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Espinoza JL, Phillips A, Prentice MB, Tan GS, Kamath PL, Lloyd KG, Dupont CL. Unveiling the Microbial Realm with VEBA 2.0: A modular bioinformatics suite for end-to-end genome-resolved prokaryotic, (micro)eukaryotic, and viral multi-omics from either short- or long-read sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.583560. [PMID: 38559265 PMCID: PMC10979853 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.583560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms, encompassing prokaryotic (bacterial and archaeal), eukaryotic, and viral entities. This microbial ensemble plays a pivotal role in influencing the health and productivity of diverse ecosystems while shaping the web of life. However, many software suites developed to study microbiomes analyze only the prokaryotic community and provide limited to no support for viruses and microeukaryotes. Previously, we introduced the Viral Eukaryotic Bacterial Archaeal (VEBA) open-source software suite to address this critical gap in microbiome research by extending genome-resolved analysis beyond prokaryotes to encompass the understudied realms of eukaryotes and viruses. Here we present VEBA 2.0 with key updates including a comprehensive clustered microeukaryotic protein database, rapid genome/protein-level clustering, bioprospecting, non-coding/organelle gene modeling, genome-resolved taxonomic/pathway profiling, long-read support, and containerization. We demonstrate VEBA's versatile application through the analysis of diverse case studies including marine water, Siberian permafrost, and white-tailed deer lung tissues with the latter showcasing how to identify integrated viruses. VEBA represents a crucial advancement in microbiome research, offering a powerful and accessible platform that bridges the gap between genomics and biotechnological solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh L. Espinoza
- Department of Environment and Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Allan Phillips
- Department of Environment and Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Gene S. Tan
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Karen G. Lloyd
- Microbiology Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA
| | - Chris L. Dupont
- Department of Environment and Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Prentice MB, Gilbertson MLJ, Storm DJ, Turner WC, Walsh DP, Pinkerton ME, Kamath PL. Metagenomic sequencing sheds light on microbes putatively associated with pneumonia-related fatalities of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus). Microb Genom 2024; 10:001214. [PMID: 38536208 PMCID: PMC10995629 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
With emerging infectious disease outbreaks in human, domestic and wild animal populations on the rise, improvements in pathogen characterization and surveillance are paramount for the protection of human and animal health, as well as the conservation of ecologically and economically important wildlife. Genomics offers a range of suitable tools to meet these goals, with metagenomic sequencing facilitating the characterization of whole microbial communities associated with emerging and endemic disease outbreaks. Here, we use metagenomic sequencing in a case-control study to identify microbes in lung tissue associated with newly observed pneumonia-related fatalities in 34 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Wisconsin, USA. We identified 20 bacterial species that occurred in more than a single individual. Of these, only Clostridium novyi was found to substantially differ (in number of detections) between case and control sample groups; however, this difference was not statistically significant. We also detected several bacterial species associated with pneumonia and/or other diseases in ruminants (Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, Trueperella pyogenes, Pasteurella multocida, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Fusobacterium necrophorum); however, these species did not substantially differ between case and control sample groups. On average, we detected a larger number of bacterial species in case samples than controls, supporting the potential role of polymicrobial infections in this system. Importantly, we did not detect DNA of viruses or fungi, suggesting that they are not significantly associated with pneumonia in this system. Together, these results highlight the utility of metagenomic sequencing for identifying disease-associated microbes. This preliminary list of microbes will help inform future research on pneumonia-associated fatalities of white-tailed deer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie L. J. Gilbertson
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Wendy C. Turner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel P. Walsh
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Montana, USA
| | - Marie E. Pinkerton
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Maine, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
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3
