Dataset Information

Identification of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an epizoological investigation of a laboratory colony of prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus.

ABSTRACT: Since 2005, black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have been collected for use as research animals from field sites in Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. In January of 2012, Giardia trophozoites were identified by histology, thin-section electron microscopy, and immunofluorescent staining in the lumen of the small intestine and colon of a prairie dog euthanized because of extreme weight loss. With giardiasis suspected as the cause of weight loss, a survey of Giardia duodenalis in the laboratory colony of prairie dogs was initiated. Direct immunofluorescent testing of feces revealed active shedding of Giardia cysts in 40% (n=60) of animals held in the vivarium. All tested fecal samples (n=29) from animals in another holding facility where the index case originated were PCR positive for G. duodenalis with assemblages A and B identified from sequencing triosephosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and ?-giardin (bg) genes. Both assemblages are considered zoonotic, thus the parasites in prairie dogs are potential human pathogens and indicate prairie dogs as a possible wildlife reservoir or the victims of pathogen spill-over. Molecular testing for other protozoan gastrointestinal parasites revealed no Cryptosporidium infections but identified a host-adapted Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype group.

SUBMITTER: Roellig DM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4625791 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Identification of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an epizoological investigation of a laboratory colony of prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus.

Roellig Dawn M DM Salzer Johanna S JS Carroll Darin S DS Ritter Jana M JM Drew Clifton C Gallardo-Romero Nadia N Keckler M Shannon MS Langham Gregory G Hutson Christina L CL Karem Kevin L KL Gillespie Thomas R TR Visvesvara Govinda S GS Metcalfe Maureen G MG Damon Inger K IK Xiao Lihua L

Veterinary parasitology 20150331 1-2

Since 2005, black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) have been collected for use as research animals from field sites in Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. In January of 2012, Giardia trophozoites were identified by histology, thin-section electron microscopy, and immunofluorescent staining in the lumen of the small intestine and colon of a prairie dog euthanized because of extreme weight loss. With giardiasis suspected as the cause of weight loss, a survey of Giardia duodenalis in the laborat ...[more]

PMID: 25881801

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Project description:BackgroundControversies exist on the potential role of companion animals in the transmission of enteric pathogens in humans. This study was conducted to examine the genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Giardia duodenalis in companion animals in Shanghai, China, and to assess their zoonotic potential.MethodsFecal specimens from 485 dogs and 160 cats were examined for the occurrence and genotype distribution of the three pathogens by PCR. PCR products were sequenced to determine the species and genotypes. The χ(2) test was used to compare differences in infection rates between living conditions or age groups.ResultsCryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and G. duodenalis were found in 39 (8.0 %), 29 (6.0 %) and 127 (26.2 %) of dogs, and 6 (3.8 %), 9 (5.6 %) and 21 (13.1 %) of cats, respectively. Infection rates of the pathogens in dogs from pet shops and a clinic were higher than those in household dogs, and higher in cats from one animal shelter than from pet shops. No significant differences in infection rates were detected among age groups. Cryptosporidium canis and C. felis were the only Cryptosporidium species found in dogs and cats, respectively. Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype PtEb IX was the dominant genotype in dogs, whereas Type IV and D were the most common ones in cats. Multi-locus sequence typing at the glutamate dehydrogenase, β-giardin, and triosephosphate isomerase loci revealed the presence of G. duodenalis assemblages A (n = 23), B (n = 1), C (n = 26), and D (n = 58) in dogs (only A in household dogs) and assemblages A (n = 2), B (n = 6), C (n = 2), D (n = 1), and F (n = 7) in cats. Co-infection was detected in 24 dogs and 5 cats, especially those living in crowded conditions.ConclusionsLiving condition is a major risk factor affecting the occurrence of enteric protists in companion animals in China, and although dogs and cats can be potential sources of human infections, the different distribution of pathogen species and genotypes between dogs and cats suggests that inter-species transmission of these pathogens is probably rare in the study area.

Project description:Sylvatic plague poses a substantial risk to black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus) and their obligate predator, the black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes). The effects of plague on prairie dogs and ferrets are mitigated using a deltamethrin pulicide dust that reduces the spread of plague by killing fleas, the vector for the plague bacterium. In portions of Conata Basin, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, and Badlands National Park, South Dakota, US, 0.05% deltamethrin has been infused into prairie dog burrows on an annual basis since 2005. We aimed to determine if fleas ( Oropsylla hirsuta) in portions of the Conata Basin and Badlands National Park have evolved resistance to deltamethrin. We assessed flea prevalence, obtained by combing prairie dogs for fleas, as an indirect measure of resistance. Dusting was ineffective in two colonies treated with deltamethrin for >8 yr; flea prevalence rebounded within 1 mo of dusting. We used a bioassay that exposed fleas to deltamethrin to directly evaluate resistance. Fleas from colonies with >8 yr of exposure to deltamethrin exhibited survival rates that were 15% to 83% higher than fleas from sites that had never been dusted. All fleas were paralyzed or dead after 55 min. After removal from deltamethrin, 30% of fleas from the dusted colonies recovered, compared with 1% of fleas from the not-dusted sites. Thus, deltamethrin paralyzed fleas from colonies with long-term exposure to deltamethrin, but a substantial number of those fleas was resistant and recovered. Flea collections from live-trapped prairie dogs in Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming, US, suggest that, in some cases, fleas might begin to develop a moderate level of resistance to deltamethrin after 5-6 yr of annual treatments. Restoration of black-footed ferrets and prairie dogs will rely on an adaptive, integrative approach to plague management, for instance involving the use of vaccines and rotating applications of insecticidal products with different active ingredients.

