Diversity, Co-Occurrence, and Nestedness Patterns of Sand Fly Species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Two Rural Areas of Western Panamá.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis transmission in the New World is observed in areas with rich sand fly species' faunas. The diversity and composition of sand fly species can change in response to seasonal weather and land use changes. Here, we present results from a two-year-long study where we collected, using Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light traps, sand flies from two rural areas, Las Pavas (LP) and Trinidad de las Minas (T) in western Panamá. Over 710 trap-nights, we collected 16,156 sand flies from 15 genera and 35 species. We identified 34 species in T, and the most abundant species collected was Nyssomyia trapidoi (Fairchild and Hertig, 1952) (n = 2278, 37%), followed by Psychodopygus panamensis (Shannon, 1926) (n = 1112, 18%), and Trichopygomyia triramula (Fairchild and Hertig, 1952) (n = 1063, 17%). In LP, we identified 26 species, and the most abundant species collected were Ty. triramula (n = 4729, 48%), and Ps. panamensis (n = 3444, 35%). We estimated a higher species' richness in T (Chao2 ± S.E.: 36.58 ± 3.84) than in LP (27.49 ± 2.28). In T, species' richness was significantly higher in the rainy season, but no seasonal differences were observed in LP. Species' assemblages were nested in the two areas. Phlebotomine sand fly species' abundance increased at the two sites during the rainy season. Our data suggest that seasonality is more important than land use as a factor driving sand fly species' diversity at the studied sites.

Pathologic findings and causes of death in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus stranded along the Georgia coast, USA (2007-2013).

Between 2007 and 2013, before the 2013 cetacean morbillivirus outbreak, 26 fresh bottlenose dolphin carcasses were necropsied on the coast of Georgia, USA. Here, we present the pathological and microbiological findings associated with their most likely causes of death. The primary cause of death was determined in 25 individuals and included systemic bacterial infection (n = 7), verminous and bacterial bronchopneumonia (n = 5), drowning/entanglement (n = 5), disseminated histoplasmosis (n = 1), intestinal intussusception (n = 1), vegetative endocarditis (n = 1), meningitis (n = 1), necrotizing dermatitis (n = 1), disseminated angiomatosis (n = 1), emaciation (n = 1) and stingray spine trauma (n = 1). Histiocytic and eosinophilic bronchopneumonia associated with Halocerchus sp. infection was observed in 69% of the animals (18/26) and eosinophilic gastritis due to Anisakidae nematodes was found in 36% of the examined stomachs (8/22). Moderate to severe eosinophilic pancreatitis with fibrosis was observed in 4 animals infected with Brachycladiidae trematodes. Proliferative and ulcerative lymphoplasmacytic dermatitis was found in 5 animals and was considered to contribute to deteriorated health status in 2 calves. Pulmonary and lymph node angiomatosis were observed in 15 and 10 animals, respectively. In at least 2 animals, the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the blubber exceeded 1500 µg g-1 of lipid. Bottlenose dolphins stranded on the Georgia coast have a wide range of inflammatory lesions associated with a variety of helminth, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. Some resident animals have also been exposed to high levels of PCB contamination, which could reduce host immunocompetence. Higher exposure to these or other pathogens could result in further decline in the health of resident and migrant dolphin populations in this region.

Histopathologic Changes, Ultrastructure, and Molecular Characterization of an Adenovirus in a Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis).

In this case report, we describe the pathologic changes and the ultrastructural and molecular characteristics of an adenovirus in a sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis) that presented with a history of sudden death. On histologic examination, there was multifocal hepatic and splenic necrosis. Within some hepatocytes and unidentified cells in the spleen, renal interstitial fibroblasts, and ovarian stroma were intranuclear amphophilic inclusion bodies. Electron microscopy of affected tissue showed intranuclear icosahedral viral particles with an inner capsid (29.2-33.8 nm in diameter) and an outer capsid (70.2-71.7 nm in diameter). Next-generation sequencing and BLAST analysis of complementary DNA synthesized from RNA extracted from formalin-fixed tissues showed an adenovirus, designated sun conure adenovirus (SCAdv). A DNA in situ hybridization (ISH) probe, constructed from the SCAdv and similar sequences from GenBank, was also positive in the intranuclear inclusion bodies, whereas standard ISH for psittacine adenovirus 1 was negative. These results show that ancillary diagnostic testing, such as next-generation sequencing, even using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, along with ISH, can be useful in identifying additional, unknown viruses that show similar pathology to commonly known viruses but do not show up as positive on routine diagnostic tests.

