New Geographic Records for Trichinella nativa and Echinococcus canadensis in Coyotes (Canis latrans) from Insular Newfoundland, Canada.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) rapidly expanded across North America during the 20th century and in 1987 colonized insular Newfoundland, Canada. Their arrival brought the potential for new predator-prey interactions and the potential for transmission of parasites to naïve populations. Trichinella spp. and Echinococcus spp. are zoonotic parasites not previously reported from the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Muscle samples (diaphragm and tongue) from 153 coyotes and feces from 35/153 coyotes were collected. Larvae of Trichinella spp. were recovered by muscle digestion from 6/153 coyotes (3.9%) and identified using multiplex PCR and Sanger sequencing as T. nativa. Fecal samples were screened for DNA of Echinococcus spp. using qPCR, and intestines from positive animals were examined for adult cestodes. No fecal samples were positive for DNA of E. multilocularis, and 2/35 (5.7%) samples were positive for E. canadensis, of which one was successfully genotyped as the G10 cervid strain. Echinococcus canadensis has not previously been reported on the island of Newfoundland, historically the only region of Canada where Echinococcus spp. was not known to occur. No species of Trichinella have previously been reported on the island. Both parasites are zoonotic, and hunters, trappers, dog owners, and the general public should be aware of these new risks for public health.

Urban Magpies Frequently Feed on Coyote Scats and May Spread an Emerging Zoonotic Tapeworm.

Allocoprophagy, in which animals feed on the feces of other individuals or species, has been little studied in vertebrates, despite its relevance to parasite transmission. These relationships may be especially important in cities, where animal density, disease incidence, and spatial overlap of humans and wildlife increase. Our goal was to document the incidence and predictors of coprophagy by black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia) at coyote (Canis latrans) scats in Edmonton, Canada. We detected scats by following coyote trails and recorded whether coprophagy had occurred. We used multiple logistic regression to determine the top contextual and environmental predictors of coprophagy. Of 668 coyote scats, 37.3% had apparently been fed on. Coprophagy was more likely in winter and when scats were not fresh and did not contain vegetation or garbage. Environmental predictors of coprophagy included proximity to other coyote scats and playgrounds, distance from water and maintained trails, abundant natural land cover, and proximity to encampments of people experiencing homelessness. Our results reveal that magpies frequently access coyote scat and often do so near human-use areas. In Edmonton, where > 50% of coyotes are infected with a zoonotic tapeworm, coprophagy likely causes magpies to transport parasites with implications for zoonotic disease risk.

Hepatozoon spp. infection in wild canids in the eastern United States.

BACKGROUND: Hepatozoon spp. are apicomplexan parasites known to cause musculoskeletal disease in a variety of animals. Two species are known to infect wild and domestic canids in the US: Hepatozoon canis and H. americanum. METHODS: In this study, blood, heart, and/or spleen samples were collected from 278 wild canids (180 coyotes, 93 red foxes, and 5 gray foxes) in the eastern US and tested via PCR for Hepatozoon. Histology slides of heart and skeletal muscle were assessed for Hepatozoon cysts and associated inflammation when fresh tissue was available (n = 96). RESULTS: Hepatozoon spp. were found in 24.2% (59/278) of individuals, with Hepatozoon canis in 14.0% (34/278) and H. americanum in 10.7% (26/278). One coyote was positive for both H. canis and H. americanum. Foxes were more likely to be positive for H. canis than coyotes (23% and 7% respectively, P = 0.0008), while only coyotes were positive for H. americanum. Of the eight sampled states, H. canis was present in six (Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) while H. americanum was found in two southern states (South Carolina and Louisiana). Infection status was positively correlated with myositis and myocarditis, and heart or muscle cysts were found in 83% (5/6) of H. americanum-positive coyotes. CONCLUSION: This survey showed a moderate prevalence of H. canis and H. americanum in states where the parasite was previously unrecorded including South Carolina and Pennsylvania.

