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Bastille-Rousseau G, Gorman NT, McClure KM, Nituch L, Buchanan T, Chipman RB, Gilbert AT, Pepin KM. Assessing the Efficiency of Local Rabies Vaccination Strategies for Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in an Urban Setting. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:26-38. [PMID: 37924240 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-23-00059] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Raccoon rabies virus (RRV) has been managed using multiple vaccination strategies, including oral rabies vaccination and trap-vaccinate-release (TVR). Identifying a rabies vaccination strategy for an area is a nontrivial task. Vaccination strategies differ in the amount of effort and monetary costs required to achieve a particular level of vaccine seroprevalence (efficiency). Simulating host movement relative to different vaccination strategies in silico can provide a useful tool for exploring the efficiency of different vaccination strategies. We refined a previously developed individual-based model of raccoon movement to evaluate vaccination strategies for urban Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. We combined different oral rabies vaccination baiting (hand baiting, helicopter, and bait stations) with TVR strategies and used GPS data to parameterize and simulate raccoon movement in Hamilton. We developed a total of 560 vaccination strategies, in consultation with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, for RRV control in Hamilton. We documented the monetary costs of each vaccination strategy and estimated the population seroprevalence. Intervention costs and seroprevalence estimates were used to calculate the efficiency of each strategy to meet targets set for the purpose of RRV control. Estimated seroprevalence across different strategies varied widely, ranging from less than 5% to more than 70%. Increasing bait densities (distributed using by hand or helicopter) led to negligible increase in seroprevalence. Helicopter baiting was the most efficient and TVR was the least efficient, but helicopter-based strategies led to lower levels of seroprevalence (6-12%) than did TVR-based strategies (17-70%). Our simulations indicated that a mixed strategy including at least some TVR may be the most efficient strategy for a local urban RRV control program when seroprevalence levels >30% may be required. Our simulations provide information regarding the efficiency of different vaccination strategies for raccoon populations, to guide local RRV control in urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole T Gorman
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Katherine M McClure
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
- US Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystem Research Center, Hawaii National Park, Hawaii 96718, USA
| | - Larissa Nituch
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Tore Buchanan
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Richard B Chipman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, USA
| | - Amy T Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA
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Bell ME, Conover MR. Nest success of ground-nesting ducks in the wetlands of Great Salt Lake, Utah. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10384. [PMID: 37529591 PMCID: PMC10375547 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10384] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of ground-nesting ducks in the wetlands of Great Salt Lake, Utah has drastically decreased in the past few decades. A potential cause for this decline is the increase of predator species and their abundances, which has caused most nests to fail from depredation. Ground-nesting ducks may be able to reduce the risk of nest depredation by selecting nest sites where local physical structures or vegetation provides olfactory or visual concealment. To test this, we used logistic exposure models to look at the effect of nest-site characteristics on daily survival rates (DSRs) of nests during 2019, 2020, and 2021 in the wetlands of Great Salt Lake, Utah. We found 825 duck nests including 458 cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera), 166 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and 201 gadwalls (Mareca strepera). DSRs were 0.9714 ± 0.0019 in 2019, 0.9282 ± 0.0049 in 2020, and 0.8274 ± 0.0185 in 2021. Survival rates varied among years but not among duck species. Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) were responsible for 85% of depredated nests. Nests located near other duck nests had higher DSRs than more dispersed nests. Neither visual nor olfactory characteristics correlated with increased DSRs based on AICc analysis. Nests located inside a mixed nesting colony of American avocets (Recurvirostra americana), black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), and common terns (Sterna hirundo) had higher DSRs than duck nests outside the colony. Increased nesting densities of ducks and other colonial waterbirds had the greatest impact on nesting success. Increased nest density may be encouraged through early spring green-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Bell
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Michael R. Conover
- Department of Wildland Resources, Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
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Stancu AC, Voia OS, Boldura OM, Pasca SA, Luca I, Hulea AS, Ivan OR, Dragoescu AA, Lungu BC, Hutu I. Unusual Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Captive Raccoons ( Procyon lotor). Viruses 2023; 15:1536. [PMID: 37515222 PMCID: PMC10383698 DOI: 10.3390/v15071536] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), is the causative agent of canine distemper (CD), which is a serious contagious disease of canines, large felids, and, occasionally, raccoons. This study included seven raccoons from the Timisoara Zoological Garden, Romania. CDV was detected using RT-qPCR on blood samples, but several other exams were also performed-clinical, bacteriological, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology, toxicological screening, and necropsy-which confirmed CDV infection. Severe digestive disorders (diarrhea and frequent hematemesis) were observed. The necropsy findings included pseudo membranous gastroenteritis, congestion, and pulmonary edema in two raccoons. Immunohistochemistry showed immunolabeled CDV antigenantibodies on the viral nucleocapsid. Histopathology revealed lymphocyte depletion in mesenteric lymphnodes and intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions in the enterocytes of the small intestine. Based on the RT-qPCR assay, laboratory tests, and the lesions observed, it was established that the raccoons were infected with CDV, which was the cause of death in two cases. The results from the necropsy, histology, and immunohistochemistry in the raccoons are comparable with reported CDV lesions in dogs. In conclusion, several exams may be performed to establish the etiology of possible interspecific viral infection, but only very specific exams can identify aCDV infection. Laboratory analyses must be completed by RT-qPCR assay or IHC to establish infection with uncommon viruses in raccoons with high accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Constantin Stancu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Octavian Sorin Voia
- Faculty of Animal Resources Bioengineering, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Oana Maria Boldura
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Sorin Aurelian Pasca
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, 700506 Iasi, Romania
| | - Iasmina Luca
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Anca Sofiana Hulea
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Alina Andreea Dragoescu
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Bianca Cornelia Lungu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ioan Hutu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Horia Cernescu Research Unit, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
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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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Lipton BA, Oltean HN, Capron RB, Hamlet A, Montgomery SP, Chancey RJ, Konold VJL, Steffl KE. Baylisascaris procyonis Roundworm Infection in Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Washington, USA, 2022. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:1232-1235. [PMID: 37209678 DOI: 10.3201/eid2906.230290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a case of Baylisascaris procyonis roundworm infection in a child in Washington, USA, with autism spectrum disorder. Environmental assessment confirmed nearby raccoon habitation and B. procyonis eggs. B. procyonis infections should be considered a potential cause of human eosinophilic meningitis, particularly among young children and persons with developmental delays.
