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Robinson SJ, Pearl DL, Himsworth CG, Weese JS, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Huynh C, Hill JE, Fernando C, Jardine CM. Environmental and sociodemographic factors associated with zoonotic pathogen occurrence in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from Windsor, Ontario. Zoonoses Public Health 2024. [PMID: 38419369 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Rat-associated zoonotic pathogen transmission at the human-wildlife interface is a public health concern in urban environments where Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) thrive on abundant anthropogenic resources and live in close contact with humans and other animal species. To identify potential factors influencing zoonotic pathogen occurrence in rats, we investigated associations between environmental and sociodemographic factors and Leptospira interrogans and Bartonella spp. infections in rats from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, while controlling for the potential confounding effects of animal characteristics (i.e., sexual maturity and body condition). METHODS AND RESULTS Between November 2018 and June 2021, 252 rats were submitted by collaborating pest control professionals. Kidney and spleen samples were collected for L. interrogans and Bartonella spp. PCR and sequencing, respectively. Of the rats tested by PCR, 12.7% (32/252) were positive for L. interrogans and 16.3% (37/227) were positive for Bartonella species. Associations between infection status and environmental and sociodemographic variables of interest were assessed via mixed multivariable logistic regression models with a random intercept for social group and fixed effects to control for sexual maturity and body condition in each model. The odds of L. interrogans infection were significantly higher in rats from areas with high building density (odds ratio [OR]: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.31-10.79; p = 0.014), high human population density (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.20-9.11; p = 0.021), high proportion of buildings built in 1960 or before (OR: 11.21; 95% CI: 2.06-60.89; p = 0.005), and a moderate number of reports of uncollected garbage compared to a low number of reports (OR: 4.88; 95% CI: 1.01-23.63; p = 0.049). A negative association was observed between median household income and Bartonella spp. infection in rats (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.89; p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS Due to the complexity of the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses, consideration of environmental and sociodemographic factors is of critical importance to better understand the nuances of host-pathogen systems and inform how urban rat surveillance and intervention efforts should be distributed within cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Robinson
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - David L Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chelsea G Himsworth
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - J Scott Weese
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Chris Huynh
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Janet E Hill
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Champika Fernando
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Claire M Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Segura JA, Dibernardo A, Manguiat K, Waitt B, Rueda ZV, Keynan Y, Wood H, Gutiérrez LA. Molecular surveillance of microbial agents from cattle-attached and questing ticks from livestock agroecosystems of Antioquia, Colombia. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 105:102113. [PMID: 38176202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate ectoparasites and vectors of pathogens affecting health, agriculture, and animal welfare. This study collected ticks from the cattle and questing ticks of 24 Magdalena Medio Antioquia region cattle farms. Genomic DNA was extracted from the specimens (individual or pools) of the 2088 adult ticks collected from cattle and 4667 immature questing ticks collected from pastures. The molecular detection of Babesia, Anaplasma, Coxiella and Rickettsia genera was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and subsequent DNA sequencing. In a total of 6755 Rhipicephalus microplus DNA samples, Anaplasma marginale was the most detected with a frequency of 2% (Confidence Interval- CI 1.68-2.36), followed by Babesia bigemina with 0.28% (CI 0.16-0.44), Coxiella spp. with 0.15% (CI 0.07-0.27), and Rickettsia spp. with 0.13% (CI 0.06-0.25). Molecular analysis of the DNA sequences obtained from the tick samples revealed the presence of Coxiella-like endosymbiont and R. felis. These results demonstrated the diversity of microorganisms present in R. microplus ticks predominantly associated with cattle and questing ticks from livestock agroecosystems, suggesting their role as reservoirs and potential biological vectors of these microorganisms on the studied sites. Also, it emphasizes the need to combine acarological surveillance with clinical diagnoses and control strategies on regional and national levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Segura
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1a No 70-01, Bloque 11C - Oficina 417, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Kathy Manguiat
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Brooks Waitt
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Zulma V Rueda
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Grupo de investigación en Salud Pública, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yoav Keynan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Heidi Wood
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Lina A Gutiérrez
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1a No 70-01, Bloque 11C - Oficina 417, Medellín, Colombia.
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Himsworth CG, Caleta JM, Coombe M, McGregor G, Dibernardo A, Lindsay R, Sekirov I, Prystajecky N. A comparison of sampling and testing approaches for the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed American mink. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:528-534. [PMID: 37366157 PMCID: PMC10300625 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231183685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in American mink (Neovison vison) is a global priority because outbreaks on mink farms have potential consequences for animal and public health. Surveillance programs often focus on screening natural mortalities; however, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding sampling and testing approaches. Using 76 mink from 3 naturally infected farms in British Columbia, Canada, we compared the performance of 2 reverse-transcription real-time PCR (RT-rtPCR) targets (the envelope [E] and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase [RdRp] genes) as well as serology. We also compared RT-rtPCR and sequencing results from nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, skin, and rectal swabs, as well as nasopharyngeal samples collected using swabs and interdental brushes. We found that infected mink were generally RT-rtPCR-positive on all samples; however, Ct values differed significantly among sample types (nasopharyngeal < oropharyngeal < skin < rectal). There was no difference in the results of nasopharyngeal samples collected using swabs or interdental brushes. For most mink (89.4%), qualitative (i.e., positive vs. negative) serology and RT-rtPCR results were concordant. However, mink were positive on RT-rtPCR and negative on serology and vice versa, and there was no significant correlation between Ct values on RT-rtPCR and percent inhibition on serology. Both the E and RdRp targets were detectable in all sample types, albeit with a small difference in Ct values. Although SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected in multiple sample types, passive surveillance programs in mink should focus on multiple target RT-rtPCR testing of nasopharyngeal samples in combination with serology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea G. Himsworth
- Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jessica M. Caleta
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michelle Coombe
- Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Glenna McGregor
- Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Inna Sekirov
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Natalie Prystajecky
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Robinson SJ, Borlang J, Himsworth CG, Pearl DL, Weese JS, Dibernardo A, Osiowy C, Nasheri N, Jardine CM. Rat Hepatitis E Virus in Norway Rats, Ontario, Canada, 2018-2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:1890-1894. [PMID: 37610234 PMCID: PMC10461677 DOI: 10.3201/eid2909.230517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We tested liver samples from 372 Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from southern Ontario, Canada, during 2018-2021 to investigate presence of hepatitis E virus infection. Overall, 21 (5.6%) rats tested positive for the virus. Sequence analysis demonstrated all infections to be rat hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti genotype C1).
