FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / A Pilot Serosurvey for Selected Pathogens in Feral Donkeys (...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(10); 1796; doi: 10.3390/ani10101796

A Pilot Serosurvey for Selected Pathogens in Feral Donkeys (Equus asinus).

Abstract: Recent removal and relocation of feral donkeys from vast public lands to more concentrated holding pens, training facilities, and offsite adoption locations raises several health and welfare concerns. Very little is known regarding the common equid pathogens that are circulating within the feral donkey population in and around Death Valley National Park, California, USA. The aim of this study was to utilize serologic assays to assess previous exposure of these donkeys to equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), equine influenza (EIV), West Nile virus (WNV), and (the causative agent of Lyme disease). The results of this study indicate that this feral equid population is mostly naïve and likely susceptible to these common equid pathogens upon removal from the wild.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2020-10-02 PubMed ID: 33023217PubMed Central: PMC7599684DOI: 10.3390/ani10101796Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article examines the presence of common equid pathogens in the feral donkey population in and around Death Valley National Park, California, USA, spurred by the growing concern for animal health due to their recent displacement. The results suggest that these donkeys are mostly susceptible to diseases like equine herpesvirus 1, equine influenza, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease when removed from their natural habitats.

Objective of the Study

  • The primary goal of this research was to survey the presence or the impact of some common equid disease-causing pathogens in feral donkeys.
  • The pathogens in question include equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), equine influenza (EIV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Borrelia Burgdorferi (the agent of Lyme disease).
  • The interest in this study became necessary due to the displacement of these donkeys from their usual, expansive habitats to more localized containment facilities and adoption locations.

Methodology of the Study

  • The researchers used serologic assays, a diagnostic test that detects and measures the amount of antibodies in an organism’s blood to determine their exposure to the pathogens mentioned.
  • These serologic assays were used to determine the level of exposure of these feral donkeys to the diseases in question. This test helped provide insight into how vulnerable these animals might be to disease upon displacement.

Findings of the Study

  • The results reveal that the donkey population studied is relatively naïve, meaning largely unexposed and thus likely susceptible to these common equid diseases.
  • This implies that their removal from their natural wilderness to enclosed spaces could increase their vulnerability to these diseases.
  • Therefore, the findings hold immense implications for the decision-makers and stake-holders involved in the displacement of these donkeys. Proper health interventions would be necessary to safeguard their health during and after the displacement process.

Cite This Article

APA
Goodrich EL, McLean A, Guarino C. (2020). A Pilot Serosurvey for Selected Pathogens in Feral Donkeys (Equus asinus). Animals (Basel), 10(10), 1796. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101796