Project description:BackgroundHost associated gut microbiota are important in understanding the coevolution of host-microbe, and how they may help wildlife populations to adapt to rapid environmental changes. Mammalian gut microbiota composition and diversity may be affected by a variety of factors including geographic variation, seasonal variation in diet, habitat disturbance, environmental conditions, age, and sex. However, there have been few studies that examined how ecological and environmental factors influence gut microbiota composition in animals' natural environments. In this study, we explore how host habitat, geographical location and environmental factors affect the fecal microbiota of Cynomys ludovicianus at a small spatial scale. We collected fecal samples from five geographically distinct locations in the Texas Panhandle classified as urban and rural areas and analyzed them using high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.ResultsThe results showed that microbiota of these fecal samples was largely dominated by the phylum Bacteroidetes. Fecal microbiome diversity and composition differed significantly across sampling sites and habitats. Prairie dogs inhabiting urban areas showed reduced fecal diversity due to more homogenous environment and, likely, anthropogenic disturbance. Urban prairie dog colonies displayed greater phylogenetic variation among replicates than those in rural habitats. Differentially abundant analysis revealed that bacterial species pathogenic to humans and animals were highly abundant in urban areas which indicates that host health and fitness might be negatively affected. Random forest models identified Alistipes shahii as the important species driving the changes in fecal microbiome composition. Despite the effects of habitat and geographic location of host, we found a strong correlation with environmental factors and that- average maximum temperature was the best predictor of prairie dog fecal microbial diversity.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that reduction in alpha diversity in conjunction with greater dispersion in beta diversity could be indicative of declining host health in urban areas; this information may, in turn, help determine future conservation efforts. Moreover, several bacterial species pathogenic to humans and other animals were enriched in prairie dog colonies near urban areas, which may in turn adversely affect host phenotype and fitness.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Giardia duodenalis are common human and animal pathogens. Studies have increasingly shown that non-human primates (NHPs) are common hosts of these two zoonotic parasites. However, few studies have explored the genetic diversity and public health potential of these pathogens in laboratory monkeys. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity of the two pathogens in crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in a commercial facility in Hainan, China. RESULTS:Enterocytozoon bieneusi and G. duodenalis were detected by PCR analysis in 461/1452 (31.7%) and 469/1452 (32.3%) fecal specimens from the animals, respectively. Significantly higher detection rates of E. bieneusi were detected in males (36.5%, 258/706) than in females (26.7%, 160/599; ?2?=?14.391, P?=?0.0001), in animals with loose stools (41.4%, 151/365) than those with normal stool (28.5%, 310/1087; ?2?=?20.83, P?<?0.0001), and in animals of over 3 years of age (38.6%, 135/350) than those of 1-3 years (29.6%, 326/1,102; ?2?=?9.90, P?=?0.0016). For G. duodenalis, the detection rate in males (33.4%, 236/706) was higher than in females but not statistically significant (30.2%, 181/599; ?2?=?1.54, P?=?0.2152), in monkeys with loose stools (41.1%, 150/365) than those with normal stools (29.3%, 319/1087; ?2?=?17.25, P?<?0.0001), and in monkeys of 1-3 years of age (36.6%, 403/1102) than those over 3 years (18.9%, 66/350; ?2?=?38.11, P?<?0.0001). Nine E. bieneusi genotypes were detected in this study by DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer of the rRNA gene, namely Type IV (236/461), Peru8 (42/461), Pongo2 (27/461), Peru11 (12/461), D (4/461) and PigEbITS7 (1/461) previously seen in NHPs as well as humans, and CM1 (119/461), CM2 (17/461) and CM3 (3/461) that had been only detected in NHPs. DNA sequence analyses of the tpi, gdh and bg loci identified all G. duodenalis specimens as having assemblage B. Altogether, eight (4 known and 4 new), seven (6 known and 1 new) and seven (4 known and 3 new) subtypes were seen at the tpi, gdh and bg loci, leading to the detection of 53 multi-locus genotypes (MLG-B-hn01 to MLG-B-hn53). Most of them were genetically related to those previously seen in common Old-World monkeys. CONCLUSIONS:Data from this study indicate a common occurrence of zoonotic genotypes of E. bieneusi and assemblage B of G. duodenalis in farmed crab-eating macaques in Hainan, China.

Dataset Information

Identification of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an epizoological investigation of a laboratory colony of prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus.

Publications

Identification of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an epizoological investigation of a laboratory colony of prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus.

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