Download Talk #6

Human Pathogens
and the Canada
Goose
Tyler Baratko
Bio 548
Protozoans
•
•
•
•
Eukaryotes
Heterotrophic
Motile
Unicellular
Group
Phylum Name
Flagellates
Mastigophora
Ciliates
Ciliophora
Sporozoans
Sporozoa
Rhizopods
Sarcodina
Cryptosporidium
Taxonomy
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Conoidasida
Subclass: Coccidiasina
Order: Eucoccidiorida
Suborder: Eimeriorin
Family: Cryptosporidiidae
Genus: Cryptosporidium
*The Different Species are of
particular interest
Cryptosporidium
parvum
• Zoonotic, or animal adapted
• Majority of human disease
• Infects both ruminants (cattle,
sheep, goats, deer) and humans
• human-to-human and zoonotic
transmission pathways
Cryptosporidium
hominis
• Previously known as C. parvum
– Recent genetic discoveries have
revealed small differences in the
genome
• Infects mostly humans
• Transmitted from human to
humans
– Zoonotic pathways have not been
observed
Cryptosporidiosis
• Symptoms
– Diarrhea
– Abdominal pain
– Nausea
– Fever
– Fatigue
• Can be life-threatening in
immunocompromised
A few more facts…..
• 1976 was the first reported case of
Cryptosporidiosis
• 1993-the largest outbreak of
waterborne illness in US history.
– Milwaukee, WI
– 400,000 infected
Facts cont’d
• Prevalence
– 90% of sewage samples
– 75% of river waters
– 28% of drinking water
• Resistance
– Small size (4-6μm) evade sand
filters
– Disinfectants
Giardia
Taxonomy
Phylum: Sarcomastigophora
Subphylum: Mastigophora
Class: Zoomastigophora
Order: Diplomonadida
Family: Hexamitidae
Genus: Giardia
Giardia lamblia
(G. duodenalis, G.
intestinalis)
• Most Common in children
• Cyst contaminated water
• Zoonotic with deer, rodents,
household pets, or cattle being
carriers
Giardiasis
• Symptoms
– Diarrhea
– Cramps
– Anorexia
– Can be chronic
Facts
• Larger than Cryptosporidium
@ 7-10 by 8-12 μm
• Disinfectants still useless
• Sand-filtering usually removes
them
Canada Goose and
Protozoans…
Where’s the Connection?
Research
• Strong correlation
– B. Canadensis and Cryptosporidium
• Documented Carriers
A bit more
research…
• Relatively knew
– Only handful of studies
• Contradictory information
• Controversial
• Still many unanswered questions
Let me pose a couple
(think know and answer
later)
Why are oocysts dormant in the
goose GI tract and not ours?
Is it really a serious problem, and
if so, should the Canada Goose
be held responsible?
Studies
• Fecal droppings of
migratory Canada
geese, were collected
from nine sites near
the Chesapeake Bay
• Were examined for
the presence of
Cryptosporidium
parvum and Giardia
• C. parvum found at 7 of the 9 sites
• Giardia found at all 9
• Remember…these two are both thought
to be zoonotic (disease that can be
transmitted from animals to humans)
• The pathogenesis of the oocysts were
tested in mice
– Each inoculated with approximately 9.0 ×
104 oocysts
– Intestines revealed developmental stages
of C.Parvum
This appears to be a
problem!
Many are jumping to conclusions!
For example…
• A study was conducted by the
following:
– Monmouth County Health
Department
– Monmouth University
– Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene &
Public Health
• Blame the C. Goose for many
health problems
Their numbers
1999: 10,000 geese x 1.5 lbs./day x 365 days/yr. =
2,737.5 Tons manure
• In N.J., the C. Goose population doubles every 7 years.
Keeping this in mind, they estimated that this year, the
numbers will look like this:
20,000 geese x 1.5 lbs./day x 365 days/yr. = 5,475 Tons
manure
•If the C. Goose is the main culprit for spreading the
pathogens (as Monmouth County assumes), than
something must be done to prevent widespread
infection.
A golf example…
Their Solutions
Giardiasis
Prevention
• Wash hands with soap and water after using
the toilet and before handling food
• Boil your drinking water for 1 minute
• Avoid areas that are heavily contaminated
with goose feces
• Wash hands and feet after being in an area
that is contaminated .
• Take care not to track contamination into your
home.
• Do not swim in a pool that is frequented by
waterfowl. Pool chlorination does not kill the
giardia cysts.
Cryptosporidiosis -
Prevention
• Wash hands with soap and water after using
the toilet and before handling food
• Boil drinking water for 1 minute
• Avoid areas that are heavily contaminated
with goose feces
• Be careful not to track contamination into your
home
• Do not swim in a pool that is frequented by
waterfowl
• Stay away from domestic and farm animalsespecially young animals with diarrhea
Does the Canada
Goose REALLY
deserve most of the
blame?
Prevalence of
Pathogenic
Genotypes
• 13 sites in Ohio and Illinois
• Analysis of fecal droppings (209
specimens) for Crypt. Genotypes
– Crypt. Goose Type 1 and Type 2
– Crypt. Duck
– Crypt. Hominis and Parvum(zoonotic
types)
• PCR to analyze SSU rRNA gene for bp
differences.
The results…
•
•
•
•
•
49 of 209 positive
Crypt. Goose Type 1 in 36
Crypt. Goose Type 2 in 9
Crypt. Duck Type found for the first time!
Crypt. Hominis and Crypt. Parvum were
found a combined 5 times. That’s only
about 10%!
The implications
• The majority of the genotypes found
are not zoonotic.
– Goose genotypes are probably actually
parasitic to the Geese, but the
pathogencity is not known
• This study shows the Canada goose as
merely an accidental carrier of the
infectious types.
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
Very new stuff
Still being studied
Many other variables
Canada Goose DO contribute
– Extent is still uncertain
Questions revisited
Why are oocysts dormant in the
goose GI tract and not ours?
Is it really a serious problem, and if
so, should the Canada Goose be held
responsible?