A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange

doi:10.3390/vetsci6040075

. 2019 Sep 20;6(4):75.

doi: 10.3390/vetsci6040075.

A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange

Kevin D Niedringhaus¹, Justin D Brown², Mark A Ternent³, Christopher A Cleveland⁴, Michael J Yabsley^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. kevindn@uga.edu.
² Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. jdb56@psu.edu.
³ Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA. mternent@pa.gov.
⁴ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. ccleve@uga.edu.
⁵ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. myabsley@uga.edu.
⁶ Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. myabsley@uga.edu.

PMID: 31547006
PMCID: PMC6958396
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci6040075

A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange

Kevin D Niedringhaus et al. Vet Sci. 2019.

. 2019 Sep 20;6(4):75.

doi: 10.3390/vetsci6040075.

Authors

Kevin D Niedringhaus¹, Justin D Brown², Mark A Ternent³, Christopher A Cleveland⁴, Michael J Yabsley^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. kevindn@uga.edu.
² Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. jdb56@psu.edu.
³ Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA. mternent@pa.gov.
⁴ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. ccleve@uga.edu.
⁵ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. myabsley@uga.edu.
⁶ Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. myabsley@uga.edu.

PMID: 31547006
PMCID: PMC6958396
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci6040075

Abstract

Infectious diseases, particularly of wildlife, are intrinsically linked to human and domestic animal health. Reports of sarcoptic mange in black bears (Ursus americanus) are increasing in multiple states in the USA and while the reason is unknown, mange in other species has been associated with immunosuppression from multiple causes. Serum from bears across Pennsylvania were collected to determine the seroprevalence of five pathogens important for animal and/or human health: Canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine adenovirus-1 (CAV), Toxoplasma gondii, and Trichinella sp. from bears with sarcoptic mange as well as bears that were clinically normal. Several of these pathogens, particularly canine distemper virus, are associated with immunosuppression and secondary infections in other hosts. In addition to describing the seroprevalence and relating these findings to data from other regions, statistics were performed to determine if antibodies to any of these pathogens were associated with mange in bears. The overall seroprevalence to these pathogens was as follows: CDV 7.1% (17/240), CPV 16% (15/94), CAV 6.9% (6/87), Toxoplasma gondii 64.9% (194/299), and Trichinella spiralis 3.2% (7/220). While there was no association between mange and antibodies to these pathogens, infection with one or more of these pathogens has implications for bears, other wildlife, domestic animal, and human health.

Keywords: Sarcoptes; Toxoplasma; Trichinella; black bear; canine adenovirus; canine distemper virus; mange; parvovirus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Black bears with sarcoptic mange. (A) Young black bear with clinical sarcoptic mange, note severe emaciation and hair loss. (B) Collared sow with severe alopecia as a result of sarcoptic mange.

**Figure 2**
Microscopic views of *S. scabiei*. (A) Severe hyperkeratosis in the epidermis associated with round mites (arrow). (B) High-magnification image of an adult, female *S. scabiei* mite; this species can be differentiated from other mites on bears by its round shape and short legs.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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[1] Fisher M.C., Henk D.A., Briggs C.J., Brownstein J.S., Madoff L.C., McCraw S.L., Gurr S.J. Emerging fungal threats to animal, plant and ecosystem health. Nature. 2012;484:186–194. doi: 10.1038/nature10947. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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[3] Miller R.S., Farnsworth M.L., Malmberg J.L. Diseases at the livestock-wildlife interface: Status, challenges, and opportunities in the United States. Prev. Vet. Med. 2013;110:119–132. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.11.021. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Miller R.S., Farnsworth M.L., Malmberg J.L. Diseases at the livestock-wildlife interface: Status, challenges, and opportunities in the United States. Prev. Vet. Med. 2013;110:119–132. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.11.021. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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[8] Viana M., Cleaveland S., Matthiopoulos J., Halliday J., Packer C., Craft M.E., Hampson K., Czupryna A., Dobson A.P., Dubovi E.J. Dynamics of a morbillivirus at the domestic-wildlife interface: Canine distemper virus in domestic dogs and lions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2015;112:1464–1469. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1411623112. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Jones K.E., Patel N.G., Levy M.A., Storeybard A., Balk D., Gittleman J.L., Daszak P. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature. 2008;451:990–993. doi: 10.1038/nature06536. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Jones K.E., Patel N.G., Levy M.A., Storeybard A., Balk D., Gittleman J.L., Daszak P. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature. 2008;451:990–993. doi: 10.1038/nature06536. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange

Affiliations

A Serosurvey of Multiple Pathogens in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA Indicates a Lack of Association with Sarcoptic Mange

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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Abstract

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