Zinck Christopher B, Priest Jenna M, Shutler Dave, Boudreau Michael, Lloyd Vett K
Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, 63B York Street, Sackville, New Brunswick, E4L 1G7, Canada.
Department of Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B4, Canada.
J Wildl Dis. 2021 Jul 1;57(3):678-682. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-20-00188.
Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia miyamotoi are tickborne zoonotic pathogens in Canada. Both bacteria are vectored by ticks, Ixodes scapularis in Atlantic Canada, but require wildlife reservoir species to maintain the bacteria for retransmission to future generations of ticks. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are opportunistic feeders, resulting in frequent contact with other animals and with ticks. Because coyotes are closely related to domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), it is probable that coyote susceptibility to Borrelia infection is similar to that of dogs. We collected livers and kidneys of eastern coyotes from licensed harvesters in Nova Scotia, Canada, and tested them using nested PCR for the presence of B. burgdorferi, B. miyamotoi, and Dirofilaria immitis. Blood obtained from coyote livers was also tested serologically for antibodies to B. burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and D. immitis. Borrelia burgdorferi and D. immitis were detected by both nested PCR and serology tests. Seroreactivity to A. phagocytophilum was also found. Borrelia miyamotoi and E. canis were not detected. Our results show that coyotes in Nova Scotia have been exposed to a number of vectorborne pathogens.
伯氏疏螺旋体和宫本疏螺旋体是加拿大的蜱传人畜共患病原体。这两种细菌均由蜱传播，在加拿大大西洋地区是肩突硬蜱，但需要野生动物宿主物种来维持细菌种群，以便将其再次传播给后代蜱虫。郊狼（犬属）是机会主义觅食者，因此经常与其他动物和蜱虫接触。由于郊狼与家犬（家犬）亲缘关系密切，郊狼对疏螺旋体感染的易感性可能与犬类相似。我们从加拿大新斯科舍省有执照的捕猎者那里收集了东部郊狼的肝脏和肾脏，并使用巢式PCR检测其中是否存在伯氏疏螺旋体、宫本疏螺旋体和犬恶丝虫。还对从郊狼肝脏采集的血液进行了血清学检测，以检测其针对伯氏疏螺旋体、犬埃立克体、嗜吞噬细胞无形体和犬恶丝虫的抗体。通过巢式PCR和血清学检测均检测到了伯氏疏螺旋体和犬恶丝虫。还发现了对嗜吞噬细胞无形体的血清反应性。未检测到宫本疏螺旋体和犬埃立克体。我们的结果表明，新斯科舍省的郊狼接触过多种媒介传播的病原体。