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Magnusson K, Harms NJ, Thompson M. Antibiotic treatment of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in domestic sheep (Ovis aries): Working at the livestock-wildlife interface in Yukon, Canada. THE CANADIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL = LA REVUE VETERINAIRE CANADIENNE 2023; 64:1114-1118. [PMID: 38046428 PMCID: PMC10637703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) can carry the bacterium Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) in their upper respiratory tract, often with little effect on health and productivity. However, for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations, there is a link between M. ovipneumoniae infection and pneumonia, poor lamb recruitment, and high fatality rate. Because of these outcomes, preventing transmission of M. ovipneumoniae to free-ranging wild sheep has garnered interest from both the livestock and wildlife sectors. We hypothesized that treatment with intranasal and systemic enrofloxacin would reduce the prevalence of M. ovipneumoniae-positive animals in a flock of domestic sheep. Initially, the prevalence decreased in the treated group; but by 34 d post-treatment, the number of M. ovipneumoniae-positive sheep returned to near pretreatment prevalence. Key clinical message: Test-and-slaughter is a method used to reduce the risk of transmission of pneumonia-causing M. ovipneumoniae from domestic sheep and goats to free-ranging wild sheep. In an effort to find an alternative, we used enrofloxacin to treat a flock of M. ovipneumoniae-positive domestic sheep; however, long-term reduction of M. ovipneumoniae prevalence in the flock was not achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristenn Magnusson
- Animal Health Unit, Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, 10 Burns Road, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y9
| | - N Jane Harms
- Animal Health Unit, Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, 10 Burns Road, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y9
| | - Michelle Thompson
- Animal Health Unit, Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, 10 Burns Road, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y9
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4
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Walsh DP, Felts BL, Cassirer EF, Besser TE, Jenks JA. Host vs. pathogen evolutionary arms race: Effects of exposure history on individual response to a genetically diverse pathogen. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1039234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThroughout their range, bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations have seen significant disease-associated declines. Unfortunately, understanding of the underlying epidemiological processes driving the disease dynamics in this species has hindered conservation efforts aimed at improving the health and long-term viability of these populations. Individual response to pathogen exposure emerges from dynamic interactions between competing evolutionary processes within the host and pathogen. The host’s adaptive immune system recognizes pathogens and mounts a defensive response. Pathogens have evolved strategies to overcome adaptive immune defenses including maintaining high genetic diversity through rapid evolution. The outcomes of this evolutionary warfare determine the success of pathogen invasion of the host and ultimately the success of conservation efforts.MethodsDuring an epizootic dominated by a single strain, we explore these host-pathogen dynamics by examining the variation in effects of pathogen invasion on captive bighorn sheep with differing histories of exposure to genetically diverse strains of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi). We monitored clinical signs of disease and sampled animals and their environment to detect spread of Movi among 37 bighorn sheep separated into nine pens based on known exposure histories.ResultsWe documented Movi transmission within and across pens and we detected Movi DNA in air, water, and invertebrate samples. Higher levels of antibody to Movi prior to the epizootic were associated with a lower likelihood of presenting clinical signs of pneumonia. Nonetheless, higher antibody levels in symptomatic individuals were associated with more severe progressive disease, increased probability and speed of pneumonia-induced mortality, and reduced likelihood of returning to a healthy state. Bighorn sheep with previous exposure to a strain other than the predominant epizootic strain were more likely to recover.DiscussionOur results indicate that Movi-strain variability was sufficient to overwhelm the adaptive host immunological defenses. This outcome indicates, in free-ranging herds, past exposure is likely insufficient to protect bighorn sheep from infection by new Movi strains, although it influences the progression of disease and recovery within the herd. Therefore, given Movi-strain variability and the lack of immunological protection from past exposure, focusing management efforts on minimizing the introduction of Movi into bighorn herds, through separation of domestic and bighorn sheep and avoidance of management activities that create commingling of bighorn sheep carrying differing Movi strains, will likely be the most effective approach for reducing the effects of disease and achieving bighorn sheep conservation goals.
