Thomas M. Craig

Distribution and characterization of canine Chagas disease in Texas.

Although acute and chronic cases of canine Chagas disease have been reported from multiple areas in the southern region of the United States, little data are available on current disease occurrence patterns in endemic areas. Therefore, a study to assess frequency, geographic distribution, signalment, and clinical spectrum of Chagas disease in domestic dogs from Texas was conducted. Serology, histopathology, and clinical case records from multiple institutions for the time period 1993-2007 were analyzed. A total of 537 serologically and/or histopathologically confirmed cases were documented. Cases were reported from 48 of 254 counties within Texas, covering all major geographic regions. Forty-eight dog breeds were represented among the cases, primarily in the sporting and working groups. In histopathologically confirmed cases, acute death occurred in 42%, approximately half of which were <1 year of age. Nearly all cases with histopathology data reported myocarditis (97.9%) and observation of Trypanosoma cruzi organisms (81.7%). Predominant clinical observations included enlarged heart, lethargy, anorexia, ascites, cardiac conduction disturbances, and respiratory difficulties. An increasing rate of serologic test submissions was noted over the study period, with an overall positive test prevalence of 20.3%. The study results provide strong evidence that an active canine Chagas disease transmission cycle is present throughout all ecoregions of Texas, affecting a broad range of dog breeds and age groups.

Efficacy of moxidecticn against an ivermectin-resistant strain of Haemonchus contortus in sheep

The efficacy of moxidectin was determined against ivermectin-susceptible and resistant strains of Haemonchus contortus. At the onset of the trial, 40 lambs were each infected with 5000 third stage larvae of one of two strains of Haemonchus contortus. The lambs were randomly sorted into eight treatment groups 28 days post-infection and were treated as follows: Group 1, susceptible strain with no treatment; Group 2, resistant strain with no treatment; Group 3, susceptible strain treated with 0.2 mg moxidectin kg-1 body weight; Group 4, resistant strain treated with 0.2 mg moxidectin kg-1; Group 5, resistant strain treated with 0.4 mg moxidectin kg-1; Group 6, susceptible strain treated with 0.2 mg ivermectin kg-1; Group 7, resistant strain treated with 0.4 mg ivermectin kg-1; Group 8, resistant strain treated with 0.8 mg ivermectin kg-1. The lambs were killed 1 week post-treatment. Comparisons were made among groups based on the number of eggs per gram of feces on the day of treatment and the numbers of worms recovered from each lamb. Both moxidectin and ivermectin were effective in removing susceptible Haemonchus with efficacies of 100% and 99.7%, respectively. The efficacy of moxidectin against the resistant strain was 99.9% and 100% at 0.2 mg kg-1 and 0.4 mg kg-1, respectively, whereas there were only 38.8% and 53.1% efficacies in the lambs treated with 0.4 mg ivermectin kg-1 and 0.8 mg kg-1 body weight, respectively.

Comparison of naturally acquired parasite burdens among Florida Native, Rambouillet and crossbreed ewes

The response to natural infection by gastrointestinal nematodes was evaluated in three groups of lambing mature ewes: 16 Florida Native; 21 Rambouillet; and 18 1/2 Florida Native x1/2 Rambouillet (F1 generation). Fecal egg counts (FEC), packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma protein levels were determined periodically through a one-year period. The highest FEC was recorded in Rambouillet ewes, with most of the means higher than 1000 eggs per gram (EPG). Florida Native and F1 ewes showed similar trends in FEC, with most of the means below 500 EPG. The highest mean PCV values were recorded in Florida Native ewes, followed in decreasing order by F1 and Rambouillet ewes. F1 ewes showed the lowest plasma protein levels and Florida Natives the highest. Fecal cultures revealed the highest percentages of Haemonchus larvae in Rambouillet ewes (>64%) and the lowest percentages in Florida Native ewes. Florida Native and F1 ewes were more resistant to gastrointestinal nematode infections than were Rambouillet ewes. High negative correlation coefficients between FEC x PCV and FEC x plasma protein levels coincided with peaks in mean FEC of Rambouillet (May and July), Florida Native and F1 ewes (October). This study showed that crossbreeding Rambouillet and Florida Native sheep resulted in the production of F1 ewes resistant against gastrointestinal nematode infections.

NEMATODE BURDENS AND CELLULAR RESPONSES IN THE ABOMASAL MUCOSA AND BLOOD OF FLORIDA NATIVE, RAMBOUILLET AND CROSSBREED LAMBS

This experiment was carried out to compare the worm burden and cellular responses in the abomasal mucosa and blood of Florida Native and Rambouillet lambs and also in animals produced by crosses of these two breeds (generations F1 and F2). Animals were exposed to infection by gastrointestinal nematodes on three different occasions. The first infection was natural, occurring while they were suckling lambs. After weaning, they were kept indoors for 53 days and then were allowed to graze a contaminated pasture for 50 days for a second natural infection. The third infection was an artificial challenge with 6000 Haemonchus contortus infective larvae. The highest mean fecal egg counts (FEC) values were found in Rambouillet lambs followed in decreasing order by F1, F2 and Florida Native lambs. Throughout the trial, most of the high mean packed cell volumes and plasma protein levels were recorded in the F2 lambs; in contrast, most of the low values were found in the Rambouillet lambs. During the natural infection period, the highest percentages of larvae in the fecal cultures of the lambs were Haemonchus. However, high percentages of Trichostrongylus larvae were found particularly in Florida Native lambs. The mean number of blood eosinophils increased after the artificial challenge, reached a peak 21 days after infection and then declined. The highest and lowest blood eosinophil means were recorded in F2 and Florida Native lambs, respectively. The H. contortus burden was significantly higher in Rambouillet and in F1 lambs than in Florida Native and F2 lambs (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were recorded among eosinophil, mast cell and globule leucocyte counts in the abomasal mucosa (p > 0.05). The highest correlation coefficient recorded at the end of this study was between FEC and worm burden (r = 0.7). These two parameters showed a moderate negative correlation with PCV, plasma protein and mast cell counts in the abomasal mucosa. The results obtained in this study indicate that crossbreeding Florida Native and Rambouillet sheep can be a rapid way to combine and improve the characteristics of these two breeds. The parasitological results were promising, however, more studies will be necessary to verify the impact of crossbreeding in other traits.

