Pearsonema (syn Capillaria) plica associated cystitis in a Fennoscandian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus: a case report

The bladderworm Pearsonema (syn Capillaria) plica affects domestic dogs and wild carnivores worldwide. A high prevalence in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) has been reported in many European countries. P. plica inhabits the lower urinary tract and is considered to be of low pathogenic significance in dogs mostly causing asymptomatic infections. However, a higher level of pathogenicity has been reported in foxes. A severe cystitis associated with numerous bladderworms was found in a captive arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) originating from the endangered Fennoscandian arctic fox population. To our knowledge this is the first description of P. plica infection in an arctic fox

Potential application of serological tests on fluids from carcasses: detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcoptes scabiei in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Serological surveys for disease investigation of wild animal populations require obtaining blood samples for analysis, which has logistic, ethic and economic difficulties. Applying serological test to fluids collected from dead animals is an alternative. The aim of this study was to assess if antibodies could be detected in two types of fluids collected from 56 carcasses of red foxes (<it>Vulpes vulpes</it>): pleural fluid and lung extract.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>In 22 (39%) foxes antibodies against <it>Sarcoptes scabiei </it>were detected in both fluid types by ELISA and Western blot. In 46 (82%) foxes, antibodies against <it>Toxoplasma gondii </it>were detected in pleural fluid and in 41 (73%) in lung extract applying a Toxo-screen test (DAT). Antibodies were still detectable in the same fluids kept at room temperature for 28 days, although in fewer foxes (16 and 14 foxes tested for <it>T. gondii </it>in lung extract and pleural fluid respectively; and 1 and 4 tested for <it>S. scabiei </it>in lung extract and pleural fluid respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate the potential utility of using fluids from carcasses for antibody screening of wild animals at the population level.</p

Prioritisation of wildlife pathogens to be targeted in European surveillance programmes: expert-based risk analysis focus on ruminants

This study attempted to develop a list of priority pathogens. It is part of a European Union (EU) project dedicated to the surveillance of emerging or re-emerging pathogens of wildlife. Partners of the consortium established an initial list of 138 pathogens of concern, which was reduced to a smaller list of 65 pathogens likely to affect ruminants (i.e., the most costly animal group in the EU over the last 15 years). These 65 pathogens underwent a two-step, expert-based risk analysis: 92 experts graded them with respect to their global importance for animal welfare, species conservation, trade/economic impacts and public health. In step 2, the top 15 pathogens from step 1 were assessed by 69 experts considering seven weighted epidemiological criteria (pathogen variability, host specificity, potential for contagion, speed of spread, presence in Europe, difficulty of surveillance in wildlife and persistence in the environment) for which four options were possible. The responses concerned a wide geographic coverage. The resulting top-list pathogens were ranked as follows: 1. Salmonella enterica, 2. Coxiella burnetii, 3. foot-and-mouth disease virus, 4. Mycobacterium bovis, 5. bluetongue virus, and 6. European tick-borne encephalitis virus. The influence of the characteristics of the respondents, the importance of the levels of uncertainty/variability and the implication of the results are discussed. This work highlights the relevance of developing such lists for preparedness

A previously unidentified Chorioptes species infesting outer ear canals of moose (Alces alces): characterization of the mite and the pathology of infestation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the past decade, <it>Chorioptes </it>mites occupying the outer ear canals have been a common finding at routine necropsies of moose (<it>Alces alces</it>) in Sweden, but neither the taxonomy of the mites nor lesions from the infestation have been investigated. In this study, the mites are characterized by morphological and molecular techniques, and the histopathology of the skin of the outer ear canal is described.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>External auditory meatuses from 53 necropsied moose were examined for the presence of <it>Chorioptes</it>, and samples from outer ear canals were taken for histopathological and microbiological examination. A proportion of the mites from each moose was identified to species. The DNA was extracted from mites from three moose, and their ITS-2 sequences were determined; these sequences were compared phylogenetically to sequences from other <it>Chorioptes </it>taxa.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Chorioptes </it>mites were found in 43 (81%) of the 53 moose. The mites had morphological and genetic characteristics distinct from those of <it>C. texanus </it>and <it>C. bovis</it>, the two species generally accepted within the genus. Morphology also did not argue for a diagnosis as <it>C. crewei</it>, <it>C. mydaus </it>or <it>C. panda</it>. On histopathology, lesions were characterized by a hyperplastic perivascular to interstitial dermatitis with epidermal hyperkeratosis and crust formation. Dermal inflammatory infiltrates were composed of mixed T- and B-lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages, whereas eosinophils were notably uncommon. <it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>was grown from the infested epidermis of five of 14 examined moose.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>Chorioptes </it>mite infestation was frequently detected in the outer ear canals of moose in Sweden. The mites were evidently pathogenic, being associated with inflammatory lesions of the external auditory meatus. Our studies indicate infestations with a previously undescribed <it>Chorioptes </it>species.</p

Using combined diagnostic test results to hindcast trends of infection from cross-sectional data

