Intracranial Abscessation as a Natural Mortality Factor for Adult Male White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) in Kent County, Maryland, USA

Abstract

Intracranial abscessation is a cause of natural mortality among free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) across portions of the United States and Canada. Intracranial abscesses caused by Arcanobacterium pyogenes disproportionately affect adult male white-tailed deer. From 2003-08, we evaluated the occurrence of intracranial abscessation among adult (> or = 2.5 yr) radiocollared male white-tailed deer (n=33) at a large private property in Kent County, Maryland, USA. We documented mortality and necropsied 26 (79%) of the 33 deer. In 2007, we collected swabs from the antler bases and nasopharyngeal membranes of living male white-tailed deer in Maryland, USA (n=9), and Texas, USA (n=10), and from freshly rubbed (n=7) and unrubbed (n=7) trees in Maryland, USA. Swabs were cultured for the presence or absence of A. pyogenes. In Maryland, USA, nine (35%) of the 26 necropsied radiocollared male deer had intracranial abscesses. Five (56%) of nine Maryland, USA, males, and none (0%) of 10 Texas, USA, males cultured positive for A. pyogenes. No rubbed or unrubbed trees at the Maryland site cultured positive for A. pyogenes. The rate of intracranial abscess among adult male white-tailed deer at the Maryland, USA, site (35%) exceeds reported rates for other regions of the United States (9%).

EPIZOOTIOLOGY OF CRANIAL ABSCESS DISEASE IN WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS) OF GEORGIA, USA

“…Intracranial abscesses disproportionately affect adult ($3.5 yr old) male white-tailed deer, accounting for approximately 9% of natural mortality compared to ,1% of natural mortality in juvenile or female deer (Davidson et al 1990;Baumann et al 2001). However, some geographically limited studies have reported up to 35% of natural mortality in adult males due to intracranial abscesses (Karns et al 2009). …”

“…Neither the route of T. pyogenes transmission nor the infective mechanism is fully understood, although it is generally assumed the bacterium can be spread environmentally and through contact with other animals (Jost and Billington 2005). Karns et al (2009) examined if T. pyogenes could be transmitted among deer through scent-marking trees during the breeding season; however, they were unable to culture T. pyogenes from marked trees in an area where 18 of 22 male deer harbored T. pyogenes on the forehead (Karns et al 2009;Turner et al 2013). Although no studies have examined landscape-related features in relation to T. pyogenes transmission or disease incidence in wildlife, research in cattle has suggested populations of T. pyogenes and similar suppurative opportunistic pathogens are influenced by bedding soil type (Zdanowicz et al 2004;Ericsson Unnerstad et al 2009).…”

Habitat, wildlife, and one health:Arcanobacterium pyogenesin Maryland and Upper Eastern Shore white-tailed deer populations

“…IASM has been associated with high losses on the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland, where it was pinpointed as the cause of nearly 35% of annual mortality among mature males (18). Skulls of animals affected by IASM are characterized by erosion and pitting of bones, and the frequent occurrence of fluid - filled nodules beneath the antler pedicle, lesions that are not readily appreciated in living deer (Fig.…”

Antimicrobial susceptibility ofArcanobacterium pyogenesisolated from the lungs of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with pneumonia

“…11,12,17 Arcanobacterium pyogenes (formerly Actinomyces pyogenes and Corynebacterium pyogenes) is a Gram-positive, nonmotile, facultatively anaerobic, pleomorphic bacterium. 23,26,27 It is a common inhabitant of the mucous membranes as well 416618X XXXXX10.1177/1040638711416618Tell et alAntimicrobial susceptibility of Arcanobacterium pyogenes *References 2, 5-9, 13,15,16,22,24,25,28,32 Despite its importance as a cause of fatal pneumonia, antimicrobial susceptibility of A. pyogenes isolated from the lungs of white-tailed deer has not previously been investigated. One study has looked into antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of A. pyogenes isolated from white-tailed deer with necrobacillosis; however, none of the A. pyogenes strains included in the study originated from the lungs.…”