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Majeau A, Cloherty E, Anderson AN, Straif-Bourgeois SC, Dumonteil E, Herrera C. Genetic diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi infecting raccoons ( Procyon lotor) in 2 metropolitan areas of southern Louisiana: implications for parasite transmission networks. Parasitology 2023; 150:1-8. [PMID: 36788672 PMCID: PMC10090583 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000070] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas disease, exists as an anthropozoonosis in Louisiana. Raccoons are an important reservoir, as they demonstrate high prevalence and maintain high parasitaemia longer than other mammals. Given the complex nature of parasite transmission networks and importance of raccoons as reservoirs that move between sylvatic and domestic environments, detailing the genetic diversity of T. cruzi in raccoons is crucial to assess risk to human health. Using a next-generation sequencing approach targeting the mini-exon, parasite diversity was assessed in 2 metropolitan areas of Louisiana. Sequences were analysed along with those previously identified in other mammals and vectors to determine if any association exists between ecoregion and parasite diversity. Parasites were identified from discrete typing units (DTUs) TcI, TcII, TcIV, TcV and TcVI. DTUs TcII, TcV and TcVI are previously unreported in raccoons in the United States (US). TcI was the most abundant DTU, comprising nearly 80% of all sequences. All but 1 raccoon harboured multiple haplotypes, some demonstrating mixed infections of different DTUs. Furthermore, there is significant association between DTU distribution and level III ecoregion in Louisiana. Finally, while certain sequences were distributed across multiple tissues, others appeared to have tissue-specific tropism. Taken together, these findings indicate that ongoing surveillance of T. cruzi in the US should be undertaken across ecoregions to fully assess risk to human health. Given potential connections between parasite diversity and clinical outcomes, deep sequencing technologies are crucial and interventions targeting raccoons may prove useful in mitigating human health risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Majeau
- Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Erin Cloherty
- New Orleans Mosquito, Rodent, and Termite Control, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - A. Nikki Anderson
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | | | - Eric Dumonteil
- Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Antonio Orden J, Martínez-Rodrigo A, Vela AI, Fernández-Garayzábal JF, Hurtado-Morillas C, Mas A, Domínguez-Bernal G. Detection and Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterobacteriaceae other than Escherichia Coli in Raccoons from the Madrid Region of Spain. J Vet Res 2022; 66:565-9. [PMID: 36846041 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2022-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Raccoons are an invasive alien species widely distributed in the Madrid region of Spain. These animals can carry a variety of enteric bacteria with associated antimicrobial resistance, which can infect humans and livestock. However, to our knowledge, the presence of non-E. coli Enterobacteriaceae in raccoons has not been previously studied. Material and Methods We conducted a study to examine the species distribution of Enterobacteriaceae isolates other than E. coli, as well as their antimicrobial resistance, in the faeces of 83 raccoons in the Madrid region. Results We detected 12 Enterobacteriaceae isolates other than E. coli belonging to seven different species: Citrobacter freundii (1 isolate), Citrobacter gillenii (3 isolates), Citrobacter murliniae (1 isolate), Citrobacter portucalensis (2 isolates), Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. hoffmannii (1 isolate), Hafnia paralvei (2 isolates) and Raoultella ornithinolytica (2 isolates). These isolates were found in 7 of the 83 (8.4%) animals studied. To our knowledge, this study is the first report of the presence of non-E. coli Enterobacteriaceae in raccoon faeces. All isolates but one were resistant to at least one of the 14 antimicrobials tested. Resistance to ampicillin (83.3%), amoxicillinclavulanic acid (50%) and cefoxitin (33.3%) was the most frequent. Conclusion Our study indicates that raccoons are a potential source of infection with Enterobacteriaceae other than E. coli for humans and livestock in the Madrid region.
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McClure KM, Bastille‐Rousseau G, Davis AJ, Stengel CA, Nelson KM, Chipman RB, Wittemyer G, Abdo Z, Gilbert AT, Pepin KM. Accounting for animal movement improves vaccination strategies against wildlife disease in heterogeneous landscapes. Ecol Appl 2022; 32:e2568. [PMID: 35138667 PMCID: PMC9285612 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2568] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oral baiting is used to deliver vaccines to wildlife to prevent, control, and eliminate infectious diseases. A central challenge is how to spatially distribute baits to maximize encounters by target animal populations, particularly in urban and suburban areas where wildlife such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) are abundant and baits are delivered along roads. Methods from movement ecology that quantify movement and habitat selection could help to optimize baiting strategies by more effectively targeting wildlife populations across space. We developed a spatially explicit, individual-based model of raccoon movement and oral rabies vaccine seroconversion to examine whether and when baiting strategies that match raccoon movement patterns perform better than currently used baiting strategies in an oral rabies vaccination zone in greater Burlington, Vermont, USA. Habitat selection patterns estimated from locally radio-collared raccoons were used to parameterize movement simulations. We then used our simulations to estimate raccoon population rabies seroprevalence under currently used baiting strategies (actual baiting) relative to habitat selection-based baiting strategies (habitat baiting). We conducted simulations on the Burlington landscape and artificial landscapes that varied in heterogeneity relative to Burlington in the proportion and patch size of preferred habitats. We found that the benefits of habitat baiting strongly depended on the magnitude and variability of raccoon habitat selection and the degree of landscape heterogeneity within the baiting area. Habitat baiting improved seroprevalence over actual baiting for raccoons characterized as habitat specialists but not for raccoons that displayed weak habitat selection similar to radiocollared individuals, except when baits were delivered off roads where preferred habitat coverage and complexity was more pronounced. In contrast, in artificial landscapes with either more strongly juxtaposed favored habitats and/or higher proportions of favored habitats, habitat baiting performed better than actual baiting, even when raccoons displayed weak habitat preferences and where baiting was constrained to roads. Our results suggest that habitat selection-based baiting could increase raccoon population seroprevalence in urban-suburban areas, where practical, given the heterogeneity and availability of preferred habitat types in those areas. Our novel simulation approach provides a flexible framework to test alternative baiting strategies in multiclass landscapes to optimize bait-distribution strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. McClure
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and PathologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Present address:
Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies UnitUniversity of Hawai‘i at HiloHiloHawai‘iUSA
| | - Guillaume Bastille‐Rousseau
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Cooperative Wildlife Research LaboratorySouthern Illinois UniversityCarbondaleIllinoisUSA
| | - Amy J. Davis
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Carolyn A. Stengel
- Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureConcordNew HampshireUSA
| | - Kathleen M. Nelson
- National Rabies Management Program, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureConcordNew HampshireUSA
| | - Richard B. Chipman
