The Necrophagous Fly Anthrax Transmission Pathway: Empirical and Genetic Evidence from Wildlife Epizootics

Blackburn, Jason K.; Ert, Matthew Van; Mullins, J. Thomas; Hadfield, Ted L.; Hugh‐Jones, Martin

doi:10.1089/vbz.2013.1538

Cited by 51 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The ability of the bacteria to persist on the landscape is related to climatic and soil conditions (Van Ness , Hugh‐Jones and Blackburn ). When an animal dies from anthrax, spores from the carcass may contaminate the area leading to exposure or infection in susceptible hosts that interact with the site (Blackburn et al , Turner et al ). In geographic areas that support B. anthracis , it is possible to have a landscape with a widespread distribution of infectious sites that are potentially attractive to grazing species (Turner et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Elk resource selection and implications for anthrax management in Montana

Morris

Proffitt

Asher³

et al. 2015

J Wildl Manag

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Anthrax, caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is a zoonotic disease that affects humans and animals throughout the world. In North America, anthrax outbreaks occur in livestock and wildlife species. Vaccine administration in wildlife is untenable; the most effective form of management is surveillance and decontamination of carcasses. Successful management is critical because untreated carcasses can create infectious zones increasing risk for other susceptible hosts. We studied the bacterium in a re-emerging anthrax zone in southwest Montana. In 2008, a large anthraxepizootic primarily affected a domestic bison (Bison bison) herd and the male segment of a free-ranging elk (Cervus elaphus) herd in southwestern Montana. Following the outbreak, we initiated a telemetry study on elk to evaluate resource selection during the anthrax season to assist with anthrax management. We used a mixed effects generalized linear model (GLM) to estimate resource selection by male elk, and we mapped habitat preferences across the landscape. We overlaid preferred habitats on ecological niche model-based estimates of B. anthracis presence. We observed significant overlap between areas with a high predicted probability of male elk selection and B. anthracis potential. These potentially risky areas of elk and B. anthracis overlap were broadly spread over public and private lands. Future outbreaks in the region are probable, and this analysis identified the spatial extent of the risk area in the region, which can be used to prioritize anthrax surveillance.

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confidence: 99%

“…Recent anthrax outbreaks have been reported in free‐ranging plains bison ( Bison bison ; Shury et al ), white tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ; Blackburn and Goodin , Blackburn et al ), and elk ( Cervus elaphus ; Hugh‐Jones and Blackburn , Blackburn et al ) in North America. The outbreak in elk occurred in southwest Montana during summer 2008.…”

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confidence: 99%

Elk resource selection and implications for anthrax management in Montana

Morris

Proffitt

Asher³

et al. 2015

J Wildl Manag

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“…For example, moose cases have been associated with large bison outbreaks in Canada due to either moose contacting infectious bison carcass sites or widespread environmental contamination (Dragon et al 1999). There was also hypothesized spillover from a white-tailed deer outbreak in southwest Texas in 1997 to neighboring livestock populations (Hugh-Jones and De Vos 2002), which was confirmed in the region in 2009 and 2010 (Blackburn et al 2014c). The overlap between livestock and wildlife in potential anthrax risk zones on public and private lands suggests a multi-species outbreak affecting public and private land owners is plausible statewide.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, serological evidence confirms exposure may be frequent in wildlife populations with individuals surviving sub-lethal infections (Bagamian et al 2013). Exposure is most likely through ingestion during grazing or foraging (Turner et al 2013), including grazing at carcass sites of previous anthrax deaths (Turner et al 2014) with localized secondary cases from (short-term) mechanical transmission from necrophagous or hematophagous flies on certain landscapes (Blackburn et al 2014b; Blackburn et al 2014c). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Anthrax remains a problem for wildlife and livestock in many parts of North America (Blackburn et al 2007; Blackburn and Goodin 2013; Blackburn et al 2014c). Recent outbreaks have been reported in free ranging plains bison ( Bison bison ) in Canada (Shury, Frandsen and O’Brodovich 2009) and white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in west Texas (Blackburn and Goodin 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predicting Disease Risk, Identifying Stakeholders, and Informing Control Strategies: A Case Study of Anthrax in Montana

Morris

Blackburn

2016

EcoHealth

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Infectious diseases that affect wildlife and livestock are challenging to manage, and can lead to large scale die offs, economic losses, and threats to human health. The management of infectious diseases in wildlife and livestock is made easier with knowledge of disease risk across space and identifying stakeholders associated with high risk landscapes. This study focuses on anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, risk to wildlife and livestock in Montana. There is a history of anthrax in Montana, but the spatial extent of disease risk and subsequent wildlife species at risk are not known. Our objective was to predict the potential geographic distribution of anthrax risk across Montana, identify wildlife species at risk and their distributions, and define stakeholders. We used an ecological niche model to predict the potential distribution of anthrax risk. We overlaid susceptible wildlife species distributions and land ownership delineations on our risk map. We found that there was an extensive region across Montana predicted as potential anthrax risk. These potentially risky landscapes overlapped the ranges of all 6 ungulate species considered in the analysis and livestock grazing allotments, and this overlap was on public and private land for all species. Our findings suggest that there is the potential for a multi species anthrax outbreak on multiple landscapes across Montana. Our potential anthrax risk map can be used to prioritize landscapes for surveillance and for implementing livestock vaccination programs.

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