NOVEL REPORT OF THE EUROPEAN VARIANT OF ECHINOCOCCUS MULTILOCULARIS IN COYOTES (CANIS LATRANS) IN NEW YORK STATE.

Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic cestode that can infect wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. In humans, infection with the larval stage of the parasite causes the disease alveolar echinococcosis, which can be fatal if left untreated. Surveillance for the parasite in New York State occurred during the 2021-2022 coyote (Canis latrans) hunting season. Fecal samples and the gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) from 43 coyote carcasses were collected from hunters and trappers across 8 counties. Fecal samples were screened for E. multilocularis DNA using a multiplex PCR. Three samples tested positive for E. multilocularis DNA. Subsequently, adult cestodes were collected from GIT samples using the sedimentation, filtration, and counting technique. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the nad2 and cob genes from individual worms indicated these New York sequences cluster with E. multilocularis sequences from Europe. This is the first report of adult E. multilocularis cestodes in New York State, as well as the first detection of the European haplotype of E. multilocularis in wildlife in the northeastern United States.

Age-dependent relationships among diet, body condition, and Echinococcus multilocularis infection in urban coyotes.

Urban coyotes (Canis latrans) in North America increasingly exhibit a high prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis, a cestode of recent and rising public health concern that uses rodents as intermediate hosts and canids as definitive hosts. However, little is known about the factors that drive the high urban prevalence of this parasite. We hypothesized that the diet of urban coyotes may contribute to their higher E. multilocularis infection prevalence via either (a) greater exposure to the parasite from increased rodent consumption or (b) increased susceptibility to infection due to the negative health effects of consuming anthropogenic food. We tested these hypotheses by comparing the presence and intensity of E. multilocularis infection to physiological data (age, sex, body condition, and spleen mass), short-term diet (stomach contents), and long-term diet (δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes) in 112 coyote carcasses collected for reasons other than this study from Edmonton, Alberta and the surrounding area. Overall, the best predictor of infection status in this population was young age, where the likelihood of infection decreased with age in rural coyotes but not urban ones. Neither short- nor long-term measures of diet could predict infection across our entire sample, but we found support for our initial hypotheses in young, urban coyotes: both rodent and anthropogenic food consumption effectively predicted E. multilocularis infection in this population. The effects of these predictors were more variable in rural coyotes and older coyotes. We suggest that limiting coyote access to areas in which anthropogenic food and rodent habitat overlap (e.g., compost piles or garbage sites) may effectively reduce the risk of infection, deposition, and transmission of this emerging zoonotic parasite in urban areas.

Infection risk varies within urbanized landscapes: the case of coyotes and heartworm.

BACKGROUND: Urbanization can have profound effects on ecological interactions. For host-pathogen interactions, differences have been detected between urban and non-urban landscapes. However, host-pathogen interactions may also differ within highly heterogeneous, urbanized landscapes. METHODS: We investigated differences in infection risk (i.e., probability of infection) within urbanized landscapes using the coyote (Canis latrans) and mosquito-borne nematode, Dirofilaria immitis (the causative agent for canine heartworm), as a case study. We focused on a coyote population in Chicago for which extensive behavioral and heartworm infection data has been collected between 2001 and 2016. Our objectives were to: (i) determine how onset and duration of the heartworm transmission season varied over the 16-year period and across the urban-suburban gradient; and (ii) investigate how heartworm infection risk in coyotes varied over the years, across the urban-suburban gradient, by coyote characteristics (e.g., age, sex, resident status), and coyote use of the urbanized landscape (e.g., use of urban areas, mosquito habitats). RESULTS: While onset of the heartworm transmission season differed neither by year nor across the urban-suburban gradient, it was longer closer to the core of Chicago. Of the 315 coyotes sampled, 31.1% were infected with D. immitis. Older coyotes and coyotes sampled in later years (i.e., 2012-2016) were more likely to have heartworm. While coyote location in the urban-suburban gradient was not a significant predictor of infection, the proportion of urban land in coyote home ranges was. Importantly, the size and direction of this association varied by age class. For adults and pups, infection risk declined with urbanization, whereas for subadults it increased. Further, models had a higher predictive power when focusing on resident coyotes (and excluding transient coyotes). The proportion of mosquito habitat in coyote home ranges was not a significant predictor of infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that urbanization may affect host exposure to vectors of D. immitis, that risk of infection can vary within urbanized landscapes, and that urbanization-wildlife infection associations may only be detected for animals with certain characteristics (e.g., age class and resident status).

