Ocular Plague (Yersinia pestis) in Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from Wyoming and Oregon

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Although plague is relatively rare in wild ungulates, this report describes ocular lesions associated with Yersinia pestis infection in three free-ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from Wyoming and Oregon, USA. All deer were observed antemortem and seemed to be blind. Post-mortem examination revealed gross lesions of bilateral keratoconjunctivitis and/or panophthalmitis in the first two deer, but only partial retinal detachment in the third deer. Microscopically, all deer had moderate-to-severe necrotizing and fibrinopurulent endophthalmitis and varying degrees of keratoconjunctivitis with abundant intralesional coccobacilli. The lesions in the first (D1) and third deer (D3) suggested an acute course, whereas those in the second deer (D2) were subacute to chronic. Yersinia pestis was isolated from ocular tissue swabs or ocular fluids of D1 and D2, and it was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry within ocular lesions of D1 and D3. Although plague does not seem to be a major cause of morbidity or mortality in freeranging mule deer, keratoconjunctivitis or pinkeye is relatively common in these animals and plague should be considered as a differential diagnosis in such cases, with appropriate precautions taken to protect the human and animal health.

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland - A case report

“…Hadwen and Palmer observed keratitis in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Alaska (Hadwen and Palmer 1922) and similar observations were also reported by Dietrich (1981), Loison et al (1996), and Taylor et al (1996). In the last decade, numerous studies have been reported on IKC in reindeer (Evans et al 2008) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the western states of the USA (Dubay et al 2000;Edmunds et al 2008;Munoz Gutierrez et al 2018); Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an ocular disease affecting cattle and sheep worldwide (Dagnall 1994;Brown et al 1998). The disease often starts with conjunctivitis, lachrymation, and a corneal oedema.…”

“…However, the results of the bacteriological tests, cell culture inoculation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests did not show any microbiological pathogenic factors (Evans et al 2008). In addition, Edmunds reported keratoconjunctivitis and panophthalmitis in mule deer caused by Yersinia pestis (Edmunds et al 2008). Dietrich's study on viral agents associated with IKC in reindeer showed the presence of the BHV-1 virus (Dietrich 1981).…”

Different Pathologies but Equal Levels of Responsiveness to the Recombinant F1 and V Antigen Vaccine and Ciprofloxacin in a Murine Model of Plague Caused by Small- and Large-Particle Aerosols

“…Ocular plague presenting as keratoconjunctivitis with various degrees of necrotizing and fibropurulent endophthalmitis in mule deer has recently been observed. This form is not associated with morbidity or mortality (19). Ocular mani-festation in this study was observed only at the gross level and appeared during the terminal stages of infection; hence, it is unclear whether ocular involvement was initiated through the deposition of Y. pestis-containing particles on the conjunctiva during aerosol exposure or through hematogenous spread via the ocular capillaries during the septicemic stage of the infections.…”

Serological Epidemiological Investigation of Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries) Plague in Qinghai, China

“…Even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla) (Edmunds et al 2008), including camels (Arbaji et al 2005, Leslie et al 2011) and goats (Christie et al 1980), can be naturally infected by Y.…”