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Wilson C, Gasmi S, Bourgeois AC, Badcock J, Carr J, Chahil N, Coatsworth H, Dibernardo A, Goundar P, Leighton P, Lee MK, Morshed M, Ripoche M, Savage J. Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks and their associated pathogens in Canada, 2020. Can Commun Dis Rep 2023; 49:288-298. [PMID: 38444700 PMCID: PMC10914093 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v49i06a06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Background Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks are the principal vectors of the agent of Lyme disease and several other tick-borne diseases in Canada. Tick surveillance data can be used to identify local tick-borne disease risk areas and direct public health interventions. The objective of this article is to describe the seasonal and spatial characteristics of the main Lyme disease vectors in Canada, and the tick-borne pathogens they carry, using passive and active surveillance data from 2020. Methods Passive and active surveillance data were compiled from the National Microbiology Laboratory Branch (Public Health Agency of Canada), provincial and local public health authorities, and eTick (an online, image-based platform). Seasonal and spatial analyses of ticks and their associated pathogens are presented, including infection prevalence estimates. Results In passive surveillance, I. scapularis (n=7,534) were submitted from all provinces except Manitoba and British Columbia, while I. pacificus (n=718) were submitted only from British Columbia. No ticks were submitted from the Territories. The seasonal distribution of I. scapularis submissions was bimodal, but unimodal for I. pacificus. Four tick-borne pathogens were identified in I. scapularis (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti and Borrelia miyamotoi) and one in I. pacificus (B. miyamotoi). In active surveillance, I. scapularis (n=688) were collected in Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick. Five tick-borne pathogens were identified: B. burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum, B. microti, B. miyamotoi and Powassan virus. Conclusion This article provides a snapshot of the distribution of I. scapularis and I. pacificus and their associated human pathogens in Canada in 2020, which can help assess the risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens in different provinces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Wilson
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Salima Gasmi
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
| | - Annie-Claude Bourgeois
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Jacqueline Badcock
- Public Health New Brunswick, New Brunswick Department of Health, Fredericton, NB
| | - Justin Carr
- New Brunswick Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Fredericton, NB
| | - Navdeep Chahil
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
| | - Heather Coatsworth
- National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | | | - Patrick Leighton
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
| | - Min-Kuang Lee
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
| | - Muhammad Morshed
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Marion Ripoche
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal, QC
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Pelletier J, Guillot C, Rocheleau JP, Bouchard C, Baron G, Bédard C, Dibernardo A, Lindsay LR, Leighton PA, Aenishaenslin C. The added value of One Health surveillance: data from questing ticks can provide an early signal for anaplasmosis outbreaks in animals and humans. Can J Public Health 2023; 114:317-324. [PMID: 36471231 PMCID: PMC10036682 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-022-00723-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In 2021, a first outbreak of anaplasmosis occurred in animals and humans in southern Québec, with 64% of confirmed human cases located in Bromont municipality. Ixodes scapularis ticks and Peromyscus mouse ear biopsies collected in Bromont from 2019 to 2021 were analyzed for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap) with the objective of determining whether an early environmental signal could have been detected before the outbreak. METHODS Samples were collected for a concurrent study aiming to reduce Lyme disease risk. Between 2019 and 2021, up to 14 experimental sites were sampled for ticks and capture of small mammals took place on three sites in 2021. Samples were screened for Ap using multiplex real-time PCR, and genetic strains were identified using a single-nucleotide polymorphism assay. RESULTS Analyses showed an increase of 5.7% in Ap prevalence in ticks (CI95: 1.5-9.9) between 2019 and 2020, i.e., one year before the outbreak. A majority of Ap-positive ticks were infected with the zoonotic strain (68.8%; CI95: 50.0-83.9) during the study period. In 2021, 2 of 59 captured Peromycus mice were positive for Ap, for a prevalence of 3.4% (CI95: 0.4-11.7). CONCLUSION We conclude that data collected in Bromont could have provided an early signal for an anaplasmosis risk increasing in the targeted region. This is a reminder that integrated surveillance of tick-borne diseases through structured One Health programs, i.e. systematically integrating data from humans, animals and the environment, can provide useful and timely information for better preparedness and response in public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Pelletier
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
- Centre de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Camille Guillot
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Catherine Bouchard
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Geneviève Baron
- Direction de la santé publique du CIUSS de l'Estrie, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Département des sciences de la santé communautaire, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Christian Bédard
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- One Health Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- One Health Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Patrick A Leighton
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Cécile Aenishaenslin
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Boodman C, Loomer C, Dibernardo A, Hatchette T, LeBlanc JJ, Waitt B, Lindsay LR. Using Serum Specimens for Real-Time PCR-Based Diagnosis of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:175-178. [PMID: 36573611 PMCID: PMC9796190 DOI: 10.3201/eid2901.220988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole blood is the optimal specimen for anaplasmosis diagnosis but might not be available in all cases. We PCR tested serum samples collected in Canada for Anaplasma serology and found 84.8%-95.8% sensitivity and 2.8 average cycle threshold elevation. Serum can be acceptable for detecting Anaplasma spp. when whole blood is unavailable.
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Buhler KJ, Dibernardo A, Pilfold NW, Harms NJ, Fenton H, Carriere S, Kelly A, Schwantje H, Aguilar XF, Leclerc LM, Gouin GG, Lunn NJ, Richardson ES, McGeachy D, Bouchard É, Ortiz AH, Samelius G, Lindsay LR, Drebot MA, Gaffney P, Leighton P, Alisauskas R, Jenkins E. Widespread Exposure to Mosquitoborne California Serogroup Viruses in Caribou, Arctic Fox, Red Fox, and Polar Bears, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:54-63. [PMID: 36573538 PMCID: PMC9796188 DOI: 10.3201/eid2901.220154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Northern Canada is warming at 3 times the global rate. Thus, changing diversity and distribution of vectors and pathogens is an increasing health concern. California serogroup (CSG) viruses are mosquitoborne arboviruses; wildlife reservoirs in northern ecosystems have not been identified. We detected CSG virus antibodies in 63% (95% CI 58%-67%) of caribou (n = 517), 4% (95% CI 2%-7%) of Arctic foxes (n = 297), 12% (95% CI 6%-21%) of red foxes (n = 77), and 28% (95% CI 24%-33%) of polar bears (n = 377). Sex, age, and summer temperatures were positively associated with polar bear exposure; location, year, and ecotype were associated with caribou exposure. Exposure was highest in boreal caribou and increased from baseline in polar bears after warmer summers. CSG virus exposure of wildlife is linked to climate change in northern Canada and sustained surveillance could be used to measure human health risks.
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Munn DT, Robbin Lindsay L, Dibernardo A, Nocera JJ. Ruffed grouse do not exhibit high potential for reservoir competency of common tick‐borne pathogens. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas T. Munn
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management University of New Brunswick 28 Dineen Drive Fredericton NB E3B 5A3 Canada
| | - L. Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory Public Health Agency of Canada 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg MB R3E 3P6 Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory Public Health Agency of Canada 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg MB R3E 3P6 Canada
| | - Joseph J. Nocera
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management University of New Brunswick 28 Dineen Drive Fredericton NB E3B 5A3 Canada
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10