- National Rabies Management Program, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureConcordNew HampshireUSA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Zaid Abdo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and PathologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Amy T. Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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Francisco R, Hernandez SM, Mead DG, Adcock KG, Burke SC, Nemeth NM, Yabsley MJ. Experimental Susceptibility of North American Raccoons ( Procyon lotor) and Striped Skunks ( Mephitis mephitis) to SARS-CoV-2. Front Vet Sci 2022; 8:715307. [PMID: 35097038 PMCID: PMC8790025 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.715307] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent spillback events of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to animals has raised concerns about it becoming endemic in wildlife. A sylvatic cycle of SARS-CoV-2 could present multiple opportunities for repeated spillback into human populations and other susceptible wildlife. Based on their taxonomy and natural history, two native North American wildlife species -the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and the raccoon (Procyon lotor) -represent a high likelihood of susceptibility and ecological opportunity of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2. Eight skunks and raccoons were each intranasally inoculated with one of two doses of the virus (103 PFU and 105 PFU) and housed in pairs. To evaluate direct transmission, a naïve animal was added to each inoculated pair 48 h post-inoculation. Four control animals of each species were handled like the experimental groups. At predetermined intervals, we collected nasal and rectal swabs to quantify virus shed via virus isolation and detect viral RNA via rRT-PCR and blood for serum neutralization. Lastly, animals were euthanized at staggered intervals to describe disease progression through histopathology and immunohistochemistry. No animals developed clinical disease. All intranasally inoculated animals seroconverted, suggesting both species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The highest titers in skunks and raccoons were 1:128 and 1:64, respectively. Low quantities of virus were isolated from 2/8 inoculated skunks for up to day 5 post-inoculation, however no virus was isolated from inoculated raccoons or direct contacts of either species. Neither species had gross lesions, but recovering mild chronic pneumonia consistent with viral insult was recorded histologically in 5/8 inoculated skunks. Unlike another SARS-CoV-2 infection trial in these species, we detected neutralizing antibodies in inoculated raccoons; thus, future wildlife serologic surveillance results must be interpreted with caution. Due to the inability to isolate virus from raccoons, the lack of evidence of direct transmission between both species, and low amount of virus shed by skunks, it seems unlikely for SARS-CoV-2 to become established in raccoon and skunk populations and for virus to spillback into humans. Continued outbreaks in non-domestic species, wild and captive, highlight that additional research on the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife, especially musteloidea, and of conservation concern, is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Francisco
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Daniel G. Mead
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kayla G. Adcock
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Sydney C. Burke
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Nicole M. Nemeth
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Lin CM, Hause B, Gualtieri D, Robinson N. Parvoviral enteritis and salmonellosis in raccoons with sudden death. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:1172-1175. [PMID: 34382458 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211038766] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Eight of 9 juvenile raccoons at a rehabilitation center died without obvious prior clinical signs. Gross changes were unremarkable except for mildly distended intestines. Microscopically, crypt loss, distension, necrosis, and regeneration with intranuclear viral inclusions were observed in the small intestine, with marked lymphoid depletion and necrosis in Peyer patches and mesenteric lymph nodes. Immunohistochemistry with a canine parvovirus antibody showed intensive signals of parvoviral antigens in the crypts and lymphoid germinal centers. Metagenomic sequencing allowed assembly of a complete parvoviral genome with >99% identity to canine parvovirus 2a, as well as Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Also, S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Thompson with multiple antimicrobial resistance was isolated from the intestinal contents. Concurrent infection with parvovirus and Salmonella should be included as a differential diagnosis in raccoons with sudden death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ming Lin
- Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Hause
- Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
| | - Deanna Gualtieri
- North East Wildlife Animal Rehabilitation Coalition, Barre, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA.,Preclinical and Translational Development, bluebird bio, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Maas M, Tatem-Dokter R, Rijks JM, Dam-Deisz C, Franssen F, van Bolhuis H, Heddergott M, Schleimer A, Schockert V, Lambinet C, Hubert P, Redelijk T, Janssen R, Cruz APL, Martinez IC, Caron Y, Linden A, Lesenfants C, Paternostre J, van der Giessen J, Frantz AC. Population genetics, invasion pathways and public health risks of the raccoon and its roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis in northwestern Europe. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2191-2200. [PMID: 34227236 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The geographic range of the zoonotic raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is expanding together with the range of its host, the raccoon (Procyon lotor). This creates a new public health risk in parts of Europe where this parasite was previously absent. In the Netherlands, a raccoon population is becoming established and incidental findings of B. procyonis have been reported. To assess the risk to public health, the prevalence of B. procyonis was determined in the province of Limburg, where currently the largest Dutch raccoon population is present, as well as in the adjoining region of southern Belgium. Furthermore, genetic methods were employed to assess invasion pathways of both the raccoon and B. procyonis to aid in the development of control measures. Macroscopic analysis of intestinal content and testing of faecal samples were performed to detect B. procyonis adults and eggs. The population genetics of both B. procyonis and its raccoon host were analysed using samples from central and northwestern Europe. B. procyonis was found in 14/23 (61%, 95% CI: 41%-78%) raccoons from Limburg, but was not detected in 50 Belgian raccoons. Genetic analyses showed that the majority of the Dutch raccoons and their roundworms were introduced through ex-captive individuals. As long as free-living raccoon populations originate from captivity, population control methods may be pursued. However, natural dispersal from the border regions will complicate prolonged population control. To reduce the public health risk posed by B. procyonis, public education to increase awareness and adapt behaviour towards raccoons is key.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Maas
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Rea Tatem-Dokter
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Jolianne M Rijks
- Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Cecile Dam-Deisz
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Frits Franssen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Anna Schleimer
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Vinciane Schockert
- Unité de Recherches zoogéographiques, Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Clotilde Lambinet
- Unité de Recherches zoogéographiques, Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pauline Hubert
- Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Éco-éthologie, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Boult-aux-Bois, France
| | | | | | | | - Irène Campos Martinez
- Unité de Recherches zoogéographiques, Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Yannick Caron
- Parasitologie et Pathologie des Maladies Parasitaires, Département des Maladies infectieuses et parasitaires, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Annick Linden
- Service de Santé et Pathologie de la Faune sauvage, Département des Maladies infectieuses et parasitaires, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Christophe Lesenfants
- Service de Santé et Pathologie de la Faune sauvage, Département des Maladies infectieuses et parasitaires, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Julien Paternostre
- Service de Santé et Pathologie de la Faune sauvage, Département des Maladies infectieuses et parasitaires, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Joke van der Giessen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Alain C Frantz
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
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12
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Heddergott M, Steinbach P, Schwarz S, Anheyer-Behmenburg HE, Sutor A, Schliephake A, Jeschke D, Striese M, Müller F, Meyer-Kayser E, Stubbe M, Osten-Sacken N, Krüger S, Gaede W, Runge M, Hoffmann L, Ansorge H, Conraths FJ, Frantz AC. Geographic Distribution of Raccoon Roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, Germany and Luxembourg. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:821-823. [PMID: 32187005 PMCID: PMC7101099 DOI: 10.3201/eid2604.191670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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
Infestation with Baylisascaris procyonis, a gastrointestinal nematode of the raccoon, can cause fatal disease in humans. We found that the parasite is widespread in central Germany and can pose a public health risk. The spread of B. procyonis roundworms into nematode-free raccoon populations needs to be monitored.
