Disease transmission and animal health

Graduate student: Saranya Narayana

Supervisors: Herman Barkema adn Flavio Schenkel

Supervisory committee: Karin Orsel, John Kastelic and Filippo Miglior

Details:

Saranya' research aims to address the following questions:

  1. What is the amount of genetic variation in heifers for SCM within 30 DIM?
  2. What is the amount of genetic variation in cows for pathogen-specific IMI?
  3. What are key candidate genes associated with mastitis traits that could be identified using GWAS?
  4. What CNVs are associated with CM and SCM?
  5. Would single-step genomic prediction increase reliability of GEBV for CM and SCM?
  6. What genomic regions and candidate genes are associated with mastitis during early lactation in heifers identified using GEBV predicted using single-step genomic approach?

This study will be valuable for understanding the genetic variation of SCM and pathogen-specific IMI, proposing a novel approach to estimate accurate GEBV for CM and SCM, and generate new knowledge regarding underlying genetic mechanisms of mastitis-related traits.

Poster WCDS 2018

Poster WCDS 2019

Reducing antimicrobial use and resistance by selective and improved use of clinical mastitis treatments 

Graduate student: Ellen de Jong

Supervisor; Herman Barkema

Supervisory committee: Karin Orsel, David Kelton, John Kastelic, Javier Sanchez

Details:

Ellen's project will focus on answering the following questions: 

  1. What is the association between the treatment strategy of Clinical Mastitis cases (blanket vs. selective) and AMU and AMR levels in bovine mastitis pathogens? 
  2. What are the consequences of a selective Clinical Mastitis treatment protocol on farms parameters such as morbidity, mortality and milk production characteristics?
  3. What are the motivation and rationale influencing dose and duration of Clinical Mastitis treatments?

With the ultimate aim to better understand the use of antimicrobial treatments and related antimicrobial resistance, with the opportunity to decrease AMU.

Find some of her posters here:

 

Bovine Leucosis control in dairy cows; the role of high proviral load cattle on disease prevalence and transmission

Graduate student: Sulav Shrestha

Supervisor: Frank van der Meer

Supervisory committee: Herman Barkema, Karin Orsel, Guido van Marle, Faizal Careem

Details:

 

His research project is on Bovine Leukosis control in dairy herds by identification and removal of high-risk animals. A large percentage of Canadian dairy cows are infected with a highly transmissible retrovirus, bovine leukemia virus (BLV) which causes a lifelong infection with the disease known as bovine leukosis. The animals having higher percentage of their blood cells (B-lymphocytes) infected with the virus (high proviral load animal) are more likely to develop leukocytosis, tumors and are considered to readily transmit the virus. His current project proposes a strategy whereby they will work with the dairy herds across Alberta in identification and removal of such high-risk animals. The project hypothesize that such intervention can significantly reduce the transmission of infection to the non-infected animals within the herd. His project also aims to evaluate detection techniques which are relatively convenient and affordable. 

 

Graduate student: Jesse Schuster

Supervisor: Karin Orsel

Supervisory committee: Herman Barkema and David Kelton

Details:

Longevity is a term often associated with success in the dairy industry and is used to gauge the length of productive life of cows. However, there is no set definition or measurement for longevity, leading to inconsistencies and ambiguity when defining longevity. Similarly, there is a gap in knowledge with regards to which definition of longevity is the most accurate at identifying profitable cows. Longevity is a balance between a cow’s life and the profits she generates as part of the herd. Therefore, this project will focus on defining longevity and what it means with regards to a cow’s herd life and economic value. We will also work in partnership with Canwest DHI to create a longevity index that can be used by producers as a benchmarking tool to assess and improve longevity in their herd. 

Eco-epidemiology of production limiting diseases at the wildlife livestock interface Beef cattle and elk in southwestern Alberta, Canada

Graduate Student: Mathieu Pruvot

Supervisor: Karin Orsel and Susan Kutz

Supervisory committee: Herman Barkema, Jeroen De Buck, Alessandro Massolo and Marco Musiani

Details

Mathieu has defended his PhD at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, under the supervision of Dr. Karin Orsel (Department of Production Animal Health). Mathieu’s project is looking at the effect of the interaction between cattle and elk on the dynamics of important infectious diseases for both wild and domestic ruminants. His committee includes a large multi-disciplinary group: Drs Susan Kutz, Marco Musiani, Herman Barkema, Allessandro Massolo and Jeroen De Buck.

