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An acute respiratory disease, due to Diplococcus pneumoniae type 3, affecting Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats is described. The infection was experimentally transmitted to Sprague-Dawley rats. The zoonotic potential of the condition dictated euthanasia of affected animals and instigation of rigid sanitary measures.
To assess the danger of Baylisascaris procyonis (the common roundworm of raccoons) to subhuman primates, as well as the zoonotic potential of the parasite, 4 squirrel monkeys were inoculated by stomach tube with 5,000 or 10,500 infective B procyonis eggs. Fulminating severe CNS disease developed at 10-15 days after inoculation, and the monkeys died or were euthanatized at 12-19 days. At necropsy, numerous hemorrhagic migration tracks were visible in coronal brain slices. Histologically, numerous migration tracks and larvae were seen in the brain as well as the spinal cord. Larvae measured 60-65 micrometers in midbody diameter. Migration tracks averaged 508 micrometers X 354 micrometers in cross section and consisted of foci of malacia and microcavitation, with an influx of macrophages and leukocytes, and various degrees of hemorrhage. Also seen were extensive perivascular cuffing, gliosis, astrocytosis, and a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate. Numerous larval granulomas were seen grossly and microscopically throughout the body; they were particularly abundant in the tissues of the head, neck, and thorax. It was concluded that B procyonis should be considered a threat to the health of subhuman primates and an important potential zoonosis in situations wherein infection of monkeys or human beings could take place.
Two days after returning with its owners from a 60-day visit to Liberia, an 8-year-old 6.5-kg spayed female Miniature Schnauzer was examined by a veterinarian in the United States. A 1.0 x 1.0-cm raised erythematous nodule was noticed on the medial aspect of the right pinna. In the center of the nodule was a 1.0 x 1.0-mm pore from which a 0.5 x 0.5 x 1.0-cm white larva was extracted. The larva was identified as a third-stage larva of Cordylobia anthropophaga, the African Tumbu fly, a fly restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. Cordylobia anthropophaga does have zoonotic potential, but the owners did not have any skin lesions. Detection of C anthropophaga in the United States warranted reports to state and federal authorities and personnel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The situation described here illustrated the potential of tourists' pets to import foreign diseases.
Hantaviruses have emerged as agents of significant morbidity and mortality in human beings. These pathogens are maintained in nature as not clinically apparent, persistent infections in roden reservoirs, varying with each virus, and are shed via rodent feces, urine, and salivary excretions. Human exposure to hantaviruses principally occurs through the respiratory tract route and is focal and discontinuous, paralleling the distribution of virus in reservoir species and the likelihood of human-rodent interactions. Prior to 1993, hantaviruses were established etiologic agents of human febrile nephropathies and hematologic abnormalities on several continents, exclusive of North America. An episode of severe respiratory tract illness developed in association with a group of novel hantaviruses in the United States during 1993-1994, resulting in at least 98 confirmed cases of disease from 21 states and 51 deaths. Current evidence suggests that hantaviruses of zoonotic potential have long existed across widespread areas of the United States but have gone unrecognized.
Observations were made on development of diarrhea in special-fed calves (n = 460) on 8 commercial facilities during 2 successive 16-week production cycles at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16. A total of 23% were affected, with peak number of calves with diarrhea observed at week 0. Suspected enteropathogens were identified in 86% of these calves, most commonly cryptosporidia, coronavirus, and rotavirus. Identified potential zoonotic pathogens included Giardia and Salmonella spp and verotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Noncytopathic bovine viral diarrhea virus was isolated from 6 calves that had repeated bouts of illness. Only 22% of calves entering the veal facilities had adequate transfer of passive immunity. At week 0, serum IgG concentration in calves that subsequently died or had diarrhea was lower (P < 0.001) than that in healthy calves. All calves that died (n = 6) during the first 4 weeks of production had complete failure of transfer of passive immunity.
The reservoir hosts of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, etiologic agent of human ehrlichiosis are unknown. Initially, white-tailed deer (WTD) were serologically implicated as possible reservoirs of E. chaffeensis. Subsequent studies showed that WTD were susceptible to infection with E. chaffeensis and that deer-to-deer transmission by a tick vector, Amblyomma americanum, is possible under experimental conditions. To determine if wild WTD were infected with E. chaffeensis, whole blood was collected from 10 deer from Oklahoma and Georgia. All 10 deer had antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis. Whereas E. chaffeensis was not isolated, restriction enzyme mapping and sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene revealed that a unique Ehrlichia-like agent was present. All 10 deer appeared to be infected with the same agent. We suspect that A. americanum is the vector of this new agent based upon the previously published temporal association between the appearance of E. chaffeensis seropositive WTD and A. americanum. However, the taxonomic and antigenic relationships, geographic distribution, epidemiology, and zoonotic potential of this agent are yet to be determined.
