Epidemiology of Potomac horse fever: an investigation into the possible role of non-equine mammals.
Abstract: A serological study of antibodies to Ehrlichia risticii was carried out on 10 species of wild and domestic mammals found on or near 21 horse farms in an area of the USA in which Potomac horse fever is endemic. No antibodies were found in 133 peridomestic rodents (Norway rats and house mice), nor in 108 wild rodents (white-footed mice and meadow voles) captured on farms. Three of the six domestic animal species examined, cats, pigs and a goat, showed serological evidence of exposure to E risticii. Seropositive animals were detected on three of the 21 premises. The eight seropositive cats (of 48 cats tested) were on two farms, and the three seropositive pigs (of 14 tested) were all on one farm which lay some 3 km from where the one seropositive goat (of three tested) was found. None of the 79 dogs, 75 cattle and seven sheep tested had antibodies to E risticii. The significance of these findings is discussed in the light of current understanding of the transmission of Potomac horse fever and of the epidemiology of other related ehrlichial diseases.
Publication Date: 1989-07-22 PubMed ID: 2773237DOI: 10.1136/vr.125.4.83Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study investigates the potential role of non-equine mammals in transmitting Potomac horse fever, a disease endemic to certain parts of the USA, and found that cats, pigs, and a goat, but not rodents, dogs, cattle, or sheep, showed evidence of exposure to the disease-causing bacterium Ehrlichia risticii.
Research Context and Methodology
- The researchers conducted a serological study to investigate antibodies to Ehrlichia risticii, the bacterium that causes Potomac horse fever.
- The study spanned 21 horse farms in an area of the USA where Potomac horse fever is prevalent.
- The team studied ten species of wild and domestic mammals found near the horse farms, including rodents, cats, dogs, pigs, cattle, goats, and sheep.
- The researchers performed antibody tests to identify any exposure to Ehrlichia risticii.
Research Findings
- No antibodies were found in the peridomestic and wild rodent species studied, which included Norway rats, house mice, white-footed mice, and meadow voles.
- Antibodies to Ehrlichia risticii, however, were detected in the cats, pigs, and a goat, suggesting that these animals had been exposed to the bacterium.
- Eight out of 48 tested cats and all three out of 14 tested pigs were found to be seropositive, i.e., carrying the antibody to Ehrlichia risticii.
- The seropositive animals were found on three different premises, with the pig and goat locations separated by approximately 3km.
- The researchers were unable to find antibodies in the 79 dogs, 75 cattle, and seven sheep they tested.
Significance of the Research
- The findings shed light on the potential role of different mammalian species in transmitting Potomac horse fever.
- The exposure of cats, pigs, and a goat to Ehrlichia risticii indicates that these species could potentially act as carriers for the bacteria, though the transmission mechanics remain unclear and warrant further investigation.
- The study contributes to the broader understanding of the epidemiology of ehrlichial diseases and their transmission.
Cite This Article
APA
Perry BD, Schmidtmann ET, Rice RM, Hansen JW, Fletcher M, Turner EC, Robl MG, Hahn NE.
(1989).
Epidemiology of Potomac horse fever: an investigation into the possible role of non-equine mammals.
Vet Rec, 125(4), 83-86.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.125.4.83 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic / immunology
- Animals, Wild / immunology
- Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
- Disease Reservoirs
- Ehrlichia / immunology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses
- Maryland
- Rickettsiaceae / immunology
- Rickettsiaceae Infections / epidemiology
- Rickettsiaceae Infections / transmission
- Rickettsiaceae Infections / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Baird JD, Arroyo LG. Historical aspects of Potomac horse fever in Ontario (1924-2010). Can Vet J 2013 Jun;54(6):565-72.
- Luria BJ, Levy JK, Lappin MR, Breitschwerdt EB, Legendre AM, Hernandez JA, Gorman SP, Lee IT. Prevalence of infectious diseases in feral cats in Northern Florida. J Feline Med Surg 2004 Oct;6(5):287-96.
- Barlough JE, Reubel GH, Madigan JE, Vredevoe LK, Miller PE, Rikihisa Y. Detection of Ehrlichia risticii, the agent of Potomac horse fever, in freshwater stream snails (Pleuroceridae: Juga spp.) from northern California. Appl Environ Microbiol 1998 Aug;64(8):2888-93.
- Reubel GH, Barlough JE, Madigan JE. Production and characterization of Ehrlichia risticii, the agent of Potomac horse fever, from snails (Pleuroceridae: Juga spp.) in aquarium culture and genetic comparison to equine strains. J Clin Microbiol 1998 Jun;36(6):1501-11.
- Hahn NE, Fletcher M, Rice RM, Kocan KM, Hansen JW, Hair JA, Barker RW, Perry BD. Attempted transmission of Ehrlichia risticii, causative agent of Potomac horse fever, by the ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum. Exp Appl Acarol 1990 Jan;8(1-2):41-50.
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