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Dibernardo A, Toledo NPL, Robinson A, Osiowy C, Giles E, Day J, Robbin Lindsay L, Drebot MA, Booth TF, Pidduck T, Baily A, Charlton CL, Tipples G, Kanji JN, Brochu G, Lang A, Therrien C, Bélanger-Collard M, Beaulac SN, Gilfix BM, Boivin G, Hamelin MÈ, Carbonneau J, Lévesque S, Martin P, Finzi A, Gendron-Lepage G, Goyette G, Benlarbi M, Gasser R, Fortin C, Martel-Lafferrière V, Lavoie M, Guérin R, Haraoui LP, Renaud C, Jenkins C, O'Brien SF, Drews SJ, Conrod V, Tran V, Awrey B, Scheuermann R, DuPuis A, Payne A, Warszycki C, Girardin R, Lee W, Zahariadis G, Jiao L, Needle R, Cordenbach J, Zaharatos J, Taylor K, Teltscher M, Miller M, Elsherif M, Robertson P, Robinson JL. Evaluation of the performance of multiple immunoassay diagnostic platforms on the National Microbiology Laboratory SARS-CoV-2 National Serology Panel. J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can 2022; 7:186-195. [PMID: 36337598 PMCID: PMC9629736 DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2021-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serological assays designed to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are being used in serological surveys and other specialized applications. As a result, and to ensure that the outcomes of serological testing meet high quality standards, evaluations are required to assess the performance of these assays and the proficiency of laboratories performing them. METHODS A panel of 60 plasma/serum samples from blood donors who had reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and 21 SARS-CoV-2 negative samples were secured and distributed to interested laboratories within Canada (n = 30) and the United States (n = 1). Participating laboratories were asked to provide details on the diagnostic assays used, the platforms the assays were performed on, and the results obtained for each panel sample. Laboratories were blinded with respect to the expected outcomes. RESULTS The performance of the different assays evaluated was excellent, with the high-throughput platforms of Roche, Ortho, and Siemens demonstrating 100% sensitivity. Most other high-throughput platforms had sensitivities of >93%, with the exception of the IgG assay using the Abbott ARCHITECT which had an average sensitivity of only 87%. The majority of the high-throughput platforms also demonstrated very good specificities (>97%). CONCLUSION This proficiency study demonstrates that most of the SARS-CoV-2 serological assays utilized by provincial public health or hospital laboratories in Canada have acceptable sensitivity and excellent specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Nikki PL Toledo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Alyssia Robinson
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Carla Osiowy
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Giles
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Day
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael A Drebot
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Timothy F Booth
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tamara Pidduck
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ashley Baily
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carmen L Charlton
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Graham Tipples
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute for Virology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jamil N Kanji
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gino Brochu
- CIUSSS Mauricie—Centre du Québec, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Amanda Lang
- Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Christian Therrien
- Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Institut de santé publique du Québec, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Mélina Bélanger-Collard
- Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Institut de santé publique du Québec, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvie-Nancy Beaulac
- Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Institut de santé publique du Québec, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Brian M Gilfix
- McGill University Health Centre, Department of Medicine, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guy Boivin
- Université Laval and CHU de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Simon Lévesque
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- CIUSSSE de l'Estrie—CHUS, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Département de microbiologie et infectiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Philippe Martin
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- CIUSSSE de l'Estrie—CHUS, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Département de microbiologie et infectiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Andrés Finzi
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Canada Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Romain Gasser
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Claude Fortin
- CHUM: Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Myriam Lavoie
- CIUSSS du Saguenay Lac-St-Jean, Hôpital de Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
| | - Renée Guérin
- Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Louis-Patrick Haraoui
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Christian Renaud
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Vanessa Tran
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bill Awrey
- Alpha Laboratories Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Alan DuPuis
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Albany, New York, United States
| | - Anne Payne
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Albany, New York, United States
| | - Casey Warszycki
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Albany, New York, United States
| | - Roxie Girardin
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Albany, New York, United States
| | - William Lee
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Albany, New York, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, New York, United States
| | - George Zahariadis
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Lei Jiao
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Robert Needle
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew Miller
- Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - May Elsherif
- Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Peter Robertson
- Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jason L Robinson
- Division of Clinical Chemistry, Provincial Laboratory Services, Health PEI, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
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11
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Robinson EL, Jardine CM, Koffi JK, Russell C, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Clow KM. Range Expansion of Ixodes scapularis and Borrelia burgdorferi in Ontario, Canada, from 2017 to 2019. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:361-369. [PMID: 35727121 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Range expansion of the vector tick species, Ixodes scapularis, has been detected in Ontario over the last two decades. This has led to elevated risk of exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Previous research using passive surveillance data suggests that I. scapularis populations establish before the establishment of B. burgdorferi transmission cycles, with a delay of ∼5 years. The objectives of this research were to examine spatial and temporal patterns of I. scapularis and its pathogens from 2017 to 2019 in southwestern, eastern, and central Ontario, and to explore patterns of B. burgdorferi invasion. Over the 3-year study period, drag sampling was conducted at 48 sites across Ontario. I. scapularis ticks were tested for B. burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia species, including Babesia microti and Babesia odocoilei, and Powassan virus. I. scapularis was detected at 30 sites overall, 22 of which had no history of previous tick detection. B. burgdorferi was detected at nine sites, eight of which tested positive for the first time during this study and five of which had B. burgdorferi detected concurrently with initial tick detection. Tick and pathogen hotspots were identified in eastern Ontario in 2017 and 2018, respectively. These findings provide additional evidence on the range expansion and population establishment of I. scapularis in Ontario and help generate hypotheses on the invasion of B. burgdorferi in Ontario. Ongoing public health surveillance is critical to monitor changes in I. scapularis and its pathogens in Ontario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Robinson
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Claire M Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Jules K Koffi
- Policy Integration and Zoonoses Division, Centre for Food-Borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada
| | - Curtis Russell
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Katie M Clow
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
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12
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Allehebi ZO, Khan FM, Robbins M, Simms E, Xiang R, Shawwa A, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, d'Entremont C, Crowell A, LeBlanc JJ, Haldane DJ. Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis, Atlantic Canada. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1292-1294. [PMID: 35608954 PMCID: PMC9155882 DOI: 10.3201/eid2806.220443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In July 2021, a PCR-confirmed case of locally acquired Babesia microti infection was reported in Atlantic Canada. Clinical features were consistent with babesiosis and resolved after treatment. In a region where Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are endemic, the occurrence of babesiosis emphasizes the need to enhance surveillance of tickborne infections.
