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Transmission of Neospora Caninum Between
Wild and Domestic Animals
(Note: From Canada and Finland to Alaska and Minnesota, degreed men working with wolves and disease warn about the transmission of protozoa such as neospora caninum from wolves to humans as well as livestock and other animals. The warning extends even to the contact with or collecting of wolf scat, and has been oft repeated.)
J. Parasitol., 90(6), 2004, pp. 1361–1365 Copyright 2004, American Society of Parasitologists. Authors: L. F. P. Gondim pita@ufba.br, M. M. McAllister [Milton] mmmcalli@uiuc.edu, N. E. Mateus-Pinilla nohram@uiuc.edu, W. C. Pitt will.pitt@aphis.usda.gov [William or Will], L. D. Mech mechx002@tc.umn.edu [David], and M. E. Nelson m-nelson@uiuc.edu [Mark] Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61802. pita@ufba.br Abstract: To determine whether deer can transmit Neospora caninum [N. caninum], brains of naturally infected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were fed to 4 dogs; 2 of these dogs shed oocysts. Oocysts from 1 of the dogs were tested by polymerase chain reaction and found to be positive for N. caninum and negative for Hammondia heydorni. The internal transcribed spacer 1 sequence of the new strain (designated NC-deer1) was identical to N. caninum from domestic animals, indicating that Neospora caninum is transmitted between wild and domestic animals often enough to prevent divergent evolution of isolated populations of the parasite. NC-deer1 oocysts were administered to a calf that developed a high antibody titer, providing evidence that Neospora caninum from wildlife can infect cattle. In addition, Neospora caninum antibody seroprevalence was detected in 64/164 (39%) free-ranging gray wolves (Canis lupus), 12/113 (11%) coyotes (Canis latrans), 50/193 (26%) white-tailed deer, and 8/61 (13%) moose (Alces alces). These data are consistent with a sylvatic transmission cycle of N. caninum between cervids and canids. We speculate that hunting by humans favors the transmission of N. caninum from deer to canids, because deer carcasses are usually eviscerated in the field. Infection of canids, in turn, increases the risk of transmitting the parasite to domestic livestock. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/is/04pubs/pitt041.pdf
Additional related reading:
Prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in Two Subspecies of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Wolves (Canis lupus), and Husky Dogs (Canis familiaris) as Potential Definitive Hosts Authors: R.A. Khan rakhan@mun.ca [Rasul] and L. Evans doi: 10.1645/GE-753R1.1 Abstract: A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and geographical distribution of Sarcocystis spp. infecting 2 subspecies of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) inhabiting Newfoundland and Labrador and its potential definitive hosts. Muscle samples of caribou were obtained, primarily from hunters, and feces of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus), from trappers, and Husky dogs (Canis familiaris), from owners. Histological sections of muscle and flotation methods for feces were used for parasitic detection. Sarcocystis sp. infected more than 50% of barren-ground caribou (R. t. tarandus) from 4 locations in Newfoundland, but it was significantly greater in the north, where 99% of woodland caribou (R. t. caribou) from Labrador harbored the infection. Sporocysts were observed in 27 of 32 red foxes from eastern and northern Newfoundland, whereas 15 of 15 wolves and 22 of the 38 Husky dogs were infected. Wolves and red foxes probably acquired the infection through scavenging, and Husky dogs, from meat they were fed.
Neosporosis: Recognizing and Preventing Neospora caninum Infections http://www.wvdl.wisc.edu/PDF\WVDL.Info.Recognizing_and_Preventing_Neosporosis_Infections.pdf (2 pages) |