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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327381
Title: Emerging tuberculosis pathogen hijacks social communication behavior in the group-living banded mongoose (Mungos mungo)

Author
item ALEXANDER, KATHLEEN - Virginia Tech
item SANDERSON, CLAIRE - Virginia Tech
item LARSEN, MICHELLE - Albert Einstein College Of Medicine
item ROBBE-AUSTERMAN, SUELEE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item WILLIAMS, MARK - University Of Pretoria
item Palmer, Mitchell

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2016
Publication Date: 5/10/2016
Citation: Alexander, K.A., Sanderson, C.E., Larsen, M.H., Robbe-Austerman, S., Williams, M.C., Palmer, M.V. 2016. Emerging tuberculosis pathogen hijacks social communication behavior in the group-living banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). Ecological Society of America (ESA). 7(3):e00281-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00281-16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00281-16

Interpretive Summary: An emerging Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MtbC) pathogen, M. mungi, was identified in wild banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in Northern Botswana causing significant mortality. This MtbC pathogen did not appear to be transmitted through a primary aerosol or oral route. We utilized histopathology, spoligotyping, MIRU-VNTR, qPCR, and molecular markers for MtbC regions of difference (RD), including the newly characterized mongoose-specific deletion, RD1mon to demonstrate presence of M. mungi DNA and investigate pathogen invasion and exposure mechanisms. M. mungi DNA was identified in 29% of nasal planum samples (n=52), 56% of nasal rinses and swabs (n=9), 53% of oral swabs (n=19), 22% of urine samples (n=23), 33% of anal gland tissue (n=18), and 39% of anal gland secretions (n=44). Low cycle threshold values with qPCR in anal gland and nasal planum indicate high M. mungi bacterial burden in these tissues. Histopathology data were consistent with these results, suggesting pathogen invasion through breaks in the nasal planum and/or skin, areas of the mongoose in frequent contact with anal gland secretions and urine during olfactory communication behavior. Lesions in the lung occurred only with disseminated disease. No environmental sources of M. mungi DNA could be found. We report environmental transmission of an MtbC pathogen in association with olfactory behavior, suggesting greater plasticity in this clonally evolving group of organisms than originally thought.

Technical Abstract: An emerging Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MtbC) pathogen, M. mungi, was identified in wild banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in Northern Botswana causing significant mortality. This MtbC pathogen did not appear to be transmitted through a primary aerosol or oral route. We utilized histopathology, spoligotyping, MIRU-VNTR, qPCR, and molecular markers for MtbC regions of difference (RD), including the newly characterized mongoose-specific deletion, RD1mon to demonstrate presence of M. mungi DNA and investigate pathogen invasion and exposure mechanisms. M. mungi DNA was identified in 29% of nasal planum samples (n=52), 56% of nasal rinses and swabs (n=9), 53% of oral swabs (n=19), 22% of urine samples (n=23), 33% of anal gland tissue (n=18), and 39% of anal gland secretions (n=44). Low cycle threshold values with qPCR in anal gland and nasal planum indicate high M. mungi bacterial burden in these tissues. Histopathology data were consistent with these results, suggesting pathogen invasion through breaks in the nasal planum and/or skin, areas of the mongoose in frequent contact with anal gland secretions and urine during olfactory communication behavior. Lesions in the lung occurred only with disseminated disease. No environmental sources of M. mungi DNA could be found. We report environmental transmission of an MtbC pathogen in association with olfactory behavior, suggesting greater plasticity in this clonally evolving group of organisms than originally thought.