Deep amplicon sequencing highlights low intra-host genetic variability of Echinococcus multilocularis and high prevalence of the European-type haplotypes in coyotes and red foxes in Alberta, Canada.

Echinococcus multilocularis (Em) is a zoonotic parasite considered a global emergent pathogen. Recent findings indicate that the parasite is expanding its range in North America and that European-type haplotypes are circulating in western Canada. However, genetic analyses are usually conducted only on a few parasites out of thousands of individuals within each definitive host, likely underestimating the prevalence of less common haplotypes. Moreover, mixed infections with several mtDNA haplotypes in the same host have been reported, but their relative abundance within the host was never estimated. We aimed to 1) estimate the frequency of co-infections of different Em haplotypes in coyotes (Canis latrans) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from western Canada and their relative abundance within the definitive hosts, 2) detect less prevalent haplotypes by sampling a larger proportion of the parasite subpopulation per host, and 3) investigate differences in the distribution of Em haplotypes in these main definitive hosts; foxes and coyotes. We extracted DNA from ~10% of the worm subpopulation per host (20 foxes and 47 coyotes) and used deep amplicon sequencing (NGS technology) on four loci, targeting the most polymorphic regions from the mitochondrial genes cox1 (814 bp), nad1 (344 bp), and cob (387 bp). We detected the presence of mixed infections with multiple Em haplotypes and with different Echinococcus species including Em and E. granulosus s.l. genotypes G8/G10, low intraspecific diversity of Em, and a higher abundance of the European-type haplotypes in both hosts. Our results suggest a population expansion of the European over the North American strain in Alberta and a limited distribution of some European-type haplotypes. Our findings indicate that deep amplicon sequencing represents a valuable tool to characterize Em in multiple hosts, to assess the current distribution and possible origins of the European strain in North America. The potential use of next-generation sequencing technologies is particularly important to understand the patterns of geographic expansion of this parasite.

Survey of coyotes, red foxes and wolves from Wyoming, USA, for Echinococcus granulosus s. l.

The paraphyletic group Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato is comprised of parasitic tapeworms of wild and domestic canids such as wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis latrans), which serve as definitive hosts, and ungulates, which are the intermediate hosts. Members of this tapeworm group are characterized by both cosmopolitan distribution and zoonotic disease potential. This survey (conducted from 2012 through 2017) was designed to provide insight into the prevalence and distribution of this parasite in wild canids in Wyoming. Echinococcus sp. infections were documented in 14 of 22 gray wolves (63.6%), 1 of 182 coyotes (0.55%) and 0 of 5 red foxes (Vulpes fulva). Echinococcus granulosus s. l. was confirmed in 4 of these 14 specimens obtained from wolves with two parasite specimens corresponding morphologically with E. canadensis (G8/G10). These results suggest that wolves serve as the major definitive host of E. granulosus s. l. in Wyoming, while coyotes do not play an equivalent role. Limited sample size precludes evaluation of the importance of the red fox as a favorable definitive host. Whereas this study documents the occurrence of E. granulosus s. l. in Wyoming, the zoonotic disease risk does not appear to be high. Education remains the key to disease prevention, coupled with good hygienic practices by humans and anthelmintic treatment of domestic dogs exhibiting elevated risk of exposure.

Molecular Evidence for Local Acquisition of Human Alveolar Echinococcosis in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by the zoonotic cestode Echinococcus multilocularis. Our goals were to confirm infection, identify species, and analyze biogeographical origin of metacestode tissues from a suspected human AE case in Saskatchewan, Canada. We conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the nad1 mitochondrial gene for E. multilocularis and the rrnS ribosomal RNA gene for E. granulosus and conducted haplotype analysis at the nad2 locus. Our analysis confirmed AE and indicated that sequences matched infected Saskatchewan coyotes and European E3/E4 haplotypes. The patient had no travel history outside North America. This suggests autochthonous transmission of a European-type strain.

