Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Detected in Mountain Gorilla Respiratory Outbreaks

AbstractRespiratory illness (RI) accounts for a large proportion of mortalities in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), and fatal outbreaks, including disease caused by human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, have heightened concern about the risk of human pathogen transmission to this endangered species, which is not only critically important to the biodiversity of its ecosystem but also to the economies of the surrounding human communities. Our goal was to conduct a molecular epidemiologic study to detect the presence of HRSV and HMPV in fecal samples from wild human-habituated free-ranging mountain gorillas in Rwanda and to evaluate the role of these viruses in RI outbreaks. Fecal samples were collected from gorillas with clinical signs of RI between June 2012 and February 2013 and tested by real-time and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays; comparison fecal samples were obtained from gorillas without clinical signs of RI sampled during the 2010 Virunga gorilla population census. PCR assays detected HMPV and HRSV first in spiked samples; subsequently, HRSV-A, the worldwide-circulating ON1 genotype, was detected in 12 of 20 mountain gorilla fecal samples collected from gorillas with RI during outbreaks, but not in samples from animals without respiratory illness. Our findings confirmed that pathogenic human respiratory viruses are transmitted to gorillas and that they are repeatedly introduced into mountain gorilla populations from people, attesting to the need for stringent biosecurity measures for the protection of gorilla health.

Download Full-text

Porcine teschovirus, sapelovirus, and enterovirus in Swiss pigs: multiplex RT-PCR investigation of viral frequencies and disease association

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation ◽

10.1177/10406387211025827 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104063872110258

Author(s):

Tamara Stäubli ◽

Charlotte I. Rickli ◽

Paul R. Torgerson ◽

Cornel Fraefel ◽

Julia Lechmann

Keyword(s):

Clinical Signs ◽

Virus Detection ◽

Common Finding ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

High Frequencies ◽

Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽

Suckling Piglets ◽

Porcine Teschovirus ◽

Fattening Pigs ◽

Pathology Data

Porcine teschovirus (PTV), sapelovirus (PSV-A), and enterovirus (EV-G) are enteric viruses that can infect pigs and wild boars worldwide. The viruses have been associated with several diseases, primarily gastrointestinal, neurologic, reproductive, and respiratory disorders, but also with subclinical infections. However, for most serotypes, proof of a causal relationship between viral infection and clinical signs is still lacking. In Switzerland, there has been limited investigation of the occurrence of the 3 viruses. We used a modified multiplex reverse-transcription PCR protocol to study the distribution of the viruses in Swiss pigs by testing 363 fecal, brain, and placental or abortion samples from 282 healthy and diseased animals. We did not detect the 3 viruses in 94 placental or abortion samples or in 31 brain samples from healthy pigs. In brain tissue of 81 diseased pigs, we detected 5 PSV-A and 4 EV-G positive samples. In contrast, all 3 viruses were detected at high frequencies in fecal samples of both healthy and diseased pigs. In healthy animals, PTV was detected in 47%, PSV-A in 51%, and EV-G in 70% of the 76 samples; in diseased animals, frequencies in the 81 samples were 54%, 64%, and 68%, respectively. The viruses were detected more frequently in fecal samples from weaned and fattening pigs compared to suckling piglets and sows. Co-detections of all 3 viruses were the most common finding. Based on clinical and pathology data, statistical analysis yielded no evidence for an association of virus detection and disease. Further research is required to determine if pathogenicity is linked to specific serotypes of these viruses.

