Distribution, Prevalence, and Genetic Characterization Of
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DISTRIBUTION, PREVALENCE, AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS IN SELECTED AREAS OF GEORGIA AND FLORIDA by EMILY LAUREN BLIZZARD (Under the Direction of Michael J. Yabsley) ABSTRACT Baylisascaris procyonis an intestinal nematode commonly found in raccoons (Procyon lotor) can cause fatal larval migrans in numerous species of mammals, birds, and humans. This study investigated the distribution and prevalence of B. procyonis in populations of raccoons in Georgia and Florida. Intestinal tracts of 312 raccoons from 25 Georgia counties and 52 raccoons from three Florida counties were examined for B. procyonis. B. procyonis was detected in Clarke County where 12 of 116 (10.3%) raccoons were infected and 11 B. procyonis worms were collected from northern Florida. Sequence analysis of the 18S and 5.8S rRNA genes and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 and -2 regions confirmed Georgia samples were B. procyonis. These data indicate that the distribution of B. procyonis within Georgia is increasing and now present in Florida. Limited genetic variability was found in the rRNA and ITS gene regions among B. procyonis from the southern United States. INDEX WORDS: Baylisascaris procyonis, zoonotic, Georgia, Florida, raccoons DISTRIBUTION, PREVALENCE, AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS IN SELECTED AREAS OF GEORGIA AND FLORIDA by EMILY LAUREN BLIZZARD B.S., Georgia Southern University, 2006 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2010 © 2010 Emily Lauren Blizzard All Rights Reserved DISTRIBUTION, PREVALENCE, AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS IN SELECTED AREAS OF GEORGIA AND FLORIDA by EMILY LAUREN BLIZZARD Major Professor: Michael J. Yabsley Committee: Steven B. Castleberry David E. Stallknecht Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2010 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like thank my major advisor, Dr. Michael Yabsley, for allowing me the opportunity to work on this project. I would not be completing my Master’s degree today if he had not taken a chance and given me the opportunity to work with him. Additionally, this project would not have been possible without his valuable advice, guidance, and encouragement. I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Steven B. Castleberry and Dr. David E. Stallknecht for their invaluable advice and input. I would also like to thank D. Kavanaugh and J. Smith (APHIS/USDA/WS), C. Groce (WKU), B. Hanson, K. Pederson, B. Wilcox, B. Adler, J. Carroll, G. Doster, S. Ellis-Felege, J. Gonynor, N. Jenkins, J. Slusher, J. Parris, W. Kistler, and B. Shock (UGA) for field assistance and/or permission to collect raccoons. To all the many research technicians, students, and diagnosticians at the S.C.W.D.S your assistance both in the field and in the laboratory was invaluable. Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and lab mates for their support, encouragement, patience, friendship, and love. To my lab mates you all are some of the most intelligent, dedicated, passionate, people I have ever met and I have cherished every moment I have been able to spend working with you all. Each of you has become very special to me and I am proud to be considered your friend. I thank you all for your constant encouragement and friendship. You have truly helped to shape the person I have become. Most importantly, I would like to thank my parents for their never wavering faith, encouragement, patience, support, and love. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 Description and History .............................................................................................3 Distribution and Prevalence ......................................................................................3 Host Range and Life Cycle .......................................................................................5 Clinical Signs and Pathology ..................................................................................12 Potential as a Bioterrorism Agent ...........................................................................12 Diagnosis .................................................................................................................13 Treatment .................................................................................................................15 Methods of Decontamination ..................................................................................16 Conclusions .............................................................................................................17 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................18 2 DISTRIBUTION, PREVALENCE, AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS IN SELECTED AREAS OF GEORGIA .............36 Abstract ...................................................................................................................37 v Introduction .............................................................................................................38 Materials and Methods ............................................................................................39 Data Analysis ..........................................................................................................40 Genetic Characterization .........................................................................................41 Results .....................................................................................................................42 Discussion ...............................................................................................................43 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................47 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................48 3 GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS, FLORIDA .......59 Abstract ...................................................................................................................60 Introduction .............................................................................................................60 The Study ................................................................................................................61 Conclusions .............................................................................................................62 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................63 4 CONCLUSIONS..........................................................................................................66 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................68 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1.1: Previous studies conducted in various regions of the United States investigating the prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in raccoons (Procyon lotor) .............................28 Table 1.2: Review of human Baylisascaris procyonis infections from 1975 to 2008 ...................29 Table 2.1: Prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in raccoons captured from 1997 to 2009 from 25 counties in Georgia ...................................................................................................55 Table 2.2: Relationships between Baylisascaris procyonis prevalence and age, sex, season, and land-use in Clarke County, Georgia ..............................................................................56 Table 2.3: Nucleotide sequence variations within the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region of Baylisascaris procynois from Georgia (GA), Texas (TX), and Kentucky (KY) ......57 Table 2.4: Nucleotide sequence variations within the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 region of Baylisascaris procyonis from Georgia (GA), Texas (TX), and Kentucky (KY) ......58 vii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1.1: General distribution and percent of raccoons infected with Baylisascaris procyonis in the United States ............................................................................................................34 Figure 1.2: Life cycle of Baylisascaris procyonis .........................................................................35 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction Baylisascaris procyonis, is an intestinal nematode commonly found in raccoons (Procyon lotor), in some areas of the United States. This parasite is significant because in non-raccoon hosts, larvae undergo extensive migrans through the body which can result in severe disease. These larvae can migrate through any tissue and can cause visceral larval migrans (VLM), ocular larval migrans (OLM), or the