Ranch-management factors associated with antibody seropositivity for Neospora caninum in consignments of beef calves in Texas, USA.

A study was conducted with a 1998 retained-ownership population of Texas (USA) beef calves to determine the ranch-management practices associated with calf seroprevalence to Neospora caninum. Management practices of 76 Texas ranches that consigned 760 calves to a retained-ownership feedlot program were reviewed from a mailed questionnaire. Ninety-nine of 760 (13%; 95% CI, 9.4%, 17.7%) calves were positive to N. caninum and 59% of the ranches consigned at least one positive calf. In the logistic multiple-regression model which controlled for overdispersion, increased odds of calf-level seropositivity was associated with seasonal calving patterns, with stocking>1cow/calfunit/2.2ha, using a round-bale feeder, allowing wildlife access to the weaning supplement, and self-reared replacement heifers. However, decreased odds of seropositivity was associated with using a cattle-working dog and with using a self-contained cattle feeder. There was substantial overdispersion due to ranch.

Antigenic, phenotypic and molecular characterization confirms Babesia odocoilei isolated from three cervids.

Babesia isolates from an elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) and a caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) with fatal infections were compared to Babesia odocoilei (Engeling isolate) from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) by experimental infection, serologic, and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequence analysis studies. Both the indirect fluorescent antibody test and immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated antigenic variation among the isolates. Experimental infection studies showed no clinical differences among the isolates. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the elk and caribou Babesia sp. isolates possessed SSU rRNA genes with identical sequences to that of B. odocoilei. A phylogenetic tree constructed from SSU rRNA gene sequences shows that B. odocoilei is most closely related to Babesia divergens, both of which branch together in the true babesia clade.

Parasite diversity and anthelmintic resistance in two herds of horses.

Diversity of parasite populations was compared between two herds of horses, one a regularly treated herd the other a feral herd which has bad no anthelmintic treatment for at least 25 years. Eggs obtained from fecal samples of both herds were tested for anthelmintic resistance by use of an in-vitro larval hatch/development assay (LDA), DrenchRite. A fecal egg reduction test was also performed with the domesticated herd using fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate and ivermectin. Cyathostomes were the predominant group of worms present in both herds. Trichostrongylus axei was seen in both herds, but Strongylus equinus, Strongylus vulgaris, Gyalocephalus capitatus, Poteriostomum spp. and Strongyloides westeri were only found in the feral horses. Larvae of Strongylus edentatus were found in a single domesticated horse. Fecal egg reduction tests with the domesticated herd showed a 32% egg count reduction for fenbendazole, a 93% reduction with pyrantel, and a 99% reduction with ivermectin. From the LDA, anthelmintic resistance was evaluated by determining the resistance ratio of the domesticated herd compared with the feral herd. For benzimidazoles in the domesticated herd, 45% of the cyathostome population was 9.4 times more tolerant than the feral herds parasite population. The parasite population in the domesticated herd was 1.5 times more tolerant to Levamisole, and 1.7 times more tolerant to the benzimidazole/levamisole combination than the parasite population within the feral herd. 9% of the parasite population in the domesticated herd was 90 times more tolerant to avermectins than the feral herds parasite population, even though a subpopulation of worms in the feral herd were tolerant to low concentrations of avermectins despite never being previously exposed to this class of anthelmintic.

Hepatozoon sp. in Wild Carnivores in Texas

Twelve coyotes (Canis latrans), three bobcats (Lynx rufus) and six ocelots (Felis pardalis) from the Gulf Coast of Texas were infected with Hepatozoon sp. The geographic distribution of infected wild animals coincides with the highest prevalence of Hepatozoon canis infection in domestic dogs for which the wild species may act as a reservoir.

Experimental transmission of the texas strain of Hepatozoon canis

Nine dogs were fed Hepatozoon canis-exposed Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks; 6 showed clinical signs suggestive of canine hepatozoonosis, and the parasite was found in sections of muscle tissue from 2 of the dogs. Schizont-like cysts were found in the skeletal muscle of both infected dogs as were gametocytes in the circulating leucocytes. Periosteal new-bone lesions were seen in 1 dog. Attempts to infect a raccoon, 3 cats, 6 laboratory mice, and tick- or canine-cells in vitro, failed.

Naturally occurring hepatozoonosis in a coyote.

Schizonts of Hepatozoon sp. were found in the myocardium of an adult coyote (Canis latrans) collected from the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, Texas. This constitutes the first time hepatozoonosis has been recorded in Canidae in the Western Hemisphere.