Download Full-text

Chest beats as an honest signal of body size in male mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86261-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edward Wright ◽

Sven Grawunder ◽

Eric Ndayishimiye ◽

Jordi Galbany ◽

Shannon C. McFarlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Competitive Ability ◽

Dominance Rank ◽

Male Body ◽

Honest Signal ◽

Sexual Competition ◽

Mountain Gorillas ◽

Temporal Characteristics ◽

Gorilla Beringei Beringei ◽

Vocal Signals

AbstractAcoustic signals that reliably indicate body size, which usually determines competitive ability, are of particular interest for understanding how animals assess rivals and choose mates. Whereas body size tends to be negatively associated with formant dispersion in animal vocalizations, non-vocal signals have received little attention. Among the most emblematic sounds in the animal kingdom is the chest beat of gorillas, a non-vocal signal that is thought to be important in intra and inter-sexual competition, yet it is unclear whether it reliably indicates body size. We examined the relationship among body size (back breadth), peak frequency, and three temporal characteristics of the chest beat: duration, number of beats and beat rate from sound recordings of wild adult male mountain gorillas. Using linear mixed models, we found that larger males had significantly lower peak frequencies than smaller ones, but we found no consistent relationship between body size and the temporal characteristics measured. Taken together with earlier findings of positive correlations among male body size, dominance rank and reproductive success, we conclude that the gorilla chest beat is an honest signal of competitive ability. These results emphasize the potential of non-vocal signals to convey important information in mammal communication.

Download Full-text

Experimental infection of broiler chicks with Salmonella Typhimurium from pigeon (Columba livia)

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n4p1919 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 1919

Author(s):

Átilla Holanda de Albuquerque ◽

Régis Siqueira de Castro Teixeira ◽

Débora Nishi Machado ◽

Elisângela De Souza Lopes ◽

Ruben Horn Vasconcelos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salmonella Typhimurium ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Columba Livia ◽

Poultry Feed ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Control Group ◽

Broiler Chicks ◽

Post Inoculation ◽

Microbiological Analysis ◽

Fecal Samples

Several cases of animal and human salmonellosis caused by the Salmonella serotype Typhimurium have been reported. In animals, subclinical infection favors pathogen dissemination through feces. In this context, the domestic pigeon (Columba livia) with an asymptomatic condition may play an important role in the transmission of salmonellosis, through the elimination of contaminated feces in commercial aviaries or in poultry feed facilities, causing economic losses to the poultry industry and presenting a risk to public health. This study aimed to evaluate the mortality, clinical signs and the presence of Salmonella Typhimurium in the feces and organs of chicks previously inoculated with bacteria isolated from a pigeon. One-day-old chicks were distributed in two experimental groups (G1 and G2) of 32 birds each, and a control group of six birds. Two inocula of 0.4 and 0.7 mL with 105 and 106 colony forming units were used in G1 and G2 birds, respectively. At 1, 4, 7 and 14 days post-inoculation (dpi) fecal samples were pooled from each cage and individual cloacal swabs were collected. At 14 dpi, all chicks were euthanized and samples were collected from the liver, spleen, lung, cecum and intestine for microbiological analysis. Mortality was only observed among G2 birds (6.25%). Most birds presented clinical signs of diarrhea at 4 dpi and no symptom as observed at 14 dpi. The results from cloacal swabs demonstrated bacterial elimination in 68.8% and 53.1% of G2 and G1 birds, respectively at 1 dpi. Additionally, fecal samples had elevated bacterial shedding in all four periods of observation , with a higher excretion at 4 dpi (62.5%) for both groups. Among G2 birds, 74.2% were positive for the pathogen in the intestine; G1 birds presented the lowest rate of lung infection (29%), and both groups had more than 50% positivity for liver and caeca. The results revealed that infected chicks with a Salmonella Typhimurium strains isolated from pigeons may host the pathogen in several organs, and simultaneously present diarrheic disorders with significant levels of bacterial excretion in feces.

Download Full-text

Development of a Combined Selection and Enrichment PCR Procedure for Clostridium botulinum Types B, E, and F and Its Use To Determine Prevalence in Fecal Samples from Slaughtered Pigs

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.67.10.4781-4788.2001 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 67 (10) ◽

pp. 4781-4788 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Maria Dahlenborg ◽

Elisabeth Borch ◽

Peter Rådström

Keyword(s):

Sample Preparation ◽

Fecal Sample ◽

Clostridium Botulinum ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Type B ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Pcr Assays ◽