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13
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Gonzalez-Astudillo V, Sheley MF, Uzal FA, Navarro MA. Pathology of cryptosporidiosis in raccoons: case series and retrospective analysis, 1990-2019. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:721-727. [PMID: 33955305 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211011949] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is an intestinal protozoal disease of public health importance caused by Cryptosporidium spp. Despite the high synanthropism of raccoons, studies describing the pathology of Cryptosporidium spp. infections in this species are lacking. Therefore, we characterized the pathology of cryptosporidiosis in 2 juvenile raccoons. In addition, we conducted a retrospective search of the database of the California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory for 1990-2019 and found 6 additional cases of cryptosporidiosis in raccoons. Sequencing of cryptosporidia was performed in one autopsied raccoon, and PCR on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in archived cases. The Cryptosporidium skunk genotype (CSkG), a strain of zoonotic relevance, was detected in 6 of 8 cases (75%). Frequently, cryptosporidiosis was associated with enteritis, eosinophilic infiltrates, villus atrophy or blunting and/or fusion, and crypt abscesses or necrosis. In 7 of the 8 cases, there was confirmed concurrent coinfection with canine distemper virus; 1 case was coinfected with canine parvovirus. Although crypt necrosis is considered a classic lesion of canine parvoviral infection in mesocarnivores and not a hallmark of cryptosporidiosis, results suggest that canine distemper virus is capable of mimicking such lesions in combination with cryptosporidia and immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Gonzalez-Astudillo
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Matthew F Sheley
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Mauricio A Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA, USA
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14
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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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15
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Orden JA, García-Meniño I, Flament-Simon SC, Blanco J, de la Fuente R, Martínez-Rodrigo A, Mas A, Carrión J, Sobrino F, Domínguez-Bernal G. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the Madrid region of Spain are carriers of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli and enteropathogenic E. coli. Zoonoses Public Health 2020; 68:69-78. [PMID: 33225569 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance is unclear. Raccoons in North America can carry a variety of enteric bacteria, with associated antimicrobial resistance, that could infect humans and livestock. The potential for raccoons to carry these bacteria in Europe, where they are an invasive species, has not been explored. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli with associated antimicrobial resistance in raccoons from the Madrid region of Spain and to determine whether they are carriers of potential human pathogens, including verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). In total, we tested 237 E. coli isolates from the faeces of 83 euthanized raccoons for susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents and the presence of VTEC and EPEC. Antimicrobial resistance to at least one antimicrobial was detected in the faeces of 51% (42/83; 95% CI, 40.1-61.1) of the raccoons tested. A high percentage of raccoons carried, in their faeces, E. coli isolates resistant to ampicillin (33%), streptomycin (33%), tetracycline (30%), sulphafurazole (31%) and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (23%). We detected one isolate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli from the faeces of one raccoon. We detected VTEC in the faeces of one raccoon, and EPEC in the faeces of 12% (10/83) of the raccoons. Of the raccoons that carried EPEC in their faeces, 60% (6/10) carried EPEC isolates that exhibited characteristics associated with pathogenicity in humans. Raccoons in Madrid can carry pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli in their faeces and may be a risk to public health because of their potential to contaminate food and the environment with their faeces.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Orden
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isidro García-Meniño
- Laboratorio de Referencia de Escherichia coli (LREC), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Saskia C Flament-Simon
- Laboratorio de Referencia de Escherichia coli (LREC), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jorge Blanco
- Laboratorio de Referencia de Escherichia coli (LREC), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ricardo de la Fuente
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Abel Martínez-Rodrigo
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Mas
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Carrión
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Sobrino
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gustavo Domínguez-Bernal
- INMIVET, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Wünschmann A, Lopez-Astacio R, Armién AG, Reed L, Parrish CR. Parvovirus-induced encephalitis in a juvenile raccoon. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020; 33:140-143. [PMID: 33100176 DOI: 10.1177/1040638720967381] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A juvenile raccoon was euthanized because of severe neurologic signs. At postmortem examination, no significant gross lesions were present. Histologic evaluation demonstrated nonsuppurative encephalitis in thalamus, brainstem, and hippocampus, cerebellar Purkinje cell loss, as well as poliomyelitis and demyelination of the spinal cord. Parvovirus antigen-specific immunohistochemistry revealed immunopositive neurons in the brainstem, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus. A few Purkinje cells were also immunopositive. DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissue (thalamus, hippocampus, cerebral cortex) yielded a positive signal using PCR targeting both feline and canine parvovirus. Sequencing analyses from a fragment of the NS1 gene and a portion of the VP2 gene confirmed the presence of DNA of a recent canine parvovirus variant (CPV-2a-like virus) in the cerebellum. Our case provides evidence that a recent canine parvovirus (CPV) strain (Carnivore protoparvovirus 1) can infect cerebral and diencephalic neurons and cause encephalitis in an otherwise healthy raccoon. Parvovirus-induced encephalitis is a differential diagnosis of rabies and canine distemper in raccoons with neurologic signs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Wünschmann
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
| | - Robert Lopez-Astacio
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - Aníbal G Armién
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN.,California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab, Davis, CA
| | - Leslie Reed
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, Roseville, MN
| | - Colin R Parrish
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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17
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Wünschmann A, Lopez-Astacio R, Armien AG, Parrish CR. Cerebellar hypoplasia and dysplasia in a juvenile raccoon with parvoviral infection. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020; 32:463-466. [PMID: 32404029 DOI: 10.1177/1040638720912229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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 juvenile raccoon (Procyon lotor) was submitted dead to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for rabies testing without history. The animal had marked hypoplasia of the cerebellum. Histology demonstrated that most folia lacked granule cells and had randomly misplaced Purkinje cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of parvoviral antigen in a few neurons and cell processes. PCR targeting feline and canine parvovirus yielded a positive signal. Sequencing analyses from a fragment of the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) gene and a portion of the viral capsid protein 2 (VP2) gene confirmed the presence of DNA of a recent canine parvovirus variant (CPV-2a-like virus) in the cerebellum. Our study provides evidence that (canine) parvovirus may be associated with cerebellar hypoplasia and dysplasia in raccoons, similar to the disease that occurs naturally and has been reproduced experimentally by feline parvoviral infection of pregnant cats, with subsequent intrauterine or neonatal infections of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Wünschmann
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (Wünschmann, Armien).,Baker Institute of Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Lopez-Astacio, Parrish)
| | - Robert Lopez-Astacio
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (Wünschmann, Armien).,Baker Institute of Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Lopez-Astacio, Parrish)
| | - Anibal G Armien
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (Wünschmann, Armien).,Baker Institute of Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Lopez-Astacio, Parrish)
| | - Colin R Parrish
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (Wünschmann, Armien).,Baker Institute of Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Lopez-Astacio, Parrish)
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18
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Sapp SGH, Elsemore DA, Hanna R, Yabsley MJ. Experimental comparison of Baylisascaris procyonis definitive host competence between domestic dogs and raccoons ( Procyon lotor). Parasitology 2020; 147:1344-51. [PMID: 32660656 DOI: 10.1017/S0031182020001122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Domestic dogs can function as either paratenic or definitive hosts for the zoonotic raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis. However, factors leading to development of patent infections in dogs are under-studied. Here we compared infection dynamics of B. procyonis in dogs vs the natural raccoon host. Dogs and raccoons were inoculated 5000 or 500 B. procyonis eggs (n = 3 per dose) or were fed B. procyonis-infected laboratory mice (n = 3 per dose; mice inoculated with 1000 or 250 eggs). Fecal samples were analysed via flotation and a commercial coproantigen ELISA designed for detection of Toxocara spp. Two of 12 dogs (both received low dose larvae) developed patent infections; all 12 raccoons became infected with 10 developing patent infections. Compared with dogs, prepatent periods were shorter in raccoons and maximum egg outputs were much greater. Baylisascaris procyonis coproantigens were detectable via ELISA in all raccoons and the patently infected dogs. Finally, dogs spontaneously lost infections while all patently infected raccoons shed eggs until conclusion of the study. Our results demonstrate that dogs are clearly suboptimal hosts showing limited parasite establishment and fecundity vs raccoons. Despite the low competence, patently infected dogs still pose a risk for human exposure, emphasizing the importance of control measures.
