Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population
Infectious pneumonia associated with the bacterial pathogen <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> is an impediment to bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis</i>) population recovery throughout western North America, yet the full range of <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> virulence in...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| 丛编: | Animals |
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| 在线阅读: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/8/1029 |
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| author | Brianna M. Johnson Janice Stroud-Settles Annette Roug Kezia Manlove |
| author_facet | Brianna M. Johnson Janice Stroud-Settles Annette Roug Kezia Manlove |
| author_sort | Brianna M. Johnson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Infectious pneumonia associated with the bacterial pathogen <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> is an impediment to bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis</i>) population recovery throughout western North America, yet the full range of <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> virulence in bighorn sheep is not well-understood. Here, we present data from an <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> introduction event in the Zion desert bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis nelsoni</i>) population in southern Utah. The ensuing disease event exhibited epidemiology distinct from what has been reported elsewhere, with virtually no mortality (0 adult mortalities among 70 animals tracked over 118 animal-years; 1 lamb mortality among 40 lambs tracked through weaning in the two summers following introduction; and lamb:ewe ratios of 34.9:100 in the year immediately after introduction and 49.4:100 in the second year after introduction). Individual-level immune responses were lower than expected, and <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> appeared to fade out approximately 1.5 to 2 years after introduction. Several mechanisms could explain the limited burden of this <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> event. First, most work on <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> has centered on Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (<i>O. c. candensis</i>), but the Zion bighorns are members of the desert subspecies (<i>O. c. nelsoni</i>). Second, the particular <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> strain involved comes from a clade of strains associated with weaker demographic responses in other settings. Third, the substructuring of the Zion population may have made this population more resilient to disease invasion and persistence. The limited burden of the disease event on the Zion bighorn population underscores a broader point in wildlife disease ecology: that one size may not fit all events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:15:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0a09344cbe9345298b61d97fd8be2170 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:15:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a09344cbe9345298b61d97fd8be21702023-12-01T00:31:11ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-04-01128102910.3390/ani12081029Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep PopulationBrianna M. Johnson0Janice Stroud-Settles1Annette Roug2Kezia Manlove3Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USAZion National Park, SR 9, 1 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT 84767, USAUtah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1594 W North Temple Avenue, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, USADepartment of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USAInfectious pneumonia associated with the bacterial pathogen <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> is an impediment to bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis</i>) population recovery throughout western North America, yet the full range of <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> virulence in bighorn sheep is not well-understood. Here, we present data from an <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> introduction event in the Zion desert bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis nelsoni</i>) population in southern Utah. The ensuing disease event exhibited epidemiology distinct from what has been reported elsewhere, with virtually no mortality (0 adult mortalities among 70 animals tracked over 118 animal-years; 1 lamb mortality among 40 lambs tracked through weaning in the two summers following introduction; and lamb:ewe ratios of 34.9:100 in the year immediately after introduction and 49.4:100 in the second year after introduction). Individual-level immune responses were lower than expected, and <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> appeared to fade out approximately 1.5 to 2 years after introduction. Several mechanisms could explain the limited burden of this <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> event. First, most work on <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> has centered on Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (<i>O. c. candensis</i>), but the Zion bighorns are members of the desert subspecies (<i>O. c. nelsoni</i>). Second, the particular <i>M. ovipneumoniae</i> strain involved comes from a clade of strains associated with weaker demographic responses in other settings. Third, the substructuring of the Zion population may have made this population more resilient to disease invasion and persistence. The limited burden of the disease event on the Zion bighorn population underscores a broader point in wildlife disease ecology: that one size may not fit all events.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/8/1029bighorn sheep<i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i>disease ecologywildlife diseasestrain virulenceserology |
| spellingShingle | Brianna M. Johnson Janice Stroud-Settles Annette Roug Kezia Manlove Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population Animals bighorn sheep <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> disease ecology wildlife disease strain virulence serology |
| title | Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population |
| title_full | Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population |
| title_fullStr | Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population |
| title_short | Disease Ecology of a Low-Virulence <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> Strain in a Free-Ranging Desert Bighorn Sheep Population |
| title_sort | disease ecology of a low virulence i mycoplasma ovipneumoniae i strain in a free ranging desert bighorn sheep population |
| topic | bighorn sheep <i>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</i> disease ecology wildlife disease strain virulence serology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/8/1029 |
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