His PhD thesis can be found: http://theses.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/11023/1685/2/ucalgary_2014_pruvot_mathieu.pdf

Southwestern Alberta Foothills are a primary habitat for wild elk and the heart of the province livestock production. Interfaces between wildlife and livestock are recognized as a potential risk for cross-species pathogen transmission, which in some instances had dire consequences on wildlife, cattle production and public health. Although some studies have screened wildlife for a number of livestock pathogen, rarely have studies systematically compared the transmissibility of various pathogens in a multi-host ecosystem to understand the combined influence of the spatio-temporal patterns of interactions, transmission route and pathogen characteristics (e.g. virulence, environmental persistence). A multi-disciplinary approach is essential to tackle such questions. Collaboration with the Montane Elk Research Program (MERP), the largest elk study worldwide, provides a unique opportunity to access a large set of elk movement data and biological samples and the experience of ecologist and wildlife biologists. In addition, in contact with supervisory committee memebres and collaborators, I have gained experience in epidemiology, ecology, modeling and computer science to approach the problematic in an inclusive and holistic way.

>Aim and hypothesis:

We compare the effect of cattle-elk interactions on the dynamic of production limiting diseases caused by pathogens with different transmission routes.

>Objectives:

-1- Assess the evidence of pathogen circulation in both elk and cattle and the association between pathogen occurrence and host interactions.

-2- Characterize the site-specific spatio-temporal structure and intensity of interaction between cattle and elk.

-3- Use an agent-based model (ABM) to represent disease transmissions between elk and cattle and understand critical processes.

>Methods: 

-1- Five economically significant pathogens, endemic in Alberta, were selected to represent different routes of transmission: direct contact (Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus, Bovine Herpesvirus), environmental contamination (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis), indirect transmission with intermediate host (Neospora caninum, Fascioloides magna). Elk herds (n=10) and cow calf operations (n=30) were selected and classified in two groups based on their exposure to the other species (exposed/unexposed study). Fecal and serum samples were collected on both species (Elk: 284 sera, 697 faeces; Cattle: 856 sera and faeces) and processed in the laboratory for the different pathogens. To capture information on pasture rotation, water, feed and health management, we conducted interviews with ranchers. We controlled the confounding effects of these risk factors in a multi-level regression analysis.    

-2- Elk that were sampled were also equipped with GPS collars recording location points every 2 hours for two years. Elk location data and spatial information from surveyed ranches (mapping on aerial photographs) will be combined to map the spatio-temporal patterns of interactions between cattle and elk.    

-3- Agent-based models (ABMs) recently emerged as a new approach for disease modeling. They offer a spatially-explicit framework to simulate the behaviour of individuals and their interactions in the environment. Data obtained by objective 1 and 2 will be used to specify, parameterize and calibrate an ABM to simulate pathogen transmission in this complex multi-host ecosystem. Sensitivity analysis will assess the relative importance of the different parameters and processes. Scenario simulations will help anticipating effects of changes in the environment, policy, management practices and even emergence of new pathogens.

Making progress in understanding diseases in multi-host systems requires a combination of intense field-based data collection and advanced analysis and modeling approaches in site-specific studies. We generated a wealth of high quality data: the use of innovative modeling techniques will now guarantee the production of significant outcomes for Alberta livestock and wildlife management.

Ecological and molecular approaches to understanding emergence and impacts of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in the Arctic

Graduate student: Angeline McIntyre

Supervisor: Susan Kutz; co-supervisor Karin Orsel

Supervisory committee; Jeroen De Buck, Wendy Hutchins, Brett Elkin

Details:

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a bacteria not previously reported from muskoxen nor the Arctic, was first isolated from muskoxen found dead during mortality events on Victoria Island in summer 2011, and then subsequently from dead muskoxen found on Banks Island in summer 2012-2013, and from the tonsils of one apparently healthy muskox sampled during a commercial harvest on Victoria Island. Animals found dead were part of large scale die-offs, and were generally adults in good body condition, that had died from septicemia associated with the E. rhusiopathiae. This bacterium is best known from livestock species for causing diamond skin disease in pigs, but can infect all vertebrate species, often opportunistically causing disease in animals that are stressed or compromised. It is also zoonotic, thus of concern with respect to the safety of ‘country foods’ such as muskoxen.

