Melioidosis fatalities in captive slender-tailed meerkats (Suricata suricatta): combining epidemiology, pathology and whole-genome sequencing supports variable mechanisms of transmission with one health implications

Abstract

BackgroundMelioidosis is a tropical infectious disease which is being increasingly recognised throughout the globe. Infection occurs in humans and animals, typically through direct exposure to soil or water containing the environmental bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Case clusters of melioidosis have been described in humans following severe weather events and in exotic animals imported into melioidosis endemic zones. Direct transmission of B. pseudomallei between animals and/or humans has been documented but is considered extremely rare. Between March 2015 and October 2016 eight fatal cases of melioidosis were reported in slender-tailed meerkats (Suricata suricatta) on display at a Wildlife Park in Northern Australia. To further investigate the melioidosis case cluster we sampled the meerkat enclosure and adjacent park areas and performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on all culture-positive B. pseudomallei environmental and clinical isolates.ResultsWGS confirmed that the fatalities were caused by two different B. pseudomallei sequence types (STs) but that seven of the meerkat isolates were highly similar on the whole-genome level. Used concurrently with detailed pathology data, our results demonstrate that the seven cases originated from a single original source, but routes of infection varied amongst meerkats belonging to the clonal outbreak cluster. Moreover, in some instances direct transmission may have transpired through wounds inflicted while fighting.ConclusionsCollectively, this study supports the use of high-resolution WGS to enhance epidemiological investigations into transmission modalities and pathogenesis of melioidosis, especially in the instance of a possible clonal outbreak scenario in exotic zoological collections. Such findings from an animal outbreak have important One Health implications.

A Persisting Nontropical Focus of Burkholderia pseudomallei with Limited Genome Evolution over Five Decades

“…Necropsy confirmed that the alpacas died from extensive and severe melioidosis pneumonia, consistent with the inhalation of B. pseudomallei which was potentially aerosolized during the severe weather. Studies combining epidemiology ( 23 ), climate science ( 24 ), clinical and pathological data ( 25 ), and bacterial genomics ( 26 , 27 ) are providing new insights into the postulated shift from percutaneous inoculation to aerosol inhalation following severe weather events. Nevertheless, the proportions of melioidosis cases from inhalation, percutaneous inoculation, and ingestion remain unclear ( 28 ).…”

Emergence of Burkholderia pseudomallei Sequence Type 562, Northern Australia

“…In addition, ST562 infections developed in 2 sheep at a veterinary facility in 2009 and 2014 ( 8 ) and in a meerkat at a wildlife park in 2015 ( 23 ). These cases occurred in the lagoon hotspot.…”

“…Previous epidemiologic investigations of melioidosis clusters in humans and animals suggest differences of < 1 SNP from an implicated infecting source ( 15 , 23 , 33 , 34 ). In the investigation of 2 cases of infection with B. pseudomallei ST325 on the same rural property in northern Australian, there was 1 SNP difference between the 2 clinical isolates and the suspected environmental source, an unchlorinated water tank ( 33 ).…”

Melioidosis: Important Neglected Zoonosis and Their Presence in Animal in Indonesia, Handling Constraints and Solutions

“…Melioidosis adalah penyakit menular yang menginfeksi hewan dan manusia (Rachlin et al 2019). "Melioidosis" dalam bahasa Yunani mempunyai arti glanders-like illness atau distemper of the asses (penyakit menyerupai Glanders atau Distemper).…”