Dracunculus Species in Meso-mammals from Georgia, United States, and Implications for the Guinea Worm Eradication Program in Chad, Africa.

The prevalence and diversity of parasitic nematodes in wildlife have been well studied for certain species, yet for others considerable gaps in knowledge exist. The parasitic nematode Dracunculus insignis infects North American wildlife, and past research on this species has led to an increased understanding of the potential host diversity and transmission of the closely related human Guinea worm, Dracunculus medinensis (which is currently the focus of a global eradication program). Many definitive hosts have been documented for D. insignis; however, the life cycle has been studied only in laboratories, and only a single phylogenetic study has been conducted on D. insignis (from Canada). The goals of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of infections with Dracunculus species among wildlife at a single site (Di-Lane plantation) in the southeastern United States, evaluate the genetic diversity of parasites at this site, and investigate potential paratenic hosts that may be involved in transmission. Over 3 yr, we sampled 228 meso-mammals, reporting an overall prevalence of infection with Dracunculus insignis of 20% (46/228). Amphibians and fish were sampled in the same geographic area as infected meso-mammals. Dracunculus insignis third-stage larvae were recovered from 2 different species of amphibians, but all fish sampled were negative. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene showed very little diversity of Dracunculus at Di-Lane; however, we did recover a single nematode from a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) that falls outside of the D. insignis clade, more closely aligns with Dracunculus lutrae, and may represent an undescribed species. This work documents the occurrence of D. insignis in frogs, a potential transmission pathway for D. insignis at a single geographic site in nature. When applied to the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program, and Chad, Africa, in particular, this work increases our knowledge of the potential role of aquatic animals in the transmission of Dracunculus species and informs on potential intervention strategies that may be applied to the eradication of Guinea worm in Africa.

Molecular epidemiology of a fatal sarcoptic mange epidemic in endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica).

BACKGROUND: In 2013, sarcoptic mange, caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites, precipitated a catastrophic decline of the formerly stable urban population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica) in Bakersfield, California, USA. In 2019, a smaller sarcoptic mange outbreak affected kit foxes 58 km southwest of Bakersfield in the town of Taft, California. To determine whether the Taft outbreak could have occurred as spillover from the Bakersfield outbreak and whether epidemic control efforts must involve not only kit foxes but also sympatric dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), coyotes (Canis latrans), and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), we evaluated genotypes and gene flow among mites collected from each host species. METHODS: We used 10 Sarcoptes microsatellite markers (SARM) to perform molecular typing of 445 S. scabiei mites collected from skin scrapings from twenty-two infested kit foxes, two dogs, five coyotes, and five red foxes from Bakersfield, Taft, and other nearby cities. RESULTS: We identified 60 alleles across all SARM loci; kit fox- and red fox-derived mites were relatively monomorphic, while genetic variability was greatest in Bakersfield coyote- and dog-derived mites. AMOVA analysis documented distinct mite populations unique to hosts, with an overall FST of 0.467. The lowest FST (i.e. closest genetic relationship, FST = 0.038) was between Bakersfield and Taft kit fox-derived mites while the largest genetic difference was between Ventura coyote- and Taft kit fox-derived mites (FST = 0.843). CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the close relationship between the Taft and Bakersfield outbreaks. Although a spillover event likely initiated the kit fox mange outbreak, mite transmission is now primarily kit fox-to-kit fox. Therefore, any large-scale population level intervention should focus on treating kit foxes within the city.

Retrospective investigation of Echinococcus canadensis emergence in translocated elk (Cervus canadensis) in Tennessee, USA, and examination of canid definitive hosts.