Naturally occurring infection of cats with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus is common. A wide variety of clinical manifestations occur in retrovirus-infected cats including gastrointestinal tract disease, respiratory tract disease, central nervous system disease, ophthalmic disease, hepatic disease, urogenital tract disease, dermatologic disease, hematologic disease, and musculoskeletal disease. Clinical signs are often directly attributable to the primary viral infection, but because both feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus can induce immunodeficiency, opportunistic secondary infections may cause the clinical manifestations of disease in some cats. Diagnosis, treatment, and zoonotic potential of the common opportunistic agents associated with feline retroviral infections are reviewed.
As a result of phylogenic studies using new molecular biology techniques and fundamental experimental studies, we now know more about helicobacteria in domestic carnivores, their morphologic characteristics, their taxonomia and more important we know more about their ecological niche. Few clinical studies have been carried out, but the ones that have been undertaken are interesting in that they confirm the extensive prevalence of Helicobacter infections in domestic carnivores and underline their role in the genesis of the inflammatory gastropathies observed in these species. Finally, recent observations have demonstrated the ubiquitous character of these helicobacteria by showing their presence in the stomach of man, dog and cat. This ubiquitous character has led some scientists to consider the potential zoonotic risk of the human infection by Helicobacter heilmannii, felis or pylori.
The role of Helicobacter pylori in generating of the chronic gastritis and in the maintaining of the gastroduodenal ulcerous disease, has been a major medical discovery of these past years in human gastroenterology. More recently in Man, studies have showed that the gastric tumours (adenocarcinoma, lymphoma) are epidemiologically associated with the H. pylori infection. Although the H. pylori infection is the one of the most frequent in the word, the epidemiologic and ecologic aspects of this infections are still not very well known. Thanks to phylogenic studies using the new molecular biology techniques and to fundamental experimental studies, we know more about helicobacteria in domestic carnivores as well as their morphologic characteristic, their taxonomia and more importantly details concerning their ecological niche. Few clinical studies have been made to this day, but the ones that have been undertaken are interesting in confirming the extensive prevalence of Helicobacter infections in domestic carnivores and in underlining their role in the genesis of the inflammatory gastropathies observed in these species. Recent observations have demonstrated the ubiquitous character of these helicobacteria by showing their presence in the stomach of man, dogs and cats. This ubiquitous character has led some scientists to consider the potential zoonotic risk of the human infection by Helicobacter heilmannii, felis or pylori. Finally, the Helicobacter infection of animals seems to be an interesting model not only in the study of the affections caused by these bacteria, but also in the elaboration of a future vaccine against the H. pylori infection in man.
Sequence analysis of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 298-bp region of the Cryptosporidium parvum 18S rRNA gene was carried out on 10 human and 9 animal isolates. Eight of the 9 animal isolates and 3 human isolates displayed the recognition sequence TATATTT, whereas 7/10 human isolates exhibited the recognition sequence TTTTTTTTTTT. Sequence analysis of the ninth animal isolate, which was recovered from a Koala, revealed this isolate to be different from both human and animal isolates. The AT richness of the rDNA recognition sequences rendered them unsuitable for primer design and therefore a diagnostic randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fragment previously developed in our laboratory was also sequenced. Analysis of 2 human and 2 animal isolates again revealed distinct differences between animal and human isolates. On the basis of this sequence information, diagnostic primers were designed that could directly differentiate between animal and human isolates on the basis of the size of the PCR product. The ability to differentiate directly between human and animal isolates has important implications for studies of the transmission and zoonotic potential of this organism. These results also raise further doubts about the uniformity of the species C. parvum.
A serological investigation by means of an enzyme immuno assay test for herpes B virus (cercopithecine herpesvirus 1) was performed on 961 sera of healthy nonhuman primates reared in laboratory animal facilities which belong to the Association of Laboratory Animal Facilities of the National University of Japan. An antibody prevalence of 40% (384/ 961) was demonstrated. The antibody titer was shown to be higher among macaques (60% of cynomolgus monkeys, 53% of rhesus monkeys, and 34% of Japanese monkeys) than among non-macaque species (21%). These data indicate that nonhuman primates reared in animal facilities may present an occupational health problem and a potential zoonotic biohazard as demonstrated in limited cases in the United States.
Although zoonotic spread of infectious disease continues to occur in laboratory animals used in biomedical research, reported outbreaks have been minimized with the advent of rigorous veterinary and husbandry procedures, the use of commercially reared animals, and the institution of appropriate personnel health programs. Maintaining animals in modern facilities with appropriate safeguards against introduction of vermin and biologic vectors is also important in preventing zoonotic disease in personnel. Nevertheless, established zoonotic agents, newly discovered microorganisms, or new animal species not previously recognized as carriers of zoonotic microorganisms are encountered, and the potential for spread of infectious disease from animals to humans still exists. Active dialogue between veterinarians and physicians regarding the potential of zoonotic disease, the species of animals that are involved, and the methods of diagnosis, is an indispensable component of a successful preventive health program involving personnel who deal with laboratory animals.