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19
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Majeau A, Pronovost H, Sanford A, Cloherty E, Anderson AN, Balsamo G, Gee L, Straif-Bourgeois SC, Herrera C. Raccoons As an Important Reservoir for Trypanosoma cruzi: A Prevalence Study from Two Metropolitan Areas in Louisiana. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:535-540. [PMID: 32286921 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Raccoons are an important reservoir for Trypanosoma cruzi infection, having been reported to maintain a high and lengthy parasitemia. Although raccoon populations have historically been abundant in Louisiana, the prevalence rate of T. cruzi infection in raccoons in this state is unknown. Here, we tested raccoon tissues from two urban areas in Louisiana, namely Orleans Parish (OP) and East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP), to investigate prevalence in these areas using direct detection through polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 33.6% of raccoons tested were positive. The prevalence in OP (42.9%) was significantly higher than the prevalence in EBRP (23.2%). There was no significant difference in prevalence between sexes or based on age, but there was a significant difference in infection prevalence based on season of trapping. These results suggest the importance of raccoons as a reservoir host, maintaining T. cruzi infection and potentially posing a risk to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Majeau
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Henry Pronovost
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Anna Sanford
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Erin Cloherty
- New Orleans Mosquito, Rodent, and Termite Control, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - A Nikki Anderson
- Louisiana Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Gary Balsamo
- Department of Health, Office of Public Health, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Laura Gee
- Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Susanne C Straif-Bourgeois
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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20
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Straif-Bourgeois S, Cloherty E, Balsamo G, Gee L, Riegel C. Prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in Raccoons Trapped in New Orleans, Louisiana, 2014-2017. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 20:22-26. [PMID: 31414972 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2498] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm, is considered an emerging zoonotic disease in the United States after being identified in raccoons captured in different US regions and metropolitan areas. Humans can become infected with B. procyonis after ingesting mature roundworm eggs, sometimes resulting in fatal disease or severe sequelae in these patients. The first reported human Baylisascaris case in New Orleans raised concerns that very little was known about this zoonotic disease in the increasing urban raccoon population. Therefore, the study aim was to estimate the prevalence of Baylisascaris-infected raccoons in New Orleans, LA. Raccoons were trapped based on nuisance calls from the public and in areas where raccoons had been sighted. Necropsies were performed to identify B. procyonis adult worms in intestines and fecal samples were examined for roundworm ova. Study findings showed that 38.5% of New Orleans raccoons were infected with B. procyonis, defined by the presence of adult B. procyonis worms or Baylisascaris ova in their feces. Twenty-four of 65 raccoons (36.9%) had raccoon roundworms in their intestines and 31.7% of the fecal samples were positive for B. procyonis eggs. Mapping B. procyonis-infected raccoons by trapping location showed that infected raccoons were found throughout the city. In conclusion, the high prevalence rate of B. procyonis in New Orleans raccoons demonstrates the importance of educating the public and health care professionals about potential health risks and providing resources to prevent exposure to infective eggs from raccoon latrines. Furthermore, this emerging disease should be further studied to examine human risk of infection in increasing raccoon populations in metropolitan areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Straif-Bourgeois
- School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Erin Cloherty
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Gary Balsamo
- Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Laura Gee
- Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Claudia Riegel
- City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, Louisiana
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21
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Needle DB, Burnell VC, Forzán MJ, Dubovi EJ, Schuler KL, Bernier C, Hollingshead NA, Ellis JC, Stevens BA, Tate P, Anis E, Wilkes RP. Infection of eight mesocarnivores in New Hampshire and Vermont with a distinct clade of canine distemper virus in 2016-2017. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019; 31:562-567. [PMID: 31023162 DOI: 10.1177/1040638719847510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Three fishers (Martes pennanti), 2 gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), 1 mink (Neovison vison), 1 skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and 1 raccoon (Procyon lotor), from Vermont and New Hampshire, had lesions on autopsy consistent with canine distemper virus (CDV) infections diagnosed in a 12-mo period in 2016-2017. Lesions of CDV infection were most commonly noted in the lungs (8 of 8 animals), urothelium (5 of 8), biliary tract (5 of 8), gastrointestinal tract (4 of 7), and brain (4 of 6). Splenic lesions were seen in 3 animals. The diagnosis was confirmed via immunohistochemistry and virus isolation. Viral genotyping indicated that all 8 animals were infected with a distinct clade of CDV that has only been reported in wildlife in New England, and this clade of viruses is distinct from vaccine strains. During the 12 mo when these cases occurred, no other CDV clade was identified in any other wildlife or domesticated animal submitted from the 2 states.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Needle
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Vivien C Burnell
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Marίa J Forzán
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Edward J Dubovi
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Krysten L Schuler
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Chris Bernier
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Nicholas A Hollingshead
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Julie C Ellis
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Brian A Stevens
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Patrick Tate
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Eman Anis
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
| | - Rebecca P Wilkes
- New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Durham, NH (Needle, Burnell, Stevens).,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (Dubovi), and Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Wildlife Health Laboratory, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY (Forzán, Schuler, Hollingshead).,Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA (Ellis).,New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, NH (Tate).,Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Montpelier, VT (Bernier).,Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis).,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Tifton GA (Anis, Wilkes).,Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette IN (Wilkes)
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22
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Moore SJ, Smith JD, Richt JA, Greenlee JJ. Raccoons accumulate PrP Sc after intracranial inoculation of the agents of chronic wasting disease or transmissible mink encephalopathy but not atypical scrapie. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019; 31:200-209. [PMID: 30694116 DOI: 10.1177/1040638718825290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) in the brain and other tissues. Animal prion diseases include scrapie in sheep, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids, and transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) in ranch-raised mink. We investigated the susceptibility of raccoons to various prion disease agents and compared the clinicopathologic features of the resulting disease. Raccoon kits were inoculated intracranially with the agents of raccoon-passaged TME (TMERac), bovine-passaged TME (TMEBov), hamster-adapted drowsy (TMEDY) or hyper TME (TMEHY), CWD from white-tailed deer (CWDWtd) or elk (CWDElk), or atypical (Nor98) scrapie. Raccoons were euthanized when they developed clinical signs of prion disease or at study endpoint (<82 mo post-inoculation). Brain was examined for the presence of spongiform change, and disease-associated PrPSc was detected using an enzyme immunoassay, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. All raccoons inoculated with the agents of TMERac and TMEBov developed clinical disease at ~6.6 mo post-inoculation, with widespread PrPSc accumulation in central nervous system tissues. PrPSc was detected in the brain of 1 of 4 raccoons in each of the CWDWtd-, CWDElk-, and TMEHY-inoculated groups. None of the raccoons inoculated with TMEDY or atypical scrapie agents developed clinical disease or detectable PrPSc accumulation. Our results indicate that raccoons are highly susceptible to infection with raccoon- and bovine-passaged TME agents, whereas CWD isolates from white-tailed deer or elk and hamster-adapted TMEHY transmit poorly. Raccoons appear to be resistant to infection with hamster-adapted TMEDY and atypical scrapie agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jo Moore
- National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA (Moore, Greenlee).,Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA (Smith).,Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS (Richt)
| | - Jodi D Smith
- National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA (Moore, Greenlee).,Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA (Smith).,Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS (Richt)
| | - Jürgen A Richt
- National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA (Moore, Greenlee).,Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA (Smith).,Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS (Richt)
| | - Justin J Greenlee
- National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA (Moore, Greenlee).,Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA (Smith).,Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS (Richt)
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23
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Weinstein SB, Lake CM, Chastain HM, Fisk D, Handali S, Kahn PL, Montgomery SP, Wilkins PP, Kuris AM, Lafferty KD. Seroprevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis Infection among Humans, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2014-2016. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:1397-1399. [PMID: 28726612 PMCID: PMC5547801 DOI: 10.3201/eid2308.170222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm) infection is common in raccoons and can cause devastating pathology in other animals, including humans. Limited information is available on the frequency of asymptomatic human infection. We tested 150 adults from California, USA, for B. procyonis antibodies; 11 were seropositive, suggesting that subclinical infection does occur.
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24
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Baldi M, Alvarado G, Smith S, Santoro M, Bolaños N, Jiménez C, Hutter SE, Walzer C. Baylisascaris procyonis Parasites in Raccoons, Costa Rica, 2014. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:1502-3. [PMID: 27433741 PMCID: PMC4982188 DOI: 10.3201/eid2208.151627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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25
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Sapp SGH, Rascoe LN, Wilkins PP, Handali S, Gray EB, Eberhard M, Woodhall DM, Montgomery SP, Bailey KL, Lankau EW, Yabsley MJ. Baylisascaris procyonis Roundworm Seroprevalence among Wildlife Rehabilitators, United States and Canada, 2012-2015. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:2128-2131. [PMID: 27869612 PMCID: PMC5189140 DOI: 10.3201/eid2212.160467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Baylisascaris procyonis roundworms can cause potentially fatal neural larva migrans in many species, including humans. However, the clinical spectrum of baylisascariasis is not completely understood. We tested 347 asymptomatic adult wildlife rehabilitators for B. procyonis antibodies; 24 were positive, suggesting that subclinical baylisascariasis is occurring among this population.