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Dugovich BS, Beechler BR, Dolan BP, Crowhurst RS, Gonzales BJ, Powers JG, Hughson DL, Vu RK, Epps CW, Jolles AE. Population connectivity patterns of genetic diversity, immune responses and exposure to infectious pneumonia in a metapopulation of desert bighorn sheep. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 36637333 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation is an important driver of biodiversity loss and can be remediated through management actions aimed at maintenance of natural connectivity in metapopulations. Connectivity may protect populations from infectious diseases by preserving immunogenetic diversity and disease resistance. However, connectivity could exacerbate the risk of infectious disease spread across vulnerable populations. We tracked the spread of a novel strain of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in a metapopulation of desert bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni in the Mojave Desert to investigate how variation in connectivity among populations influenced disease outcomes. M. ovipneumoniae was detected throughout the metapopulation, indicating that the relative isolation of many of these populations did not protect them from pathogen invasion. However, we show that connectivity among bighorn sheep populations was correlated with higher immunogenetic diversity, a protective immune response and lower disease prevalence. Variation in protective immunity predicted infection risk in individual bighorn sheep and was associated with heterozygosity at genetic loci linked to adaptive and innate immune signalling. Together, these findings may indicate that population connectivity maintains immunogenetic diversity in bighorn sheep populations in this system and has direct effects on immune responses in individual bighorn sheep and their susceptibility to infection by a deadly pathogen. Our study suggests that the genetic benefits of population connectivity could outweigh the risk of infectious disease spread and supports conservation management that maintains natural connectivity in metapopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Dugovich
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Brianna R Beechler
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Brian P Dolan
- Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Rachel S Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Ben J Gonzales
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
| | - Jenny G Powers
- National Park Service, Biological Resources Division, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Debra L Hughson
- National Park Service, Mojave National Preserve, Barstow, California, USA
| | - Regina K Vu
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
| | - Clinton W Epps
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Anna E Jolles
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.,Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae: A Most Variable Pathogen. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121477. [PMID: 36558811 PMCID: PMC9781387 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a well-established respiratory pathogen of sheep and goats, has gained increased importance recently because of its detection in wild ruminants including members of the Cervidae family. Despite its frequent isolation from apparently healthy animals, it is responsible for outbreaks of severe respiratory disease which are often linked to infections with multiple heterologous strains. Furthermore, M. ovipneumoniae is characterized by an unusually wide host range, a high degree of phenotypic, biochemical, and genomic heterogeneity, and variable and limited growth in mycoplasma media. A number of mechanisms have been proposed for its pathogenicity, including the production of hydrogen peroxide, reactive oxygen species production, and toxins. It shows wide metabolic activity in vitro, being able to utilize substrates such as glucose, pyruvate, and isopropanol; these patterns can be used to differentiate strains. Treatment of infections in the field is complicated by large variations in the susceptibility of strains to antimicrobials, with many showing high minimum inhibitory concentrations. The lack of commercially available vaccines is probably due to the high cost of developing vaccines for diseases in small ruminants not presently seen as high priority. Multiple strains found in affected sheep and goats may also hamper the development of effective vaccines. This review summarizes the current knowledge and identifies gaps in research on M. ovipneumoniae, including its epidemiology in sheep and goats, pathology and clinical presentation, infection in wild ruminants, virulence factors, metabolism, comparative genomics, genotypic variability, phenotypic variability, evolutionary mechanisms, isolation and culture, detection and identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, variations in antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, vaccines, and control.
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7
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Gude JA, DeCesare NJ, Proffitt KM, Sells SN, Garrott RA, Rangwala I, Biel M, Coltrane J, Cunningham J, Fletcher T, Loveless K, Mowry R, O'Reilly M, Rauscher R, Thompson M. Demographic uncertainty and disease risk influence climate‐informed management of an alpine species. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin A. Gude
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1420 East 6th Avenue Helena MT 59620 USA
| | | | - Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Sarah N. Sells
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, 205 Natural Sciences Building, University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Robert A. Garrott
- Department of Ecology Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Imtiaz Rangwala
- North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center & Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado‐Boulder 4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S340 Boulder CO 80303 USA
| | - Mark Biel
- Glacier National Park P.O. Box 128 West Glacier MT 59936 USA
| | - Jessica Coltrane
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 490 North Meridian Road Kalispell MT 59920 USA
| | - Julie Cunningham
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Tammy Fletcher
- U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region Missoula MT 59804 USA
| | - Karen Loveless
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 538 Orea Creek Livingston MT 59047 USA
| | - Rebecca Mowry
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula MT 59804 USA
| | - Megan O'Reilly
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 2300 Lake Elmo Drive Billings MT 59105 USA
| | - Ryan Rauscher
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 514 South Front Street, Suite C Conrad MT 59425 USA
| | - Michael Thompson
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula MT 59804 USA
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Multilocus Sequence Typing of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Detected in Dall's Sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) and Caribou (Rangifer tarandus grantii) in Alaska, USA. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:625-630. [PMID: 35442435 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In 2018, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae was detected in free-ranging caribou (Rangifer tarandus grantii) and Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) in Alaska, US. Evaluation of additional nasal swabs and archived tissues for M. ovipneumoniae suggested that this bacterium was widespread geographically and temporally in populations of both species. Multilocus sequence typing of four loci identified a single, novel, apparently stable strain type of M. ovipneumoniae in 11 Dall's sheep and 15 caribou in multiple populations across Alaska sampled over a period of 15 yr (2004-19). This strain type differs from those detected to date from wild or domestic sheep (Ovis aries) or goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) tested in Alaska or the lower 48 states. Although the population health implications of this strain are unknown, it has not been associated with population-wide mortality events. The presence of this strain does not decrease the potential risk from the introduction of a pathogenic M. ovipneumoniae strain associated with severe disease in other wildlife populations; therefore, continued monitoring for signs of disease and additional strains is important.
