Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of cryptic piroplasm infections in raccoons from selected areas of the United States and Canada

Kayla B. Garrett; Sonia M. Hernandez; Gary Balsamo; Heather Barron; James C. Beasley; Justin D. Brown; Erin Cloherty; Hossain Farid; Mourad Gabriel; Bethany Groves; Sarah Hamer; Julia Hill; Meghan Lewis; Katie McManners; Nicole Nemeth; Paul Oesterle; Sebastian Ortiz; Lea Peshock; Rodney Schnellbacher; Renee Schott; Susanne Straif-Bourgeois; Michael J. Yabsley

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife (Aug 2019)

Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of cryptic piroplasm infections in raccoons from selected areas of the United States and Canada

Kayla B. Garrett,
Sonia M. Hernandez,
Gary Balsamo,
Heather Barron,
James C. Beasley,
Justin D. Brown,
Erin Cloherty,
Hossain Farid,
Mourad Gabriel,
Bethany Groves,
Sarah Hamer,
Julia Hill,
Meghan Lewis,
Katie McManners,
Nicole Nemeth,
Paul Oesterle,
Sebastian Ortiz,
Lea Peshock,
Rodney Schnellbacher,
Renee Schott,
Susanne Straif-Bourgeois,
Michael J. Yabsley

Affiliations

Kayla B. Garrett: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Corresponding author. 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Sonia M. Hernandez: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
Gary Balsamo: Louisiana Department of Health, 628 N. 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802, USA
Heather Barron: Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), 3883 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel Island, FL, 33957, USA
James C. Beasley: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
Justin D. Brown: Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA, 17110, USA
Erin Cloherty: New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board, 2100 Leon C Simon Dr., New Orleans, LA, 70122, USA
Hossain Farid: Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Campus, PO Box 550, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 5E3, Canada
Mourad Gabriel: Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Integral Ecology Research Center, 239 Railroad Ave, Blue Lake, CA, 95525, USA
Bethany Groves: PAWS, 15305 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA, 98087, USA
Sarah Hamer: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, TAMU 4458, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
Julia Hill: Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), 3883 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel Island, FL, 33957, USA
Meghan Lewis: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Young Scholars Program at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
Katie McManners: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
Nicole Nemeth: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Paul Oesterle: Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Sebastian Ortiz: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
Lea Peshock: Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 5761 Ute Hwy, Longmont, CO, 80503, USA
Rodney Schnellbacher: Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 North Fort, Springfield, MO, 65803, USA
Renee Schott: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, 2530 Dale St N, Roseville, MN, 55113, USA
Susanne Straif-Bourgeois: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
Michael J. Yabsley: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Corresponding author. 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9
pp. 224 – 233

Abstract

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The order Piroplasmida contains a diverse group of intracellular parasites, many of which can cause significant disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Two piroplasm species have been reported from raccoons (Procyon lotor), Babesia lotori (Babesia sensu stricto clade) and a species related to Babesia microti (called B. microti-like sp.). The goal of this study was to investigate prevalence, distribution, and diversity of Babesia in raccoons. We tested raccoons from selected regions in the United States and Canada for the presence of Babesia sensu stricto and Babesia microti-like sp. piroplasms. Infections of Babesia microti-like sp. were found in nearly all locations sampled, often with high prevalence, while Babesia sensu stricto infections had higher prevalence in the Southeastern United States (20–45% prevalence). Co-infections with both Babesia sp. were common. Sequencing of the partial 18S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes led to the discovery of two new Babesia species, both found in several locations in the eastern and western United States. One novel Babesia sensu stricto sp. was most similar to Babesia gibsoni while the other Babesia species was present in the ‘western piroplasm’ group and was related to Babesia conradae. Phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 sequences indicated possible eastern and western genetic variants for the three Babesia sensu stricto species. Additional analyses are needed to characterize these novel species; however, this study indicates there are now at least four species of piroplasms infecting raccoons in the United States and Canada (Babesia microti-like sp., Babesia lotori, a novel Babesia sensu stricto sp., a novel western Babesia sp.) and a possible fifth species (Babesia sensu stricto) in raccoons in Japan. Keywords: Babesia, Cryptic species, Piroplasms, Raccoons, Tick-borne pathogens

Published in International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

ISSN: 2213-2244 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Zoology
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-for-parasitology-parasites-and-wildlife/

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