Spatio-temporal patterns of an anthrax outbreak in white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginanus, and associated genetic diversity of Bacillus anthracis

BMC Ecology

Research Article

Mikeljon P. Nikolich¹  Martin E. Hugh-Jones²  Matthew Van Ert³  Jason K. Blackburn³  Jocelyn C. Mullins³  Ted Hadfield⁴ 

[1] Department of Emerging Bacterial Infections, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA;Department of Environmental Sciences, School of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA;Department of Geography, Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA;Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA;Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA;

关键词: Bacillus anthracis;    Anthrax;    Wildlife;    Genetic diversity;    Outbreak;    Transmission;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12898-015-0054-8

 received in 2015-04-03, accepted in 2015-11-19,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAnthrax, a soil-borne zoonosis caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is enzootic in areas of North America with frequent outbreaks in west Texas. Despite a long history of study, pathogen transmission during natural outbreaks remains poorly understood. Here we combined case-level spatio-temporal analysis and high resolution genotyping to investigate anthrax transmission dynamics. Carcass locations from a single white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginanus, outbreak were analyzed for spatial clustering using K-function analysis and directionality with trend surface analysis and the direction test.ResultsThe directionalities were compared to results of high resolution genotyping. The results of the spatial clustering analyses, combined with deer movement data, suggest anthrax transmission events occur within limited spatial areas, with carcass locations occurring within the activity space of adjacent cases. The directionality of the outbreak paralleled adjacent dry river beds. Isolates from the outbreak were represented by a single genotype based on multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA); four sub-genotypes were identified using single nucleotide repeat (SNR) analysis.ConclusionsAreas of high transmission agreed spatially with areas of higher SNR genetic diversity; however, SNRs did not provide clear evidence of linear transmission. Overlap of case home ranges provides spatial and temporal support for localized transmission, which may include the role of necrophagous or hematophagous flies in outbreaks in this region. These results emphasize the need for active surveillance and prompt cleanup of anthrax carcasses to control anthrax both during outbreaks and between seasons.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Mullins et al. 2015