Role of invasive carnivores (Procyon lotor and Nyctereutes procyonoides) in epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens: molecular survey from the Czech Republic

Abstract

Background Vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) are a major threat to humans, livestock and companion animals worldwide. The combined effect of climatic, socioeconomic and host composition changes favours the spread of the vectors, together with the expansion of invasive carnivores contributing to the spread of the pathogens. In Europe, the most widespread invasive species of carnivores are raccoons (Procyon lotor) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides). This study focused on the detection of four major groups of VBPs namely Babesia, Hepatozoon, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella in invasive and native carnivores in the Czech Republic, with the emphasis on the role of invasive carnivores in the eco-epidemiology of said VBPs. Methods Spleen samples of 84 carnivores of eight species (Canis aureus, Canis lupus, Lynx lynx, P. lotor, Martes foina, Lutra lutra, Mustela erminea and N. procyonoides) were screened by combined nested PCR and sequencing for the above-mentioned VBPs targeting 18S rRNA and cytB in hemoprotozoa, groEL in A. phagocytophilum, and using multilocus genotyping in Bartonella spp. The species determination is supported by phylogenetic analysis inferred by the maximum likelihood method. Results Out of 84 samples, 44% tested positive for at least one pathogen. Five different species of VBPs were detected in P. lotor, namely Bartonella canis, Hepatozoon canis, Hepatozoon martis, A. phagocytophilum and Bartonella sp. related to Bartonella washoensis. All C. lupus tested positive for H. canis and one for B. canis. Three VBPs (Hepatozoon silvestris, A. phagocytophilum and Bartonella taylorii) were detected in L. lynx for the first time. Babesia vulpes and yet undescribed species of Babesia, not previously detected in Europe, were found in N. procyonoides. Conclusions Wild carnivores in the Czech Republic are hosts of several VBPs with potential veterinary and public health risks. Among the studied carnivore species, the invasive raccoon is the most competent host. Raccoons are the only species in our study where all the major groups of studied pathogens were detected. None of the detected pathogen species were previously detected in these carnivores in North America, suggesting that raccoons adapted to local VBPs rather than introduced new ones. Babesia vulpes and one new, probably imported species of Babesia, were found in raccoon dogs. Graphical abstract

Wildlife parasitology: sample collection and processing, diagnostic constraints, and methodological challenges in terrestrial carnivores

“…The spleen along with blood are the most commonly selected samples that are suitable for molecular detection of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in wild carnivores [ 109 , 248 , 249 ]. The spleen has a high density of nuclei and was used for the identification of Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsia sp., Bartonella sp., Coxiella brunetii [ 89 ], and parasites like filaroids [ 202 ], or Hepatozoon , Babesia , and Cytauxzoon [ 250 , 251 ], and Leishmania infantum [ 252 ]. Other types of tissue can be used for DNA isolation of parasites or other pathogens like the brain for identification of N. caninum , T. gondii , and Encephalitozoon cuniculi [ 253 ].…”

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Pathogens in Raccoon Dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and Raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

“…Literature on vector-borne pathogens in raccoon dogs and raccoons in Europe is scarce. So far, only a few studies have been carried out on animals from Germany [ 19 , 47 ], Austria [ 9 ], the Czech Republic [ 48 , 49 ], Spain [ 4 , 50 ] and Poland [ 6 , 38 , 47 , 51 ], investigating the presence of the tick-borne pathogens Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Borrelia spp., Borreliella spp., Bartonella spp. and Neoehrlichia mikurensis , respectively [ 5 , 49 ].…”