 

Our goal is to better understand the origin and ecology of this emerging pathogen in muskoxen. To date, UCVM PhD candidate Taya Forde (in collaboration with the Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK), has developed lab methods for bacterial culture and PCR, done whole genome sequencing of isolates from muskoxen from the two islands and early results suggest extremely limited genetic diversity. She also has isolated the bacteria from the bone marrow of two decayed carcasses on Banks Island and has tested numerous wolves and fish from the islands for the bacteria. This work sets the stage for the next PhD student; Angeline McIntyre.

Key questions may address include:

1. Why has E. rhusiopathiae emerged recently in muskoxen? Is it a newly introduced pathogen or an endemic pathogen emerging because of changed environmental conditions that facilitate infection and disease (either through stress to the muskox or amplification of the pathogen in the environment), or is it a combination of a novel pathogen and changing environmental conditions?

2. Is this pathogen a concern for viability of muskox populations and if so what can be done to reduce the impact?

3. What are the zoonotic risks?

See an interview with Susan Kutz and Angeline while working up North

Graduate student Taya Forde

Supervisor: Karin Orsel

Supervisory committee: Susan Kutz, Frank van der Meer, Jeroen De Buck and Brett Elkin

Details:

 

Molecular tools to investigate bacterial diseases in wild ruminants

Taya is excited to be studying wildlife diseases with a focus on molecular epidemiology and diagnostics.  Her projects involve the study of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae as a recent cause of mortality in muskox populations, and investigating the distribution of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) in wild ungulate populations. 

Part 1:

Determining the distribution of Map among free-ranging wood bison herds in northern Canada

The wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) is a threatened species native to northwestern North America. This species is managed by provincial and territorial governments with the goal of maintaining healthy populations across historic wood bison range, while ensuring the genetic integrity of the subspecies. To meet this objective, bison may be moved between existing herds to enhance genetic diversity, or moved to new locations to establish herds within the original wood bison range. Although these translocations are an important management strategy for wood bison conservation, a risk of moving animals is the inadvertent introduction of infectious pathogens to new areas or populations, or exposing naïve animals to pathogens already present in that environment.  One pathogen that could pose a risk to bison health is Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map), a bacterial pathogen that causes Johne's disease in ruminants. Johne’s disease is characterized by intestinal inflammation that prohibits nutrient absorption, leading to chronic weight loss. 

The aim of this study is to understand the current distribution and genetic diversity of Map in wood bison herds in northern Canada to facilitate informed conservation management decisions such as the selection of source herds for future translocations.

Results of this study have been published and can be accessed at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23686265

Collaborations

This project would not have been possible without the many collaborators who have contributed to sample collection.  These include Brett Elkin, Terry Armstrong, Karl Cox, and Nic Larter of the Government of the Northwest Territories, Jane Harms of the University of Saskatchewan, Helen Schwantje of the Government of British Columbia, Lyle Fullerton, Margo Pybus and Mark Ball of the Government of Alberta, and Rhona Kindopp and Archie Handel of Parks Canada.  Valuable control samples for test validation were provided by Elizabeth Manning of the University of Wisconsin, and Suelee Robbe-Austerman of USDA-APHIS NVSL. Financial support for this study was provided by the Alberta Conservation Association Grants in Biodiversity, and the Arctic Institute of North America (NSTP and Grant-in-Aid).  

 

Part 2

Investigating mortality events in muskoxen in northern Canada 

The muskox is a key species in the Canadian arctic and serves as an important food and economic resource for northern communities. Over the past few summers, several abnormal mortality events involving large numbers of muskoxen have been observed. In the summer of 2012, over 200 muskoxen were found dead on Banks Island. Post-mortem testing determined that these animals had died from infection with a bacterium called Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. Dead muskoxen on nearby Victoria Island have since been confirmed to have had the same infection. Although Erysipelothrix is known to have a broad distribution and to infect a wide variety of species, this bacterium had never before been reported in muskoxen. Understanding the sources of infection and how the disease is spreading will be important for identifying potential management options for maintaining healthy muskox populations.

Our main research questions are:

  1. Are muskoxen on Banks and Victoria islands infected with the same strain of Erysipelothrix?
  2. Was this bacterium recently introduced into this environment, or is there genetic evidence of it being well-established in the region?

