1
|
Catalano S, Lejeune M, Tizzani P, Verocai G, Schwantje H, Nelson C, Duignan P. Helminths of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Between May 2011 and June 2013, we collected the carcasses and gastrointestinal tracts of 40 American black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) and 13 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos L., 1758) from populations of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. Specimens were examined for helminths, which were identified to the species level by applying an integrated morphological and molecular approach. Our goal was to investigate parasite biodiversity and infection parameters in the sampled grizzly and black bears. We found seven parasite taxa: Dirofilaria ursi Yamaguti, 1941, Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819), Uncinaria rauschi Olsen, 1968, Uncinaria yukonensis (Wolfgang, 1956), Taenia arctos Haukisalmi, Lavikainen, Laaksonen and Meri, 2011, Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Nitzsch, 1824), and Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense Yamane, Kamo, Bylund and Wikgren, 1986. The statistical significance of infection prevalence, intensity, and abundance for each helminth species was assessed relative to host species, gender, age class, sampling season, and location. This is the first unequivocal report of the potentially zoonotic tapeworms D. dendriticum and D. nihonkaiense in North American bears. Furthermore, we provide insight into the biology and ecology of the nematodes B. transfuga, D. ursi, and species of Uncinaria Frölich, 1789, and enrich the information available on the recently described tapeworm T. arctos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S. Catalano
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - M. Lejeune
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - P. Tizzani
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, Grugliasco, TO 10095, Italy
| | - G.G. Verocai
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - H. Schwantje
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, 2080A Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9, Canada
| | - C. Nelson
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, 2080A Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9, Canada
| | - P.J. Duignan
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Alberta, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Britton AP, Redford T, Bidulka JJ, Scouras AP, Sojonky KR, Zabek E, Schwantje H, Joseph T. Beyond Rabies: Are Free-Ranging Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in British Columbia Reservoirs of Emerging Infection? Transbound Emerg Dis 2015; 64:603-612. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. P. Britton
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| | - T. Redford
- Department of Veterinary Pathology; Western College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - J. J. Bidulka
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| | - A. P. Scouras
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| | - K. R. Sojonky
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| | - E. Zabek
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| | - H. Schwantje
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources; Nanaimo BC Canada
| | - T. Joseph
- Animal Health Centre; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Abbotsford BC Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gaydos JK, Miller WA, Gilardi KVK, Melli A, Schwantje H, Engelstoft C, Fritz H, Conrad PA. Cryptosporidium and Giardia in marine-foraging river otters (Lontra canadensis) from the Puget Sound Georgia Basin ecosystem. J Parasitol 2007; 93:198-202. [PMID: 17436965 DOI: 10.1645/ge-928r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Species of Cryptosporidium and Giardia can infect humans and wildlife and have the potential to be transmitted between these 2 groups; yet, very little is known about these protozoans in marine wildlife. Feces of river otters (Lontra canadensis), a common marine wildlife species in the Puget Sound Georgia Basin, were examined for species of Cryptosporidium and Giardia to determine their role in the epidemiology of these pathogens. Using ZnSO4 flotation and immunomagnetic separation, followed by direct immunofluorescent antibody detection (IMS/DFA), we identified Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts in 9 fecal samples from 6 locations and Giardia sp. cysts in 11 fecal samples from 7 locations. The putative risk factors of proximate human population and degree of anthropogenic shoreline modification were not associated with the detection of Cryptosporidium or Giardia spp. in river otter feces. Amplification of DNA from the IMS/DFA slide scrapings was successful for 1 sample containing > 500 Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts. Sequences from the Cryptosporidium 18S rRNA and the COWP loci were most similar to the ferret Cryptosporidium sp. genotype. River otters could serve as reservoirs for Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in marine ecosystems. More work is needed to better understand the zoonotic potential of the genotypes they carry as well as their implications for river otter health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J K Gaydos
- Orcas Island Office, University of California-Davis Wildlife Health Center, 1016 Deer Harbor Road, Eastsound, Washington 98245, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Although Cryptococcus gattii has emerged as an important pathogen of humans and domestic animals on Vancouver Island, Canada since 1999; its distribution in regional wildlife species is largely unknown. Opportunistic sampling methods were employed to obtain nasal swabs for fungal culture from wild mammal species residing within the coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone on the southeast coast of the island. Samples were collected from 91 animals representing 14 species. Cryptococcus gattii was isolated from the nasal swabs of two eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) trapped in Duncan, British Columbia. The relative proportion of nasal colonization in wild mammal species is consistent with findings in domestic animals, suggesting that animals may be good indicators of environmental organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Duncan
