1
|
Bradley EA, Lockaby G. Leptospirosis and the Environment: A Review and Future Directions. Pathogens 2023; 12:1167. [PMID: 37764975 PMCID: PMC10538202 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance with significant morbidity and mortality. However, the disease is frequently overlooked and underdiagnosed, leading to uncertainty of the true scale and severity of the disease. A neglected tropical disease, leptospirosis disproportionately impacts disadvantaged socioeconomic communities most vulnerable to outbreaks of zoonotic disease, due to contact with infectious animals and contaminated soils and waters. With growing evidence that Leptospira survives, persists, and reproduces in the environment, this paper reviews the current understanding of the pathogen in the environment and highlights the unknowns that are most important for future study. Through a systematic Boolean review of the literature, our study finds that detailed field-based study of Leptospira prevalence, survival, and transmission in natural waters and soils is lacking from the current literature. This review identified a strong need for assessment of physical characteristics and biogeochemical processes that support long-term viability of Leptospira in the environment followed by epidemiological assessment of the transmission and movement of the same strains of Leptospira in the present wildlife and livestock as the first steps in improving our understanding of the environmental stage of the leptospirosis transmission cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Bradley
- College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sting R, Pölzelbauer C, Eisenberg T, Bonke R, Blazey B, Peters M, Riße K, Sing A, Berger A, Dangel A, Rau J. Corynebacterium ulcerans Infections in Eurasian Beavers ( Castor fiber). Pathogens 2023; 12:979. [PMID: 37623939 PMCID: PMC10459376 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12080979] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) has been reintroduced successfully in Germany since the 1990s. Since wildlife is an important source of zoonotic infectious diseases, monitoring of invasive and reintroduced species is crucial with respect to the One Health approach. Three Eurasian beavers were found dead in the German federal states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg in 2015, 2021 and 2022, respectively. During post-mortem examinations, Corynebacterium (C.) ulcerans could be isolated from the abscesses of two beavers and from the lungs of one of the animals. Identification of the bacterial isolates at the species level was carried out by spectroscopic analysis using MALDI-TOF MS, FT-IR and biochemical profiles and were verified by molecular analysis based on 16-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing. Molecular characterization of the C. ulcerans isolates using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) revealed a genome size of about 2.5 Mbp and a GC content of 53.4%. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis classified all three isolates as the sequence type ST-332. A minimum spanning tree (MST) based on cgMLST allelic profiles, including 1211 core genes of the sequenced C. ulcerans isolates, showed that the beaver-derived isolates clearly group on the branch of C. ulcerans with the closest relationship to each other, in close similarity to an isolate from a dog. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed resistance to clindamycin and, in one strain, to erythromycin according to EUCAST, while all isolates were susceptible to the other antimicrobials tested.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reinhard Sting
- Chemical and Veterinary Analysis Agency (CVUA) Stuttgart, 70736 Fellbach, Germany; (C.P.); (B.B.); (J.R.)
- Consiliary Laboratory for Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (DVG), 70736 Fellbach, Germany
| | - Catharina Pölzelbauer
- Chemical and Veterinary Analysis Agency (CVUA) Stuttgart, 70736 Fellbach, Germany; (C.P.); (B.B.); (J.R.)
| | - Tobias Eisenberg
- Hessian State Laboratory (LHL), 35392 Giessen, Germany; (T.E.); (R.B.); (K.R.)
| | - Rebecca Bonke
- Hessian State Laboratory (LHL), 35392 Giessen, Germany; (T.E.); (R.B.); (K.R.)
| | - Birgit Blazey
- Chemical and Veterinary Analysis Agency (CVUA) Stuttgart, 70736 Fellbach, Germany; (C.P.); (B.B.); (J.R.)
| | - Martin Peters
- Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Westfalen, 59821 Arnsberg, Germany;
| | - Karin Riße
- Hessian State Laboratory (LHL), 35392 Giessen, Germany; (T.E.); (R.B.); (K.R.)
| | - Andreas Sing
- Germany National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany; (A.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Anja Berger
- Germany National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany; (A.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Alexandra Dangel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany;
| | - Jörg Rau
- Chemical and Veterinary Analysis Agency (CVUA) Stuttgart, 70736 Fellbach, Germany; (C.P.); (B.B.); (J.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zoonotic Pathogens in Eurasian Beavers (Castor fiber) in the Netherlands. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:404-408. [PMID: 35245369 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00097] [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: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Successful repopulation programs of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) have resulted in an increase in beaver populations throughout Europe. This may be of public health relevance because beavers can host multiple zoonotic pathogens. From March 2018 to March 2020, opportunistic testing of dead beavers was performed for hepatitis E virus, orthohantavirus, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., extended-spectrum-betalactamase or AmpC (ESBL/AmpC-)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Francisella tularensis, Leptospira spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Babesia spp., Echinococcus multilocularis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Trichinella spp. From the 24 beavers collected, three zoonotic pathogens were detected. One beaver was positive for T. gondii, one was positive for ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and one was positive for N. mikurensis. The latter finding indicates that beavers can be bitten by Ixodes ricinus and be exposed to tick-borne pathogens. The detected ESBL/AmpC-gene was blaCMY-2 in an Escherichia coli ST6599. The findings suggest that the role of beavers in the spread of zoonotic diseases in the Netherlands is currently limited.