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Johnson BM, Stroud-Settles J, Roug A, Manlove K. Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12081029. [PMID: 35454275 PMCID: PMC9028599 DOI: 10.3390/ani12081029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Like many wildlife diseases, bighorn sheep pneumonia can vary in burden. Here, we report on a bighorn sheep pneumonia event that showed much lower symptom and mortality burdens than have been documented previously. We provide detailed descriptions of symptoms, diagnostic testing results, and mixing patterns throughout the population, and end by discussing mechanisms that could have generated the distinct disease ecology associated with this event. Abstract Infectious pneumonia associated with the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is an impediment to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) population recovery throughout western North America, yet the full range of M. ovipneumoniae virulence in bighorn sheep is not well-understood. Here, we present data from an M. ovipneumoniae introduction event in the Zion desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) population in southern Utah. The ensuing disease event exhibited epidemiology distinct from what has been reported elsewhere, with virtually no mortality (0 adult mortalities among 70 animals tracked over 118 animal-years; 1 lamb mortality among 40 lambs tracked through weaning in the two summers following introduction; and lamb:ewe ratios of 34.9:100 in the year immediately after introduction and 49.4:100 in the second year after introduction). Individual-level immune responses were lower than expected, and M. ovipneumoniae appeared to fade out approximately 1.5 to 2 years after introduction. Several mechanisms could explain the limited burden of this M. ovipneumoniae event. First, most work on M. ovipneumoniae has centered on Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (O. c. candensis), but the Zion bighorns are members of the desert subspecies (O. c. nelsoni). Second, the particular M. ovipneumoniae strain involved comes from a clade of strains associated with weaker demographic responses in other settings. Third, the substructuring of the Zion population may have made this population more resilient to disease invasion and persistence. The limited burden of the disease event on the Zion bighorn population underscores a broader point in wildlife disease ecology: that one size may not fit all events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna M. Johnson
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA;
| | | | - Annette Roug
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1594 W North Temple Avenue, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, USA;
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Soutpan Road, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Marchetto KM, Linn MM, Larkin DJ, Wolf TM. Can Co-Grazing Waterfowl Reduce Brainworm Risk for Goats Browsing in Natural Areas? ECOHEALTH 2022; 19:135-144. [PMID: 35192087 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-022-01579-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Goats browsing in woodlands, whether for livestock production goals or vegetation management (e.g., targeted grazing to control invasive plants), are at risk of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) infection. Indeed, up to 25% incidence has been observed in goats employed in vegetation management. Infection, which occurs via the consumption of an infected gastropod intermediate host, is potentially deadly in goats. We experimentally tested whether co-grazing with waterfowl could reduce goats' exposure via waterfowl consumption of gastropods. Gastropods were sampled in a deciduous woodland before and after the addition of goats alone, goats and waterfowl, or a control with no animal addition. We found that goats browsing on their own increased the abundance of P. tenuis intermediate hosts; however, when goats co-grazed with waterfowl, these increases were not observed. Importantly, waterfowl did not significantly affect overall gastropod abundance, richness, or diversity. Thus, waterfowl co-grazing may effectively reduce goat contact with infectious gastropods without detrimentally affecting the gastropod community. While co-grazing goats with waterfowl may decrease their P. tenuis exposure risk, additional research is needed to confirm whether waterfowl can actually lower P. tenuis incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Marchetto
- Veterinary Population Medicine, 225 Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
| | - Morgan M Linn
- Veterinary Population Medicine, 225 Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Daniel J Larkin
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Tiffany M Wolf
- Veterinary Population Medicine, 225 Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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LABORATORY CONCORDANCE STUDY FOR THE MOLECULAR DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA OVIPNEUMONIAE. