Hookworm infection, anaemia and genetic variability of the New Zealand sea lion

Hookworms are intestinal blood-feeding nematodes that parasitize and cause high levels of mortality in a wide range of mammals, including otariid pinnipeds. Recently, an empirical study showed that inbreeding (assessed by individual measures of multi-locus heterozygosity) is associated with hookworm-related mortality of California sea lions. If inbreeding increases susceptibility to hookworms, effects would expectedly be stronger in small, fragmented populations. We tested this assumption in the New Zealand sea lion, a threatened otariid that has low levels of genetic variability and high hookworm infection rates. Using a panel of 22 microsatellites, we found that average allelic diversity (5.9) and mean heterozygosity (0.72) were higher than expected for a small population with restricted breeding, and we found no evidence of an association between genetic variability and hookworm resistance. However, similar to what was observed for the California sea lion, homozygosity at a single locus explained the occurrence of anaemia and thrombocytopenia in hookworm-infected pups (generalized linear model, F = 11.81, p < 0.001) and the effect was apparently driven by a particular allele (odds ratio = 34.95%; CI: 7.12–162.41; p < 0.00001). Our study offers further evidence that these haematophagus parasites exert selective pressure on otariid blood-clotting processes

Application of the Enfer chemiluminescent multiplex ELISA system for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in goats

A study was conducted to optimise a multiplex serological immunoassay for use in identification of goats infected with Mycobacterium bovis. The results show that inclusion of an antibody based assay can improve the ability to identify M. bovis and M. caprae infected goats. With further development and validation the multiplex assay may prove to be a useful tool for control of M. bovis and M. caprae infection in goats

Tuberculosis in seals caused by a novel member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov.

A comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from seals (pinnipeds) in Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Great Britain and New Zealand was undertaken to determine their relationships to each other and their taxonomic position within the complex. Isolates from 30 cases of tuberculosis in six species of pinniped and seven related isolates were compared to representative and standard strains of the M. tuberculosis complex. The seal isolates could be distinguished from other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, including the recently defined ‘Mycobacterium canettii’ and ‘Mycobacterium caprae’, on the basis of host preference and phenotypic and genetic tests. Pinnipeds appear to be the natural host for this ‘seal bacillus’, although the organism is also pathogenic in guinea pigs, rabbits, humans, Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and, possibly, cattle. Infection caused by the seal bacillus is predominantly associated with granulomatous lesions in the peripheral lymph nodes, lungs, pleura, spleen and peritoneum. Cases of disseminated disease have been found. As with other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, aerosols are the most likely route of transmission. The name Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel member of the M. tuberculosis ..

Air leak syndrome in animals : definition and pathogenesis

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABAir leak syndrome (ALS) is described in human medicine as a constellation of clinical disorders including pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum and subcutaneous emphysema. The pathogenesis of ALS depends on the anatomy of the mediastinum and its associations with thoracic, abdominal and cervical connective tissues, as well as a physical phenomenon referred to as the Macklin effect. Various animal species develop diverse combinations of these lesions, although ALS has not been recognized in animals. However, this term aids pathologists in addressing this disease compilation. The aim of this retrospective study is to illustrate examples of ALS in animals by arbitrarily selecting 13 cases in dogs, cats, pinnipeds, sea otters and harbour porpoises. ALS can be classified into three groups based on aetiology: iatrogenic, secondary or spontaneous. Iatrogenic ALS was diagnosed in two cats with tracheal laceration following endotracheal intubation. Secondary ALS was identified in two dogs, one with acute respiratory distress syndrome and the other due to grass awn migration. Secondary ALS in pinnipeds was diagnosed following severe pulmonary parasitism, uraemic pneumonia and oesophageal perforation. The other marine mammals developed ALS following trauma. Spontaneous ALS was also diagnosed in one cat and one dog without any apparent predisposing causes

Helminths of grizzly and black bears in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada

