Prevalence of Bartonella infection in wild African lions (Panthera leo) and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)
Sophie MoliaBruno B. ChomelR.W. KastenChristian M. LeuteneggerB.R SteeleLaurie MarkerJanice S. MartensonD F KeetR G BengisRichard P. PetersonL. MunsonStephen J. O’Brien
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Acinonyx jubatus
Bartonella
Sciurus
As many carnivores occur outside protected areas, they are vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. In South Africa, the largest proportion of the distribution range of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) is outside protected areas along the northern border of the country. Lions (Panthera leo) and spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) have been extirpated from these areas, leaving the depauperate carnivore guild dominated by cheetahs, leopards (Panthera pardus) and brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea). To determine how cheetahs use these areas, tracking collars were fitted to nine individuals from September 2003 to July 2009 in the Thabazimbi area, Limpopo, South Africa. Local Convex Hulls (αLoCoH) were used to determine home range sizes and 50 and 95 utilization distributions (UDs) were calculated. Male 95UDs ranged from 121.5 km2 to 607 km2 while females ranged from 14.7 km2 to 703.3 km2. Cheetahs utilized several ranches and mean home ranges sizes were larger than mean ranch size and larger than cheetah home ranges recorded in other southern African countries, with the exception of the more arid Namibia. This study provides valuable and relevant data on cheetahs and aids conservation practitioners in mitigating human—cheetah conflict on South African farmland.
Acinonyx jubatus
Crocuta crocuta
Carnivore
Guild
Leopard
Home range
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Leopard
Game reserve
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Bartonella clarridgeiae and several strains of Bartonella henselae, the agent of cat scratch disease, with variations in the 16S rRNA gene have been found to infect the blood of cats. An epidemiologic study of Bartonella infection in domestic French cats revealed that of 436 cats sampled, 5 cats (1.1%) were coinfected with B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae and 2 cats (0.5%) were coinfected with two strains of B. henselae with variations in the 16S rRNA gene, B. henselae type I and type II. In an indirect immunofluorescence assay, coinfected cats tested positive for both Bartonella species at titers of > or = 128. Identification of the colonies was achieved by preformed enzyme analysis, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the citrate synthase gene, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Colony size differences in mixed culture allowed differentiation of the Bartonella species. The coinfection of cats with two Bartonella species or variants of the same species raises concern about the possibility of dual infection in humans. The development of a polyvalent vaccine targeted against the most pathogenic or invasive strains may be a means of protecting cats and man from infection.
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Serosurvey of Bartonella henselae antibody in twenty clinically healthy pet cats from Pudong New Area of Shanghai was conducted by using indirect immunofluorescence assay.The results showed that 20%(4/20) cats were positive for Bartonella henselae antibody,indicating the existence of Bartonella henselae infection in pet cats in this district.
Bartonella
Cat-scratch disease
Bartonellosis
Immunofluorescence
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Cat-scratch disease
Bartonellosis
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The widespread and severe conflict between humans and wildlife is one of the most critical threats for the survival of many wildlife species today. The increasing human population growth have along with habitat loss, fragmentation, prey depletion and persecution led to extensive declines in many large carnivores. Further are many carnivores considered as great threats to human interests and security and it is therefore urgent to identify suitable mitigation strategies taking both human interests and carnivore survival into account. This can be obtained by studying carnivore behaviour to gain valuable knowledge regarding activity and depredation patterns to better understand crucial periods when carnivore activity is higher. The main objective in this study was to examine general activity patterns in a fenced reserve by three carnivores of importance: cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), leopards (Panthera pardus) and black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas), due to their repeated involvement in human-wildlife conflicts. Potential relationships between three environmental variables (moon phase, temperature and rainfall) and activity patterns were also examined. Lastly was depredation by these predators mapped and interviews were performed with concerned herders. The study was conducted in the private reserve Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Laikipia district, Kenya. Activity and movement patterns were analyzed using camera traps at two out of three wildlife corridors placed along the northern boundary while depredation was mapped using available data on site. Interviews were performed in field during a fieldtrip in November 2016. The results revealed a low presence of both cheetahs and leopards as for why statistical analysis were only performed on the environmental variables in relation to jackal activity. Activity patterns revealed an overlap between cheetah and jackal activity but with an exclusively nocturnal activity in leopards. Moon phase and temperature were found not to have any effect on jackal activity but a significant negative relationship could be seen between jackal activity and rainfall. Increased activity during dry periods could potentially derive from competition or predator avoidance by black-backed jackals but presumably is activity patterns more regulated by prey availability and perhaps mate search. Results from depredation analysis indicated that depredation is unaffected by environmental factors and that attacks presumably occurs randomly in an opportunistic way, especially when prey availability is low. Despite low sample size did the results also reveal a high percentage of attacks occurring both in proximity to water, during night and in the Sirrima-area, referred to as predator free. My results therefore implies that the human-carnivore conflict can be mitigated at Ol Pejeta by being extra cautious when grazing cattle in the Sirrima area or other areas near water, especially at night during dry seasons when there is a high abundance of calves in the herds.
Acinonyx jubatus
Carnivore
Leopard
Human–wildlife conflict
Poaching
Jackal
Crocuta crocuta
Ungulate
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Leopard
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Recent reports in the medical literature emphasize the risk of zoonotic disease and the high degree of prevalence of asymptomatic feline infection with Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae. While investigating Bartonella bacteremia in cats, we used transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate B. henselae in the erythrocytes of persistently bacteremic cats.
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Bartonellosis
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