Diversity of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Strains from Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The Gram-negative bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular pathogen and an etiological agent of human and animal anaplasmosis. Its natural reservoir comprises free-ranging ungulates, including roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). These two species of deer also constitute the largest group of game animals in Poland. The aim of the study was to genotype and perform a phylogenetic analysis of A. phagocytophilum strains from roe deer and red deer. METHODS: Samples were subjected to PCR amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of strain-specific genetic markers (groEL, ankA). RESULTS: Five haplotypes of the groEL gene from A. phagocytophilum and seven haplotypes of ankA were obtained. The phylogenetic analysis classified the groEL into ecotypes I and II. Sequences of the ankA gene were classified into clusters I, II, and III. CONCLUSIONS: Strains of A. phagocytophilum from red deer were in the same ecotype and cluster as strains isolated from humans. Strains of A. phagocytophilum from roe deer represented ecotypes (I, II) and clusters (II, III) that were different from those isolated from red deer, and these strains did not show similarity to bacteria from humans. However, roe deer can harbor nonspecific strains of A. phagocytophilum more characteristic to red deer. It appears that the genetic variants from red deer can be pathogenic to humans, but the significance of the variants from roe deer requires more study.

Effective and environmental half-lives of radiocesium in game from Poland.

For the first time changes in the 137Cs activity in game throughout Poland, including its most contaminated part known as the Opole Anomaly, were analyzed. Due to its long physical half-life, 137Cs continuously demonstrates high activity both in soil and biota. The species of game mammals, along with forest fruit and mushrooms, tend to accumulate this radionuclide, becoming one of the main sources of secondary contamination in people. In this study the 137Cs activity in roe deer, wild boar and red deer muscle tissue samples, within the years of 1986-2019, were studied. The effective and environmental half-lives were determined for each of the mentioned species for four regions including NE Poland and the Opole Anomaly placed in SW Poland. In all examined species at least two different phases of changes in the 137Cs activity were distinguished, therefore the values of effective half-lives for the researched period since the Chernobyl accident do not correspond with the values from within last ten years. It was proven for the first time that within the anomalous area, featuring the highest values of gamma surface activity in Poland, the 137Cs activity increases with time in the muscle tissues of all three species. No intraspecies, nor interspecies differences of 137Cs activity among the studied species were found. In the light of the collected data, monitoring game considering the 137Cs activity appears to be valid, as, due to not completely clear trophic dependencies, this radionuclide currently increased its migration to the game species despite passing its physical half-life period.

Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Wild and Farmed Cervids in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The role of cervids in the circulation of A. phagocytophilum has not yet been clearly determined; however, several species of wild and farm cervids may be a natural reservoir of this bacteria. METHODS: Spleen and liver tissue samples were taken from 207 wild (red deer, roe deer, fallow deer and moose) and farmed cervids (red deer and fallow deer) from five geographical areas. These were tested for the A. phagocytophilum16S rDNA partial gene by nested PCR. RESULTS: Anaplasma spp. were detected in 91 of 207 examined cervids (prevalence 43.9%). Three different variants of 16S rDNA partial gene were reported, one for the first time. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was more often detected in young specimens than in adults and more often in the spleen than in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: Cervids from the four sites across Poland were found to be major natural reservoirs of various strains of A. phagocytophilum. This is the first study to use spleen and liver as biological material to detect A. phagocytophilum in moose in Poland.

Levels of 137Cs in game and soil in Opole Anomaly, Poland in 2012-2020.

Once deposited, radiocesium remains in the environment for a long time, and constantly enters the food chain. Over time, game species tend to accumulate 137Cs by two orders of magnitude more than farm animals. This occurs especially in places heavily contaminated, thus meat products made out of local game should be treated with caution. One of such areas, known as the Opole Anomaly, is located in South-Western Poland and represents one of most 137Cs contaminated regions across Europe after the Chernobyl accident. The aim of the study was to find out the 137Cs activity in soil and local game, the value of the soil-to-game aggregated transfer factor and to assess the effective dose of the ionising radiation (Eeff) received by consumers of local game meat in years 2012-2019. We examined meat of three common game species: red deer, roe deer and wild boar for 137Cs activity. 137Cs activity in meat samples ranged from 0.14 to 592 Bq kg-1. The aggregated transfer factor (Tag) in game ranged from 0.006 to 0.01 m2 kg-1 f.w. for wild boar, 0.005-0.008 m2 kg-1 f.w. for roe deer, and 0.003-0.004 m2 kg-1 f.w. for red deer. The effective dose received by people who regularly consume local game meat ranged from less than 14.2 µSv y-1 to 134 µSv y-1, depending on the amount of differently contaminated game meat consumed annually. Even those for whom game is the only source of meat, consumption of wild boar along with local mushrooms and bilberries will, since 2012, not exceed the regulation limit of 137Cs at the level of 1 mSv y-1. By the best of our knowledge this is the first study regarding 137Cs activity in game and risk assessment from the most contaminated "post-Chernobyl" area in Poland.

New findings of Setaria tundra and Setaria cervi in the red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland.

Our study aimed at examining the phylogenetic position of the newly-found Setaria nematodes obtained from the red deer (Cervus elaphus) based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX-1). Alignment and phylogenetic analyses, as well as SEM microscopic analysis, revealed the presence of two Setaria species: S. cervi and S. tundra. Setaria tundra was noted in only one individual, a calf of the red deer, while S. cervi was observed in three stages, two hinds and one calf of the red deer. According to our knowledge, it is the first case of S. cervi in the red deer in Poland confirmed in molecular studies and also the first case of S. tundra infection in the red deer.