are reservoirs for pathogens of concern to domestic animals and humans. Exposure to porcine parvovirus, transmissible gastroenteritis, and Leptospira interrogans has been documented in domestic swine but data from wild pigs are lacking. The close proximity of humans, domestic animals, and wild pigs, combined with the liberal hunting of wild pigs, results in frequent opportunities for pathogen transmission. From February–March 2015, blood, tissue and ectoparasite samples were collected from 47 wild pigs. Serologic testing found exposure to Brucella spp. (2%), Toxoplasma gondii (11%), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (13%), porcine circovirus type 2 (36%), pseudorabies virus (64%), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (93%), Lawsonia intracellularis (93%), and porcine parvovirus (94%). Eleven (24%) samples had low titers (1:100) to Leptospira interrogans serovars Bratislava (n = 6), Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 6), Pomona (n = 2), and Hardjo (n = 1). Kidney samples from nine pigs with Leptospira antibodies were negative for Leptospira antigens. Numerous pigs had Metastrongylus lungworms and three had Stephanurus dentatus. Lice (Hematopinus suis) and ticks (Amblyomma breviscutatum) were also detected. No antibodies to Influenza A viruses were detected. In contrast to the previous domestic swine survey, we found evidence of numerous pathogens in wild pigs including new reports of pseudorabies virus, PRRS virus, Brucella, and Leptospira in pigs on Guam. These findings highlight that domestic swine-wild pig interactions should be prevented and precautions are needed when handling wild pigs to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30605, United States; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | | | - J P Dubey
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, United States
| | - Dolores E Hill
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, United States
| | - Roy D Berghaus
- Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia,953 College Station Rd., Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Athens, GA 30605, United States; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States.
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Eberhard ML, Cleveland CA, Zirimwabagabo H, Yabsley MJ, Ouakou PT, Ruiz-Tiben E. Guinea Worm (Dracunculus medinensis) Infection in a Wild-Caught Frog, Chad. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 22:1961-1962. [PMID: 27560598 PMCID: PMC5088019 DOI: 10.3201/eid2211.161332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A third-stage (infective) larva of Dracunculus medinensis, the causative agent of Guinea worm disease, was recovered from a wild-caught Phrynobatrachus francisci frog in Chad. Although green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) have been experimentally infected with D. medinensis worms, our findings prove that frogs can serve as natural paratenic hosts.
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Yabsley MJ, Ellis AE, Cleveland CA, Ruckdeschel C. High Prevalence of Porocephalus crotali Infection on a Barrier Island (Cumberland Island) off the Coast of Georgia, with Identification of Novel Intermediate Hosts. J Parasitol 2015; 101:603-7. [PMID: 26042344 DOI: 10.1645/14-699.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Porocephalus crotali is a pentastomid parasite that uses crotaline snakes as definitive hosts and a variety of rodents as intermediate hosts. A study of definitive and intermediate pentastome hosts on Cumberland Island, Georgia, revealed high prevalence of P. crotali infection in crotalid snakes as well as several mammalian species. Despite the presence of numerous nymphs in some animals, clinical signs of disease were not observed. In intermediate hosts, the liver, mesentery, and reproductive organs were most commonly infected. No gross evidence of tissue damage was noted in association with the numerous encysted nymphal pentastomes, and histopathology demonstrated minimal reaction to the encysted nymphs. Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences confirmed the parasites were P. crotali. In contrast to many previous reports in rodents, the prevalence on this barrier island was high, and this is the first report of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and any insectivore species as intermediate hosts. Although generally not considered pathogenic, the long-term consequences of high nymph intensities on individuals deserve attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Yabsley
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to:
| | - Angela E Ellis
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to:
| | - Christopher A Cleveland
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to:
| | - Carol Ruckdeschel
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to:
