Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype is a parasite that causes a disease in cattle that results in major economic issues in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. The parasite is transmitted by ...Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks, which have recently been reported in numerous states throughout the eastern United States. Concurrently, cattle in Virginia showed clinical signs consistent with a hemoprotozoan infection. We used amplicons specific for the major piroplasm surface protein and small subunit rDNA of piroplasms to test blood samples from the cattle by PCR. Bidirectional Sanger sequencing showed sequences with 100% identity with T. orientalis Ikeda genotype 2 sequences. We detected the parasite in 3 unrelated herds and from various animals sampled at 2 time points. Although other benign T. orientalis genotypes are endemic to the United States, detection of T. orientalis Ikeda genotype might represent a risk for the cattle industry in Virginia.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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► All zoonotic Babesia utilize mammals, primarily wildlife, as reservoirs. ► Reservoirs and/or ticks are unknown for many zoonotic Babesia species. ► Molecular characterization of ...Babesia from human patients is needed. ► Continued surveillance of potential reservoirs and ticks should be conducted.
Babesiosis is an emerging zoonotic disease on all inhabited continents and various wildlife species are the principal reservoir hosts for zoonotic Babesia species. The primary vectors of Babesia are Ixodid ticks, with the majority of zoonotic species being transmitted by species in the genus Ixodes. Species of Babesia vary in their infectivity, virulence and pathogenicity for people. Various factors (e.g., increased interactions between people and the environment, increased immunosuppression, changes in landscape and climate, and shifts in host and vector species abundance and community structures) have led to an increase in tick-borne diseases in people, including babesiosis. Furthermore, because babesiosis is now a reportable disease in several states in the United States, and it is the most common blood transfusion-associated parasite, recognized infections are expected to increase. Because of the zoonotic nature of these parasites, it is essential that we understand the natural history (especially reservoirs and vectors) so that appropriate control and prevention measures can be implemented. Considerable work has been conducted on the ecology of Babesia microti and Babesia divergens, the two most common causes of babesiosis in the United States and Europe, respectively. However, unfortunately, for many of the zoonotic Babesia species, the reservoir(s) and/or tick vector(s) are unknown. We review the current knowledge regarding the ecology of Babesia among their reservoir and tick hosts with an emphasis of the role on wildlife as reservoirs. We hope to encourage the molecular characterization of Babesia from potential reservoirs and vectors as well from people. These data are necessary so that informed decisions can be made regarding potential vectors and the potential role of wildlife in the ecology of a novel Babesia when it is detected in a human patient.
The decline of amphibian populations, particularly frogs, is often cited as an example in support of the claim that Earth is undergoing its sixth mass extinction event. Amphibians seem to be ...particularly sensitive to emerging diseases (e.g., fungal and viral pathogens), yet the diversity and geographic distribution of infectious agents are only starting to be investigated. Recent work has linked a previously undescribed protist with mass-mortality events in the United States, in which infected frog tadpoles have an abnormally enlarged yellowish liver filled with protist cells of a presumed parasite. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this infectious agent was affiliated with the Perkinsea: a parasitic group within the alveolates exemplified byPerkinsussp., a “marine” protist responsible for mass-mortality events in commercial shellfish populations. Using small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing, we developed a targeted PCR protocol for preferentially sampling a clade of the Perkinsea. We tested this protocol on freshwater environmental DNA, revealing a wide diversity of Perkinsea lineages in these environments. Then, we used the same protocol to test for Perkinsea-like lineages in livers of 182 tadpoles from multiple families of frogs. We identified a distinct Perkinsea clade, encompassing a low level of SSU rDNA variation different from the lineage previously associated with tadpole mass-mortality events. Members of this clade were present in 38 tadpoles sampled from 14 distinct genera/phylogroups, from five countries across three continents. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence that Perkinsea-like protists infect tadpoles across a wide taxonomic range of frogs in tropical and temperate environments, including oceanic islands.
Some tick populations have increased dramatically in the past several decades leading to an increase in the incidence and emergence of tick-borne diseases. Management strategies that can effectively ...reduce tick populations while better understanding regional tick phenology is needed. One promising management strategy is prescribed burning. However, the efficacy of prescribed burning as a mechanism for tick control is unclear because past studies have provided conflicting data, likely due to a failure of some studies to simulate operational management scenarios and/or account for other predictors of tick abundance. Therefore, our study was conducted to increase knowledge of tick population dynamics relative to long-term prescribed fire management. Furthermore, we targeted a region, southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida (USA), in which little is known regarding tick dynamics so that basic phenology could be determined. Twenty-one plots with varying burn regimes (burned surrounded by burned BB, burned surrounded by unburned BUB, unburned surrounded by burned UBB, and unburned surrounded by unburned UBUB) were sampled monthly for two years while simultaneously collecting data on variables that can affect tick abundance (e.g., host abundance, vegetation structure, and micro- and macro-climatic conditions). In total, 47,185 ticks were collected, of which, 99% were Amblyomma americanum, 0.7% were Ixodes scapularis, and fewer numbers of Amblyomma maculatum, Ixodes brunneus, and Dermacentor variabilis. Monthly seasonality trends were similar between 2010 and 2011. Long-term prescribed burning consistently and significantly reduced tick counts (overall and specifically for A. americanum and I. scapularis) regardless of the burn regimes and variables evaluated. Tick species composition varied according to burn regime with A. americanum dominating at UBUB, A. maculatum at BB, I. scapularis at UBB, and a more even composition at BUB. These data indicate that regular prescribed burning is an effective tool for reducing tick populations and ultimately may reduce risk of tick-borne disease.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