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26
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Bosco-Lauth AM, Calvert AE, Root JJ, Gidlewski T, Bird BH, Bowen RA, Muehlenbachs A, Zaki SR, Brault AC. Vertebrate Host Susceptibility to Heartland Virus. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:2070-2077. [PMID: 27869591 PMCID: PMC5189141 DOI: 10.3201/eid2212.160472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [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
Virus-infected Ag129 mice could be a useful model for identifying tick infection or virus transmission. Heartland virus (HRTV) is a recently described phlebovirus initially isolated in 2009 from 2 humans who had leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Serologic assessment of domestic and wild animal populations near the residence of 1 of these persons showed high exposure rates to raccoons, white-tailed deer, and horses. To our knowledge, no laboratory-based assessments of viremic potential of animals infected with HRTV have been performed. We experimentally inoculated several vertebrates (raccoons, goats, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, C57BL/6 mice, and interferon-α/β/γ receptor–deficient [Ag129]) mice with this virus. All animals showed immune responses against HRTV after primary or secondary exposure. However, neutralizing antibody responses were limited. Only Ag129 mice showed detectable viremia and associated illness and death, which were dose dependent. Ag129 mice also showed development of mean peak viral antibody titers >8 log10 PFU/mL, hemorrhagic hepatic lesions, splenomegaly, and large amounts of HRTV antigen in mononuclear cells and hematopoietic cells in the spleen.
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27
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Haley BS, Algeo TP, Bjorklund B, Duffiney AG, Hartin RE, Martin A, Nelson KM, Chipman RB, Slate D. Evaluation of Bait Station Density for Oral Rabies Vaccination of Raccoons in Urban and Rural Habitats in Florida. Trop Med Infect Dis 2017; 2:E41. [PMID: 30270898 PMCID: PMC6082109 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed2030041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts to eliminate the raccoon variant of the rabies virus (raccoon rabies) in the eastern United States by USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services and cooperators have included the distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bait stations in west-central Florida from 2009 to 2015. Achieving sufficient vaccine bait uptake among urban raccoons is problematic, given limitations on aerial and vehicle-based bait distribution for safety and other reasons. One or three bait stations/km² were deployed across four 9-km² sites within rural and urban sites in Pasco and Pinellas Counties, Florida. Based on tetracycline biomarker analysis, bait uptake was only significantly different among the urban (Pinellas County) high and low bait station densities in 2012 (p = 0.0133). Significant differences in RVNA were found between the two bait station densities for both urban 2011 and 2012 samples (p = 0.0054 and p = 0.0031). Landscape differences in terms of urban structure and human population density may modify raccoon travel routes and behavior enough for these differences to emerge in highly urbanized Pinellas County, but not in rural Pasco County. The results suggest that, in urban settings, bait stations deployed at densities of >1/km² are likely to achieve higher seroprevalence as an index of population immunity critical to successful raccoon rabies control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betsy S Haley
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
| | - Timothy P Algeo
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 7, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
| | - Brian Bjorklund
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 9 Main St., Suite 1M, Sutton, MA 01590, USA.
| | - Anthony G Duffiney
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 2803 Jolly Rd., Suite 100, Okemos, MI 48864, USA.
| | - Robert Edwin Hartin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 2820 E University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32641, USA.
| | - Ashlee Martin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
| | - Kathleen M Nelson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
| | - Richard B Chipman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
| | - Dennis Slate
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, 59 Chenell Dr., Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301, USA.
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Aoki E, Soma T, Yokoyama M, Matsubayashi M, Sasai K. SURVEILLANCE FOR ANTIBODIES AGAINST SIX CANINE VIRUSES IN WILD RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR) IN JAPAN. J Wildl Dis 2017; 53:761-8. [PMID: 28715293 DOI: 10.7589/2016-11-253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are found worldwide. They are frequently seen in crowded inner cities as well as in forests or wooded areas, often living in proximity to humans and their pets. We examined sera from 100 wild raccoons in Japan for antibodies to six canine viruses with veterinary significance to assess their potential as reservoirs. We also aimed to understand the distribution of potentially infected wildlife. We found that 7% of samples were seropositive for canine distemper virus (CDV), 10% for canine parvovirus type 2, 2% for canine adenovirus type 1, 6% for canine adenovirus type 2, and 7% for canine coronavirus. No samples were found to be seropositive for canine parainfluenza virus. Seropositivity rates for canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus type 2 were significantly different between areas, and younger raccoons (<1 yr old) were more frequently seropositive than older raccoons. Because raccoons belong to the suborder Caniformia, similar to dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), our results suggest that they can act as reservoirs for some of these important canine viruses and might be involved in viral transmission. Further study should include isolation and analysis of canine viruses in wild raccoons from a wider area.
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29
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Volokhov DV, Hwang J, Chizhikov VE, Danaceau H, Gottdenker NL. Prevalence, Genotype Richness, and Coinfection Patterns of Hemotropic Mycoplasmas in Raccoons (Procyon lotor) on Environmentally Protected and Urbanized Barrier Islands. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e00211-17. [PMID: 28258139 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00211-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are successful urban adapters and hosts to a number of zoonotic and nonzoonotic pathogens, yet little is known about their hemoplasma infections and how prevalence varies across habitat types. This study identifies hemotropic Mycoplasma species infection in raccoons from urban and undisturbed habitats and compares hemoplasma infection in sympatric urban cats (Felis catus) from the same geographic region. We collected blood from raccoons (n = 95) on an urban coastal island (n = 37) and an undisturbed coastal island (n = 58) and from sympatric urban cats (n = 39) in Georgia, USA. Based on 16S rRNA gene amplification, 62.1% (59/95) of raccoons and 17.9% (7/39) of feral cats were positive for hemoplasma. There was a greater percentage of hemoplasma-infected raccoons on the undisturbed island (79.3% [46/58]) than on the urban island (35.1% [13/37]; χ2 = 16.9, df = 1, P = 0.00004). Sequencing of the full-length 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed six hemoplasma genotypes in raccoons, including five novel genotypes that were distinct from three known hemoplasma species identified in the sympatric cats. In addition, the hemoplasma genotypes detected in raccoons were not identified in sympatric cats or vice versa. Although all six hemoplasma genotypes were found in raccoons from urban and undisturbed islands, coinfection patterns differed between sites and among individuals, with the proportion of coinfected raccoons being greater in the undisturbed site. This study shows that raccoons are hosts for several novel hemoplasmas and that habitat type influences infection patterns.IMPORTANCE This study provides information about novel hemoplasmas identified in raccoons (Procyon lotor), which can be used for assessments of the prevalence of these hemoplasmas in raccoon populations and for future studies on the potential pathogenic impacts of these hemoplasmas on raccoon health. Raccoons from the undisturbed habitat had a higher prevalence of hemoplasma infection than urban raccoons. There does not appear to be cross-species transmission of hemotropic mycoplasmas between urban raccoons and feral cats. Raccoons appear to be hosts for several novel hemoplasmas, and habitat type influences infection patterns.
