Epidemiologic Survey of Sylvatic Plague by Serotesting Coyote Sentinels With Enzyme Immunoassay

Willeberg, Preben; Ruppanner, R; Behymer, D. E.; Higa, Harry H.; Franti, Charles E.; Thompson, R. A.; Bohannan, Brendan J. M.

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112818

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The positive association between human cases and coyote seroprevalence rates was expected because coyotes prey upon plague-susceptible rodents over large areas and typically survive the infection and seroconvert (Archibald and Kunitz 1971, Willeberg et al 1979, Gage et al 1994. It is assumed that passive coyote sampling may detect less noticeable rodent epizootics, which pose a risk to humans from infectious flea bites encountered while outside or brought to the home by their companion animals (Eidson et al 1988, Gould et al 2008.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, coyotes and other carnivores are potential sentinels of increases in plague activity because of their contact with potentially infectious small mammals and because they often survive plague infection and seroconvert (Archibald and Kunitz 1971, Willeberg et al 1979, Gage et al 1994, Salkeld and Stapp 2006.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such data have been used to spatially delineate plague risk areas (Willeberg et al 1979, Barnes 1982. A recent study found 62.9% of positive coyote samples collected by passive surveillance to be within 1 km of human plague risk areas (Lowell et al 2009).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Annual Seroprevalence ofYersinia pestisin Coyotes as Predictors of Interannual Variation in Reports of Human Plague Cases in Arizona, United States

Brown

Levy

Enscore

et al. 2011

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Although several health departments collect coyote blood samples for plague surveillance, the association between reported human cases and coyote seroprevalence rates remains anecdotal. Using data from an endemic region of the United States, we sought to quantify this association. From 1974 to 1998, about 2,276 coyote blood samples from four Arizona counties were tested for serological evidence of exposure to Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague. Using a titer threshold presumed to be indicative of recent infection (serum titers of q1:256), we found a statistically significant relationship between years with > 17% sero-positive coyotes and years with two or more human cases reported. Moreover, when the annual coyote seroprevalence rates were dichotomized at 17%, 84% of the years were correctly classified using four biologically relevant meteorological variables in a linear regression. This is the first time a statistically significant temporal association between human plague cases and coyote seroprevalence rates has been shown. However, issues with data resolution and surveillance effort that potentially limit the public health utility of using coyote seroprevalence rates are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Annual Seroprevalence ofYersinia pestisin Coyotes as Predictors of Interannual Variation in Reports of Human Plague Cases in Arizona, United States

Brown

Levy

Enscore

et al. 2011

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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“…We tested sera and blood samples on paper strips (Wolff and Hudson 1974) from coyotes and badgers (Taxidea taxus) for anti-F1 antibodies, diagnostic for exposure to Y. pestis, using passive hemagglutination (World Health Organization 1970) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) (Cavanaugh et al 1979, Willeberg et al 1979). Our samples were analyzed at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Fort Collins, CO, and the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Laramie, WY.…”

Section: Plague Surveillancementioning

confidence: 99%

Enzootic Plague Reduces Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) Survival in Montana

Matchett

Biggins

Carlson

et al. 2010

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

113

134

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Black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) require extensive prairie dog colonies (Cynomys spp.) to provide habitat and prey. Epizootic plague kills both prairie dogs and ferrets and is a major factor limiting recovery of the highly endangered ferret. In addition to epizootics, we hypothesized that enzootic plague, that is, presence of disease-causing Yersinia pestis without any noticeable prairie dog die off, may also affect ferret survival. We reduced risk of plague on portions of two ferret reintroduction areas by conducting flea control for 3 years. Beginning in 2004, about half of the ferrets residing on dusted and nondusted colonies were vaccinated against plague with an experimental vaccine (F1-V fusion protein). We evaluated 6-month reencounter rates (percentage of animals observed at the end of an interval that were known alive at the beginning of the interval), an index to survival, for ferrets in four treatment groups involving all combinations of vaccination and flea control. For captive-reared ferrets (115 individuals observed across 156 time intervals), reencounter rates were higher for vaccinates (0.44) than for nonvaccinates (0.23, p = 0.044) on colonies without flea control, but vaccination had no detectable effect on colonies with flea control (vaccinates = 0.41, nonvaccinates = 0.42, p = 0.754). Flea control resulted in higher reencounter rates for nonvaccinates (p = 0.026), but not for vaccinates (p = 0.508). The enhancement of survival due to vaccination or flea control supports the hypothesis that enzootic plague reduces ferret survival, even when there was no noticeable decline in prairie dog abundance. The collective effects of vaccination and flea control compel a conclusion that fleas are required for maintenance, and probably transmission, of plague at enzootic levels. Other studies have demonstrated similar effects of flea control on several species of prairie dogs and, when combined with this study, suggest that the effects of enzootic plague are widespread. Finally, we demonstrated that the experimental F1-V fusion protein vaccine provides protection to ferrets in the wild.

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“…However, coyotes do develop antibodies that can last up to 6 mo or more making them an excellent sentinel species for plague (Barnes, 1982). Serologic testing of these carnivores can help establish the presence of plague among local rodent populations (Willeberg et al, 1979;Thomas and Hughes, 1992).…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Serologic Survey for Diseases in Free-Ranging Coyotes (Canis latrans) from Two Ecologically Distinct Areas of Utah

Arjo¹,

Gese

Bromley

et al. 2003

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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The influence of habitat and associated prey assemblages on the prevalence of canine diseases in coyotes (Canis latrans) has received scant attention. From December 1997 through December 1999, we captured 67 coyotes in two ecologically distinct areas of Utah (USA): Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch and US Army Dugway Proving Ground. These areas differ in habitat and prey base. We collected blood samples and tested for evidence of various canine diseases. Prevalence of antibodies against canine parvovirus (CPV) was 100% in the Deseret population and 93% in the Dugway population. All juveniles in both populations had been exposed. We found no difference in the prevalence of antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV) between the two populations (7% versus 12%; Pϭ0.50). However, we did find an increase in antibodies with age in the Deseret population (Pϭ0.03). Evidence of exposure to canine adenovirus (CAV) was found in both populations (52% and 72%; Pϭ0.08). Prevalence of CAV antibodies was influenced by age on both areas (Deseret: Pϭ0.003; Dugway: Pϭ0.004). Antibodies to Francisella tularensis were low on both areas (2% and 4%). We found a significant difference (Pϭ0.001) in the prevalence of exposure to Yersinia pestis between the two populations: 73% in Deseret compared to 11% in Dugway. This difference is most likely due to the prey species available in the two ecologically distinct study areas.

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Epidemiologic Survey of Sylvatic Plague by Serotesting Coyote Sentinels With Enzyme Immunoassay

Cited by 18 publications

References 8 publications

Annual Seroprevalence ofYersinia pestisin Coyotes as Predictors of Interannual Variation in Reports of Human Plague Cases in Arizona, United States

Annual Seroprevalence ofYersinia pestisin Coyotes as Predictors of Interannual Variation in Reports of Human Plague Cases in Arizona, United States

Enzootic Plague Reduces Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) Survival in Montana

Serologic Survey for Diseases in Free-Ranging Coyotes (Canis latrans) from Two Ecologically Distinct Areas of Utah

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