To inform Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm) eradication efforts, we evaluated the role of fish as transport hosts for Dracunculus worms. Ferrets fed fish that had ingested infected copepods became ...infected, highlighting the importance of recommendations to cook fish, bury entrails, and prevent dogs from consuming raw fish and entrails.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Using diagnostic data and contemporary sampling efforts, we conducted surveillance for a diversity of pathogens, toxicants, and diseases of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus). Between 1977 and 2019, 26 ...diagnostic cases were examined from Kansas and throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, USA. We identified multiple causes of mortality in muskrats, but trauma (8/26), Tyzzer's disease (5/6), and cysticercosis (5/26) were the most common. We also conducted necropsies, during November 2018-January 2019 Pennsylvania muskrat trapping season, on 380 trapper-harvested muskrat carcasses after the pelt was removed. Tissue samples and exudate were tested for presence of or exposure to a suite of pathogens and contaminants. Gastrointestinal tracts were examined for helminths. Intestinal helminths were present in 39.2% of necropsied muskrats, with Hymenolepis spp. (62%) and echinostome spp. (44%) being the most common Molecular testing identified a low prevalence of infection with Clostridium piliforme in the feces and Sarcocystis spp. in the heart. We detected a low seroprevalence to Toxoplasma gondii (1/380). No muskrats were positive for Francisella tularensis or Babesia spp. Cysticercosis was detected in 20% (5/26) of diagnostic cases and 15% (57/380) of our trapper-harvested muskrats. Toxic concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, or mercury were not detected in tested liver samples. Copper, molybdenum, and zinc concentrations were detected at acceptable levels comparative to previous studies. Parasite intensity and abundance were typical of historic reports; however, younger muskrats had higher intensity of infection than older muskrats which is contradictory to what has been previously reported. A diversity of pathogens and contaminants have been reported from muskrats, but the associated disease impacts are poorly understood. Our data are consistent with historic reports and highlight the wide range of parasites, pathogens and contaminants harbored by muskrats in Pennsylvania. The data collected are a critical component in assessing overall muskrat health and serve as a basis for understanding the impacts of disease on recent muskrat population declines.
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About the Authors: Aurelie Chambouvet * E-mail: aurelie.chambouvet@univ-brest.fr Affiliation: CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, Plouzané, France ORCID logo http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3932-0098 ...Vanessa Smilansky Affiliation: Biosciences, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom Miloslav Jirků Affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic Marcos Isidoro-Ayza Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America Sarah Itoïz Affiliation: CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, Plouzané, France Evelyne Derelle Affiliation: CNRS, Univ Brest, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, Plouzané, France Adam Monier Affiliation: Biosciences, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom David J. Gower Affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom ORCID logo http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1725-8863 Mark Wilkinson Affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom ORCID logo http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9459-8976 Michael J. Yabsley Affiliation: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America Julius Lukeš Affiliations Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic, Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic Thomas A. Richards Affiliations Biosciences, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Citation: Chambouvet A, Smilansky V, Jirků M, Isidoro-Ayza M, Itoïz S, Derelle E, et al. The following causes of amphibian decline have been suggested: 1) invasive species causing ecosystem change, 2) overexploitation of natural environments, 3) changes in land use, 4) global environmental change, such as global warming, 5) increased use of pesticides and other polluting chemicals, and 6) the emergence and/or spread of infectious diseases 1–3. B. Micrographs of tadpole liver and intestine samples infected by protists belonging to the Alveolata superphylum. a. Light microscopy of macrophages containing several oocysts of both Nematopsis temporariae (Gregarines) and Goussia noelleri (Coccidia) from tadpole liver samples of Rana dalmatina, fresh mounts, NIC 6 b. Histological section of infected liver tissue samples from a River frog (Rana heckscheri) tadpole mass mortality event in southwestern Georgia (USA) in 2006, stained with hematoxylin–eosin (Yabsley, unpublished). c. Light microscopy of putatively commensal ciliate Balantidium sp. from tadpole intestine samples of Bombina bombina, fresh mounts, NIC (Jirků, unpublished). While chytridiomycosis and Ranavirus infections have been extensively documented for adult amphibians, understanding of these and other diseases in the larval phase of an amphibian life cycle (i.e., tadpoles) is limited because dead or diseased tadpoles are often not collected for postmortem assessment.
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The American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is a nomadic wading bird that is increasing the amount of time spent foraging in urban areas, relying on artificial wetlands and other anthropogenic ...resources year-round. In this study, we explore whether and how American White Ibis association with urban environments is predictive of variation in the timing and length of behavioral seasons. Other urbanized species exhibit altered annual cycles such as loss of migratory behavior and year-round breeding related to consistent resource abundance, often related to intentional and unintentional provisioning. To determine if these same patterns of behavior were also present in White Ibis, we used behavioral change point analysis to segment the tracks of 41 ibis equipped with GPS backpacks to identify the initiation and duration of four behavioral seasons (non-breeding, pre-breeding, breeding, post-breeding) the degree of urban association. We found that intraspecific variation in urban habitat use had strong carryover effects on the timing and duration of behavioral seasons. This study revealed ibis with higher use of urban habitats in non-breeding seasons had longer non-breeding seasons and shorter breeding seasons that began earlier in the year compared to ibis that primarily use wetland habitats. The timing and duration of seasons also varied with ibis age, such that ibis spent more time engaged in breeding-related seasons as they aged. Juvenile and subadult ibis, though considered to be reproductively immature, also exhibit behavioral shifts in relation to breeding seasons. The behavioral patterns found in this study provide evidence that ibis are adapting their annual cycles and seasonal behaviors to exploit urban resources. Future research is needed to identify the effect of interactions between ibis urban association and age on behavioral season expression.
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