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:257-268. [PMID: 35104345 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As part of a respiratory pathogen survey of Alaska wildlife, we conducted a concordance study to assess Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae detection among three different PCR assays using a total of 346 nasal swabs sampled from four species (Dall's sheep, Ovis dalli dalli; mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus; caribou, Rangifer tarandus granti; and moose, Alces alces gigas), and two taxonomic subfamilies (Bovidae subfamily Caprinae and Cervidae subfamily Capreolinae). A federal research laboratory performed two PCR assays (xxxxxxxxx [LM40] and intergenic spacer region [IGS]), and a state diagnostic laboratory performed the third (universal Mycoplasma [UM]). Overall concordance was good, ranging from 93% to 99%, which was probably a result of low detection rate of M. ovipneumoniae. Due to differences in positive agreement, the quality of concordance between LM40 and both IGS and UM was considered fair. However, the quality of concordance between IGS and UM was excellent. All three PCR methods detected M. ovipneumoniae in a non-Caprinae species (caribou), and the LM40-PCR assay also detected M. ovipneumoniae in additional Caprinae species. The LM40-PCR assay detected M. ovipneumoniae in a larger number of samples than did the other two assays (IGS, UM). Because of potential differences in detection rates, it is critical to consider test parameters when evaluating a host population for the presence of M. ovipneumoniae.
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12
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Ma Y, Wu C, Yang W, Gao Z, Chen L. DNA hybridization-induced fluorescence variation in ThT: a new strategy of developing aqueous sensors for MO genes. Analyst 2022; 147:1631-1640. [DOI: 10.1039/d1an02301b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
MOFs-based sensors for detecting the Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MO) using binding-induced dynamic DNA assembly exhibits perfect selectivity, low detection limitation and wide linear range not only in buffer, but also in natural complex media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunkang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science; Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis; Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science in Universities of Shandong; Key Laboratory of Ecochemical Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
| | - Chenhui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science; Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis; Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science in Universities of Shandong; Key Laboratory of Ecochemical Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
| | - Wenjie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science; Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis; Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science in Universities of Shandong; Key Laboratory of Ecochemical Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
| | - Zhigang Gao
- Xinbao agricultural Science and Technology Development Co. Ltd, Wujiaqu, Xinjiang 831300, China
| | - Lihua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science; Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis; Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science in Universities of Shandong; Key Laboratory of Ecochemical Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
- Xinbao agricultural Science and Technology Development Co. Ltd, Wujiaqu, Xinjiang 831300, China
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Almberg ES, Manlove KR, Cassirer EF, Ramsey J, Carson K, Gude J, Plowright RK. Modelling management strategies for chronic disease in wildlife: Predictions for the control of respiratory disease in bighorn sheep. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology Center Utah State University Logan UT USA
| | | | | | - Keri Carson
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Bozeman MT USA
| | - Justin Gude
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Bozeman MT USA
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology Montana State University Bozeman MT USA
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Besser TE, Cassirer EF, Lisk A, Nelson D, Manlove KR, Cross PC, Hogg JT. Natural history of a bighorn sheep pneumonia epizootic: Source of infection, course of disease, and pathogen clearance. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14366-14382. [PMID: 34765112 PMCID: PMC8571585 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A respiratory disease epizootic at the National Bison Range (NBR) in Montana in 2016-2017 caused an 85% decline in the bighorn sheep population, documented by observations of its unmarked but individually identifiable members, the subjects of an ongoing long-term study. The index case was likely one of a small group of young bighorn sheep on a short-term exploratory foray in early summer of 2016. Disease subsequently spread through the population, with peak mortality in September and October and continuing signs of respiratory disease and sporadic mortality of all age classes through early July 2017. Body condition scores and clinical signs suggested that the disease affected ewe groups before rams, although by the end of the epizootic, ram mortality (90% of 71) exceeded ewe mortality (79% of 84). Microbiological sampling 10 years to 3 months prior to the epizootic had documented no evidence of infection or exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae at NBR, but during the epizootic, a single genetic strain of M. ovipneumoniae was detected in affected animals. Retrospective screening of domestic sheep flocks near the NBR identified the same genetic strain in one flock, presumptively the source of the epizootic infection. Evidence of fatal lamb pneumonia was observed during the first two lambing seasons following the epizootic but was absent during the third season following the death of the last identified M. ovipneumoniae carrier ewe. Monitoring of life-history traits prior to the epizootic provided no evidence that environmentally and/or demographically induced nutritional or other stress contributed to the epizootic. Furthermore, the epizootic occurred despite proactive management actions undertaken to reduce risk of disease and increase resilience in this population. This closely observed bighorn sheep epizootic uniquely illustrates the natural history of the disease including the (presumptive) source of spillover, course, severity, and eventual pathogen clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | | | - Amy Lisk