Reporte de caso- Cambios histopatológicos, ultraestructura y caracterización molecular de un adenovirus en una cotorra solar (Aratinga solstitialis). En este reporte de caso, se describen los cambios patológicos y las características ultraestructurales y moleculares de un adenovirus en una cotorra solar (Aratinga solstitialis) que se presentó con un historial de muerte súbita. En el examen histológico, hubo necrosis hepática y esplénica multifocal. Dentro de algunos hepatocitos y células no identificadas en el bazo, los fibroblastos intersticiales renales y en el estroma ovárico se encontraron cuerpos de inclusión anfofílicos intranucleares. La microscopía electrónica del tejido afectado mostró partículas víricas intranucleares icosaédricas con una cápside interna (de 29.2 a 33.8 nm de diámetro) y una cápside externa (de 70.2 a 71.7 nm de diámetro). Mediante el análisis de secuenciación de segunda generación y por la Herramienta de Búsqueda de Alineaciones Local Básica (con siglas en inglés BLAST) del ADN complementario sintetizado a partir de ARN extraído de tejidos fijados con formalina mostraron un adenovirus, denominado adenovirus de cotorra solar (SCAdv). Se construyó una sonda de ADN para hibridación in situ (ISH), a partir de la secuencia del virus SCAdv y de secuencias similares de GenBank, que generó reacción positiva en los cuerpos de inclusión intranucleares, mientras que la hibridación in situ estándar para el adenovirus I de psitácidos fue negativa. Estos resultados muestran que las pruebas de diagnóstico complementarias, como la secuenciación de segunda generación, utilizando tejidos fijados con formalina e incluidos en parafina junto con la hibridación in situ pueden ser útiles para identificar virus adicionales desconocidos que muestran una patología similar a los virus comúnmente conocidos, pero que no se detectan con las pruebas diagnósticas de rutina.

Pathological Findings in Wild Rats (Rattus rattus) Captured at Guafo Island, Northern Chilean Patagonia.

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is an invasive species and potential reservoir of significant pathogens of man, domestic animals and wildlife. During the 2012-2014 austral summers, 201 black rats were captured and examined on the uninhabited Guafo Island, in Northern Chilean Patagonia (43.593029°S, 74.713481°W). The mite Ornithonyssus bacoti caused lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic dermatitis in all infected rats (105/210, 52%), but no skin lesions were observed in rats infected with Nosopsyllus spp. and Plocopsylla spp. fleas. Eighty-eight rats (44%) had mild lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic enterocolitis and 61 of these rats were infected with the nematode Heterakis spumosa. In the liver, 63 animals (31%) had areas of necrosis with histiocytic and eosinophilic inflammation associated with multiple Calodium hepaticum eggs, and in 15 cases there was co-infection with several Taenia taeniaeformis strobilocerci. Mild interstitial lymphoplasmacytic sialadenitis with intranuclear inclusion bodies, suggesting cytomegalovirus infection, was observed in 28 rats (15%). In the lung, alveolar histiocytosis (69 rats, 34%) and perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates (46 rats, 23%) were the most common findings. There was mild to moderate lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis in 52 rats (26%) and in 15% of these cases Leptospira spp. antigen was detected in the distal renal tubules. Some of the diseases of black rats on Guafo Island are likely to play a role in rat population dynamics. The endemic Guafo Island long-clawed mole mouse (Geoxus lafkenche), sea lions and fur seals may be at risk for infection by some of these rat pathogens.

Prevalence of trypanosome infections in dogs from Chagas disease endemic regions in Panama, Central America.

The prevalence of canine trypanosomosis was investigated in two Chagas disease endemic rural communities located in the central region of Panama. Serologic tests for Trypanosoma cruzi infection revealed a prevalence of 11.1%. Hemocultures coupled with PCR analysis demonstrated a Trypanosoma rangeli infection rate of 5.1%. An overall trypanosome infection index of 16.2% (16/99) was detected in this canine population. One dog had a mixed infection of T. cruzi and T. rangeli. Six of the trypanosome-infected dogs belong to people who were diagnosed of Chagas disease. We conclude that dogs from this rural area of Panama are frequently infected with trypanosomes transmitted by the sylvatic vector, Rhodnius pallescens, and suggest that dogs are important in the peridomestic transmission cycle of trypanosomes as reservoirs and hosts. The epidemiological implications of these findings are discussed.

Wintering of neurotropic velogenic Newcastle disease virus and West Nile virus in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) from the Florida Keys.

During November 2002, six double-crested cormorants (DCCs; Phalacrocorax auritus) were found moribund in Big Pine Key, FL, exhibiting clinical signs indicative of neurologic disease. Postmortem diagnostic evaluations were performed on two adult birds. Virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was isolated from a cloacal swab from cormorant 1. West Nile virus (WNV) was isolated from the brain and lung of cormorant 2. Nucleotide sequence analysis of a portion of the fusion (F) protein gene of the NDV cormorant isolate revealed it shared a 100% deduced amino acid identity with only two viruses: the 1992 epizootic cormorant isolate from Minnesota and the 1992 turkey isolate from North Dakota. The epidemiologic significance of the recognition of virulent NDV on cormorant wintering grounds during a nonepizootic period, in addition to the potential implications of the concurrent isolation of NDV and WNV from cormorants, is discussed.

Effect of venipuncture sites on hematologic and clinical biochemical values in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii).

Paired blood samples were collected from the postoccipital venous plexus and jugular vein of desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) for hematologic and plasma biochemical analyses. Comparison of hematologic values revealed significantly (P < or = 0.05) lower PCV, RBC count, WBC count, and hemoglobin values for samples obtained from the occipital site. When comparisons were made between plasma biochemical values for the 2 sites, significant (P < or = 0.05) differences were measured for: glucose, potassium, chloride, uric acid, calcium, phosphorous, total protein, albumin, globulin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and total cholesterol. Significant differences between hematologic and plasma biochemical values from the occipital region samples vs jugular vein samples were attributed to hemodilution of the occipital region samples with extravascular fluid or lymph or both.