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Golding H, Mizuochi T, McCarthy SA, Cleveland CA, Singer A. Relationship among function, phenotype, and specificity in primary allospecific T cell populations: identification of phenotypically identical but functionally distinct primary T cell subsets that differ in their recognition of MHC class I and class II allodeterminants. J Immunol 1987; 138:10-7. [PMID: 2946773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to evaluate the relationship among function, Lyt phenotype, and MHC recognition specificity in primary allospecific T cell populations. By using Lyt-2+ and L3T4+ T cells obtained from the same responder populations, we assessed the ability of T cells of each phenotype to generate cytotoxic effector cells (CTL) and IL 2-secreting helper T cells in response to either class I or class II MHC allodeterminants. It was found that a discordance between Lyt phenotype and MHC recognition specificity does exist in primary allospecific T cells, but only in one T cell subpopulation with limited functional potential: namely, Lyt-2+ T cells with cytotoxic, but not helper, function that recognize class II MHC alloantigens. Target cell lysis by these Lyt-2+ class II-allospecific CTL was inhibited by anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies (mAb), but not anti-Lyt-2 mAb, indicating that they recognized class II MHC determinants as their "restriction" specificity and not as their "nominal" specificity even though they were Lyt-2+. A second allospecific T cell subset with limited functional potential was also identified but whose Lyt phenotype and MHC restriction specificity were not discordant: namely, an L3T4+ T cell subset with helper, but not cytotoxic, function specific for class I MHC allodeterminants presented in the context of self-Ia. Thus, the present study demonstrates that primary allospecific T cell populations contain phenotypically identical subpopulations of helper and effector cells that express fundamentally different MHC recognition specificities. Because the recognition specificities expressed by mature T cells reflect the selection pressures they encountered during their differentiation into functional competence, these findings suggest that functionally distinct but phenotypically identical T cell subsets may be selected independently of one another during ontogeny. Thus, the existence of Lyt-2+ CTL specific for class II allodeterminants can be explained by the hypothesis that the association of Lyt phenotype with MHC recognition specificity results from the process of thymic selection that these Lyt-2+ effector cells avoid.
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Golding H, Mizuochi T, McCarthy SA, Cleveland CA, Singer A. Relationship among function, phenotype, and specificity in primary allospecific T cell populations: identification of phenotypically identical but functionally distinct primary T cell subsets that differ in their recognition of MHC class I and class II allodeterminants. The Journal of Immunology 1987. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.138.1.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to evaluate the relationship among function, Lyt phenotype, and MHC recognition specificity in primary allospecific T cell populations. By using Lyt-2+ and L3T4+ T cells obtained from the same responder populations, we assessed the ability of T cells of each phenotype to generate cytotoxic effector cells (CTL) and IL 2-secreting helper T cells in response to either class I or class II MHC allodeterminants. It was found that a discordance between Lyt phenotype and MHC recognition specificity does exist in primary allospecific T cells, but only in one T cell subpopulation with limited functional potential: namely, Lyt-2+ T cells with cytotoxic, but not helper, function that recognize class II MHC alloantigens. Target cell lysis by these Lyt-2+ class II-allospecific CTL was inhibited by anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies (mAb), but not anti-Lyt-2 mAb, indicating that they recognized class II MHC determinants as their "restriction" specificity and not as their "nominal" specificity even though they were Lyt-2+. A second allospecific T cell subset with limited functional potential was also identified but whose Lyt phenotype and MHC restriction specificity were not discordant: namely, an L3T4+ T cell subset with helper, but not cytotoxic, function specific for class I MHC allodeterminants presented in the context of self-Ia. Thus, the present study demonstrates that primary allospecific T cell populations contain phenotypically identical subpopulations of helper and effector cells that express fundamentally different MHC recognition specificities. Because the recognition specificities expressed by mature T cells reflect the selection pressures they encountered during their differentiation into functional competence, these findings suggest that functionally distinct but phenotypically identical T cell subsets may be selected independently of one another during ontogeny. Thus, the existence of Lyt-2+ CTL specific for class II allodeterminants can be explained by the hypothesis that the association of Lyt phenotype with MHC recognition specificity results from the process of thymic selection that these Lyt-2+ effector cells avoid.
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