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13
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Boodman C, Wuerz T, Lagacé-Wiens P, Lindsay R, Dibernardo A, Bullard J, Stein DR, Keynan Y. Serologic testing for Bartonella in Manitoba, Canada, 2010-2020: a retrospective case series. CMAJ Open 2022; 10:E476-E482. [PMID: 35640989 PMCID: PMC9177198 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20210180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella are gram-negative bacilli not identified by routine bacterial culture. The objectives of this study were to review the results of all serologic testing for Bartonella ordered in Manitoba, Canada, and to review cases with positive test results among adults to assess species identification, risk factors, clinical manifestations and outcomes. METHODS This retrospective study included all Bartonella serologic tests ordered in Manitoba and performed at the National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, from Jan. 1, 2010, until Dec. 31, 2020. We analyzed the aggregate data for all serologic tests for Bartonella for patients of all ages. We reviewed the charts of adult (age ≥ 18 yr) patients with serologic positivity for Bartonella who had a medical chart at 1 of Winnipeg's 2 largest hospitals (Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital) to extract clinical and demographic data and create a case series. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS During the study period, 1014 Bartonella serologic tests were ordered in adult and pediatric patients, of which 24 (2.4%) gave a positive result. Sixteen adults (12 men and 4 women; mean age 48 yr) seen at a participating hospital had a positive result. Molecular species-level identification occurred on explanted cardiac valves in 5 (31%) of the 16 cases; B. quintana was identified in all 5. Six patients (38%) were diagnosed with probable B. quintana infection, for a total of 11 B. quintana cases (69%); 8 (73%) of the 11 had endocarditis. Four cases of B. quintana infection (36%) were associated with rural residence. Four cases (25%) of probable B. henselae were identified; 2 patients had fever and lymphadenopathy, and 2 had endocarditis. The remaining patient was deemed to have a false-positive result as his B. henselae titre was at the threshold for positivity, his B. quintana serologic test gave a negative result, and his clinical syndrome was not suggestive of Bartonella infection. Two patients died; both had multivalvular B. quintana endocarditis with ruptured intracranial mycotic aneurysms. INTERPRETATION Bartonella quintana was a common cause of Bartonella serologic positivity among adults in Manitoba in 2010-2020 and was associated with endocarditis and systemic embolization. As B. quintana is transmitted by body lice, active case finding for people who lack suitable housing, both in urban and rural settings, should prioritize those with elevated Bartonella titres to receive echocardiography and detect endocarditis before systemic embolization occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Boodman
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man.
| | - Terence Wuerz
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Philippe Lagacé-Wiens
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Jared Bullard
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Derek R Stein
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man
| | - Yoav Keynan
- Section of Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Wuerz, Keynan), Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Boodman, Lagacé-Wiens, Bullard, Stein, Keynan) and Community Health Sciences (Wuerz), Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Shared Health (Lagacé-Wiens); National Microbiology Laboratory (Lindsay, Dibernardo); Cadham Provincial Laboratory (Bullard, Stein), Winnipeg, Man.
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14
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Robinson SJ, Finer R, Himsworth CG, Pearl DL, Rousseau J, Weese JS, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Huynh C, Jardine CM. Evaluating the utility of pest control sourced rats for zoonotic pathogen surveillance. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:468-474. [DOI: 10.1111/zph.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Robinson
- Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - Rachel Finer
- Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - Chelsea G. Himsworth
- School of Population and Public Health University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - David L. Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - Joyce Rousseau
- Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - J. Scott Weese
- Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - L. Robbin Lindsay
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Chris Huynh
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Claire M. Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
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15
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Stein DR, Osiowy C, Gretchen A, Thorlacius L, Fudge D, Lang A, Sekirov I, Morshed M, Levett PN, Tran V, Kus JV, Gubbay J, Mohan V, Charlton C, Kanji JN, Tipples G, Serhir B, Therrien C, Roger M, Jiao L, Zahariadis G, Needle R, Gilbert L, Desnoyers G, Garceau R, Bouhtiauy I, Longtin J, El-Gabalawy N, Dibernardo A, Lindsay LR, Drebot M. Evaluation of commercial SARS-CoV-2 serological assays in Canadian public health laboratories. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 101:115412. [PMID: 34425450 PMCID: PMC8377389 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the influx of immunoassays for the detection of antibodies towards severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into the global market. The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network Serology Task Force undertook a nationwide evaluation of twelve laboratory and 6 point-of-care based commercial serological assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We determined that there was considerable variability in the performance of individual tests and that an orthogonal testing algorithm should be prioritized to maximize the accuracy and comparability of results across the country. The manual enzyme immunoassays and point-of-care tests evaluated had lower specificity and increased coefficients of variation compared to automated enzyme immunoassays platforms putting into question their utility for large-scale sero-surveillance. Overall, the data presented here provide a comprehensive approach for applying accurate serological assays for longitudinal sero-surveillance and vaccine trials while informing Canadian public health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R Stein
- Cadham Provincial Laboratory, Serology and Parasitology, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - Carla Osiowy
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ainsley Gretchen
- Cadham Provincial Laboratory, Serology and Parasitology, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Denise Fudge
- Shared Health Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Amanda Lang
- Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Inna Sekirov
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Muhammad Morshed
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul N Levett
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Vanessa Tran
- Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - Julianne V Kus
- Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | | | - Vandana Mohan
- Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - Carmen Charlton
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Jamil N Kanji
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Graham Tipples
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Bouchra Serhir
- Laboratoire de santé publique du Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Michel Roger
- Laboratoire de santé publique du Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lei Jiao
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - George Zahariadis
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Robert Needle
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Laura Gilbert
- Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Guillaume Desnoyers
- New Brunswick Virology Reference Centre, CHU Dumont, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Richard Garceau
- New Brunswick Virology Reference Centre, CHU Dumont, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | | | - Jean Longtin
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Nadia El-Gabalawy
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael Drebot
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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16
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Burgess HJ, Lockerbie BP, Ayalew LE, Dibernardo A, Hrazdilová K, Modry D, Bollinger TK. Species-specific PCR assay for the detection of Babesia odocoilei. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:1188-1192. [PMID: 34550025 PMCID: PMC8546463 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211032927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a PCR assay for the detection of Babesia odocoilei based on the 18S rRNA gene. Multiple specimens of B. odocoilei were examined, and the assay consistently produced a small specific PCR product of 306 bp. The PCR assay was also challenged with DNA from 13 other Babesia species and 2 Theileria species, originating from 10 different host species; however, nonspecific DNA amplification and multiple banding patterns were observed, and the amplicon banding patterns varied between different isolates of the same species. Sensitivity was determined to be 6.4 pg of DNA, and an estimated 0.0001% parasitism. This assay can be utilized for species-specific differential detection of B. odocoilei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J Burgess
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Betty P Lockerbie
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Lisanework E Ayalew
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kristýna Hrazdilová
- CEITEC-VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Modry
- CEITEC-VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Trent K Bollinger
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.,Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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17
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Mincer J, Materniak S, Dimitrova K, Wood H, Iranpour M, Dibernardo A, Loomer C, Drebot MA, Lindsay LR, Webster D. Jamestown Canyon and snowshoe hare virus seroprevalence in New Brunswick. J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can 2021; 6:213-220. [PMID: 36337757 PMCID: PMC9615463 DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2021-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) and snowshoe hare virus (SSHV) are wide-ranging mosquito-borne arboviruses in the California serogroup viruses (CSGV) that are known to circulate in New Brunswick. Despite potential for debilitating central nervous system manifestations, the prevalence of human exposure to these viruses in New Brunswick is unknown. The goal of this study was to quantify rates of human exposure in New Brunswick to these neglected arboviruses. METHODS A retrospective, anonymized provincial serosurvey was performed using a stratified random sample of residual sera submitted between May 2015 and August 2016. To determine the seroprevalence of JCV and SSHV, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-positive samples were confirmed positive using plaque-reduction neutralization testing (PRNT). RESULTS A total of 452 serum samples were screened. The seroprevalence of antibodies against CSGV was estimated to be 31.6% (95% CI 27.4% to 36.1%) with 143 positive samples. PRNT results indicated that most single virus exposures were due to JCV (38 of 143; 26.6%) rather than SSHV (3 of 143; 2.1%). The species of CSGV, to which the remaining 102 seropositive people were exposed, could not be precisely determined. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of human exposure to CSGV is high but comparable to rates observed in other Atlantic Canadian jurisdictions. Studies such as this provide important baseline epidemiological data regarding the risk of exposure to these neglected arboviruses. SSHV and JCV should be considered in the differential diagnosis for undiagnosed febrile and neuroinvasive illness during mosquito season, particularly when testing for common aetiologies is negative or inconclusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Mincer
- Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
| | | | - Kristina Dimitrova
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Heidi Wood
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Mahmood Iranpour
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Courtney Loomer
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael A Drebot
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Duncan Webster
- Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
- Horizon Health Network, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
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18
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Lowe AM, Forest-Bérard K, Trudel R, Lo E, Gamache P, Tandonnet M, Kotchi SO, Leighton P, Dibernardo A, Lindsay R, Ludwig A. Mosquitoes Know No Borders: Surveillance of Potential Introduction of Aedes Species in Southern Québec, Canada. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080998. [PMID: 34451462 PMCID: PMC8400959 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Current climatic conditions limit the distribution of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, Diptera: Culicidae) in the north, but predictive climate models suggest this species could establish itself in southern Canada by 2040. A vector of chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and West Nile viruses, the Ae. Albopictus has been detected in Windsor, Ontario since 2016. Given the potential public health implications, and knowing that Aedes spp. can easily be introduced by ground transportation, this study aimed to determine if specimens could be detected, using an adequate methodology, in southern Québec. Mosquitoes were sampled in 2016 and 2017 along the main roads connecting Canada and the U.S., using Biogent traps (Sentinel-2, Gravide Aedes traps) and ovitraps. Overall, 24 mosquito spp. were captured, excluding Ae. Albopictus, but detecting one Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Skuse) specimen (laid eggs). The most frequent species among captured adults were Ochlerotatus triseriatus, Culex pipiens complex, and Ochlerotatus japonicus (31.0%, 26.0%, and 17.3%, respectively). The present study adds to the increasing number of studies reporting on the range expansions of these mosquito species, and suggests that ongoing monitoring, using multiple capture techniques targeting a wide range of species, may provide useful information to public health with respect to the growing risk of emerging mosquito-borne diseases in southern Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Lowe
- Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (A.-M.L.); (R.T.)
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (S.-O.K.); (P.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Karl Forest-Bérard
- Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (A.-M.L.); (R.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Richard Trudel
- Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (A.-M.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Ernest Lo
- Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (E.L.); (P.G.); (M.T.)
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, 1020 Pine Ave. West, Montréal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada
| | - Philippe Gamache
- Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (E.L.); (P.G.); (M.T.)
| | - Matthieu Tandonnet
- Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada; (E.L.); (P.G.); (M.T.)
| | - Serge-Olivier Kotchi
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (S.-O.K.); (P.L.); (A.L.)
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Patrick Leighton
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (S.-O.K.); (P.L.); (A.L.)
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada; (A.D.); (R.L.)
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada; (A.D.); (R.L.)
| | - Antoinette Ludwig
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (S.-O.K.); (P.L.); (A.L.)
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
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19
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Kanji JN, Bailey A, Fenton J, Robbin Lindsay L, Dibernardo A, Toledo NP, Waitt B, Lecocq N, Osiowy C, Giles E, Day J, Stokes W, MacDonald C, Turnbull L, Charlton C. Stability of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in multiple laboratory conditions and blood sample types. J Clin Virol 2021; 142:104933. [PMID: 34364133 PMCID: PMC8310571 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background : COVID-19 seroprevalence studies use serum/plasma samples to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Data supporting alternate specimen types and freeze-thaw antibody stability is lacking. The stability of IgG and other immunoglobulins in multiple blood sample types stored in differing conditions and multiple freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) was evaluated. Materials and methods : Serum, plasma, and heparinized-plasma samples were collected from COVID-19 recovered individuals. Samples underwent testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies upon collection, after each of 10–12 FTCs, and storage at -70°C, -20°C, 4°C, and room-temperature for 10–12 days using four high-throughput commercial assays, two rapid-test cassettes, a manual ELISA, and a surrogate neutralization assay. Results : All three specimen types were collected from 34 COVID-19 recovered seropositive individuals (≥21 days post-symptoms). Using the Architect and Liaison assays, a positive qualitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG result was detected daily up to 12 FTCs and up to 10 days of storage at different temperatures. An additional 25 plasma samples consistently demonstrated detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies daily after 12 FTCs and storage at -20°C using two rapid test cassette assays (SD Biosensor and Hangzhou All Test), manual (Beijing Wantai) and surrogate neutralization (GenScript) ELISAs, and two high-throughput assays (Roche Elecsys nucleocapsid and spike). IgM antibodies were less frequently detected by one of the rapid test cassette assays. Conclusions : Serum, plasma, and heparinized-plasma constitute reliable samples for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection. In particular, the IgG response was stable and reliably detected after multiple FTCs and storage at common laboratory conditions. IgM detection was variable due to the labile nature of this antibody class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamil N Kanji
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada.
