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BMC veterinary research2013; 9; 84; doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-84

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of veterinary blastomycosis in Wisconsin.

Abstract: Several studies have shown that Blastomyces dermatitidis, the etiologic agent of blastomycosis, is a genetically diverse pathogen. Blastomycosis is a significant health issue in humans and other mammals. Veterinary and human isolates matched with epidemiological case data from the same geographic area and time period were used to determine: (i) if differences in genetic diversity and structure exist between clinical veterinary and human isolates of B. dermatitidis and (ii) if comparable epidemiologic features differ among veterinary and human blastomycosis cases. Results: Genetic typing of 301 clinical B. dermatitidis isolates produced 196 haplotypes (59 unique to veterinary isolates, 134 unique to human isolates, and 3 shared between canine and human isolates). Private allelic richness was higher in veterinary (median 2.27) compared to human isolates (median 1.14) (p = 0.005). Concordant with previous studies, two distinct genetic groups were identified among all isolates. Genetic group assignment was different between human and veterinary isolates (p < 0.001), with more veterinary isolates assigned to Group 2. The mean age of dogs diagnosed with blastomycosis was 6 years. Thirty cases were in male dogs (52%) and 24 were females (41%). The breed of dog was able to be retrieved in 38 of 58 cases with 19 (50%) being sporting breeds. Three of four felines infected with blastomycosis were domestic shorthair males between ages 6-12, and presented with disseminated disease. The other was a lynx with pulmonary disease. The equine isolate was from an 11-year-old male Halflinger with disseminated disease. Disseminated disease was reported more often in veterinary (62%) than human cases (19%) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Isolates from all hosts clustered largely into previously identified genetic groups, with 3 haplotypes being shared between human and canine isolates confirming that B. dermatitidis isolates capable of infecting both species occur in nature. Allelic diversity measures trended higher in veterinary samples, with a higher number of total alleles and private alleles. Veterinary isolates of B. dermatitidis contributed a substantial amount of diversity to the overall population genetic structure demonstrating the importance of including veterinary isolates in genetic studies of evolution and virulence in this organism.
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Publication Date: 2013-04-22 PubMed ID: 23607640PubMed Central: PMC3637404DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-84Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

The research article focuses on investigating the genetic diversity and epidemiological features of Blastomyces dermatitidis, a pathogen responsible for causing blastomycosis among humans and animals, using both human and veterinary isolates originating from same geographic area and timeframe.

Research Purpose and Methodology

  • The primary purpose of the research was to understand if there existed any differences in genetic diversity and structure between clinical veterinary and human isolates of B. dermatitidis. The study also aimed to examine if similar epidemiologic features differ among human and veterinary blastomycosis cases.
  • To achieve this, the researchers used human and veterinary isolates matched with epidemiological case data from the same geographic region and time period.
  • For genetic typing, they tested 301 clinical B. dermatitidis isolates which resulted in 196 distinct haplotypes. These haplotypes included 59 unique to veterinary isolates, 134 exclusive to human isolates, and three shared between dogs and human isolates.

Key Findings

  • The genetic typing revealed that private allelic richness was higher in veterinary isolates compared to human isolates.
  • Consistent with former studies, two distinct genetic groups were discovered among all the isolates. The study found a discrepancy in genetic group assignment between human and veterinary isolates, with greater number of veterinary isolates attributed to Group 2.
  • The study presented interesting insights into the age and breed of animals diagnosed with blastomycosis. Sporting breeds accounted for 50% of the diagnosed dogs. Most of the feline cases were domestic shorthair males aged between 6 to 12 years.
  • The researchers also noticed that disseminated disease was reported more often in veterinary cases than in human cases.

Conclusions

  • The findings from the study confirmed that certain B. dermatitidis isolates which can infect both species do occur naturally. This was evidenced by the three haplotypes shared between human and canine isolates.
  • The study concluded that veterinary isolates of B. dermatitidis contribute significantly to the overall population genetic structure which accentuates the importance of including veterinary isolates in genetic studies investigating the evolution and virulence of this pathogen.

Cite This Article

APA
Anderson JL, Sloss BL, Meece JK. (2013). Clinical and molecular epidemiology of veterinary blastomycosis in Wisconsin. BMC Vet Res, 9, 84. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-9-84

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Pages: 84

Researcher Affiliations

Anderson, Jennifer L
  • Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA.
Sloss, Brian L
    Meece, Jennifer K

      MeSH Terms

      • Alleles
      • Animals
      • Blastomyces / genetics
      • Blastomycosis / epidemiology
      • Blastomycosis / microbiology
      • Blastomycosis / pathology
      • Blastomycosis / veterinary
      • Cat Diseases / epidemiology
      • Cat Diseases / microbiology
      • Cat Diseases / pathology
      • Cats
      • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
      • Dog Diseases / microbiology
      • Dog Diseases / pathology
      • Dogs
      • Female
      • Genotype
      • Haplotypes / genetics
      • Humans
      • Male
      • Molecular Epidemiology
      • Wisconsin / epidemiology

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      Citations

      This article has been cited 4 times.
      1. Jackson KM, Pelletier KC, Scheftel J, Kerkaert JD, Robinson SL, McDonald T, Bender JB, Knight JF, Ireland M, Nielsen K. Analysis and modeling of Blastomyces dermatitidis environmental prevalence in Minnesota using soil collected to compare basal and outbreak levels.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021 Mar 1;87(5).
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      2. Dworecka-Kaszak B, Biegańska MJ, Dąbrowska I. Occurrence of various pathogenic and opportunistic fungi in skin diseases of domestic animals: a retrospective study.. BMC Vet Res 2020 Jul 17;16(1):248.
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      3. Ashraf N, Kubat RC, Poplin V, Adenis AA, Denning DW, Wright L, McCotter O, Schwartz IS, Jackson BR, Chiller T, Bahr NC. Re-drawing the Maps for Endemic Mycoses.. Mycopathologia 2020 Oct;185(5):843-865.
        doi: 10.1007/s11046-020-00431-2pubmed: 32040709google scholar: lookup
      4. Evans NA, Viviano KR. Concurrent cranial mediastinal Blastomyces granuloma and carcinoma with cranial vena caval syndrome in a dog.. Can Vet J 2015 Nov;56(11):1172-6.
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