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30
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Viswanathan M, Pearl DL, Taboada EN, Parmley EJ, Mutschall SK, Jardine CM. Cluster Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni Genotypes Isolated from Small and Medium-Sized Mammalian Wildlife and Bovine Livestock from Ontario Farms. Zoonoses Public Health 2016; 64:185-193. [PMID: 27492809 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Using data collected from a cross-sectional study of 25 farms (eight beef, eight swine and nine dairy) in 2010, we assessed clustering of molecular subtypes of C. jejuni based on a Campylobacter-specific 40 gene comparative genomic fingerprinting assay (CGF40) subtypes, using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis, and multiple correspondence analysis. Exact logistic regression was used to determine which genes differentiate wildlife and livestock subtypes in our study population. A total of 33 bovine livestock (17 beef and 16 dairy), 26 wildlife (20 raccoon (Procyon lotor), five skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and one mouse (Peromyscus spp.) C. jejuni isolates were subtyped using CGF40. Dendrogram analysis, based on UPGMA, showed distinct branches separating bovine livestock and mammalian wildlife isolates. Furthermore, two-dimensional multiple correspondence analysis was highly concordant with dendrogram analysis showing clear differentiation between livestock and wildlife CGF40 subtypes. Based on multilevel logistic regression models with a random intercept for farm of origin, we found that isolates in general, and raccoons more specifically, were significantly more likely to be part of the wildlife branch. Exact logistic regression conducted gene by gene revealed 15 genes that were predictive of whether an isolate was of wildlife or bovine livestock isolate origin. Both multiple correspondence analysis and exact logistic regression revealed that in most cases, the presence of a particular gene (13 of 15) was associated with an isolate being of livestock rather than wildlife origin. In conclusion, the evidence gained from dendrogram analysis, multiple correspondence analysis and exact logistic regression indicates that mammalian wildlife carry CGF40 subtypes of C. jejuni distinct from those carried by bovine livestock. Future studies focused on source attribution of C. jejuni in human infections will help determine whether wildlife transmit Campylobacter jejuni directly to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Viswanathan
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - D L Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - E N Taboada
- Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, c/o Animal Disease Research Institute, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - E J Parmley
- Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - S K Mutschall
- Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, c/o Animal Disease Research Institute, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - C M Jardine
- Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Viswanathan M, Pearl DL, Taboada EN, Parmley EJ, Mutschall S, Jardine CM. Molecular and Statistical Analysis of Campylobacter spp. and Antimicrobial-Resistant Campylobacter Carriage in Wildlife and Livestock from Ontario Farms. Zoonoses Public Health 2016; 64:194-203. [PMID: 27460061 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to (i) compare the carriage of Campylobacter and antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter among livestock and mammalian wildlife on Ontario farms, and (ii) investigate the potential sharing of Campylobacter subtypes between livestock and wildlife. Using data collected from a cross-sectional study of 25 farms in 2010, we assessed associations, using mixed logistic regression models, between Campylobacter and antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter carriage and the following explanatory variables: animal species (beef, dairy, swine, raccoon, other), farm type (swine, beef, dairy), type of sample (livestock or wildlife) and Campylobacter species (jejuni, coli, other). Models included a random effect to account for clustering by farm where samples were collected. Samples were subtyped using a Campylobacter-specific 40 gene comparative fingerprinting assay. A total of 92 livestock and 107 wildlife faecal samples were collected, and 72% and 27% tested positive for Campylobacter, respectively. Pooled faecal samples from livestock were significantly more likely to test positive for Campylobacter than wildlife samples. Relative to dairy cattle, pig samples were at significantly increased odds of testing positive for Campylobacter. The odds of isolating Campylobacter jejuni from beef cattle samples were significantly greater compared to dairy cattle and raccoon samples. Fifty unique subtypes of Campylobacter were identified, and only one subtype was found in both wildlife and livestock samples. Livestock Campylobacter isolates were significantly more likely to exhibit antimicrobial resistance (AMR) compared to wildlife Campylobacter isolates. Campylobacter jejuni was more likely to exhibit AMR when compared to C. coli. However, C. jejuni isolates were only resistant to tetracycline, and C. coli isolates exhibited multidrug resistance patterns. Based on differences in prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and resistant Campylobacter between livestock and wildlife samples, and the lack of similarity in molecular subtypes and AMR patterns, we concluded that the sharing of Campylobacter species between livestock and mammalian wildlife was uncommon.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Viswanathan
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - D L Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - E N Taboada
- Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, c/o Animal Disease Research Institute, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - E J Parmley
- Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - S Mutschall
- Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, c/o Animal Disease Research Institute, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - C M Jardine
- Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Abstract
Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a common cause of a multisystemic disease in both domestic dogs and wildlife species, including raccoons and foxes. Outbreaks of CDV in domestic dogs in eastern Tennessee have occurred since 2012, and it was determined that these outbreaks resulted from a novel genotype of CDV. We hypothesized that this virus is also infecting area wildlife and may be a source of the virus for these outbreaks in dogs. From 2013 to 2014, autopsies were performed and tissues collected from raccoons (Procyon lotor; n = 50) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus; n = 8) for CDV testing. A real-time reverse transcription PCR was used to document the presence of CDV in tissue samples, and a portion of the virus was subsequently sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. A high percentage of wildlife, both with (86%) and without (55%) clinical signs, tested positive for CDV, with the majority (77%) testing positive for the novel genotype. Microscopic findings, including syncytia in the lungs and viral inclusion bodies in urothelium, astrocytes, neurons, and bronchiolar epithelium, were also consistent with canine distemper. Minimal inflammation in the central nervous system of affected animals was indicative of the acute neurologic form of the disease. Pneumonia and parasitism were also commonly found in CDV-infected animals. Based on these results, CDV appears to be prevalent in eastern Tennessee wildlife. Subclinical or clinically recovered shedders are a potential source of this novel genotype for domestic dogs, and this genotype is genetically distinct from vaccine strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny P Pope
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Pope, Miller, Riley, Anis, Wilkes)Medical Service Corps, United States Army (Riley)Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis)Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, Wilkes)
| | - Debra L Miller
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Pope, Miller, Riley, Anis, Wilkes)Medical Service Corps, United States Army (Riley)Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis)Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, Wilkes)
| | - Matthew C Riley
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Pope, Miller, Riley, Anis, Wilkes)Medical Service Corps, United States Army (Riley)Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis)Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, Wilkes)
| | - Eman Anis
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Pope, Miller, Riley, Anis, Wilkes)Medical Service Corps, United States Army (Riley)Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis)Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, Wilkes)
| | - Rebecca P Wilkes
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Pope, Miller, Riley, Anis, Wilkes)Medical Service Corps, United States Army (Riley)Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Beheira, Egypt (Anis)Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, Wilkes)
