Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data
ABSTRACT In the current era of global change, the emergence of infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock interface poses risks to biodiversity, agricultural economies, and public health. Driven by anthropogenic influence, increased sharing of resources between wildlife and livestock can promote...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71182 |
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| author | Jennifer L. Malmberg Jeremy Alder Halcyon Killion Danielle Buttke Kim M. Pepin George Wittemyer |
| author_facet | Jennifer L. Malmberg Jeremy Alder Halcyon Killion Danielle Buttke Kim M. Pepin George Wittemyer |
| author_sort | Jennifer L. Malmberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT In the current era of global change, the emergence of infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock interface poses risks to biodiversity, agricultural economies, and public health. Driven by anthropogenic influence, increased sharing of resources between wildlife and livestock can promote cross‐species transmission, the consequences of which are challenging to predict. Mycoplasma bovis , an economically important bacterial pathogen in cattle, has recently emerged as a threat to other ungulate species. This study reports on a case of M. bovis in an intensively monitored free‐ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus ) in Colorado, USA, which presented an opportunity to describe the disease in a novel host and infer transmission and infection dynamics from GPS collar data. Following a mortality signal from a GPS‐collared adult female mule deer, field investigation revealed predation while postmortem examination further revealed severe, acute, fibrinosuppurative and necrotizing pleuropneumonia. Histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and real‐time PCR confirmed M. bovis as the etiology. GPS collar data demonstrated spatial overlap with dairy cattle in the 50 days prior to death, implicating potential spillover from cattle as the transmission pathway. Reduced movement was identified 19 days prior to death, indicative of sickness behavior due to acute pneumonia. This case underscores the potential for M. bovis to cause severe disease in wild ungulates and highlights the value of thorough postmortem investigations as a routine component of studies involving wildlife tracking. The retrospective use of GPS collar data provides valuable insights into the movement ecology of wildlife exposed to novel pathogens, aiding in the understanding of cross‐species transmission and informing management strategies to reduce the potential for spillover. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5a57f9ca375a4f9aa3365ee58a6e203f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-5a57f9ca375a4f9aa3365ee58a6e203f2025-08-20T02:35:33ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-04-01154n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71182Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar DataJennifer L. Malmberg0Jeremy Alder1Halcyon Killion2Danielle Buttke3Kim M. Pepin4George Wittemyer5National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Fort Collins Colorado USADepartment of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USAWyoming State Veterinary Laboratory Laramie Wyoming USABiological Resources Division National Park Service Fort Collins Colorado USANational Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Fort Collins Colorado USADepartment of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USAABSTRACT In the current era of global change, the emergence of infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock interface poses risks to biodiversity, agricultural economies, and public health. Driven by anthropogenic influence, increased sharing of resources between wildlife and livestock can promote cross‐species transmission, the consequences of which are challenging to predict. Mycoplasma bovis , an economically important bacterial pathogen in cattle, has recently emerged as a threat to other ungulate species. This study reports on a case of M. bovis in an intensively monitored free‐ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus ) in Colorado, USA, which presented an opportunity to describe the disease in a novel host and infer transmission and infection dynamics from GPS collar data. Following a mortality signal from a GPS‐collared adult female mule deer, field investigation revealed predation while postmortem examination further revealed severe, acute, fibrinosuppurative and necrotizing pleuropneumonia. Histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and real‐time PCR confirmed M. bovis as the etiology. GPS collar data demonstrated spatial overlap with dairy cattle in the 50 days prior to death, implicating potential spillover from cattle as the transmission pathway. Reduced movement was identified 19 days prior to death, indicative of sickness behavior due to acute pneumonia. This case underscores the potential for M. bovis to cause severe disease in wild ungulates and highlights the value of thorough postmortem investigations as a routine component of studies involving wildlife tracking. The retrospective use of GPS collar data provides valuable insights into the movement ecology of wildlife exposed to novel pathogens, aiding in the understanding of cross‐species transmission and informing management strategies to reduce the potential for spillover.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71182cross‐species transmissionemerging infectious diseasemule deerMycoplasma bovisspilloverwildlife tracking |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer L. Malmberg Jeremy Alder Halcyon Killion Danielle Buttke Kim M. Pepin George Wittemyer Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data Ecology and Evolution cross‐species transmission emerging infectious disease mule deer Mycoplasma bovis spillover wildlife tracking |
| title | Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data |
| title_full | Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data |
| title_fullStr | Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data |
| title_short | Cross–Species Transmission at the Wildlife–Livestock Interface: A Case Study of Epidemiological Inference From Mule Deer GPS Collar Data |
| title_sort | cross species transmission at the wildlife livestock interface a case study of epidemiological inference from mule deer gps collar data |
| topic | cross‐species transmission emerging infectious disease mule deer Mycoplasma bovis spillover wildlife tracking |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71182 |
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