Collapse
|
4
|
Helminth fauna of the Eurasian beaver in the Czech Republic with remarks on the genetic diversity of specialist Stichorchis subtriquetrus (Digenea: Cladorchiidae). Parasitol Res 2022; 121:633-644. [PMID: 35076776 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07379-2] [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: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is a well-established faunal element in the Czech Republic, even though, historically, its populations were almost eradicated in this region. Nowadays, its distribution and population density are well monitored; nonetheless, the beaver's parasites, as potential threats to the environment, are often neglected in wildlife management. Therefore, we investigated the endoparasitic helminth diversity of 15 beaver individuals from three collection sites in the Czech Republic. Three parasite species were collected: Stichorchis subtriquetrus (Digenea), Travassosius rufus, and Calodium hepaticum (Nematoda), of which the two nematode species were reported for the first time from C. fiber in the Czech Republic. The highest prevalence and intensity of infection were observed in S. subtriquetrus (P = 93%, I = 1-138), while the two other species were collected only from one beaver individual. Subsequent analysis of the genetic diversity of the specimens using highly variable genetic markers revealed a weak population structure among the individuals collected from different beaver hosts. There was only a weak association of COI haplotypes with geography, as the haplotypes from the Berounka basin formed homogeneous groups, and individuals from the Dyje basin and Morava partially shared a haplotype. Even though common population genetic markers (i.e., microsatellites) did not reveal any structure in the hosts, our results suggest that the genetic diversity of their parasites may shed more light on population partition and the historical migration routes of Eurasian beavers.
Collapse
|
5
|
OUP accepted manuscript. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
|
6
|
Campbell-Palmer R, Rosell F, Naylor A, Cole G, Mota S, Brown D, Fraser M, Pizzi R, Elliott M, Wilson K, Gaywood M, Girling S. Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) health surveillance in Britain: Assessing a disjunctive reintroduced population. Vet Rec 2021; 188:e84. [PMID: 33891731 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.84] [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: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous translocations of Eurasian beavers have occurred with little implementation of standardised health screening. Pre-release health screening enables the selection of individuals with the best survival prospects and reduces potential health risks, but this is by-passed during unofficial releases. Beaver reintroduction to Britain has been haphazard and currently disjunctive populations of varying status exist. METHODS This observational cross section study investigated the health status of three beaver populations, with 90 live beavers tested for a range of pathogens comprising 56 from Tayside (unofficially released Scotland), nine from Knapdale (officially released Scotland) and 25 from Devon (unofficially released England). In addition, a further 32 cadavers were screened (25 from Tayside and seven from Knapdale). RESULTS All beavers were in good physical condition, did not harbour any non-native disease or parasites of concern and demonstrated remarkably low levels of any disease or parasite exposure. CONCLUSION Beavers are establishing and adapting well to British landscapes and are not acting as reservoirs of significant zoonotic diseases. Official, licensed reintroduction programmes may appear overly convoluted; however, reputational damage of unofficial releases should be considered, along with the health and welfare of the animals involved and collateral damage to other wildlife, domestic animals and humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank Rosell
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Studies, University of Southeast Norway, B⊘, Norway
| | - Adam Naylor
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| | - Georgina Cole
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| | - Stephanie Mota
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| | - Donna Brown
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Romain Pizzi
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| | | | | | | | - Simon Girling
- Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scotland, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bystrianska J, Papajová I, Šmiga Ľ, Šoltys J, Majláthová V, Majláth I, Gomboš F, Kleban J. First report on parasites of European beavers in the Slovak Republic. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:355-358. [PMID: 33128643 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06943-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
European beaver (Castor fiber L. 1758) is the biggest rodent living in Europe. It is a semi-aquatic animal known for building dams and burrows. European beaver is a potential host for a wide range of parasites and other infectious diseases. In Slovakia, there is an increasing number of beavers but the data about their parasitic fauna are missing. Our work is the first documentation about the beaver's parasitofauna in Slovakia. In a 1-year study, we collected and examined 19 beaver fecal samples from the vicinity of beaver burrows inhabiting three particular localities at the Danube, Topľa, and Laborec rivers in Slovakia. In these fecal samples, 4 different species of intestinal endoparasites were detected as follows: oocysts of Cryptosporidium, cysts of Giardia, eggs of Stichorchis subtriquetrus, and eggs and larvae of Travassosius rufus. Parasites were confirmed only in samples collected at river Topľa. Based on our results, we can conclude that European beaver can be an important source of parasitic contamination of surface waters especially in the localities shared by people.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Bystrianska
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.,University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Ingrid Papajová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic.
| | - Ľubomír Šmiga
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Jindřich Šoltys
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Viktória Majláthová
- Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Igor Majláth
- Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Filip Gomboš
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine in Brno, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Kleban
- Grammar School of Leonard Stöckel in Bardejov, Jiráskova 12, 085 70, Bardejov, Slovak Republic
| |
Collapse
|