To answer these questions, we are looking at the DNA sequences from the bacteria that have been isolated from dead muskoxen as a form of forensic fingerprinting. The amount of genetic variability found within and between the two mortality events provides valuable information about how the bacterium has been circulating within these populations.

Collaborations

  • Supported by Eyes High “Learn from the best” funding, Taya undertook a 10 week externship at the University of Glasgow’s Institute for Biology, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine with Drs Ruth Zadoks, Roman Biek and Rowland Kao to develop bioinformatics skills and conduct preliminary data analysis.
  • Sample collection in the north can be extremely challenging. Collaborations with the Government of Northwest Territories, the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC- in particular the branch at the University of Saskatchewan), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Parks Canada Western Arctic Field Unit, and northern community organizations, including Kitikmeot Foods, have been essential.
  • Erysipelothrix isolates used for comparative purposes have been graciously provided by a number of collaborators, including Iowa State University, Ghent University, Université de Montréal, the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Shedd Aquarium, US Geological Survey and Gallant Laboratories.

Supervisory Committee: Karin Orsel, Jeroen De Buck, Brett Elkin, Susan Kutz, Frank van der Meer

Awards: NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship, Izaak Walton Killam Pre-Doctoral Scholarship, Alberta Conservation Association Grant in Biodiversity, Canadian Wildlife Foundation Grant, UCVM Entrance Award, Eyes High Learn-from-the-best and Raise-your-game, Arctic Institute of North America NSTP and Grant-in-Aid, Canadian Wildlife Federation Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship, U of C 3 Minute Thesis Competition 3rd place

Publications:

Aenishaenslin, C., A. Simon, T. Forde, A. Ravel, J-F. Proulx, C. Fehlner-Gardner, I. Picard, and D. Bélanger. (2014) Characterizing rabies epidemiology in remote Inuit communities in Québec, Canada: A “One Health” approach. EcoHealth, Mar 19 e-pub ahead of print. 

Forde, T., J. De Buck, B. Elkin, S. Kutz, F. van der Meer, and K. Orsel. (2013) Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in wood bison: contrasting results of culture-dependent and molecular analyses. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79(14): 4448–4454.

Pruvot, M.+, T. Forde+, J. Steele, S. Kutz, J. De Buck, F. van der Meer, and K. Orsel.(2013) The modification and evaluation of an ELISA test for the surveillance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in wild ruminants. BMC Veterinary Research 9:5.

Forde, T., K. Orsel, J. De Buck, S. D. Côté, C. Cuyler, T. Davison, B. Elkin, A. Kelly, M. Kienzler, R. Popko, J. Taillon, A. Veitch, and S. Kutz. (2012) Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in several herds of Arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus ssp.) Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48: 918-924.

Forde, T., S. Kutz, J. De Buck, A. Warren, K. Ruckstuhl, M. Pybus, and K. Orsel. (2012) Occurrence, diagnosis and strain typing of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in southwestern Alberta.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48: 1-11.

 

Conferences:

Forde, T., Orsel, K., Biek, R., De Buck, J., Trewby, H., van der Meer, F., Zadoks, R., and Kutz, S. (December 2014) Phylogenomic analyses suggest a recently emerged strain of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is associated with muskox die-offs in the Canadian Arctic. International Conference on Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand.

Forde, T., Orsel, K., Biek, R., Bollinger, T., Branigan, M., Checkley, S., Davison, T., De Buck, J., Dumond, A., Dumond, M., Elkin, B., Hutchins, W., Opriessnig, T., Sather,S., Stasiak, I., Trewby, H., van der Meer, F., Zadoks, R., and Kutz, S. (July 2014) Genome-wide characterization of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae causing large-scale mortality in muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic. Wildlife Disease Association Conference, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

Forde, T., Orsel, K., Checkley, S., Zadoks, R., Biek, R., Trewby, H., De Buck, J., van der Meer, F., and Kutz, S. (March 2014) Northern invasion: Are recent die-offs in muskoxen the result of a newly emerging pathogen? University of Calgary Student Research Day, Calgary, AB, Canada. 

Forde, T., J. De Buck, B. Elkin, S. Kutz, F. van der Meer, and K. Orsel. (March 2013) Diagnostic challenges associated with the surveillance of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in Canadian wood bison. Oral presentation: Meeting of the Canadian Section of the Wildlife Society, Canmore, Alberta.