BACKGROUND: Few reports of Echinococcus spp. have been described in the USA; however, the geographical distribution of Echinococcus spp. in wild hosts is increasing consequent to human activities. In the early 2000's, 253 elk (Cervus canadensis) originating from Alberta, Canada were released into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in an effort to re-establish their historical range. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of Echinococcus spp. in re-established elk populations in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park via a retrospective analysis of banked elk tissues and helminth examinations on intestinal contents from coyotes (Canis latrans) from the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. RESULTS: Four elk were PCR and sequence positive for E. canadensis. Each sequence had 98% or greater coverage and identity to multiple E. canadensis genotypes on GenBank. Adult Echinococcus spp. were not detected in any of the coyotes examined in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Continued surveillance of this disease in susceptible species in these areas is warranted, and these data further underscore the risk of zoonotic pathogen introduction secondary to wildlife translocation.

Factors associated with Echinococcus multilocularis infection in coyotes in southern Ontario.

Echinococcus multilocularis was recently reported in wild canids across southern Ontario, a newly recognized endemic area in Canada. In such areas, a comprehensive understanding of factors associated with infection in definitive hosts (wild canids) is critical for mitigating risk of transmission to humans. However, little is known about the transmission dynamics of the parasite in definitive hosts for this region. A study was therefore carried out to investigate the association of host-level (sex, body condition), environmental (southern Ontario region, land cover), temporal (season, hunting season, calendar year) and extraneous factors (submitter type) with E. multilocularis infection in coyotes in southern Ontario. Between November 2015 and March 2017, 416 coyotes were collected from across the region as part of a study that investigated the prevalence and distribution of the parasite in wild canids; approximately 24% of coyotes were positive for E. multilocularis. Associations between infection and factors of interest were assessed via a mixed-effects logistic regression model with a random intercept for submitter to account for clustering. Coyotes with poor body condition were at greater odds of E. multilocularis infection than those in good condition (odds ratio [OR] 2.14; 95% CI: 1.08-4.26; p = .030). A negative association was observed between infection in coyotes and the proportion of natural land in a coyote's estimated home range (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.52-0.85; p = .001). Coyotes from the western region of southern Ontario had lower odds of infection compared to coyotes from the central region (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12-0.55; p < .001). These results can be used to help guide future public health prevention strategies for human alveolar echinococcosis.

Molecular characterization of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. from dogs and coyotes in an urban landscape suggests infrequent occurrence of zoonotic genotypes.

Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. are common gastrointestinal parasites with the potential for zoonotic transmission. This study aimed to (1) determine the genotypes occurring in dogs and coyotes occupying a similar urban area; (2) determine if these hosts were infected with potentially zoonotic genotypes; (3) provide baseline molecular data. In August and September 2012, 860 dog owners living in neighborhoods bordering six urban parks in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, provided faecal samples from their dogs. From March 2012 through July 2013, 193 coyote faeces were also collected from five of six of the same parks. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy (DFA) indicated that Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. infected a total of 64 (7.4%) and 21 (2.4%) dogs, as well as 15 (7.8%) and three (1.6%) coyotes, respectively. Semi-nested, polymerase chain reactions targeting the 16S small-subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) and 18S SSU rRNA genes of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp., respectively, were conducted on samples that screened positive by DFA, and products were sequenced and genotyped. Dogs were infected with Giardia intestinalis canid-associated assemblages C (n = 14), D (n = 13), and Cryptosporidium canis (n = 3). Similarly, G. intestinalis assemblages C (n = 1), D (n = 1) and C. canis (n = 1), were detected in coyotes, as well as G. intestinalis assemblage A (n = 1) and Cryptosporidium vole genotype (n = 1). Dogs and coyotes were predominantly infected with host-specific genotypes and few potentially zoonotic genotypes, suggesting that they may not represent a significant risk for zoonotic transmission of these parasites in urban areas where these hosts are sympatric.

PATHOLOGY AND DISCRETE TYPING UNIT ASSOCIATIONS OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI INFECTION IN COYOTES (CANIS LATRANS) AND RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR) OF TEXAS, USA.

