Serological Evidence of Arbovirus Infection in Native and Domesticated Mammals on the South Coast of New-South-Wales

Abstract

Sera from twelve species of native and five species of introduced mammals collected on the south coast of New South Wales between 1982 and 1988 were tested for antibodies to the following arboviruses: Ross River virus (621 animals tested); Barmah Forest virus (371); Gan Gan virus (337); Trubanaman virus (378). Serum neutralising antibodies to Ross River virus were found in bandicoots, wallabies, kangaroos, cattle, goat and horses; to Barmah Forest virus in kangaroo, cattle and horses; to Gan Gan virus in kangaroos, wallabies, rat, cows, horses and sheep; and to Trubanaman virus in kangaroos, wallabies, cows and horses. Titres to Ross River virus in seropositive native animal sera ranged from 32 to 1024 and those in seropositive domesticated animal sera ranged from 8 to 32 768. Prevalence of serum antibodies in macropodids, cattle and horses was: Ross River virus, 68, 19, 62%; Barmah Forest virus, 4, 26, 9%; Gan Gan virus, 44, 13, 13%; Trubanaman virus, 60, 3, 10% respectively. Evidence suggests that: (1) kangaroos and wallabies are major vertebrate hosts for Ross River virus; (2) the role of bandicoots warrants further investigation; (3) horses may be important amplifying hosts of the virus, which causes epidemic polyarthritis in man in Australia.

Parasite spillback: A neglected concept in invasion ecology?

“…For example, Ross River virus, a mosquito-borne virus native to Australia, is acquired by horses and other domestic stock from native marsupials (Russell 2002), with seroprevalence in horses even exceeding that of native marsupials (Vale et al 1991, Kay et al 2007). For example, Ross River virus, a mosquito-borne virus native to Australia, is acquired by horses and other domestic stock from native marsupials (Russell 2002), with seroprevalence in horses even exceeding that of native marsupials (Vale et al 1991, Kay et al 2007).…”

“…There is evidence from a range of studies that NIS are not only often competent hosts for native parasites, but can also be better than the original native hosts (i.e., the parasite's basic reproductive rate, R 0 , is greater when infecting them). For example, Ross River virus, a mosquito-borne virus native to Australia, is acquired by horses and other domestic stock from native marsupials (Russell 2002), with seroprevalence in horses even exceeding that of native marsupials (Vale et al 1991, Kay et al 2007). Another example is eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), a virus native to North America, occurring principally in an enzootic cycle involving mosquito vectors and a variety of native avian hosts, which is often fatal in a range of mammalian and avian species (Komar et al 1999, Nolen-Walston et al 2007.…”

Antibodies to the Ross River Virus in Captive Marsupials in Urban Areas of Eastern New South Wales, Australia

“…Based on previously reported antibodies to RRV, macropods may be a reservoir for the virus (Vale et al, 1991). In our study, both macropod populations contained animals that were positive for antibodies to RRV.…”

“…Similarly, other small mammals, such as New Holland mice (Pseudomys novaehollandiae; Gard et al, 1973), bush rats (Rattus fuscipes), swamp rats (Rattus lutreolus), and house mice (Mus domesticus) have tested positive for antibodies to RRV (Vale et al, 1991). Native mammals, including marsupials, have also been suggested as possible reservoirs, and antibodies to the virus have been detected in greyheaded flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus; (Ryan et al, 1997) (Whitehead, 1969;Vale et al, 1991;Brokenshire et al, 2000). Experimental infection with RRV has been reported in the brushtail possum (Boyd et al, 2001) and, in this study, 30% of exposed possums developed high viremias that were capable of infecting 53% of vector mosquitoes.…”

The impact of introduced hosts on parasite transmission: opisthorchiid infections in American mink (Neovison vison)

“…Cable School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK e-mail: ellie.sherrard-smith@phe.gov.uk of humans and associated resources creates an elevated potential for interaction between parasites and hosts that were previously geographically separated (reviewed in Ricciardi 2007). Generally, parasites are reported to do better within a native rather than an introduced host-with higher parasite species richness and higher abundance recorded in native host populations (Dunn and Dick 1998;Roche et al 2010;Gendron et al 2012;Lacerda et al 2012;Ondračková et al 2012)-but this is not always the case (Vale et al 1991;Pasternak et al 2007). The traits associated with parasite fitness such as parasite abundance can, on occasion, be higher in introduced host species (Kennedy et al 1991;Rauque et al 2003).…”