Pruvot, M.+, T. Forde+, J. Steele, S. Kutz, J. De Buck, F. van der Meer, and K. Orsel. (October 2012)The modification and evaluation of a serum ELISA test for the surveillance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in wild ruminants. Oral presentation: Canadian Map Researchers Meeting, Banff, Alberta.

Forde, T., Orsel, K., De Buck, J., Kutz, S., and CARMA Network. (August 2012) Detection of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in caribou from northern Canada and Greenland. Oral presentation: International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Orsel, K., Forde, T., De Buck, J., Ruckstuhl, K., Hale, G., Pybus, M., Barkema, H., and Kutz, S. (August 2012). Molecular epidemiology to study paratuberculosis transmission at the bighorn sheep-cattle interface. Poster presentation: International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Forde, T., De Buck, J., Kutz, S., Elkin, B., and Orsel, K. (August 2012) Optimization of culture conditions for detecting Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in wood bison. Poster presentation: International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Forde, T., De Buck, J., Elkin, B., Kutz, S., Pruvot, M., and Orsel, K. (July, 2012) Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in wood bison: diagnostic optimization and herd-level infection status. Poster presentation: Wildlife Disease Association Conference, Lyon, France.

Forde, T., De Buck, J., Kutz, S., Elkin, B., and Orsel, K. (February, 2012) Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in wood bison: diagnostic optimization and herd-level occurrence. Poster presentation: International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sydney, Australia.

Forde, T., Orsel, K.,De Buck, J., and Kutz, S. (February, 2012). The detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in wild caribou herds. Poster presentation: International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sydney, Australia.

Orsel, K., Forde, T., Pruvot, M., De Buck, J., Ruckstuhl, K., Barkema, H.W.and Kutz, S. (February, 2012) Map at the wildlife-cattle interface in southwestern Alberta. Oral presentation: International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sydney, Australia.

Forde, T., Kutz, S., De Buck, J., Elkin, B., and Orsel, K. (October, 2011) Optimizing diagnostic tools for detecting Map in wood bison. Oral presentation: Canadian Map Researchers Meeting, Banff, Alberta.

Forde, T., Orsel, K., De Buck, J., Côté, S. D., Cuyler, C., Davison, T., Elkin, B., Kelly, A., Kienzler, M., Popko, R., Taillon, J., Veitch, A., and Kutz, S. (August, 2011) Circum-arctic presence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds. Oral presentation: Arctic Ungulate Conference, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

 Simon, A., Aenishaenslin, C., Proulx, J.-F., Picard, I., Forde, T., Fehlner-Gardiner, C., and Bélanger D. (August, 2011) An ecosystemic approach to rabies in Nunavik: the role of arctic foxes and dogs. Poster presentation: Wildlife Disease Association Meeting, Québec City, Québec.

Forde, T., Kutz, S., De Buck, J., Elkin, B., and Orsel, K. (May, 2011) Determining the distribution of Mycobacterium avium ssp paratuberculosis in free-ranging herds of wood bison in northern Canada. Oral presentation: Alberta Graduate Conference, Calgary, Alberta.

Forde, T., Kutz, S., De Buck, J., Elkin, B., and Orsel, K. (October, 2010) The prevalence and diversity of Map in wood bison: proposed Master's project. Oral presentation: Canadian Map Researchers Meeting, Banff, Alberta.

Orsel, K., Forde, T., Warren, A., Kutz, S., Pybus, M., Ruckstuhl, K., and De Buck J. (October 2010) Clinical Johne's Disease in a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep from Pincher Creek, Alberta. Oral presentation: Canadian Map Researchers Meeting, Banff, Alberta.

Aenishaenslin, C., Forde, T., Fehlner-Gardiner, C., Picard, I., and Bélanger, D. (October, 2010) Ten years of fox rabies epidemiology and human risk of exposure in Nunavik, Québec, 1999 – 2009. Poster presentation: International Congress on Infectious Diseases, Vienna, Austria.

Links:

http://www.killamtrusts.ca/Calgaryprofiles.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXvD3SJm9lI

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/Alberta/Calgary+Eyeopener/ID/2382293772/

Graduate student: Guilherme Bond

Supervisor: Ed Pajor

Supervisory committee: Herman Barkema, Lorraine Doepel, Dan Weary and Karin Orsel