Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus infection in rats in New Zealand

Mk, Kakrada; Js, Lumsden; Ea, Lee; Collett, M.G.

doi:10.1080/00480169.2002.36255

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Conversely, microscopic lesions were very common, affecting substantial proportions of the study population. The results are in broad agreement with Brogden et al, 4 who found that 20 of 28 (71%) wild Norway rats had histological evidence of chronic respiratory disease, and with Laurain, 28 who briefly described pulmonary abscesses, but they differ from Kakrada et al, 24 who found only 2 of 27 wild rats affected by lung lesions. The inflammatory lesions observed in our study are similar to those described in pet rats and in early literature regarding laboratory rat pathology when laboratory animal pathogens were poorly controlled.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…2 It has been identified at high apparent prevalence (52%-86%) in wild rats from Maryland, Texas, Iowa, and New Zealand. 4,11,24,31 The lower prevalence in this study (37%) may reflect our use of light microscopy for screening rather than more sensitive PCR tests. There was significant agreement between PCR and light microscopy results, and thus, light microscopy remains a useful and inexpensive method for detection of this bacterium.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…6 Previous studies have shown that wild rats have respiratory pathology, including pneumonia, often in association with hyperplasia of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and laryngitis. 18,24,29,31 Respiratory pathogens identified in wild rats include Pneumocystis carinii, Pneumocystis wakefieldiae, cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CARB), Mycoplasma pulmonis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, rat coronavirus (syn. sialodacryoadenitis virus), and Sendai virus.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

Rothenburger

Himsworth

Clifford³

et al. 2015

Vet Pathol

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Norway (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) are common peridomestic species, yet little is known about wild rat ecology, including their natural diseases. We describe gross and histological lesions in the respiratory tract of a sample of 711 wild urban rats. A subset was examined for 19 distinct categories of histological lesions in the respiratory tract. Testing for known respiratory pathogens included serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of lung samples. Grossly evident lesions were rare (8/711; 1%). Upper respiratory tract inflammation was present in 93 of 107 (87%) rats and included rhinitis, submucosal and periglandular lymphoplasmacytic tracheitis, and/or tracheal intraluminal necrotic debris and was significantly associated (P < .05) with the presence of cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CARB), Mycoplasma pulmonis, and increased body mass (odds ratio [OR] ¼ 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] ¼ 1.05-1.14 per 10 g). Within the lungs, peribronchiolar and/or perivascular lymphoplasmacytic cuffs were present in 152 of 199 rats (76%) and were also significantly associated (P .02) with CARB, M. pulmonis, and increased body mass (OR ¼ 1.20; 95% CI ¼ 1.14-1.27 per 10 g). Rats were frequently coinfected with M. pulmonis and CARB, and lesions associated with these pathogens were histologically indistinguishable. Pneumocystis sp was detected in 48 of 102 (47%) rats using PCR but was not significantly associated with lesions. This description of pathology in the respiratory system of wild rats demonstrates that respiratory disease is common. Although the impact of these lesions on individual and population health remains to be investigated, respiratory disease may be an important contributor to wild rat morbidity and mortality.Keywords cilia-associated respiratory bacillus; lung; Mycoplasma pulmonis, pathology; Pneumocystis; rats; Rattus norvegicus; Rattus rattus; respiratory diseases; wild Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) are cosmopolitan peridomestic species that are well adapted to living in urban habitats.12 Negative impacts of rats on human society range from economic losses through agricultural crop destruction to zoonotic diseases. 12,13,22 Even though rats have lived in cities with people for centuries, many details of urban rat ecology remain unexplored. Specifically, little is known about the causes of natural morbidity and mortality in rats.The life span of wild urban rats is considerably shorter than that of laboratory rats, with few individuals living beyond 1 year of age.12 Conversely, laboratory rats live up to 3 years. 43Factors contributing to the rapid population turnover among wild rats are unclear. Due to the high fecundity of rats, predation and human rat control activities, including trapping and poisoning, have limited effects on population size. 12 Mortality associated with resource competition does not explain why mature rats die, since they would be expected to outcompete juvenile rats.12 Natural disease may be a key component to

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

Rothenburger

Himsworth

Clifford³

et al. 2015

Vet Pathol

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“…Experimental infections have been established in rats [17][18][19], goats [20], mice, rabbits [21,22], guinea pigs [21], hamsters [22] and gerbils [23]. Filobacterium rodentium causes bronchopneumonia in wild rats in various parts of the world [2,24,25] and it contributes to the morbidity and mortality associated with polymicrobial respiratory infections in wild and laboratory rodents [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A novel Filobacterium sp can cause chronic bronchitis in cats

