Article
Habitat, wildlife, and one health: Arcanobacterium pyogenes in Maryland and Upper Eastern Shore white-tailed deer populations
Infection Ecology & Epidemiology
(2013)
Abstract
Background: Understanding the distribution of disease in wildlife is key to predicting the impact of emerging
zoonotic one health concerns, especially for wildlife species with extensive human and livestock interfaces. The
widespread distribution and complex interactions of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with humans
suggest deer population health and management may have implications beyond stewardship of the animals. The
intracranial abscessation suppurative meningitis (IASM) disease complex in deer has been linked to
Arcanobacterium pyogenes, an under-diagnosed and often misdiagnosed organism considered commensal in
domestic livestock but associated with serious disease in numerous species, including humans.
Methods: Our study used standard bacterial culture techniques to assess A. pyogenes prevalence among male
deer sampled across six physiogeographic regions in Maryland and male and female deer in the Upper Eastern
Shore under Traditional Deer Management (TDM) and Quality Deer Management (QDM), a management
protocol that alters population demographics in favor of older male deer. Samples were collected from antler
pedicles for males, the top of the headwhere pedicleswould be if present for females, or the whole dorsal frontal
area of the head for neonates. We collected nasal samples from all animals by swabbing the nasopharyngeal
membranes. A gram stain and catalase test were conducted, and aerobic bacteria were identified to genus and
species when possible. We evaluated the effect of region on whether deer carried A. pyogenes using Pearson’s
chi-square test with Yates’ continuity correction. For the white-tailed deer management study, we tested
whether site, age class and sex predisposed animals to carrying A. pyogenes using binary logistic regression.
Results: A. pyogenes was detected on deer in three of the six regions studied, and was common in only one
region, the Upper Eastern Shore. In the Upper Eastern Shore, 45% and 66% of antler and nasal swabs fromdeer
were positive for A. pyogenes, respectively. On the Upper Eastern Shore, prevalence of A. pyogenes cultured
from deer did not differ between management areas, and was abundant among both sexes and across all age
classes. No A. pyogenes was cultured from a small sample of neonates.
Conclusion: Our study indicates A. pyogenes may be carried widely among white-tailed deer regardless of sex or
age class, but we found no evidence the pathogen is acquired in utero. The distribution of A. pyogenes across
regions and concentration in a region with low livestock levels suggests the potential for localized endemicity of
the organism and the possibility that deer may serve as a maintenance reservoir for an emerging one health
concern.
Keywords
- Arcanobacterium pyogenes,
- white-tailed deer,
- one health,
- intracranial abscessation,
- emerging diseases
Disciplines
Publication Date
2013
DOI
10.3402/iee.v3i0.19175
Publisher Statement
Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted.
Citation Information
Melissa M. Turner, Christopher S. Deperno, Mark C. Conner, T. Brian Eyler, et al.. "Habitat, wildlife, and one health: Arcanobacterium pyogenes in Maryland and Upper Eastern Shore white-tailed deer populations" Infection Ecology & Epidemiology Vol. 3 Iss. 1 (2013) p. 19175 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/robert-klaver/48/