| | - Ashley Bailey
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Jayne Fenton
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Nikki Pl Toledo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Brooks Waitt
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Nadine Lecocq
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Carla Osiowy
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Elizabeth Giles
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - Jacqueline Day
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3M4
| | - William Stokes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Clayton MacDonald
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - LeeAnn Turnbull
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Carmen Charlton
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8440 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, 6-010 Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
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20
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Duplaix L, Wagner V, Gasmi S, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Thivierge K, Fernandez-Prada C, Arsenault J. Exposure to Tick-Borne Pathogens in Cats and Dogs Infested With Ixodes scapularis in Quebec: An 8-Year Surveillance Study. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:696815. [PMID: 34336980 PMCID: PMC8321249 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.696815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cats that spend time outdoors and dogs are particularly at risk of exposure to ticks and the pathogens they transmit. A retrospective study on data collected through passive tick surveillance was conducted to estimate the risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens in cats and dogs bitten by blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in the province of Quebec, Canada, from 2010 to 2017. Blacklegged ticks collected from these host animals were tested by PCR for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti. A total of 13,733 blacklegged ticks were collected from 12,547 animals. Most ticks were adult females and partially engorged. In total, 1,774 cats were infested with ticks and 22.6 and 2.7% of these animals were bitten by at least one tick infected with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum, respectively. For the 10,773 tick infested dogs, 18.4% were exposed to B. burgdorferi positive ticks while 1.9% of infested dogs were exposed to ticks infected with A. phagocytophilum. The risk of exposure of both cats and dogs to B. miyamotoi and B. microti was lower since only 1.2 and 0.1% of ticks removed were infected with these pathogens, respectively. Traveling outside of the province of Quebec prior to tick collection was significantly associated with exposure to at least one positive tick for B. burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum and B. microti. Animals exposed to B. burgdorferi or B. miyamotoi positive tick(s) were at higher risk of being concurrently exposed to A. phagocytophilum; higher risk of exposure to B. microti was also observed in animals concurrently exposed to B. burgdorferi. The odds of dogs having B. burgdorferi antibodies were higher when multiple ticks were collected on an animal. The testing and treatment strategies used on dogs bitten by infected ticks were diverse, and misconceptions among veterinarians regarding the treatment of asymptomatic but B. burgdorferi-seropositive dogs were noted. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that cats and dogs throughout Quebec are exposed to blacklegged ticks infected with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum, and veterinarians across the province need to be aware of this potential threat to the health of pets and their owners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauriane Duplaix
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Victoria Wagner
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses des Animaux de Production, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Salima Gasmi
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Policy Integration and Zoonoses Division, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Karine Thivierge
- Laboratoire de Santé Publique du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada.,Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Christopher Fernandez-Prada
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses des Animaux de Production, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Julie Arsenault
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
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21
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Papenburg J, Cheng MP, Corsini R, Caya C, Mendoza E, Manguiat K, Lindsay LR, Wood H, Drebot MA, Dibernardo A, Zaharatos G, Bazin R, Gasser R, Benlarbi M, Gendron-Lepage G, Beaudoin-Bussières G, Prévost J, Finzi A, Ndao M, Yansouni CP. Evaluation of a Commercial Culture-Free Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus-2 and Comparison With an Antireceptor-Binding Domain Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab220. [PMID: 34136587 PMCID: PMC8135688 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surrogate neutralization assays that obviate the need for viral culture offer substantial advantages regarding throughput and cost. The cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit (GenScript) is the first such commercially available assay that detects antibodies that block receptor-binding domain (RBD)/angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2 interaction. We aimed to evaluate cPass to inform its use and assess its added value compared with anti-RBD enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). METHODS Serum reference panels comprising 205 specimens were used to compare cPass to plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and a pseudotyped lentiviral neutralization (PLV) assay for detection of neutralizing antibodies. We assessed the correlation of cPass with an ELISA detecting anti-RBD immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM, and IgA antibodies at a single timepoint and across intervals from onset of symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS Compared with PRNT-50, cPass sensitivity ranged from 77% to 100% and specificity was 95% to 100%. Sensitivity was also high compared with the pseudotyped lentiviral neutralization assay (93%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 85-97), but specificity was lower (58%; 95% CI, 48-67). Highest agreement between cPass and ELISA was for anti-RBD IgG (r = 0.823). Against the pseudotyped lentiviral neutralization assay, anti-RBD IgG sensitivity (99%; 95% CI, 94-100) was very similar to that of cPass, but overall specificity was lower (37%; 95% CI, 28-47). Against PRNT-50, results of cPass and anti-RBD IgG were nearly identical. CONCLUSIONS The added value of cPass compared with an IgG anti-RBD ELISA was modest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Papenburg
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Optilab Montreal - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Matthew P Cheng
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Optilab Montreal - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rachel Corsini
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chelsea Caya
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emelissa Mendoza
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kathy Manguiat
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Heidi Wood
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael A Drebot
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Gerasimos Zaharatos
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Optilab Montreal - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Reneé Bazin
- Affaires Médicales et Innovation, Héma-Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Romain Gasser
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jérémie Prévost
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Andrés Finzi
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Momar Ndao
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cedric P Yansouni
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Optilab Montreal - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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22
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Nelder MP, Russell CB, Dibernardo A, Clow KM, Johnson S, Cronin K, Patel SN, Lindsay LR. Monitoring the patterns of submission and presence of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis collected from humans and companion animals in Ontario, Canada (2011-2017). Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:260. [PMID: 34001256 PMCID: PMC8127263 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04750-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The universal nature of the human-companion animal relationship and their shared ticks and tick-borne pathogens offers an opportunity for improving public and veterinary health surveillance. With this in mind, we describe the spatiotemporal trends for blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) submissions from humans and companion animals in Ontario, along with pathogen prevalence. METHODS We tested tick samples submitted through passive surveillance (2011-2017) from humans and companion animals for Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti. We describe pathogen prevalence in ticks from humans and from companion animals and constructed univariable Poisson and negative binomial regression models to explore the spatiotemporal relationship between the rates of tick submissions by host type. RESULTS During the study, there were 17,230 blacklegged tick samples submitted from humans and 4375 from companion animals. Tick submission rates from companion animals were higher than expected in several public health units (PHUs) lacking established tick populations, potentially indicating newly emerging populations. Pathogen prevalence in ticks was higher in PHUs where established blacklegged tick populations exist. Borrelia burgdorferi prevalence was higher in ticks collected from humans (maximum likelihood estimate, MLE = 17.5%; 95% confidence interval, CI 16.97-18.09%) than from companion animals (9.9%, 95% CI 9.15-10.78%). There was no difference in pathogen prevalence in ticks by host type for the remaining pathogens, which were found in less than 1% of tested ticks. The most common co-infection B. burgdorferi + B. miyamotoi occurred in 0.11% of blacklegged ticks from humans and animals combined. Borrelia burgdorferi prevalence was higher in unengorged (21.9%, 95% CI 21.12-22.65%) than engorged ticks (10.0%, 95% CI 9.45-10.56%). There were no consistent and significant spatiotemporal relationships detected via regression models between the annual rates of submission of each host type. CONCLUSIONS While B. burgdorferi has been present in blacklegged ticks in Ontario for several decades, other tick-borne pathogens are also present at low prevalence. Blacklegged tick and pathogen surveillance data can be used to monitor risk in human and companion animal populations, and efforts are under consideration to unite surveillance efforts for the different target populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Nelder
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Health Protection, Operations and Response, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Curtis B Russell
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Health Protection, Operations and Response, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Field Studies, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Katie M Clow
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Steven Johnson
- Informatics, Knowledge Services, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kirby Cronin
- Laboratory Surveillance and Data Management, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.,National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Samir N Patel
- Bacteriology, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Field Studies, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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23
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Burrows H, Talbot B, McKay R, Slatculescu A, Logan J, Thickstun C, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Koffi JK, Ogden NH, Kulkarni MA. A multi-year assessment of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) population establishment and Lyme disease risk areas in Ottawa, Canada, 2017-2019. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246484. [PMID: 33539458 PMCID: PMC7861446 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Canadians face an emerging threat of Lyme disease due to the northward expansion of the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. We evaluated the degree of I. scapularis population establishment and Borrelia burgdorferi occurrence in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from 2017–2019 using active surveillance at 28 sites. We used a field indicator tool developed by Clow et al. to determine the risk of I. scapularis establishment for each tick cohort at each site using the results of drag sampling. Based on results obtained with the field indicator tool, we assigned each site an ecological classification describing the pattern of tick colonization over two successive cohorts (cohort 1 was comprised of ticks collected in fall 2017 and spring 2018, and cohort 2 was collected in fall 2018 and spring 2019). Total annual site-specific I. scapularis density ranged from 0 to 16.3 ticks per person-hour. Sites with the highest density were located within the Greenbelt zone, in the suburban/rural areas in the western portion of the city of Ottawa, and along the Ottawa River; the lowest densities occurred at sites in the suburban/urban core. B. burgdorferi infection rates exhibited a similar spatial distribution pattern. Of the 23 sites for which data for two tick cohorts were available, 11 sites were classified as “high-stable”, 4 were classified as “emerging”, 2 were classified as “low-stable”, and 6 were classified as “non-zero”. B. burgdorferi-infected ticks were found at all high-stable sites, and at one emerging site. These findings suggest that high-stable sites pose a risk of Lyme disease exposure to the community as they have reproducing tick populations with consistent levels of B. burgdorferi infection. Continued surveillance for I. scapularis, B. burgdorferi, and range expansion of other tick species and emerging tick-borne pathogens is important to identify areas posing a high risk for human exposure to tick-borne pathogens in the face of ongoing climate change and urban expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Burrows
- Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benoit Talbot
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roman McKay
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andreea Slatculescu
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Logan
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles Thickstun
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - L. Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jules K. Koffi
- Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicholas H. Ogden
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Manisha A. Kulkarni
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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24
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Nelder MP, Russell CB, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Brandon NC, Pritchard J, Johnson S, Cronin K, Patel SN. Recent Emergence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ontario, Canada: Early Serological and Entomological Indicators. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 101:1249-1258. [PMID: 31628739 PMCID: PMC6896876 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is transmitted to humans by blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in eastern North America. To assess the emergence of A. phagocytophilum in Ontario, we analyzed patient serological and clinical data in combination with pathogen detection in blacklegged ticks from 2011 to 2017. Our sample population included all patients who had Anaplasma serological testing ordered by their physicians (n = 851). Eighty-three patients (10.8%) were A. phagocytophilum seropositive (IgG titers ≥ 1:64) and 686 (89.2%) were seronegative (IgG titers < 1:64). Applying published surveillance case definitions, we classified zero as confirmed, five as probable, and 78 as suspected cases. The percentage of seropositive patients remained generally stable at 13.6%. Seropositive patients were most often adult females, 40-59 years of age, and reported nonspecific signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, and fever. Higher seropositivity rates (≥ 1.5 patients per 100,000 population) occurred in eastern and northwestern Ontario. The percentage of A. phagocytophilum-positive blacklegged ticks, through passive and active surveillance, was 0.4 and 1.1%, respectively, and increased over time. Serological and entomological indicators of A. phagocytophilum activity increased in areas of the province with established blacklegged tick populations. The risk of HGA is presently low in Ontario; however, further research is required to document the epidemiology of HGA in the province. To minimize the impact of HGA emergence in Ontario, increased awareness and education of the public and health-care providers is recommended, with consideration to making HGA a reportable infection in Ontario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Nelder
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Communicable Diseases, Emergency Preparedness and Response; Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - Curtis B Russell
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Communicable Diseases, Emergency Preparedness and Response; Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Field Studies, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Field Studies, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Nicholas C Brandon
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Communicable Diseases, Emergency Preparedness and Response; Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer Pritchard
- Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Communicable Diseases, Emergency Preparedness and Response; Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - Steven Johnson
- Analytic Services, Informatics, Knowledge Services, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kirby Cronin
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada.,Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
| | - Samir N Patel
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
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25
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Abstract
Leptospirosis is found worldwide, except in northern regions. We report a case associated with a backcountry adventure race in Manitoba, Canada. Initially, nonspecific symptomatology and diagnostic pitfalls contributed to a delay in identification. Careful attention needs to be paid to exposure to and risk for leptospirosis in northern and temperate climates.