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
The thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli ssp.) provides a rare example of a North American large mammal that occupies most of its native range and maintains close to ancestral population size. There are currently two recognized subspecies, Dall's sheep (O. d. dalli) and Stone's sheep (O. d. stonei), the validity of which remains uncertain. We investigated the spatial genetic structure of thinhorn sheep populations representing both subspecies by genotyping individuals (n = 919) from across the species range at 12 variable microsatellite loci. We found high levels of genetic diversity within (HE = 0.722) and significant genetic structure among the 24 sampled areas (FST = 0.160). Genetic distance measures and Bayesian clustering analyses revealed the presence of at least eight subpopulations that are delineated by mountain range topology. A strong overall pattern of isolation-by-distance is evident across the sampling range (r = 0.75, P < 0.001) suggesting limited dispersal and extensive philopatry. Partial Mantel tests of this relationship showed mountain range distinctions represent significant barriers to gene flow (P = 0.0001), supporting the Bayesian analyses. Genetic structure was more strongly pronounced in southern Yukon and Alaska than elsewhere. We also show evidence for genetic differences between the two currently recognized thinhorn subspecies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Worley
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, S10 2TN, UK.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Philippa JDW, Leighton FA, Daoust PY, Nielsen O, Pagliarulo M, Schwantje H, Shury T, Van Herwijnen R, Martina BEE, Kuiken T, Van de Bildt MWG, Osterhaus ADME. Antibodies to selected pathogens in free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mammals in Canada. Vet Rec 2004; 155:135-40. [PMID: 15338705 DOI: 10.1136/vr.155.5.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Antibody titres to selected pathogens (canine adenovirus [CAV-2], feline herpesvirus [FHV], phocine herpesvirus [PHV-1], canine distemper virus, dolphin morbillivirus [DMV], phocine distemper virus [PDV], parainfluenza virus type 3 [PI3], rabies virus, dolphin rhabdovirus [DRV], canine coronavirus, feline coronavirus, feline leukaemia virus, Borrelia burgdorferi and Toxoplasma gondii) were determined in whole blood or serum samples from selected free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mammals, including cougars (Fellis concolor), lynxes (Fellis lynx), American badgers (Taxidea taxus), fishers (Martes pennanti), wolverines (Gulo gulo), wolves (Canis lupus), black bears (Ursus americanus), grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), polar bears (Ursus maritimus), walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) and belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), which had been collected at several locations in Canada between 1984 and 2001. Antibodies to a number of viruses were detected in species in which these infections have not been reported before, for example, antibodies to CAV-2 in walruses, to PDV in black bears, grizzly bears, polar bears, lynxes and wolves, to DMV in grizzly bears, polar bears, walruses and wolves, to PI3 in black bears and fishers, and to DRV in belugas and walruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J D W Philippa
- Institute of Virology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aramini JJ, Stephen C, Dubey JP, Engelstoft C, Schwantje H, Ribble CS. Potential contamination of drinking water with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts. Epidemiol Infect 1999; 122:305-15. [PMID: 10355797 PMCID: PMC2809621 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268899002113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [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: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The world's first documented toxoplasmosis outbreak associated with a municipal water supply was recognized in 1995 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was hypothesized that domestic cat (Felis catus) or cougar (Felis concolor) faeces contaminated a surface water reservoir with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts. An extensive investigation of the Victoria watershed 1 year following the outbreak documented the presence of an endemic T. gondii cycle involving the animals inhabiting the area. Cats and cougars were observed throughout the watershed. Serological evidence of T. gondii infection was demonstrated among domestic cats living in the Victoria area. Cougars were found to shed T. gondii oocysts. Serological evidence of T. gondii infection in deer mice living in the riparian environments of the watershed suggested that T. gondii oocysts were being shed near the water edge. Contamination of Victoria's water supply with T. gondii oocysts potentially occurred during the study period and future waterborne toxoplasmosis outbreaks in this and other communities are possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J J Aramini
- Department of Herd Medicine and Theriogenology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Stephen C, Haines D, Bollinger T, Atkinson K, Schwantje H. Serological evidence of toxoplasma infection in cougars on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Can Vet J 1996; 37:241. [PMID: 8801024 PMCID: PMC1576363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C Stephen
- Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|