Babesia odocoilei as a cause of mortality in captive cervids in Canada

Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) housed in zoological institutions located in southern Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Canada between 2013 and 2016. All animals died of a hemolytic crisis. Frequent...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mathieu, Amélie, Pastor, Adriana R., Berkvens, Charlene N., Gara-Boivin, Carolyn, Hébert, Michel, Léveillé, Alexandre N., Barta, John R., Smith, Dale A.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Canadian Veterinary Medical Association 2018
Subjects:
Scientific
Canada
Rangifer tarandus
Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731394/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29302103
Description
Summary:Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) housed in zoological institutions located in southern Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Canada between 2013 and 2016. All animals died of a hemolytic crisis. Frequent postmortem findings were extensive hemorrhage, pigmenturia, and intrahepatic cholestasis. The described ante- and postmortem signs are consistent with those of previously reported cases in the United States. Diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by polymerase chain reaction performed on DNA extracted from whole blood or frozen spleen. We propose that babesiosis is an emerging disease of cervids in multiple Canadian provinces, most likely as a result of climate change and the northward range expansion of Ixodes scapularis, the primary tick vector for B. odocoilei. The role of captive animals as sentinels for wildlife health is also highlighted.

Similar Items