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26
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Bouchard C, Dibernardo A, Koffi J, Wood H, Leighton PA, Lindsay LR. N Increased risk of tick-borne diseases with climate and environmental changes. Can Commun Dis Rep 2019; 45:83-89. [PMID: 31285697 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v45i04a02f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming and other environmental changes have contributed to the expansion of the range of several tick species into higher latitudes in North America. As temperatures increase in Canada, the environment becomes more suitable for ticks and the season suitable for tick activity lengthens, so tick-borne diseases are likely to become more common in Canada. In addition to Lyme disease, four other tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have started to emerge and are likely to increase: Anaplasmosis; Babesiosis; Powassan virus; and Borrelia miyamotoi disease. Increased temperature increases the survival and activity period of ticks, increases the range of both reservoir and tick hosts (e.g. mice and deer) and increases the duration of the season when people may be exposed to ticks. Other ticks and TBDs may spread into Canada as the climate changes. The public health strategies to mitigate the impact of all TBDs include surveillance to detect current and emerging TBDs, and public health actions to prevent infections by modifying environmental and social-behavioral risk factors through increasing public awareness. Clinical care strategies include patient education, early detection, laboratory testing, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Bouchard
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, St. Hyacinthe, QC
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC
| | - A Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | - J Koffi
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, St. Hyacinthe, QC
| | - H Wood
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | - P A Leighton
- Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC
| | - L R Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
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27
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Smith KA, Oesterle PT, Jardine CM, Dibernardo A, Huynh C, Lindsay R, Pearl DL, Nemeth NM. Tick infestations of wildlife and companion animals in Ontario, Canada, with detection of human pathogens in Ixodes scapularis ticks. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:72-76. [PMID: 30206012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The growing risk of transmission of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens to humans in Ontario, Canada, warrants investigations into regional tick distribution, tick burdens of local peridomestic animals, and prevalence of tick-borne pathogens. The objectives of this study were to investigate the geographic distribution and magnitude of tick infestations in opportunistically sampled mammalian wildlife and companion animals (i.e., dogs) in southern Ontario and to test these ticks for evidence of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens. Ticks collected from wildlife carcasses, live-trapped wildlife and companion animals (2015-2016), as well as wildlife diagnostic cases (2011-2013), were identified to species and life stage. Ixodes scapularis ticks were tested by real-time PCR for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Amblyomma americanum ticks were tested for Ehrlichia chaffeensis. A total of 1687 ticks of six species were collected from 334 animals, including 224 raccoons (n = 1381 ticks) and 50 dogs (n = 67 ticks). The most common tick species collected from parasitized raccoons were Ixodes texanus (n = 666 ticks) and Dermacentor variabilis (n = 600 ticks), which were removed from 58.5% (median: 2 ticks; range: 1-36) and 49.1% (median: 2 ticks; range: 1-64) of raccoons, respectively. Of I. scapularis tested, 9.3% (4/43) were positive for Bo. burgdorferi s.s. and 2.3% (1/43) for A. phagocytophilum. These results reveal that numerous tick species parasitize common, peridomestic wildlife and that at least two zoonotic, tick-borne pathogens circulate in southern Ontario. Host-tick vector-pathogen dynamics should continue to be monitored in the face of global climate change, landscape alterations and expanding human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A Smith
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Paul T Oesterle
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Claire M Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Chris Huynh
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - David L Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Nicole M Nemeth
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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28
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Trost CN, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Chilton NB. Three genetically distinct clades of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes scapularis. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1518-1527. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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29
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Smith K, Oesterle PT, Jardine CM, Dibernardo A, Huynh C, Lindsay R, Pearl DL, Bosco-Lauth AM, Nemeth NM. Powassan Virus and Other Arthropod-Borne Viruses in Wildlife and Ticks in Ontario, Canada. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 99:458-465. [PMID: 29869604 PMCID: PMC6090327 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne zoonosis maintained in natural enzootic cycles between ixodid ticks and wild mammals. Reported human cases have increased in recent years; these infections can be fatal or lead to long-term neurologic sequelae. However, both the geographic distribution and the role of common, potential mammalian hosts in POWV transmission are poorly understood, creating challenges to public health surveillance. We looked for evidence of POWV infection among candidate wildlife host species and ticks collected from mammals and birds in southern Ontario. Tissues (including blood) and ticks from trapped wild mammals were collected in the summers of 2015 and 2016. Ticks removed from dogs in 2015-2016 and wildlife diagnostic cases from 2011 to 2013 were also included. Tissue and tick (Ixodes spp.) homogenates were tested for POWV by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In addition, sera from wild mammals were tested for antibodies to POWV, West Nile virus (WNV), and heartland virus (HRTV) by plaque reduction neutralization test. All 724 tissue samples were negative for POWV by RT-PCR. One of 53 pools of Ixodes cookei (among 98 total tick pools) was RT-PCR positive for deer tick virus (POWV) lineage. Antibodies to POWV and WNV were detected in 0.4% of 265 and 6.1% of 264 samples, respectively, and all of 219 serum samples tested negative for anti-HRTV antibodies. These results reveal low POWV detection rates in southern Ontario, while highlighting the challenges and need for continued efforts into understanding POWV epidemiology and targeted surveillance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Smith
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul T. Oesterle
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claire M. Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Chris Huynh
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - David L. Pearl
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela M. Bosco-Lauth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Nicole M. Nemeth
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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30
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Tyler S, Tyson S, Dibernardo A, Drebot M, Feil EJ, Graham M, Knox NC, Lindsay LR, Margos G, Mechai S, Van Domselaar G, Thorpe HA, Ogden NH. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of strains of the agent of Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi from Canadian emergence zones. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10552. [PMID: 30002414 PMCID: PMC6043495 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28908-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is emerging in southern Canada due to range expansion of the tick vector, followed by invasion of the agent of Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Strain diversity, as determined by Multi Locus Sequence Typing, occurs in this zone of emergence, and this may have its origins in adaptation to ecological niches, and have phenotypic consequences for pathogenicity and serological test performance. Sixty-four unique strains were cultured from ticks collected in southern Canada and the genomes sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of the chromosome revealed two large clades with multiple subclades. Consistent with previous studies on this species, the clades were not geographically defined, and some Canadian strains were highly divergent from previously sequenced US strains. There was evidence for recombination in the chromosome but this did not affect the phylogeny. Analysis of chromosomal genes indicated that these are under intense purifying selection. Phylogenies of the accessory genome and chromosome were congruent. Therefore strain differences identified in the phylogeny of chromosomal genes likely act as a proxy for genetic determinants of phenotypic differences amongst strains that are harboured in the accessory genome. Further studies on health implications of strain diversity are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Tyler
- Genomics Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, 1015, Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Shari Tyson
- Genomics Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, 1015, Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael Drebot
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Edward J Feil
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Morag Graham
- Genomics Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, 1015, Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Natalie C Knox
- Genomics Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, 1015, Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Gabriele Margos
- Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Department for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Munich, Germany.,National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim and Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Samir Mechai
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Gary Van Domselaar
- Genomics Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, 1015, Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Harry A Thorpe
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Nick H Ogden
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada.