- US Fish and Wildlife ServiceMoieseMontanaUSA
| | - Danielle Nelson
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic LaboratoryDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | - Kezia R. Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- U. S. Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMontanaUSA
| | - John T. Hogg
- Montana Conservation Science InstituteMissoulaMontanaUSA
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15
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Previously Unrecognized Exposure of Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in the California Mojave Desert. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:447-452. [PMID: 33822157 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A 2013 outbreak of respiratory disease in bighorn sheep from California's Mojave Desert metapopulation caused high mortality in at least one population. Subsequent PCR and strain-typing indicate widespread infection of a single strain of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae throughout this region. Serosurvey of archived samples showed that some populations have had antibodies to M. ovipneumoniae since at least 1986, although pre-2013 strain-type data are unavailable.
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16
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Turner WC, Kamath PL, van Heerden H, Huang YH, Barandongo ZR, Bruce SA, Kausrud K. The roles of environmental variation and parasite survival in virulence-transmission relationships. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210088. [PMID: 34109041 PMCID: PMC8170194 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Disease outbreaks are a consequence of interactions among the three components of a host-parasite system: the infectious agent, the host and the environment. While virulence and transmission are widely investigated, most studies of parasite life-history trade-offs are conducted with theoretical models or tractable experimental systems where transmission is standardized and the environment controlled. Yet, biotic and abiotic environmental factors can strongly affect disease dynamics, and ultimately, host-parasite coevolution. Here, we review research on how environmental context alters virulence-transmission relationships, focusing on the off-host portion of the parasite life cycle, and how variation in parasite survival affects the evolution of virulence and transmission. We review three inter-related 'approaches' that have dominated the study of the evolution of virulence and transmission for different host-parasite systems: (i) evolutionary trade-off theory, (ii) parasite local adaptation and (iii) parasite phylodynamics. These approaches consider the role of the environment in virulence and transmission evolution from different angles, which entail different advantages and potential biases. We suggest improvements to how to investigate virulence-transmission relationships, through conceptual and methodological developments and taking environmental context into consideration. By combining developments in life-history evolution, phylogenetics, adaptive dynamics and comparative genomics, we can improve our understanding of virulence-transmission relationships across a diversity of host-parasite systems that have eluded experimental study of parasite life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy C. Turner
- US Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Zoe R. Barandongo
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Spencer A. Bruce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Kyrre Kausrud
- Section for Epidemiology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, 0454 Oslo, Norway
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17
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Starkloff NC, Turner WC, FitzGerald AM, Oftedal MC, Martinsen ES, Kirchman JJ. Disentangling the effects of host relatedness and elevation on haemosporidian parasite turnover in a clade of songbirds. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Naima C. Starkloff
- Department of Biological Sciences University at Albany, State University of New York Albany New York12222USA
- New York State Museum Albany New York12230USA
| | - Wendy C. Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences University at Albany, State University of New York Albany New York12222USA
| | - Alyssa M. FitzGerald
- Department of Biological Sciences University at Albany, State University of New York Albany New York12222USA
- New York State Museum Albany New York12230USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California95064USA
| | - Michelle C. Oftedal
- Department of Biological Sciences University at Albany, State University of New York Albany New York12222USA
- New York State Museum Albany New York12230USA
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18