Between May 2011 and June 2013, we collected the carcasses and gastrointestinal tracts of 40 American black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) and 13 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos L., 1758) from populations of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. Specimens were examined for helminths, which were identified to the species level by applying an integrated morphological and molecular approach. Our goal was to investigate parasite biodiversity and infection parameters in the sampled grizzly and black bears. We found seven parasite taxa: Dirofilaria ursi Yamaguti, 1941, Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819), Uncinaria rauschi Olsen, 1968, Uncinaria yukonensis (Wolfgang, 1956), Taenia arctos Haukisalmi, Lavikainen, Laaksonen Meri, 2011, Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Nitzsch, 1824), and Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense Yamane, Kamo, Bylund Wikgren, 1986. The statistical significance of infection prevalence, intensity, and abundance for each helminth species was assessed relative to host species, gender, age class, sampling season, and location. This is the first unequivocal report of the potentially zoonotic tapeworms D. dendriticum and D. nihonkaiense in North American bears. Furthermore, we provide insight into the biology and ecology of the nematodes B. transfuga, D. ursi, and species of Uncinaria Frölich, 1789, and enrich the information available on the recently described tapeworm T. arctos.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Detecting co-infections of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus canadensis in coyotes and red foxes in Alberta, Canada using real-time PCR

The continued monitoring of Echinococcus species in intermediate and definitive hosts is essential to understand the eco-epidemiology of these parasites, as well to assess their potential impact on public health. In Canada, co-infections of Echinococcus canadensis and Echinococcus multilocularis based on genetic characterization have been recently reported in wolves, but not yet in other possible hosts such as coyotes and foxes. In this study, we aimed to develop a quantitative real-time PCR assay to detect E. multilocularis and E. canadensis and estimate the occurrence of co-infections while inferring about the relative abundance of the two parasites within hosts. We tested DNA extracted from aliquots of Echinococcus spp. specimens collected from intestinal tracts of 24 coyote and 16 fox carcasses from Alberta, Canada. We found evidence of co-infections of E. multilocularis and E. canadensis in 11 out of 40 (27%) samples, with 8 out of 24 (33%) in coyote samples and 3 out of 16 (19%) in red fox samples. DNA concentrations were estimated in three samples with Cq values within the range of the standard curve for both parasites; two of them presented higher DNA concentrations of E. multilocularis than E. canadensis. The use of qPCR aided detection of co-infections when morphological discrimination was difficult and quantification of DNA for samples within the standard curve. This is the first molecularly confirmed record of E. canadensis in coyotes and the first evidence of co-infections of E. multilocularis and E. canadensis in coyotes and red foxes

Mycoplasmas in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) : identification and association with abortion

Bacteria from the genus Mycoplasma are common inhabitants of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genital tracts of mammals. The understanding of the pathological significance of mycoplasmas in seals is poor, as few studies have utilized the specific culture techniques required to isolate these bacteria. The current study surveyed for the Mycoplasma species present in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and investigated the association between infection and pathology. Mycoplasmas were found in the nasal cavities of 55/80 (69%) of apparently healthy individuals. Isolates from 18 individuals were investigated through 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, and 3 species were identified: M. zalophi, M. phocae, and Mycoplasma sp. (GenBank no. EU714238.1), all of which had previously been isolated from Northern Hemisphere pinnipeds. In addition, mycoplasmas were isolated from the lungs of 4 out of 16 juveniles and 1 out of 5 adults sampled at necropsy. Isolates obtained were M. zalophi, Mycoplasma sp. EU714238.1, and M. phocicerebrale, but infection was not associated with lung pathology in these age classes. Inflammatory disease processes of the heart and/or lungs were present in 12 out of 32 (38%) aborted fetuses on microscopic examination. Predominant findings were interstitial pneumonia, pericarditis, and myocarditis. Mycoplasma phocicerebrale was isolated from the thymus of an aborted fetus, and 3 out of 11 (27%) fetuses with inflammatory heart or lung lesions were PCR-positive for Mycoplasma. In conclusion, several species of Mycoplasma are part of the normal flora of the nasal cavity of Australian fur seals, and some mycoplasmas may be associated with abortion in this species of seal