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31
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Kerins JL, Koske SE, Kazmierczak J, Austin C, Gowdy K, Dibernardo A. Outbreak of Seoul Virus Among Rats and Rat Owners - United States and Canada, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018; 67:131-134. [PMID: 29393924 PMCID: PMC5794350 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6704a5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In December 2016, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) notified CDC of a patient hospitalized with fever, leukopenia, elevated transaminases, and proteinuria. The patient owned and operated an in-home rattery, or rat-breeding facility, with approximately 100 Norway rats, primarily bred as pets. A family member developed similar symptoms 4 weeks later, but was not hospitalized. Because both patients were known to have rodent contact, they were tested for hantavirus infections. In January 2017, CDC confirmed recent, acute Seoul virus infection in both patients. An investigation was conducted to identify additional human and rat infections and prevent further transmission. Ultimately, the investigation identified 31 facilities in 11 states with human and/or rat Seoul virus infections; six facilities also reported exchanging rats with Canadian ratteries. Testing of serum samples from 183 persons in the United States and Canada identified 24 (13.1%) with Seoul virus antibodies; three (12.5%) were hospitalized and no deaths occurred. This investigation, including cases described in a previously published report from Tennessee (1), identified the first known transmission of Seoul virus from pet rats to humans in the United States and Canada. Pet rat owners should practice safe rodent handling to prevent Seoul virus infection (2).
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32
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Kerins JL, Koske SE, Kazmierczak J, Austin C, Gowdy K, Dibernardo A. Outbreak of Seoul virus among rats and rat owners - United States and Canada, 2017. Can Commun Dis Rep 2018; 44:71-74. [PMID: 29770103 PMCID: PMC5864277 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v44i02a07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC? : Seoul virus, a type of hantavirus, is carried by Norway rats. Humans become infected through contact with virus shed in rat urine or droppings, or inhalation of virus particles in dust from contaminated bedding. Infected rats do not develop disease, but humans can experience symptoms ranging from mild influenza-like illness to severe disease with kidney failure and death. Although infections have been previously reported in humans after contact with wild rats, Seoul virus infections had not been reported in pet rats in the United States or Canada. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? : This report describes the first known outbreak of Seoul virus infections in humans from contact with pet rats in the United States and Canada. This investigation identified 31 United States facilities with human and/or rat Seoul virus infections in 11 states, including six that exchanged rats with Canadian ratteries. Seventeen persons had recent infection with Seoul virus, eight became ill, and three were hospitalized and recovered. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? : Human hantavirus infections are reportable to state or local health departments in the United States. Clinicians should consider Seoul virus infection in patients with a history of rat contact and compatible symptoms. Pet rat owners and breeders should also be aware of Seoul virus and should practice good hand hygiene and safe rodent handling to prevent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- JL Kerins
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA
- Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL
| | - SE Koske
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI
| | - J Kazmierczak
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI
| | - C Austin
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield, IL
| | - K Gowdy
- Population and Public Health Division, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Toronto, ON
| | - A Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
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33
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Subudhi S, Dakouo M, Sloan A, Stein DR, Grolla A, Jones S, Dibernardo A, Rosenke K, Sas M, Traore A, Lindsay R, Groschup MH, Misra V, Feldmann H, Sogoba N, Safronetz D, Niang M. Seroprevalence of Rift Valley Fever Virus Antibodies in Cattle in Mali, 2005-2014. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 98:872-874. [PMID: 29363462 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) outbreaks have considerable impact on human and animal health. Here, we are reporting a serosurvey of cattle from all regions of Mali. These demonstrated that few had been exposed to RVFV from 2005 to 2014. Recent outbreaks of RVF in Niger and a single human case in Mali provide justification for further entomological and ecological studies of this virus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Angela Sloan
- Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | - Allen Grolla
- Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Shane Jones
- Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | - Kyle Rosenke
- National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana
| | - Miriam Sas
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Isle of Riems, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Isle of Riems, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | - Nafomon Sogoba
- Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
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34
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Dibernardo A, Turell MJ, Lindsay LR, Loomer C, Iranpour M. Vector Competence of Some Mosquito Species From Canada For Zika Virus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 2017; 33:276-281. [PMID: 29369018 DOI: 10.2987/17-6664.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The recent introduction of Zika virus (ZIKV) into the Americas and the occurrence of birth defects associated with infection during pregnancy have created a concern about the spread of this virus into more northern countries in the Americas. Therefore, we examined several species of mosquitoes found in southern Manitoba, Canada, for their susceptibility to infection and their ability to transmit ZIKV. Aedes cinereus, Ae. euedes, Ae. fitchii, Ae. sticticus, Ae. vexans, Coquillettidia perturbans, Culex restuans, and Cx. tarsalis were captured in the vicinity of Winnipeg, Manitoba; brought to the laboratory; and allowed to feed on a ZIKV-sheep blood suspension to determine oral susceptibility. In addition, some of the nonfed individuals were inoculated intrathoracically to examine for the presence of a salivary gland barrier. Despite ingesting blood containing 105.4 plaque-forming units/ml, infection rates were very low, and infected individuals were only detected for Ae. vexans. Transmission was observed for Ae. vexans, Cq. perturbans, and Cx. restuans that had been inoculated with ZIKV, although rates were low. Based on the extremely low vector competence found in this study and the lack of a preferential feeding on humans, it is unlikely than any of the mosquito species tested in this study would be involved in any large-scale transmission of ZIKV in Canada.
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Dhar-Chowdhury P, Paul KK, Haque CE, Hossain S, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A, Brooks WA, Drebot MA. Dengue seroprevalence, seroconversion and risk factors in Dhaka, Bangladesh. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005475. [PMID: 28333935 PMCID: PMC5380355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue virus (DENV) activity has been reported in Dhaka, Bangladesh since the early 1960s with the greatest burden of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever cases observed in 2000. Since this time, the intensity of dengue activity has varied from year to year, and its determining factors remained relatively unknown. In light of such gaps in knowledge, the main objectives of this study were to determine the magnitude of seroprevalence and seroconversion among the surveyed population, and establish the individual/household level risk factors for the presence of DENV antibodies among all age groups of target populations in the city of Dhaka. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Considering the lack of fine scale investigations on the factors driving dengue activity in Bangladesh, a prospective cohort study involving serological surveys was undertaken with participant interviews and blood donation across the city of Dhaka in 2012. Study participants were recruited from 12 of 90 wards and blood samples were collected during both the pre-monsoon (n = 1125) and post-monsoon (n = 600) seasons of 2012. The findings revealed that the seroprevalence in all pre-monsoon samples was 80.0% (900/1125) while the seropositivity in the pre-monsoon samples that had paired post-monsoon samples was 83.3% (503/600). Of the 97 paired samples that were negative at the pre-monsoon time point, 56 were positive at the post-monsoon time point. This resulted in a seroprevalence of 93.2% (559/600) among individuals tested during the post-monsoon period. Seroprevalence trended higher with age with children exhibiting a lower seropositivity as compared to adults. Results from this study also indicated that DENV strains were the only flaviviruses circulating in Dhaka in 2012. A multivariate analysis revealed that age, possession of indoor potted plants, and types of mosquito control measures were significant factors associated with DENV seroprevalence; while attendance in public/mass gatherings, and use of mosquito control measures were significantly associated with DENV seroconversion after adjusting for all other variables. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our study suggests that there is a high level of endemic dengue virus circulation in the city of Dhaka which has resulted in significant DENV seroprevalence among its residents. Seropositivity increased with age, however, a substantial proportion of children are at risk for DENV infections. Our serological analysis also documents considerable DENV seroconversion among study participants which indicates that a large proportion of the population in the city of Dhaka were newly exposed to DENV during the study period (pre-and post-monsoon 2012). High levels of seroconversion suggest that there was an intense circulation of DENV in 2012 and this may have resulted in a significant risk for viral associated illness. Findings of our study further indicated that home-based interventions, such as removing indoor potted plants and increased bed net use, in addition to vector control measures in public parks, would reduce exposure to DENV and further decrease risk of viral associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parnali Dhar-Chowdhury
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kishor Kumar Paul
- Emerging Infections, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - C. Emdad Haque
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Shakhawat Hossain
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - L. Robbin Lindsay
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - W. Abdullah Brooks
- Center for Global Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Drebot
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Abstract
