Susceptibility of New Mexico Rodents to Experimental Plague

Holdenried, R.; Quan, Stuart F.

doi:10.2307/4589583

Cited by 35 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Between 11·1–23·1% of grasshopper mice on plague colonies were seropositive for antibody to Y. pestis (Stapp et al . 2008b), indicating that some individuals survived infection and therefore were resistant to mortality, confirming earlier studies (Holdenreid & Quan 1956; Thomas et al . 1988).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…(2000), suggest that rodents must have fatally high bacteremias to infect feeding fleas]. Individual grasshopper mice that are resistant to mortality also may maintain infections of Y. pestis bacilli in their tissues for 25 d or more post‐exposure (Holdenreid & Quan 1956; Thomas et al . 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grasshopper mice are the most abundant small rodents in prairie dog colonies in shortgrass steppe (Stapp 2007). Some individuals have been shown to be resistant to plague mortality in the laboratory (Holdenreid & Quan 1956, Thomas et al . 1988), and they carry fleas that are competent vectors of Y. pestis (Thomas 1988).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence for the involvement of an alternate rodent host in the dynamics of introduced plague in prairie dogs

Stapp

Salkeld

Franklin

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary The introduction of plague to North America is a significant threat to colonies of prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), a species of conservation concern in the Great Plains. Other small rodents are exposed to the causative agent, Yersinia pestis, during or after epizootics; yet, its effect on these rodents is not known, and their role in transmitting and maintaining plague in the absence of prairie dogs remains unclear. We live‐trapped small rodents and collected their fleas on 11 colonies before, during and after plague epizootics in Colorado, USA, from 2004 to 2006. Molecular genetic (polymerase chain reaction) assays were used to identify Y. pestis in fleas. Abundance of northern grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster) was low on sites following epizootics in 2004, and declined markedly following plague onset on other colonies in 2005. These changes coincided with exposure of grasshopper mice to plague, and with periods when mice became infested with large numbers of prairie dog fleas (Oropsylla hirsuta), including some that were infected with Y. pestis. Additionally, several Pleochaetis exilis, fleas restricted to grasshopper mice and never found on prairie dogs on our site, were polymerase chain reaction‐positive for Y. pestis, indicating that grasshopper mice can infect their own fleas. No changes in abundance of other rodent species could be attributed to plague, and no other rodents hosted O. hirsuta during epizootics, or harboured Y. pestis‐infected fleas. In spring 2004, grasshopper mice were most numerous in colonies that suffered plague the following year, and the pattern of colony extinctions over a 12‐year period mirrored patterns of grasshopper mouse abundance in our study area, suggesting that colonies with high densities of grasshopper mice may be more susceptible to outbreaks. We speculate that grasshopper mice help spread Y. pestis during epizootics through their ability to survive infection, harbour prairie dog fleas and, during their wide‐ranging movements, transport infected fleas among burrows, which functionally connects prairie dog coteries that would otherwise be socially distinct.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence for the involvement of an alternate rodent host in the dynamics of introduced plague in prairie dogs

Stapp

Salkeld

Franklin

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…Grasshopper mice are the most abundant small rodents in colonies and regularly use prairie dog burrows (Stapp et al 2008b). Serological studies (Stapp et al 2008a) revealed that grasshopper mice were infected with Y. pestis and survived epizootics, a result that corroborates laboratory studies (Holdenreid andQuan 1956, Thomas et al 1988). No other small rodents were seropositive for Y. pestis during epizootics or showed any changes in population density that would indicate significant mortality from plague.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Inferring host–parasite relationships using stable isotopes: implications for disease transmission and host specificity

Stapp

Salkeld

2009

Ecology

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Identifying the roles of different hosts and vectors is a major challenge in the study of the ecology of diseases caused by multi-host pathogens. Intensive field studies suggested that grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster) help spread the bacterium that causes plague (Yersinia pestis) in prairie dog colonies by sharing fleas with prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus); yet conclusive evidence that prairie dog fleas (Oropsylla hirsuta) feed on grasshopper mice is lacking. Using stable nitrogen isotope analysis, we determined that many blood-engorged O. hirsuta collected from wild grasshopper mice apparently contained blood meals of prairie dogs. These results suggest that grasshopper mice may be infected with Y. pestis via mechanisms other than flea feeding, e.g., early phase or mechanical transmission or scavenging carcasses, and raise questions about the ability of grasshopper mice to maintain Y. pestis in prairie dog colonies during years between plague outbreaks. They also indicate that caution may be warranted when inferring feeding relationships based purely on the occurrence of fleas or other haematophagous ectoparasites on hosts. Stable-isotope analysis may complement or provide a useful alternative to immunological or molecular techniques for identifying hosts of cryptically feeding ectoparasites, and for clarifying feeding relationships in studies of host-parasite interactions.

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“…Some na tive mice that are relativeiy plague resistant may coristitute the more usual reservoirs for the persistence of plague, as lias been found in Africa (Heisch ef al., 1953, andDavis, 1953). Preliminary findings in California (Quan and Kartman, 1956) and in New Mexico (Holdenried and Quan, 1956) suggest that certain strains of native field mice, Microtus spp. and Dipodomys spp., are resistant to experimental plague inf ection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%