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Grossman PC, Schneider DA, Herndon DR, Knowles DP, Highland MA. Differential pulmonary immunopathology of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection: A retrospective study. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 76:101641. [PMID: 33689940 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen that impacts domestic sheep (Ovis aries; DS) and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis; BHS). BHS are reported to be more susceptible than DS to developing polymicrobial pneumonia associated with M. ovipneumoniae infection. Using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we performed a retrospective study investigating the pulmonary immune response of DS and BHS to M. ovipneumoniae infection. M. ovipneumoniae infected DS exhibited a more robust and well-organized BALT formation as compared to BHS. Digital analysis of immunohistochemical chromogen deposition in lung tissue was used to quantitate T cell marker CD3, B cell markers CD20 and CD79a, macrophage markers CD163 and Iba1, and cytokine IL-17. A significant interaction of species and infection status was identified for CD3, CD163, and IL-17. BHS had a greater increase in bronchiolar CD3 and bronchiolar and alveolar CD163 with infection, as compared to DS. BHS had an increase in bronchiolar associated lymph tissue (BALT) and alveolar IL-17 with infection, while these remained similar in DS regardless of infection status. IL-17 in respiratory epithelium of bronchi and bronchioles comparatively decreased in DS and increased in BHS with infection. These data begin to define the interspecies differential immune response to pulmonary M. ovipneumoniae infection in DS and BHS and provide the first investigations of respiratory epithelium-associated IL-17 in ovine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige C Grossman
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - David A Schneider
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Disease Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - David R Herndon
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Disease Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Donald P Knowles
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Disease Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Margaret A Highland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Disease Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
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19
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Gupta SK, Deng Q, Gupta TB, Maclean P, Jores J, Heiser A, Wedlock DN. Recombinase polymerase amplification assay combined with a dipstick-readout for rapid detection of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infections. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246573. [PMID: 33539437 PMCID: PMC7861559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infects both sheep and goats causing pneumonia resulting in considerable economic losses worldwide. Current diagnosis methods such as bacteriological culture, serology, and PCR are time consuming and require sophisticated laboratory setups. Here we report the development of two rapid, specific and sensitive assays; an isothermal DNA amplification using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and a real-time PCR for the detection of M. ovipneumoniae. The target for both assays is a specific region of gene WP_069098309.1, which encodes a hypothetical protein and is conserved in the genome sequences of ten publicly available M. ovipneumoniae strains. The RPA assay performed well at 39°C for 20 min and was combined with a lateral flow dipstick (RPA-LFD) for easy visualization of the amplicons. The detection limit of the RPA-LFD assay was nine genome copies of M. ovipneumoniae per reaction and was comparable to sensitivity of the real-time PCR assay. Both assays showed no cross-reaction with 38 other ovine and caprine pathogenic microorganisms and two parasites of ruminants, demonstrating a high degree of specificity. The assays were validated using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and nasal swab samples collected from sheep. The positive rate of RPA-LFD (97.4%) was higher than the real-time PCR (95.8%) with DNA as a template purified from the clinical samples. The RPA assay was significantly better at detecting M. ovipneumoniae in clinical samples compared to the real-time PCR when DNA extraction was omitted (50% and 34.4% positive rate for RPA-LFD and real-time PCR respectively). The RPA-LFD developed here allows easy and rapid detection of M. ovipneumoniae infection without DNA extraction, suggesting its potential as a point-of-care test for field settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep K. Gupta
- Animal Health, AgResearch, Hopkirk Research Institute, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Qing Deng
- Animal Health, AgResearch, Hopkirk Research Institute, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Tanushree B. Gupta
- Food Safety & Assurance, AgResearch, Hopkirk Research Institute, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Paul Maclean
- Bioinformatics and Statistics, AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Joerg Jores
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Axel Heiser
- Animal Health, AgResearch, Hopkirk Research Institute, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - D. Neil Wedlock
- Animal Health, AgResearch, Hopkirk Research Institute, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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20