We developed PCR-based assays to distinguish a human pathogenic strain of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ap-ha, from Ap-variant 1, a strain not associated with human infection. The assays were validated on A. phagocytophilum-infected black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) collected in Canada. The relative prevalence of these 2 strains in I. scapularis ticks differed among geographic regions.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Lyme disease is on the rise in Canada. It is a notifiable disease, and when infection is disseminated, serological testing provides supplemental evidence to confirm a case. OBJECTIVE To describe the current diagnostic tests for Lyme disease, review the recommended approach to laboratory testing for Lyme disease and identify future research priorities for Lyme disease laboratory diagnostics in Canada. METHODS A review of the literature was carried out. We then summarized parameters to consider before Lyme disease testing is conducted, described the current best practice to use a two-tiered diagnostic algorithm for the laboratory confirmation of disseminated Lyme disease, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the supplemental tests for Lyme disease. RESULTS Diagnostic testing is indicated in people who have symptoms of disseminated disease and a history of exposure to vector ticks. To maximize sensitivity and specificity, a two-tiered serological approach is recommended, consisting of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) screening test followed by confirmation with Western blot (WB) testing. A number of other diagnostic tests are available; however, these are largely for research purposes. CONCLUSION Two-tiered serology is currently the best approach available to assist doctors when they are making a diagnosis of disseminated Lyme disease. The Public Health Agency of Canada (the Agency) will seek to improve on this approach through standardization of the Lyme disease diagnostics used across laboratories in Canada, evaluation of test performance characteristics of current and new diagnostic platforms and development of a process to secure robust serum panels to assist in the development and evaluation of new diagnostic tests for Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- LR Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba
| | - K Bernat
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba
| | - A Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba
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Abstract
Despite negative topline phase 3 clinical trial results for bapineuzumab and solanezumab in mild to moderate AD, findings from these trials and recent advances suggest renewed optimism for anti-amyloid therapies. Aβ immunotherapy has now demonstrated its ability to engage CNS Aβ and modify downstream CNS biomarkers in bapineuzumab treated patients, and to show likely cognitive benefits in mild patients treated with solanezumab. The current availability of potent BACE inhibitors provides additional opportunities to test the value of reducing Aβ in the clinic. Trial enhancements, such as selecting and enriching for early stage AD, treating participants longer and using more sensitive composite endpoints may further improve our chances of demonstrating clinical efficacy and securing beneficial treatments for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Grundman
- Global RandD Partners, LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
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Grundman M, Yang E, Dibernardo A. Is there a rationale for including only patients already being treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in a prodromal AD trial? J Nutr Health Aging 2012; 16:336-8. [PMID: 22499453 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-012-0020-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Prodromal AD clinical trial methodology is advancing rapidly. It is now possible to more accurately identify MCI patients with underlying AD pathology at an earlier stage of the disease through the use of amyloid imaging and CSF biomarkers. Measurement of decline in these early stage clinical trials using continuous clinical and cognitive outcome measures is conceptually more appealing and adds greater efficiency compared to the classical outcome of "conversion" to dementia used in prior MCI clinical trials. Nevertheless, the fact that many prodromal AD patients who are likely to be recruited to these early stage studies are not taking acetylcholinesterase inhibitors at the time of enrollment, but are poised to start taking them over a multi-year period of follow-up, is a potential confound that needs to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Grundman
- Global R&D Partners, LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
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Iranpour M, Lindsay LR, Dibernardo A. Development of three additional Culex species-specific polymerase chain reaction primers and their application in West Nile virus surveillance in Canada. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 2010; 26:37-42. [PMID: 20402349 DOI: 10.2987/09-5922.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In 2002, more than 17,000 mosquito pools collected in Canada (Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba) were tested at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for infection with West Nile virus (WNV). Using real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 558 mosquito pools (86% Culex species and 14% other species) had evidence of infection with WNV. Only 30% of the Culex specimens, however, were identified to the species level. In this study, Culex species-specific PCR primers were designed to identify individual mosquitoes and mixed pools of Culex mosquitoes to species. In addition, pools of non-Culex mosquitoes that tested positive for WNV were also screened for Culex DNA to determine the frequency of cross-contamination among mosquitoes of different species. All DNA extracts from 121 Culex and 51 non-Culex pools, previously positive for WNV, were screened, and Culex DNA was detected in approximately 6% of non-Culex pools. This study demonstrates that contamination among mosquito species can occur and emphasizes that precautions should be taken to minimize this potentially confounding effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Iranpour
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3R2 Canada
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Abstract
Two commercially available West Nile virus (WNV) detection assays (RAMP WNV test, Response Biomedical Corp., Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; and VecTest WNV antigen assay, Medical Analysis Systems, Inc., Camarillo, CA) were compared for sensitivity, specificity, and ability to detect WNV in field-collected mosquito pools. Serially diluted stock seed WNV and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) were used to determine sensitivity and specificity. The RAMP WNV test detected WNV at concentrations as low as 3.17 log10 plaque-forming units per milliliter (PFU/ml), whereas the VecTest assay detected WNV at concentrations as low as 5.17 log10 PFU/ml. Neither test cross-reacted with SLEV. A WNV-specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to identify positives among field-collected mosquito pools. The RAMP WNV test detected 94% of positive pools and the VecTest assay detected 65% of the positive field-collected pools. Despite these differences, both assays have characteristics that make them useful in WNV surveillance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Burkhalter
- Arbovirus Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PO 2087, Fort Collins, CO 80522, USA
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Bertelsen MF, Olberg RA, Crawshaw GJ, Dibernardo A, Lindsay LR, Drebot M, Barker IK. West Nile virus infection in the eastern loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus migrans): pathology, epidemiology, and immunization. J Wildl Dis 2005; 40:538-42. [PMID: 15465722 DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-40.3.538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
An outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection occurred at a captive breeding facility for the endangered eastern loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) in August 2002. Within 10 d, five birds died; two were found dead, and the others died shortly after showing neurologic signs. West Nile virus was detected in all organs examined using immunohistochemistry, and its viral genome was amplified from brain and kidney samples using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. None of the remaining birds in the colony had antibodies against WNV, which suggests a mortality rate of 100%. After vaccination with a commercial equine WNV vaccine 31 of 37 (84%) of the birds had WNV neutralizing antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads F Bertelsen
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Abstract
From July to September 2002, an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) caused a high number of deaths in captive owls at the Owl Foundation, Vineland, Ontario, Canada. Peak death rates occurred in mid-August, and the epidemiologic curve resembled that of corvids in the surrounding Niagara region. The outbreak occurred in the midst of a louse fly (Icosta americana, family Hippoboscidae) infestation. Of the flies tested, 16 (88.9 %) of 18 contained WNV RNA. Species with northern native breeding range and birds >1 year of age were at significantly higher risk for WNV-related deaths. Species with northern native breeding range and of medium-to-large body size were at significantly higher risk for exposure to WNV. Taxonomic relations (at the subfamily level) did not significantly affect exposure to WNV or WNV-related deaths. Northern native breeding range and medium-to-large body size were associated with earlier death within the outbreak period. Of the survivors, 69 (75.8 %) of 91 were seropositive for WNV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ady Y Gancz
- University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Lindsay R, Barker IK, Nayar G, Drebot M, Calvin S, Scammell C, Sachvie C, Fleur TSLF, Dibernardo A, Andonova M, Artsob H. Rapid antigen-capture assay to detect West Nile virus in dead corvids. Emerg Infect Dis 2004; 9:1406-10. [PMID: 14718083 PMCID: PMC3035537 DOI: 10.3201/eid0911.030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The utility of the VecTest antigen-capture assay to detect West Nile virus (WNV) in field-collected dead corvids was evaluated in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, in 2001 and 2002. Swabs were taken from the oropharynx, cloaca, or both of 109 American Crows, 31 Blue Jays, 6 Common Ravens, and 4 Black-billed Magpies from Manitoba, and 255 American Crows and 28 Blue Jays from Ontario. The sensitivity and specificity of the antigen-capture assay were greatest for samples from American Crows; oropharyngeal swabs were more sensitive than cloacal swabs, and interlaboratory variation in the results was minimal. The sensitivity and specificity of the VecTest using oropharyngeal swabs from crows were 83.9% and 93.6%, respectively, for Manitoba samples and 83.3% and 95.8%, respectively, for Ontario birds. The VecTest antigen-capture assay on oropharyngeal secretions from crows is a reliable and rapid diagnostic test that appears suitable for incorporation into a WNV surveillance program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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Weingartl HM, Drebot MA, Hubálek Z, Halouzka J, Andonova M, Dibernardo A, Cottam-Birt C, Larence J, Marszal P. Comparison of assays for the detection of West Nile virus antibodies in chicken serum. Can J Vet Res 2003; 67:128-32. [PMID: 12760478 PMCID: PMC227040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Six tests for the detection of West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies in the serum of experimentally infected chickens were compared. The tests included the hemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT), immunoglobulin M (IgM)-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with WNV-infected mouse brain antigen, immunoglobulin G (IgG) indirect ELISA with tickborne encephalitis viral antigen, the microtitre virus neutralization test, the standard plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), and the microtitre PRNT (micro-PRNT). Thirty adult chickens, intravenously and intramuscularly inoculated with 10(7) plaque-forming units (PFU) of WNV strain Egypt 101, were bled and given a booster of 10(7) PFU at 7,15, and 21 d postinoculation; the final blood collection was on day 28. Although the micro-PRNT is capable of detecting the highest antibody titres during both early and late infection, because of the technical complexity and time requirements of this test a combination of IgM and IgG ELISAs is recommended for serologic screening. Serum samples that give positive results in the ELISAs can then be tested by the micro-PRNT to determine the specificity of antibodies to WNV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana M Weingartl
- NCFAD, CFIA, CSCHAH, Health Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3M4.
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