TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and risk factors associated with Sarcocystis neurona infections in opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from central California
AU - Rejmanek, Daniel
AU - Vanwormer, Elizabeth
AU - Miller, Melissa A.
AU - Mazet, Jonna A.K.
AU - Nichelason, Amy E.
AU - Melli, Ann C.
AU - Packham, Andrea E.
AU - Jessup, David A.
AU - Conrad, Patricia A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part through funding from the Moss Foundation , Morris Animal Foundation (grant # D06ZO-417 ), National Science Foundation (grant # 0525765 ), UC Davis Center for Equine Health , and The UC Davis Wildlife Health Center . We thank Amandeep Nandra and Michael Grigg for sharing unpublished reagents and for their assistance in developing the nested primers across the ITS1 region. For land use and trapping permission we thank the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and California State Parks. For assistance with carcass recovery and necropsy we thank the staff of the California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center and for carcass donation we thank the Monterey SPCA.
PY - 2009/12/3
Y1 - 2009/12/3
N2 - Sarcocystis neurona, a protozoal parasite shed by opossums (Didelphis virginiana), has been shown to cause significant morbidity and mortality in horses, sea otters, and other marine mammals. Over the course of 3 years (fall 2005-summer 2008), opossums from central California were tested for infection with S. neurona. Of 288 opossums sampled, 17 (5.9%) were infected with S. neurona based on the molecular characterization of sporocysts from intestinal scrapings or feces. Risk factors evaluated for association with S. neurona infection in opossums included: age, sex, location, season, presence of pouch young in females, concomitant infection, and sampling method (live-trapped or traffic-killed). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that opossums in the Central Valley were 9 times more likely to be infected than those near the coast (p = 0.009). Similarly, opossum infection was 5 times more likely to be detected during the reproductive season (March-July; p = 0.013). This first investigation of S. neurona infection prevalence and associated risk factors in opossums in the western United States can be used to develop management strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of S. neurona infections in susceptible hosts, including horses and threatened California sea otters (Enhydra lutris neries).
AB - Sarcocystis neurona, a protozoal parasite shed by opossums (Didelphis virginiana), has been shown to cause significant morbidity and mortality in horses, sea otters, and other marine mammals. Over the course of 3 years (fall 2005-summer 2008), opossums from central California were tested for infection with S. neurona. Of 288 opossums sampled, 17 (5.9%) were infected with S. neurona based on the molecular characterization of sporocysts from intestinal scrapings or feces. Risk factors evaluated for association with S. neurona infection in opossums included: age, sex, location, season, presence of pouch young in females, concomitant infection, and sampling method (live-trapped or traffic-killed). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that opossums in the Central Valley were 9 times more likely to be infected than those near the coast (p = 0.009). Similarly, opossum infection was 5 times more likely to be detected during the reproductive season (March-July; p = 0.013). This first investigation of S. neurona infection prevalence and associated risk factors in opossums in the western United States can be used to develop management strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of S. neurona infections in susceptible hosts, including horses and threatened California sea otters (Enhydra lutris neries).
KW - California
KW - Didelphis virginiana
KW - Opossum
KW - Prevalence
KW - Risk factors
KW - Sarcocystis neurona
KW - Sporocysts
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U2 - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.08.013
DO - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.08.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 19735983
AN - SCOPUS:70350212790
SN - 0304-4017
VL - 166
SP - 8
EP - 14
JO - Veterinary Parasitology
JF - Veterinary Parasitology
IS - 1-2
ER -