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Spaan RS, Epps CW, Crowhurst R, Whittaker D, Cox M, Duarte A. Impact of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae on juvenile bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis) survival in the northern Basin and Range ecosystem. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10710. [PMID: 33552728 PMCID: PMC7821761 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the demographic impacts of wildlife disease is complex because extrinsic and intrinsic drivers of survival, reproduction, body condition, and other factors that may interact with disease vary widely. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection has been linked to persistent mortality in juvenile bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), although mortality appears to vary widely across subspecies, populations, and outbreaks. Hypotheses for that variation range from interactions with nutrition, population density, genetic variation in the pathogen, genetic variation in the host, and other factors. We investigated factors related to survival of juvenile bighorn sheep in reestablished populations in the northern Basin and Range ecosystem, managed as the formerly-recognized California subspecies (hereafter, "California lineage"). We investigated whether survival probability of 4-month juveniles would vary by (1) presence of M. ovipneumoniae-infected or exposed individuals in populations, (2) population genetic diversity, and (3) an index of forage suitability. We monitored 121 juveniles across a 3-year period in 13 populations in southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada. We observed each juvenile and GPS-collared mother semi-monthly and established 4-month capture histories for the juvenile to estimate survival. All collared adult females were PCR-tested at least once for M. ovipneumoniae infection. The presence of M. ovipneumoniae-infected juveniles was determined by observing juvenile behavior and PCR-testing dead juveniles. We used a known-fate model with different time effects to determine if the probability of survival to 4 months varied temporally or was influenced by disease or other factors. We detected dead juveniles infected with M. ovipneumoniae in only two populations. Derived juvenile survival probability at four months in populations where infected juveniles were not detected was more than 20 times higher. Detection of infected adults or adults with antibody levels suggesting prior exposure was less predictive of juvenile survival. Survival varied temporally but was not strongly influenced by population genetic diversity or nutrition, although genetic diversity within most study area populations was very low. We conclude that the presence of M. ovipneumoniae can cause extremely low juvenile survival probability in translocated bighorn populations of the California lineage, but found little influence that genetic diversity or nutrition affect juvenile survival. Yet, after the PCR+ adult female in one population died, subsequent observations found 11 of 14 ( 79%) collared adult females had surviving juveniles at 4-months, suggesting that targeted removals of infected adults should be evaluated as a management strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Spaan
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Rachel Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Donald Whittaker
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, OR, United States of America
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Adam Duarte
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Olympia, WA, United States of America
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21
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Garwood TJ, Lehman CP, Walsh DP, Cassirer EF, Besser TE, Jenks JA. Removal of chronic Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae carrier ewes eliminates pneumonia in a bighorn sheep population. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:3491-3502. [PMID: 32274004 PMCID: PMC7141075 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pathogen carriage is one mechanism that allows diseases to persist in populations. We hypothesized that persistent or recurrent pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations may be caused by chronic carriers of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo). Our experimental approach allowed us to address a conservation need while investigating the role of chronic carriage in disease persistence.We tested our hypothesis in two bighorn sheep populations in South Dakota, USA. We identified and removed Mo chronic carriers from the Custer State Park (treatment) population. Simultaneously, we identified carriers but did not remove them from the Rapid City population (control). We predicted removal would result in decreased pneumonia, mortality, and Mo prevalence. Both population ranges had similar habitat and predator communities but were sufficiently isolated to preclude intermixing.We classified chronic carriers as adults that consistently tested positive for Mo carriage over a 20-month sampling period (n = 2 in the treatment population; n = 2 in control population).We failed to detect Mo or pneumonia in the treatment population after chronic carrier removal, while both remained in the control. Mortality hazard for lambs was reduced by 72% in the treatment population relative to the control (CI = 36%, 91%). There was also a 41% reduction in adult mortality hazard attributable to the treatment, although this was not statistically significant (CI = 82% reduction, 34% increase). Synthesis and Applications: These results support the hypothesis that Mo is a primary causative agent of persistent or recurrent respiratory disease in bighorn sheep populations and can be maintained by a few chronic carriers. Our findings provide direction for future research and management actions aimed at controlling pneumonia in wild sheep and may apply to other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Garwood
- Department of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSDUSA
| | | | - Daniel P. Walsh
- U.S. Geological SurveyNational Wildlife Health CenterMadisonWIUSA
| | | | - Thomas E. Besser
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and PathologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWAUSA
| | - Jonathan A. Jenks
- Department of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSDUSA
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