Načeradská

Pekova²,

Danesi

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Background Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CARB; now known as Filobacterium rodentium gen. nov., sp. nov.) is a primary pathogen of rodents. A CARB-like organism was reported in post-mortem lung samples of cats using light and electron microscopy. Here we explore by molecular procedures if a Filobacterium sp. is a part of the normal feline lower respiratory microbiome and whether it could in some cats contribute to the development of chronic bronchial disease. Methodology A Filobacterium sp. was identified in three Czech cats clinically diagnosed as having chronic neutrophilic bronchitis. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens obtained from these cats were subjected to panbacterial 16S rDNA PCR followed by Sanger sequencing of the V5 to V8 region. After these cats were treated with specific antimicrobials, their clinical signs resolved promptly, without recurrence. Next, BALF specimens from 13 Australian and 11 Italian cats with lower respiratory disease and an additional 16 lung samples of Italian cats who died of various causes were examined using next generation sequencing (NGS). Subsequently, a Filobacterium-specific qPCR assay was developed and used to re-test BALF specimens from the 11 Italian cats and lung tissue homogenates from the additional 16 deceased cats. Principal findings An amplicon of 548 bp with 91.24% sequence agreement with Filobacterium rodentium was obtained from all three patients, suggesting the novel Filobacterium sp. was the cause of their lower respiratory disease. The novel Filobacterium sp., which we propose to call F. felis, was detected in 3/3 Czech cats with chronic neutrophilic bronchitis, 13/13 Australian cats and 6/11 Italian cats with chronic lower respiratory disease, and 14/16 necropsy lung specimens from Italian cats. NGS and qPCR results all showed identical sequences. The Filobacterium sp. was sometimes the preponderant bacterial species in BALF specimens from cats with lower airway disease. There was an association between the presence of large numbers (greater than 105 organisms/mL) of Filobacterium and the presence of neutrophilic and/or histiocytic inflammation, although only a subset of inflammatory BALF specimens had F. felis as the preponderant organism. Conclusion The novel Filobacterium sp. comprises a finite part of the normal feline lower respiratory microbiome. Under certain circumstances it can increase in absolute and relative abundance and give rise to neutrophilic and/or histiocytic bronchitis, bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia. These findings strongly suggest that F. felis could be an underdiagnosed cause of feline bronchial disease.

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“…Previous studies of disease in wild rats have been limited by small sample sizes and/or a narrow focus on specific pathogens or disease processes. 10,28,38,41,54,64,67,90,99 Studies by our group describe respiratory and cardiovascular pathology, as well as lesions associated with Capillaria hepatica, Eucoleus sp., and Notoedres muris infections. 1,[83][84][85][86] Many historical studies of wild rat disease describe obvious and common gross anatomic lesions (e.g., chronic lung disease and C. hepatica infection of the liver) rather than undertaking a systematic histologic evaluation of major organ systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathology of wild Norway rats in Vancouver, Canada

et al. 2019

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To achieve a contemporary understanding of the common and rare lesions that affect wild, urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), we conducted a detailed pathology analysis of 672 rats from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Grossly evident lesions, such as wounds, abscesses, and neoplasms, were present in 71 of 672 rats (11%) and tended to be severe. The most common and significant lesions were infectious and inflammatory, most often affecting the respiratory tract and associated with bite wounds. We assessed a subset of rats (up to n = 406 per tissue) for the presence of microscopic lesions in a variety of organ systems. The most frequent lesions that could impact individual rat health included cardiomyopathy (128 of 406; 32%), chronic respiratory tract infections as indicated by pulmonary inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (270 of 403; 67%), tracheitis (192 of 372; 52%), and thyroid follicular hyperplasia (142 of 279; 51%). We isolated 21 bacterial species from purulent lesions in rats with bacterial infections, the most frequent of which were Escherichia coli, Enterococcus sp., and Staphylococcus aureus. Parasitic diseases in rats resulted from infection with several invasive nematodes: Capillaria hepatica in the liver (242 of 672; 36%), Eucoleus sp. in the upper gastrointestinal tract (164 of 399; 41%), and Trichosomoides crassicauda in the urinary bladder (59 of 194; 30%). Neoplastic, congenital, and degenerative lesions were rare, which likely reflects their adverse effect on survival in the urban environment. Our results establish a baseline of expected lesions in wild urban rats, which may have implications for urban rat and zoonotic pathogen ecology, as well as rat control in cities worldwide.

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Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus infection in rats in New Zealand

Abstract: CAR bacillus infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis for pneumonia in rats in New Zealand.

Cited by 5 publications

References 7 publications

Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

A novel Filobacterium sp can cause chronic bronchitis in cats

Pathology of wild Norway rats in Vancouver, Canada

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