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Very KJ, Kirchner MK, Shariat N, Cottrell W, Sandt CH, Dudley EG, Kariyawasam S, Jayarao BM. Prevalence and Spatial Distribution of Salmonella Infections in the Pennsylvania Raccoon (Procyon lotor). Zoonoses Public Health 2015; 63:223-33. [PMID: 26272724 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and spatial distribution of Salmonella infection in Pennsylvania raccoons (Procyon lotor), common wildlife mammals known to occupy overlapping habitats with humans and domestic food animals. The Pennsylvania Game Commission provided a total of 371 raccoon intestinal samples from trapped and road-killed raccoons collected between May and November 2011. Salmonella was isolated from the faeces of 56 (15.1%) of 371 raccoons in 35 (54%) of 65 counties across Pennsylvania. The five most frequently isolated serotypes were Newport (28.6%), Enteritidis (19.6%), Typhimurium (10.7%), Braenderup (8.9%) and Bareilly (7.1%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of the Salmonella isolates and subsequent comparison to the Pennsylvania Department of Health human Salmonella PFGE database revealed 16 different pulsetypes in Salmonella isolates recovered from raccoons that were indistinguishable from pulsetypes of Salmonella collected from clinically ill humans during the study period. The pulsetypes of seven raccoon Salmonella isolates matched those of 56 human Salmonella isolates by month and geographical region of sample collection. Results from Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and Multi-Virulence Locus Sequence Typing (CRISPR-MVLST) analysis corroborated the PFGE and serotyping data. The findings of this study show that several PFGE pulsetypes of Salmonella were shared between humans and raccoons in Pennsylvania, indicating that raccoons and humans might share the same source of Salmonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Very
- Penn State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - M K Kirchner
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - N Shariat
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - W Cottrell
- Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, Bradford, VT, USA
| | - C H Sandt
- Bureau of Laboratories, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Exton, PA, USA
| | - E G Dudley
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - S Kariyawasam
- Penn State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - B M Jayarao
- Penn State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Nituch LA, Bowman J, Wilson PJ, Schulte-Hostedde AI. Aleutian mink disease virus in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis): evidence for cross-species spillover. J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:389-400. [PMID: 25647590 DOI: 10.7589/2014-05-141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes a parvovirus infection, initially characterized in American mink (Neovison vison), that may have harmful effects on wild populations of susceptible animals. In North America, where American mink are native, the origin, host range, and prevalence of AMDV in wild species is not clear. We studied striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) to determine whether species sympatric with mink are potential reservoirs in the transmission of AMDV to wild mink and mink farms. Antibodies to AMDV were detected in 41% of skunk serum samples (143/347) and AMDV nucleic acids were detected in 32% (14/40) of skunk spleen samples by PCR, indicating that AMDV exposure and infection were frequent in skunks. We detected no AMDV antibodies in 144 raccoon blood samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a newly identified AMDV haplogroup consisting of isolates from Ontario skunks and a free-ranging domestic mink from Ontario. Our findings of frequent AMDV infection in skunks, close genetic similarity between skunk and mink AMDV isolates, and evidence of AMDV transmission from skunks to mink support the hypothesis that skunks may be acting as alternative hosts and reservoirs of AMDV to wild mink through cross-species virus spillover.
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Allen SE, Ojkic D, Jardine CM. Prevalence of antibodies to Leptospira in wild mammals trapped on livestock farms in Ontario, Canada. J Wildl Dis 2014; 50:666-70. [PMID: 24807356 DOI: 10.7589/2013-11-292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
To determine the prevalence and diversity of Leptospira serogroups circulating in wildlife on farms in Ontario, we tested samples from 51 raccoons (Procyon lotor), seven skunks (Mephitis mephitis), four rats (Rattus norvegicus), and three opossums (Didelphis virginiana) that were trapped on 27 livestock (swine [Sus scrofa], cattle [Bos taurus]) farms in 2010. Seventeen of 51 raccoons (33%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 21-48%) sampled were positive for at least one Leptospira serogroup using the microscopic agglutination test. None of the other 14 animals had detectable Leptospira antibodies. On swine farms, 13 of 30 raccoons (43%; 95% CI, 27-61%) were antibody positive, and on cattle farms, four of 21 raccoons (19%; 95% CI, 8-40%) were positive. Leptospira antibody prevalence in raccoons did not differ between swine and cattle farms. Raccoons were positive to serovars representative of serogroups Grippotyphosa, Australis, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona and were negative to serovars of serogroups Autumnalis, Canicola, and Sejroe. The prevalence of Leptospira antibodies in raccoons in this study is similar to what has been reported previously; however, the diversity of serogroups was higher in this study than what has been reported in raccoons from an urban area of Ontario, Canada. Understanding the prevalence and distribution of Leptospira serogroups in wildlife in Ontario, Canada, is important for the development and maintenance of appropriate disease management strategies in humans, livestock, and companion animals.
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Bautista AC, Woods LW, Filigenzi MS, Puschner B. Bromethalin poisoning in a raccoon (Procyon lotor): diagnostic considerations and relevance to nontarget wildlife. J Vet Diagn Invest 2013; 26:154-7. [PMID: 24323056 DOI: 10.1177/1040638713510296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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
Submission of a raccoon (Procyon lotor) for necropsy following exhaustion at a California wildlife care center revealed minimal gross pathologic changes and only mild vacuolar changes in the white matter of the brain. Turquoise granular material was noted in the gastrointestinal tract and was submitted for toxicological testing along with portions of the brain, liver, kidney, and mesenteric and perirenal adipose tissues. Testing of the turquoise material for 7 anticoagulant rodenticides, strychnine, 4-aminopyridine, starlicide, and salts revealed none of these compounds; however, desmethylbromethalin was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Other tissues were subsequently analyzed; the mesenteric and perirenal adipose tissues contained desmethylbromethalin. Desmethylbromethalin is the active metabolite of bromethalin, uncouples oxidative phosphorylation, and results in cerebral edema. Bromethalin is a rodenticide that is visually indistinguishable from many other rodenticides, making identification of poisonings by appearance alone nearly impossible. Based on the pathological and toxicological findings, a diagnosis of bromethalin toxicosis was established. In cases of wildlife species with unknown deaths or inconsistent clinical signs with normal or minimal histological findings, bromethalin toxicosis should be considered as a differential. Adipose tissue is the tissue of choice and can be easily harvested from a live or deceased animal to help confirm or rule out bromethalin exposure or intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne C Bautista
- 1Birgit Puschner, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, 620 West Health Sciences Drive, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616.
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Marikos SC, Ferran KL, Iniguez-Stevens E, Gurfield N. Raccoons in San Diego County as Sentinels for West Nile Virus Surveillance. Online J Public Health Inform 2013. [PMCID: PMC3692839] [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] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Introduction Methods Results Conclusions
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C. Marikos
- Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance Program (EWIDS), California Department of Public Health, San Diego, CA, USA;,Sarah C. Marikos, E-mail:
| | - Karen L. Ferran
- Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance Program (EWIDS), California Department of Public Health, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Esmeralda Iniguez-Stevens
- Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance Program (EWIDS), California Department of Public Health, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nikos Gurfield
- County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health, San Diego, CA, USA
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Shwiff S, Aenishaenslin C, Ludwig A, Berthiaume P, Bigras-Poulin M, Kirkpatrick K, Lambert L, Bélanger D. Bioeconomic modelling of raccoon rabies spread management impacts in Quebec, Canada. Transbound Emerg Dis 2012; 60:330-7. [PMID: 22709550 DOI: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2012.01351.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Beginning in 2006, point infection control operations and aerial distribution of oral rabies vaccines along the US border were performed in Quebec, Canada, to control the potential spread of raccoon rabies. A benefit-cost analysis assessed the economic efficiency of this rabies control programme into the future. In this study, a mathematical simulation model was used to determine the potential spread of raccoon rabies from the 2006 index case, and incidence rates of human post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), animal testing and human exposure investigations were calculated. Benefits were calculated as the potential savings from reduced numbers of human PEP, animal testing and human exposure investigations owing to control, which ranged from $47 million to $53 million. Programme cost scenarios were based on projections of total expenditures, which ranged from $33 million to $49 million. Economic efficiency was indicated for approximately half of the modelled scenarios, with the greatest benefit-cost ratios resulting from reduced future programme costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Shwiff
- National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
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