Infectious disease surveillance is key to limiting the consequences from infectious pathogens and maintaining animal and public health. Following the detection of a disease outbreak, a response in proportion to the severity of the outbreak is required. It is thus critical to obtain accurate information concerning the origin of the outbreak and its forward trajectory. However, there is often a lack of situational awareness that may lead to over- or under-reaction. There is a widening range of tests available for detecting pathogens, with typically different temporal characteristics, e.g. in terms of when peak test response occurs relative to time of exposure. We have developed a statistical framework that combines response level data from multiple diagnostic tests and is able to ‘hindcast’ (infer the historical trend of) an infectious disease epidemic. Assuming diagnostic test data from a cross-sectional sample of individuals infected with a pathogen during an outbreak, we use a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach to estimate time of exposure, and the overall epidemic trend in the population prior to the time of sampling. We evaluate the performance of this statistical framework on simulated data from epidemic trend curves and show that we can recover the parameter values of those trends. We also apply the framework to epidemic trend curves taken from two historical outbreaks: a bluetongue outbreak in cattle, and a whooping cough outbreak in humans. Together, these results show that hindcasting can estimate the time since infection for individuals and provide accurate estimates of epidemic trends, and can be used to distinguish whether an outbreak is increasing or past its peak. We conclude that if temporal characteristics of diagnostics are known, it is possible to recover epidemic trends of both human and animal pathogens from cross-sectional data collected at a single point in time

Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in European Wildlife

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known colonizer and cause of infection among animals and it has been described from numerous domestic and wild animal species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus in a convenience sample of European wildlife and to review what previously has been observed in the subject field. 124 S. aureus isolates were collected from wildlife in Germany, Austria and Sweden; they were characterized by DNA microarray hybridization and, for isolates with novel hybridization patterns, by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The isolates were assigned to 29 clonal complexes and singleton sequence types (CC1, CC5, CC6, CC7, CC8, CC9, CC12, CC15, CC22, CC25, CC30, CC49, CC59, CC88, CC97, CC130, CC133, CC398, ST425, CC599, CC692, CC707, ST890, CC1956, ST2425, CC2671, ST2691, CC2767 and ST2963), some of which (ST2425, ST2691, ST2963) were not described previously. Resistance rates in wildlife strains were rather low and mecA-MRSA isolates were rare (n = 6). mecC-MRSA (n = 8) were identified from a fox, a fallow deer, hares and hedgehogs. The common cattle- associated lineages CC479 and CC705 were not detected in wildlife in the present study while, in contrast, a third common cattle lineage, CC97, was found to be common among cervids. No Staphylococcus argenteus or Staphylococcus schweitzeri-like isolates were found. Systematic studies are required to monitor the possible transmission of human- and livestock- associated S. aureus/MRSA to wildlife and vice versa as well as the possible transmission, by unprotected contact to animals. The prevalence of S. aureus/MRSA in wildlife as well as its population structures in different wildlife host species warrants further investigation

Other bacterial infections

This chapter contains sections titled: Fusobacterium Necrophorum Infection, Helicobacter Infections, Bartonella Infections, Staphylococcus Infections, Streptococcus Infections, Rhodococcus Equi Infection, Corynebacterium Infections, Dermatophilus Infections, Brachyspira Infections in Birds, Actinomyces Infections, Arcanobacterium Infections, Erysipelothrix Infections, Actinobacillus Infections, Haemophilus Infections, Moraxella Infections, Lawsonia Intracellularis Infections, Aeromonas Species Infections, Bordetella Species Infections, Suttonella Ornithicola Sp. Nov. Infections of Species of TIT and Long - Tailed TITS and References.-- et al.Peer Reviewe

Roadmap for the institutionalization of One Health

This milestone (MS 101) consolidates the work undertaken in the One Health EJP WP7 task 4 based on the D7.4 “Document on the Institutionalization of One Health” and on the outcomes of the workshop on the institutionalization of One Health held as a side event with the One Health EJP Stakeholders Conference 2023: “Collaborating to face future One Health challenges in Europe”. Both events took place in the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels in June (19-22), 2023. The workshop was conducted physically as an invitation-only event, with key stakeholders who took part in the One Health EJP conference, in addition other participants were invited. The workshop included participation from 57 registered, plus the Project Management Team members of the One Health EJP, so in total approximately 70 participants. The registered participants covered a large spectrum of institutions and thus competences enabling a thorough discussion which covered most of the aspects related with the institutionalization of the One health at country level

Mycobacteria infections

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction, Tuberculosis, Mycobacterium Bovis and Mycobacterium Caprae Infections, Avian Tuberculosis, Paratuberculosis or Johne's Disease, Infections by Other Mycobacteria of the M. Tuberculosis Complex and References.-- et al.Peer Reviewe

African swine fever in wild boar in Europe: a notable challenge

AFRICAN swine fever (ASF) has recently emerged in several European countries, with cases often linked to the movement of native Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). ASF is devastating for the pork industry, causing massive losses of animals due to mortality and stamping out and further economic loss from trade restrictions.Peer Reviewe