Combined Selection ◽

Spore Load ◽

Slaughtered Pigs

ABSTRACT A specific and sensitive combined selection and enrichment PCR procedure was developed for the detection of Clostridium botulinum types B, E, and F in fecal samples from slaughtered pigs. Two enrichment PCR assays, using the DNA polymeraserTth, were constructed. One assay was specific for the type B neurotoxin gene, and the other assay was specific for the type E and F neurotoxin genes. Based on examination of 29 strains of C. botulinum, 16 strains of other Clostridium spp., and 48 non-Clostridium strains, it was concluded that the two PCR assays detect C. botulinum types B, E, and F specifically. Sample preparation prior to the PCR was based on heat treatment of feces homogenate at 70°C for 10 min, enrichment in tryptone-peptone-glucose-yeast extract broth at 30°C for 18 h, and DNA extraction. The detection limits after sample preparation were established as being 10 spores per g of fecal sample for nonproteolytic type B, and 3.0 × 103 spores per g of fecal sample for type E and nonproteolytic type F with a detection probability of 95%. Seventy-eight pig fecal samples collected from slaughter houses were analyzed according to the combined selection and enrichment PCR procedure, and 62% were found to be PCR positive with respect to the type B neurotoxin gene. No samples were positive regarding the type E and F neurotoxin genes, indicating a prevalence of less than 1.3%. Thirty-four (71%) of the positive fecal samples had a spore load of less than 4 spores per g. Statistical analysis showed that both rearing conditions (outdoors and indoors) and seasonal variation (summer and winter) had significant effects on the prevalence of C. botulinum type B, whereas the effects of geographical location (southern and central Sweden) were less significant.

Download Full-text

Proximate composition of milk from free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Zoo Biology ◽

10.1002/zoo.20363 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 308-317 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Christopher A. Whittier ◽

Lauren A. Milligan ◽

Felicia B. Nutter ◽

Michael R. Cranfield ◽

Michael L. Power

Keyword(s):

Proximate Composition ◽

Mountain Gorillas ◽

Gorilla Beringei Beringei ◽

Gorilla Beringei ◽

Free Ranging

Download Full-text

Incidence of drug-treated chronic diseases using administrative pharmaceutical data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v4i3.1168 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Shaun Purkiss ◽

Tessa Keegel ◽

Hassan Vally ◽

Dennis Wollersheim

Keyword(s):

Chronic Disease ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Survey Data ◽

Census Data ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Self Report ◽

World Health ◽

Population Census ◽

Incidence Data ◽

Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical

Background Pharmaceutical data can be used to identify the presence of drug-treated chronic diseases (CD) in individuals using assigned World Health Organization Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classifications of medicines prescribed. ATC codes define treatment domains and provides a method to case define CD that has previously been used to estimate CD prevalence within populations. Main Aim We determined selected CD incidence from an administrative pharmaceutical dataset, and compared them with published CD incidence results. Approach An Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) database covering the period 2003-14 was used for this study. The earliest prescriptions exchanged by individuals for an ATC defined CD were identified and the annual count recorded. These values were combined with Australian population census data to calculate the annual incidence of ATC defined CD. Australian PBS derived incidence estimates (PDI) were compared with published Australian and world incidence data. Results The PDI of 16 chronic diseases were compared with incidence estimates using self-report surveys from the literature. Mean percentage differences between PDI estimates varied greatly when compared to survey data (mean 33% (SD ±79%). Diabetes (-29%), gout (4%), glaucoma (69%) and tuberculosis (14%) showed closer associations. In contrast, PDI estimates (n/1000/year) showed particularly high incidence levels as compared with self-report data for dyspepsia (16.9 v 4.5), dyslipidaemia (11.6 v 5.6) and respiratory illness (17.6 v 2.6). Conclusion Incidence estimates of drug treated chronic disease can be obtained using pharmaceutical data and may be a useful source for a number of conditions. Some PDI differ considerably from survey data. The interpretation of PDI requires context on how a particular CD presents. Accuracy and relevance are likely to depend upon how drug treatments relate to the initial management of the chronic disease.

Download Full-text