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 10
PII: 1796

Researcher Affiliations

Goodrich, Erin L
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
McLean, Amy
  • University of California Davis, Animal Science, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Guarino, Cassandra
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 42 references
  1. Tiller B. Feral Burro Populations: Distribution and Damage Assessment. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Richland, WA, USA: 1997.
    doi: 10.2172/663550google scholar: lookup
  2. Sanchez P.G. Impact of Feral Burros on the Death Valley Ecosystem. Proceedings of the 6th Vertebrate Pest Conference Anaheim, CA, USA. 5–7 March 1974.
  3. Marshal J.P., Bleich V.C., Andrew N.G.. Evidence for interspecific competition between feral ass Equus asinus and mountain sheep Ovis canadensis in a desert environment. Wildl. Biol. 2008;14:228–236.
    doi: 10.2981/0909-6396(2008)14[228:EFICBF]2.0.CO;2google scholar: lookup
  4. Lundgren E.J., Ramp D., Ripple W.J., Wallach A.D.. Introduced megafauna are rewilding the Anthropocene. Ecography 2018;41:857–866.
    doi: 10.1111/ecog.03430google scholar: lookup
  5. Evans L., Crane M. The Clinical Companion of the Donkey. 1st ed. Matador; Sidmouth, Devon, UK: 2018.
  6. Seeber PA, Quintard B, Sicks F, Dehnhard M, Greenwood AD, Franz M. Environmental stressors may cause equine herpesvirus reactivation in captive Grévy's zebras (Equus grevyi).. PeerJ 2018;6:e5422.
    doi: 10.7717/peerj.5422pmc: PMC6109370pubmed: 30155350google scholar: lookup
  7. Jerele S, Davis E, Mapes S, Pusterla N, Navas González FJ, Iglesias Pastrana C, Abdelfattah EM, McLean A. Survey of Serum Amyloid A and Bacterial and Viral Frequency Using qPCR Levels in Recently Captured Feral Donkeys from Death Valley National Park (California).. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jun 23;10(6).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10061086pmc: PMC7341296pubmed: 32585994google scholar: lookup
  8. Yang H, Xiao Y, Meng F, Sun F, Chen M, Cheng Z, Chen Y, Liu S, Chen H. Emergence of H3N8 equine influenza virus in donkeys in China in 2017.. Vet Microbiol 2018 Feb;214:1-6.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2017.11.033pubmed: 29408020google scholar: lookup
  9. Thiemann A.K.. Respiratory disease in the donkey. Equine Vet. Educ. 2012;24:469–478.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2011.00292.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  10. Long MT. West nile virus and equine encephalitis viruses: new perspectives.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2014 Dec;30(3):523-42.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2014.08.009pubmed: 25441112google scholar: lookup
  11. Silva ASG, Matos ACD, da Cunha MACR, Rehfeld IS, Galinari GCF, Marcelino SAC, Saraiva LHG, Martins NRDS, Maranhão RPA, Lobato ZIP, Pierezan F, Guedes MIMC, Costa EA. West Nile virus associated with equid encephalitis in Brazil, 2018.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019 Jan;66(1):445-453.
    doi: 10.1111/tbed.13043pubmed: 30318735google scholar: lookup
  12. Divers TJ, Gardner RB, Madigan JE, Witonsky SG, Bertone JJ, Swinebroad EL, Schutzer SE, Johnson AL. Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Lyme Disease in North American Horses: A Consensus Statement.. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Mar;32(2):617-632.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.15042pmc: PMC5866975pubmed: 29469222google scholar: lookup
  13. Chang Y, Novosol V, McDonough SP, Chang CF, Jacobson RH, Divers T, Quimby FW, Shin S, Lein DH. Vaccination against lyme disease with recombinant Borrelia burgdorferi outer-surface protein A (rOspA) in horses.. Vaccine 1999 Oct 14;18(5-6):540-8.
    doi: 10.1016/S0264-410X(99)00187-5pubmed: 10519945google scholar: lookup
  14. Guarino C, Asbie S, Rohde J, Glaser A, Wagner B. Vaccination of horses with Lyme vaccines for dogs induces short-lasting antibody responses.. Vaccine 2017 Jul 24;35(33):4140-4147.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.06.052pubmed: 28668566google scholar: lookup
  15. . Condition Scoring and Weight Estimation of the Donkey. Research Dept. The Donkey Sanctuary [(accessed on 11 March 2020)].
  16. Perkins G, Babasyan S, Stout AE, Freer H, Rollins A, Wimer CL, Wagner B. Intranasal IgG4/7 antibody responses protect horses against equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection including nasal virus shedding and cell-associated viremia.. Virology 2019 May;531:219-232.
    doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.03.014pubmed: 30928700google scholar: lookup
  17. Cullinane A. Section 3.5.7. Equine Influenza, 2.1. Haemagglutination Inhibition Test. Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals 2019 World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) [(accessed on 21 February 2020)].
  18. Khatibzadeh SM, Gold CB, Keggan AE, Perkins GA, Glaser AL, Dubovi EJ, Wagner B. West Nile virus-specific immunoglobulin isotype responses in vaccinated and infected horses.. Am J Vet Res 2015 Jan;76(1):92-100.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.76.1.92pubmed: 25535666google scholar: lookup
  19. Komar N, Langevin S, Monath TP. Use of a surrogate chimeric virus to detect West Nile virus-neutralizing antibodies in avian and equine sera.. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2009 Jan;16(1):134-5.
    doi: 10.1128/CVI.00220-08pmc: PMC2620674pubmed: 19005021google scholar: lookup
  20. Wagner B, Freer H, Rollins A, Erb HN, Lu Z, Gröhn Y. Development of a multiplex assay for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in horses and its validation using Bayesian and conventional statistical methods.. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2011 Dec 15;144(3-4):374-81.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2011.08.005pubmed: 21890217google scholar: lookup