Trypanosoma cruzi is a vector-borne, protozoal parasite of mammals. Infected humans, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), and nonhuman primates may remain asymptomatic or may develop Chagas disease, most commonly characterized by lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis with myocardial degeneration and fibrosis, ultimately resulting in heart failure. Although wildlife species have important roles as sylvatic reservoirs, investigations into the pathology of T. cruzi in wildlife are limited to a few studies documenting histologic lesions in opossums (Didelphis spp.) and raccoons (Procyon lotor). Pathology in coyotes (Canis latrans) has not, to our knowledge, been described, despite their recognition as a reservoir and close genetic relationship to domestic dogs. Our objectives were to perform a detailed, comparative cardiac pathology study of sympatric, naturally infected coyotes and raccoons, to characterize the overall T. cruzi infection prevalence in the heart and blood of each species via PCR, and to identify infecting discrete typing units (DTUs). We sampled hunter-harvested coyotes (n=120) and raccoons (n=24) in a 28 county region of central and south Texas, US. Raccoons were significantly more likely to have positive PCR results (P<0.001) with a prevalence of 62% (15/24), comprising DTU TcIV exclusively, with mild to no evidence of cardiac pathology. In contrast, coyotes had a lower infection prevalence (8%, 10/120), comprising DTU TcI exclusively, with lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis observed in four of the six PCR-positive animals. Many raccoons had PCR-positive blood and heart tissue simultaneously, supporting previous reports that raccoons maintain parasitemia into chronic stages of infection; in contrast, none of the PCR-positive coyotes were positive in both heart and blood. Our findings demonstrate marked differences in T. cruzi infection dynamics between coyotes and raccoons, with important implications for reservoir potential and their role in transmission cycles.

Of microbes and mange: consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three canid species infected with Sarcoptes scabiei mites.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. METHODS: Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected canids using the Kruskal-Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. RESULTS: We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. CONCLUSIONS: This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a "One Health" framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.

Neospora caninum DNA in Coyote Fecal Samples Collected in an Urban Environment.

Definitive hosts of Neospora caninum are species of canids, such as domestic dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris), coyotes ( Canis latrans) and foxes ( Vulpes vulpes), whereas ruminants, such as cattle ( Bos taurus), sheep ( Ovis aries), and deer (Cervidae) serve as intermediate hosts. We investigated the presence of N. caninum in feces of coyotes in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One hundred coyote fecal samples were collected from five city parks. Following DNA extraction, the presence of N. caninum DNA was determined by using real-time PCR analysis with a primer and probe pair targeting the Nc5 gene. Ten of the 100 samples contained detectable amounts of N. caninum DNA. White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) are common in Calgary's city parks, and although we did not examine them for the presence of N. caninum bradyzoites, the presence of N. caninum DNA in coyote fecal samples is indicative that a sylvatic host of N. caninum exists within this urban environment.

Helminth parasites and zoonotic risk associated with urban coyotes (Canis latrans) in Alberta, Canada.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are resilient, adaptable, cosmopolitan omnivores that are increasingly prevalent in urban environments, where they interact with both humans and domestic dogs. Coyotes potentially transmit zoonotic parasites, including the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which appears to be increasing in prevalence in western North America. In this study, we analysed the carcasses of 23 urban coyotes in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Focusing primarily on the helminth community, we recovered three tapeworm species (E. multilocularis, Taenia pisiformis, T. serialis), four nematodes (Toxascaris leonina, Uncinaria stenocephala, Capillaria sp., Physaloptera sp.), and two trematodes (Alaria arisaemoides and A. americana). Compared to previous studies of urban coyotes conducted in North America, we report one of the highest levels of E. multilocularis infection in North America: 65.2% infection prevalence. These results amplify concerns expressed by others about the increasing prevalence of this zoonotic parasite and the role coyotes may play in parasite transmission. More research is needed to better understand how various ecological factors, urbanization and wildlife management practices influence the transmission of potentially zoonotic parasites such as E. multilocularis.

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

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 with 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, whereas S. scabiei from canids were more variable, but 2 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 4 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.