Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover
Free-ranging wildlife are increasingly recognized as potential reservoirs of disease-causing Campylobacter species such as C. jejuni and C. coli. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), which live at the interface of rural, urban, and more natural environments, are ideal subjects for exploring the potential role...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00027/full |
| _version_ | 1811270812713353216 |
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| author | Steven K. Mutschall Benjamin M. Hetman Kristin J. Bondo Victor P. J. Gannon Claire M. Jardine Claire M. Jardine Eduardo N. Taboada |
| author_facet | Steven K. Mutschall Benjamin M. Hetman Kristin J. Bondo Victor P. J. Gannon Claire M. Jardine Claire M. Jardine Eduardo N. Taboada |
| author_sort | Steven K. Mutschall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Free-ranging wildlife are increasingly recognized as potential reservoirs of disease-causing Campylobacter species such as C. jejuni and C. coli. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), which live at the interface of rural, urban, and more natural environments, are ideal subjects for exploring the potential role that wildlife play in the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis. We studied the prevalence and genetic diversity of Campylobacter from live-captured raccoons on five swine farms and five conservation areas in southwest Ontario. From 2011 to 2013, we collected fecal swabs (n = 1,096) from raccoons, and (n = 50) manure pit samples from the swine farm environment. We subtyped the resulting Campylobacter isolates (n = 581) using Comparative Genomic Fingerprinting (CGF) and 114 distinct subtypes were observed, including 96 and 18 subtypes among raccoon and manure pit isolates, respectively. Campylobacter prevalence in raccoons was 46.3%, with 98.7% of isolates recovered identified as C. jejuni. Novel raccoon-specific CGF subtypes (n = 40/96) accounted for 24.6% (n = 143/581) of Campylobacter isolates collected in this study. Our results also show that C. jejuni is readily acquired and lost in this wild raccoon population and that a high Campylobacter prevalence is observed despite transient carriage typically lasting 30 days or fewer. Moreover, although raccoons appeared to be colonized by species-adapted subtypes, they also harbored agriculture-associated genotypes that accounted for the majority of isolates observed (66.4%) and that are strongly associated with human infections. This suggests that raccoons may act as vectors in the transmission of clinically-relevant C. jejuni subtypes at the interface of rural, urban, and more natural environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:08:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9fcfbe8c0def48e0ac3cdcb643c8f460 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:08:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9fcfbe8c0def48e0ac3cdcb643c8f4602022-12-22T03:14:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692020-02-01710.3389/fvets.2020.00027514756Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype TurnoverSteven K. Mutschall0Benjamin M. Hetman1Kristin J. Bondo2Victor P. J. Gannon3Claire M. Jardine4Claire M. Jardine5Eduardo N. Taboada6National Centre for Animal Diseases, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB, CanadaDepartment of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, CanadaDepartment of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, CanadaNational Microbiology Laboratory at Lethbridge, Public Health Agency of Canada, Lethbridge, AB, CanadaDepartment of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, CanadaCanadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, CanadaNational Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaFree-ranging wildlife are increasingly recognized as potential reservoirs of disease-causing Campylobacter species such as C. jejuni and C. coli. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), which live at the interface of rural, urban, and more natural environments, are ideal subjects for exploring the potential role that wildlife play in the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis. We studied the prevalence and genetic diversity of Campylobacter from live-captured raccoons on five swine farms and five conservation areas in southwest Ontario. From 2011 to 2013, we collected fecal swabs (n = 1,096) from raccoons, and (n = 50) manure pit samples from the swine farm environment. We subtyped the resulting Campylobacter isolates (n = 581) using Comparative Genomic Fingerprinting (CGF) and 114 distinct subtypes were observed, including 96 and 18 subtypes among raccoon and manure pit isolates, respectively. Campylobacter prevalence in raccoons was 46.3%, with 98.7% of isolates recovered identified as C. jejuni. Novel raccoon-specific CGF subtypes (n = 40/96) accounted for 24.6% (n = 143/581) of Campylobacter isolates collected in this study. Our results also show that C. jejuni is readily acquired and lost in this wild raccoon population and that a high Campylobacter prevalence is observed despite transient carriage typically lasting 30 days or fewer. Moreover, although raccoons appeared to be colonized by species-adapted subtypes, they also harbored agriculture-associated genotypes that accounted for the majority of isolates observed (66.4%) and that are strongly associated with human infections. This suggests that raccoons may act as vectors in the transmission of clinically-relevant C. jejuni subtypes at the interface of rural, urban, and more natural environments.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00027/fullCampylobacterlongitudinal surveillancemolecular subtypingProcyon lotorraccoonzoonoses |
| spellingShingle | Steven K. Mutschall Benjamin M. Hetman Kristin J. Bondo Victor P. J. Gannon Claire M. Jardine Claire M. Jardine Eduardo N. Taboada Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover Frontiers in Veterinary Science Campylobacter longitudinal surveillance molecular subtyping Procyon lotor raccoon zoonoses |
| title | Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover |
| title_full | Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover |
| title_fullStr | Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover |
| title_full_unstemmed | Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover |
| title_short | Campylobacter jejuni Strain Dynamics in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Population in Southern Ontario, Canada: High Prevalence and Rapid Subtype Turnover |
| title_sort | campylobacter jejuni strain dynamics in a raccoon procyon lotor population in southern ontario canada high prevalence and rapid subtype turnover |
| topic | Campylobacter longitudinal surveillance molecular subtyping Procyon lotor raccoon zoonoses |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2020.00027/full |
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