  21. Burden F. Practical feeding and condition scoring for donkeys and mules. Equine Vet. Educ. 2012;24:589–596.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2011.00314.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  22. Lunn DP, Davis-Poynter N, Flaminio MJ, Horohov DW, Osterrieder K, Pusterla N, Townsend HG. Equine herpesvirus-1 consensus statement.. J Vet Intern Med 2009 May-Jun;23(3):450-61.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2009.0304.xpubmed: 19645832google scholar: lookup
  23. Negussie H, Gizaw D, Tessema TS, Nauwynck HJ. Equine Herpesvirus-1 Myeloencephalopathy, an Emerging Threat of Working Equids in Ethiopia.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017 Apr;64(2):389-397.
    doi: 10.1111/tbed.12377pubmed: 26010868google scholar: lookup
  24. Barrandeguy M.E., Carossino M. Infectious Diseases in Donkeys and Mules: An Overview and Update. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2018;65:98–105.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2018.02.026google scholar: lookup
  25. . Equine Herpesvirus (Rhinopneumonitis) 2019. AAEP [(accessed on 1 October 2020)].
  26. Timoney PJ. Equine influenza.. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 1996 Jun;19(3):205-11.
    doi: 10.1016/0147-9571(96)00006-9pubmed: 8800546google scholar: lookup
  27. Mendoza F.J., Toribio R.E., Perez-Ecija A. Donkey Internal Medicine—Part II: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Neurologic, Urinary, Ophthalmic, Dermatology, and Musculoskeletal Disorders. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2018;65:86–97.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2018.02.025google scholar: lookup
  28. Rickards KJ, Thiemann AK. Respiratory Disorders of the Donkey.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2019 Dec;35(3):561-573.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2019.08.009pubmed: 31587971google scholar: lookup
  29. van Maanen C, Cullinane A. Equine influenza virus infections: an update.. Vet Q 2002 Jun;24(2):79-94.
    doi: 10.1080/01652176.2002.9695127pubmed: 12095083google scholar: lookup
  30. . EIVHAI H3N8 Test Data. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine; Ithaca, NY, USA: 2019.
  31. . Equine Influenza 2019. AAEP [(accessed on 1 October 2020)].
  32. Hayes EB, Komar N, Nasci RS, Montgomery SP, O'Leary DR, Campbell GL. Epidemiology and transmission dynamics of West Nile virus disease.. Emerg Infect Dis 2005 Aug;11(8):1167-73.
    doi: 10.3201/eid1108.050289apmc: PMC3320478pubmed: 16102302google scholar: lookup
  33. Colpitts TM, Conway MJ, Montgomery RR, Fikrig E. West Nile Virus: biology, transmission, and human infection.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2012 Oct;25(4):635-48.
    doi: 10.1128/CMR.00045-12pmc: PMC3485754pubmed: 23034323google scholar: lookup
  34. Leblond A, Hendrikx P, Sabatier P. West Nile virus outbreak detection using syndromic monitoring in horses.. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2007 Fall;7(3):403-10.
    doi: 10.1089/vbz.2006.0593pubmed: 17767410google scholar: lookup
  35. García-Bocanegra I, Arenas-Montes A, Jaén-Téllez JA, Napp S, Fernández-Morente M, Arenas A. Use of sentinel serosurveillance of mules and donkeys in the monitoring of West Nile virus infection.. Vet J 2012 Nov;194(2):262-4.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.04.017pubmed: 22633828google scholar: lookup
  36. Ostlund EN, Andresen JE, Andresen M. West Nile encephalitis.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2000 Dec;16(3):427-41.
    doi: 10.1016/S0749-0739(17)30087-1pubmed: 11219341google scholar: lookup
  37. Bunning ML, Bowen RA, Cropp CB, Sullivan KG, Davis BS, Komar N, Godsey MS, Baker D, Hettler DL, Holmes DA, Biggerstaff BJ, Mitchell CJ. Experimental infection of horses with West Nile virus.. Emerg Infect Dis 2002 Apr;8(4):380-6.
    doi: 10.3201/eid0804.010239pmc: PMC3393377pubmed: 11971771google scholar: lookup
  38. Wagner B, Glaser A, Hillegas JM, Erb H, Gold C, Freer H. Monoclonal antibodies to equine IgM improve the sensitivity of West Nile virus-specific IgM detection in horses.. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2008 Mar 15;122(1-2):46-56.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2007.10.013pubmed: 18054390google scholar: lookup
  39. . West Nile Virus 2019. AAEP [(accessed on 1 October 2020)].
  40. Divers T.J.. Equine Lyme Disease. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2013;33:488–492.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2013.03.187google scholar: lookup
  41. Sonenshine DE. Range Expansion of Tick Disease Vectors in North America: Implications for Spread of Tick-Borne Disease.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018 Mar 9;15(3).
    doi: 10.3390/ijerph15030478pmc: PMC5877023pubmed: 29522469google scholar: lookup
  42. Foley J, Ott-Conn C, Worth J, Poulsen A, Clifford D. An Ixodes minor and Borrelia carolinensis enzootic cycle involving a critically endangered Mojave Desert rodent.. Ecol Evol 2014 Mar;4(5):576-81.
    doi: 10.1002/ece3.957pmc: PMC4098138pubmed: 25035799google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Lazić S, Savić S, Petrović T, Lazić G, Žekić M, Drobnjak D, Lupulović D. Serological Examinations of Significant Viral Infections in Domestic Donkeys at the Special Nature Reserve "Zasavica", Serbia.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 21;13(13).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13132056pubmed: 37443854google scholar: lookup
  2. Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Roberts HC, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Calvo AV, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Carvelli A, Paillot R, Broglia A, Kohnle L, Baldinelli F, Van der Stede Y. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): infection with Equine Herpesvirus-1.. EFSA J 2022 Jan;20(1):e07036.
    doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7036pubmed: 35035581google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.