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Microsporidia are intracellular eukaryotic parasites which have the potential for zoonotic and environmental, including waterborne, transmission. Encephalitozoon intestinalis is a microsporidian pathogen of humans and animals and has been detected in surface water. It is also on the Contaminant Candidate List of potential emerging waterborne pathogens for the US EPA. We performed disinfection studies using chlorine and ozone on E. intestinalis spores with a cell-culture most-probable-number assay to determine infectivity. Chlorine experiments were performed at 5 degrees C at pH of 6, 7, and 8 with 1mg/L initial chlorine concentrations, while ozone experiments were performed at 5 degrees C and pH 7 with initial ozone doses of 1 and 0.5mg/L, both in buffered water. A derivation of Hom's model for disinfection kinetics under dynamic disinfectant concentrations was used to fit observed data and calculate concentration-time product (C*t) values. Chlorine C*t values varied with pH such that 99% (2-log(10)) C*t ranged from 12.8 at pH 6 to 68.8 at pH 8 (mg min/L). Ozone C*t values were approximately an order of magnitude less at 0.59--0.84 mg min/L, depending on initial concentration.
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a rare, but potentially severe zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus (E.) multilocularis. Recent findings indicated an increasing importance of AE for non-human primates living in regions endemic for E. multilocularis. The death of five cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and a lowland gorilla (Gorilla g. gorilla) due to AE raised concern about the incidence of this parasite in the Basle Zoo. Consequently, a project was initiated to investigate the prevalence amongst an affected group of cynomolgus monkeys, as well as in foxes and mice. Three out of 46 monkeys were seropositive for E. multilocularis antigen. In two of these monkeys and in another three animals, which were seronegative, structures compatible with metacestodal cysts were observed using ultrasonography. Seven out of 35 free roaming foxes caught at the zoo were positive for an intestinal E. multilocularis copro-antigen ELISA, four of them shed taeniid eggs simultaneously. No lesions compatible with AE were present in 50 necropsied mice from the zoo area. These results indicate that the fox population is a potential source to introduce E. multilocularis and may thus represent a risk for the zoo animals.
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are widespread RNA viruses infecting a broad range of avian and mammalian hosts. Although gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses (DCoVs) are common in wild birds, their presence in Eurasian passerines remains poorly understood. We screened 243 birds (35 species) at migratory stopover sites in Slovenia (2020-2021) using pan-coronavirus RT-PCR. Coronavirus RNA was detected only in four Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus). Whole-genome sequencing yielded genomes of 26,017-26,018 bp with high internal conservation (99.95-99.98% identity). Phylogenetic analysis revealed notable evolutionary incongruence: isolates were highly related to porcine DCoVs in the ORF1ab region (95.6-96.1% amino acid identity) but clustered with divergent avian DCoVs in the spike gene (75.7-76.8% identity). RDP5 analysis provided strong evidence for a large-scale recombination event (p = 1.17 × 10-43), consistent with a mosaic genomic architecture combining an ORF1ab region closely related to porcine DCoVs with an avian-associated spike gene. This genomic pattern highlights evolutionary connectivity among DCoVs associated with different host groups and the potential role of recombination in changes in host association. The synanthropic behaviour and mobility of P. montanus facilitate contact with diverse hosts, making this species relevant for investigating DCoV ecology at wildlife-livestock interfaces. These findings represent the first genomic characterisation of DCoVs in P. montanus in Europe and support the inclusion of passerines in broader coronavirus surveillance. Genomic surveillance of underrepresented wild-bird hosts can improve our understanding of DCoV diversity, recombination, and evolution across wildlife-livestock interfaces.
Caliciviruses are among the most common causes of gastroenteritis in people of all age groups. These antigenetically and genetically diverse viruses have been grouped into two genera within the family Caliciviridae, designated Norwalk-like viruses (NLV) and Sapporo-like viruses (SLV). To gain more insight in their epidemiology, we have developed a tentative genotyping scheme, which was used to differentiate the viruses detected in a set of epidemiological studies. NLVs and SLVs were detected by generic RT-PCR in stool specimens from 5.1% and 2.4% of cases with acute gastroenteritis for which a general practitioner was consulted, and in 16.5% and 6.3% of community cases of gastroenteritis. In addition, NLVs were associated with more than 80% of reported outbreaks of gastroenteritis from 1994-1999. Typically, several genotypes of NLV co-circulate in the community. Occasionally, however, several consecutive outbreaks were caused by essentially the same virus, although an epidemiological link had not previously been noted. This was most pronounced in 1995/1996, when a Lordsdale-like variant was detected that subsequently was found worldwide. This epidemic spread suggests differences in virulence or mode of transmission. In addition, we found that related NLVs are highly prevalent in calves in The Netherlands, raising questions about their potential for zoonotic transmission.
Caliciviruses closely related to human norovirus and sapovirus were recently detected in domestic pigs, causing discussions about the animal reservoir and the potential for zoonotic transmission to humans. To detect porcine caliciviruses, 17 fecal samples collected on two swine farms in southwestern Hungary were tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Three (17.6%) samples were positive for caliciviruses. This study confirms the presence of caliciviruses, both porcine sapovirus (genus Sapovirus) and porcine norovirus (genus Norovirus), in domestic pigs in Hungary and provides additional information on the viral genetic diversity and relationship to viruses referred to as human caliciviruses.