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A multipronged approach for the detection of leptospirosis in captive sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in Agra and Bannerghatta sloth bear rescue centers in India.

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is an exacerbating factor responsible for the drastic decline of sloth bear population in India. In this study, a multipronged approach based on antigen detection using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) employing G1/G2 and LigBF/LigBR primers, antibody detection using Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and recombinant LigBCon1-5 antigen based Latex Agglutination Test (rLigBCon1-5 LAT), serum biochemistry using hepatic (serum glutamate oxalo acetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and renal biomarkers (blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine) and gross/histopathological evidence in liver and kidneys were employed to investigate leptospirosis in captive sloth bears. A total of 133 serum samples collected from Agra (n=113) and Bannerghatta (n=20) sloth bear rescue centers were screened using MAT and rLigBCon1-5 LAT. A total of 87 and 78 sera tested positive by MAT and LAT respectively. Pyrogenes was the leading serovar obtained using MAT followed by Icterohaemorrhagiae, Javanica, Grippotyphosa, Canicola and Tarassovi. The relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of rLigBCon1-5 LAT in comparison to MAT were 89.66%, 100% and 93.23% respectively. PCR performed on hepatic and renal tissues showed amplicon of 285 and 219 base pairs for G1/G2 and LigBF/LigBR primers respectively. Gross evidence (icteric liver, severely engorged hepatic sinusoids, congested kidneys with necrotic white spots on sub capsular surface), histopathology (severe hepatic degeneration and tubulointerstitial nephritis) and elevated hepatic/renal biomarkers were suggestive of leptospirosis. This study suggests that rLigBCon1-5 LAT can be employed as a pen-side test for detecting leptospirosis in sloth bears.

SUBMITTER: Mathesh K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8349803 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Reliable estimation of abundance is a prerequisite for a species' conservation planning in human-dominated landscapes, especially if the species is elusive and involved in conflicts. As a means of population estimation, the importance of camera traps has been recognized globally, although estimating the abundance of unmarked, cryptic species has always been a challenge to conservation biologists. This study explores the use of the N-mixture model with three probability distributions, i.e., Poisson, negative binomial (NB) and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP), to estimate the relative abundance of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) based on a camera trapping exercise in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh from December 2016 to April 2017. We used environmental and anthropogenic covariates to model the variation in the abundance of sloth bears. We also compared null model estimates (mean site abundance) obtained from the N-mixture model to those of the Royle-Nichols abundance-induced heterogeneity model (RN model) to assess the application of similar site-structured models. Models with Poisson distributions produced ecologically realistic and more precise estimates of mean site abundance (λ = 2.60 ± 0.64) compared with other distributions, despite the relatively high Akaike Information Criterion value. Area of mixed and sal forest, the photographic capture rate of humans and distance to the nearest village predicted a higher relative abundance of sloth bears. Mean site abundance estimates of sloth bears obtained from the N-mixture model (Poisson distribution) and the RN model were comparable, indicating the overall utility of these models in this field. However, density estimates of sloth bears based on spatially explicit methods are essential for evaluating the efficacy of the relatively more cost-effective N-mixture model. Compared to commonly used index/encounter-based methods, the N-mixture model equipped with knowledge on governing biotic and abiotic factors provides better relative abundance estimates for a species like the sloth bear. In the absence of absolute abundance estimates, the present study could be insightful for the long-term conservation and management of sloth bears.

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A multipronged approach for the detection of leptospirosis in captive sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in Agra and Bannerghatta sloth bear rescue centers in India.

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