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Genetic Characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei from Black Bears (Ursus americanus) and Other Hosts in Eastern United States

Genetic Characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei from Black Bears (Ursus americanus) and Other Hosts... Since the early 1990s there has been an increase in the number of cases and geographic expansion of severe mange in the black bear (Ursus americanus) population in Pennsylvania. Although there are 3 species of mites associated with mange in bears, Sarcoptes scabiei has been identified as the etiologic agent in these Pennsylvania cases. Historically S. scabiei-associated mange in bears has been uncommon and sporadic although it is widespread and relatively common in canid populations. To better understand this recent emergence of sarcoptic mange in bears in Pennsylvania and nearby states, we genetically characterized S. scabiei samples from black bears in the Eastern United States. These sequences were compared to newly acquired S. scabiei sequences from wild canids [red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and coyote (Canis latrans)] and a porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) from Pennsylvania and Kentucky and also existing sequences in GenBank. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 region and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were amplified and sequenced. Twenty-four ITS-2 sequences were obtained from mites from bears (n = 16), red fox (n = 5), coyote (n = 2), and a porcupine. The sequences from bear samples were identical to each other or differed only at polymorphic bases while S. scabiei from canids were more variable but two were identical to S. scabiei sequences from bears. Eighteen cox1 sequences obtained from mites from bears represented 6 novel haplotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of cox1 sequences revealed four clades: 2 clades of mites of human origin from Panama or Australia, a clade of mites from rabbits from China, and a large unresolved clade that included the remaining S. scabiei sequences from various hosts and regions, including sequences from the bears from the current study. Although the cox1 gene was more variable than the ITS-2, phylogenetic analyses failed to detect any clustering of S. scabiei from Eastern U.S. hosts. Rather sequences from black bears grouped into a large clade that included S. scabiei from numerous hosts from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Collectively, these data suggest that the increasing number of S. scabiei cases in northeastern black bears is not due to the emergence and expansion of a single parasite strain. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Parasitology Allen Press

Genetic Characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei from Black Bears (Ursus americanus) and Other Hosts in Eastern United States

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The Journal of Parasitology : 1 – Feb 16, 2017
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Publisher
Allen Press
Copyright
American Society of Parasitologists 2017
Subject
Short Communications
ISSN
0022-3395
eISSN
1937-2345
DOI
10.1645/17-26
pmid
28639466
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Since the early 1990s there has been an increase in the number of cases and geographic expansion of severe mange in the black bear (Ursus americanus) population in Pennsylvania. Although there are 3 species of mites associated with mange in bears, Sarcoptes scabiei has been identified as the etiologic agent in these Pennsylvania cases. Historically S. scabiei-associated mange in bears has been uncommon and sporadic although it is widespread and relatively common in canid populations. To better understand this recent emergence of sarcoptic mange in bears in Pennsylvania and nearby states, we genetically characterized S. scabiei samples from black bears in the Eastern United States. These sequences were compared to newly acquired S. scabiei sequences from wild canids [red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and coyote (Canis latrans)] and a porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) from Pennsylvania and Kentucky and also existing sequences in GenBank. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 region and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were amplified and sequenced. Twenty-four ITS-2 sequences were obtained from mites from bears (n = 16), red fox (n = 5), coyote (n = 2), and a porcupine. The sequences from bear samples were identical to each other or differed only at polymorphic bases while S. scabiei from canids were more variable but two were identical to S. scabiei sequences from bears. Eighteen cox1 sequences obtained from mites from bears represented 6 novel haplotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of cox1 sequences revealed four clades: 2 clades of mites of human origin from Panama or Australia, a clade of mites from rabbits from China, and a large unresolved clade that included the remaining S. scabiei sequences from various hosts and regions, including sequences from the bears from the current study. Although the cox1 gene was more variable than the ITS-2, phylogenetic analyses failed to detect any clustering of S. scabiei from Eastern U.S. hosts. Rather sequences from black bears grouped into a large clade that included S. scabiei from numerous hosts from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Collectively, these data suggest that the increasing number of S. scabiei cases in northeastern black bears is not due to the emergence and expansion of a single parasite strain.

Journal

The Journal of Parasitology – Allen Press

Published: Feb 16, 2017

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