Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock

Pauline L. Kamath; Jeffrey T. Foster; Kevin P. Drees; Gordon Luikart; Christine Quance; Neil J. Anderson; P. Ryan Clarke; Eric K. Cole; Mark L. Drew; William H. Edwards; Jack C. Rhyan; John J. Treanor; Rick L. Wallen; Patrick J. White; Suelee Robbe-Austerman; Paul C. Cross

doi:10.1038/ncomms11448

Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock

Pauline L. Kamath
, Jeffrey T. Foster
, Kevin P. Drees
, Gordon Luikart
, Christine Quance
, Neil J. Anderson
, P. Ryan Clarke
, Eric K. Cole
, Mark L. Drew
, William H. Edwards
, Jack C. Rhyan
, John J. Treanor
, Rick L. Wallen
, Patrick J. White
, Suelee Robbe-Austerman
, Paul C. Cross

Flathead Lake Biological Station

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

111 Scopus citations

Abstract

Whole-genome sequencing has provided fundamental insights into infectious disease epidemiology, but has rarely been used for examining transmission dynamics of a bacterial pathogen in wildlife. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), outbreaks of brucellosis have increased in cattle along with rising seroprevalence in elk. Here we use a genomic approach to examine Brucella abortus evolution, cross-species transmission and spatial spread in the GYE. We find that brucellosis was introduced into wildlife in this region at least five times. The diffusion rate varies among Brucella lineages (∼3 to 8 km per year) and over time. We also estimate 12 host transitions from bison to elk, and 5 from elk to bison. Our results support the notion that free-ranging elk are currently a self-sustaining brucellosis reservoir and the source of livestock infections, and that control measures in bison are unlikely to affect the dynamics of unrelated strains circulating in nearby elk populations.

Original language	English
Article number	11448
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11448
State	Published - May 11 2016

Funding

Funding was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation-Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (DEB-1067129). Partial funding was provided by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (Scientific Contribution Number 2664). This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project (1007917).

Funder number
DEB-1067129
2664
1007917
1067129

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/ncomms11448

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Kamath, P. L., Foster, J. T., Drees, K. P., Luikart, G., Quance, C., Anderson, N. J., Clarke, P. R., Cole, E. K., Drew, M. L., Edwards, W. H., Rhyan, J. C., Treanor, J. J., Wallen, R. L., White, P. J., Robbe-Austerman, S., & Cross, P. C. (2016). Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock. Nature Communications, 7, Article 11448. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11448

@article{d0e0b0aab3794e7b85cb2e38518aa563,

title = "Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock",

abstract = "Whole-genome sequencing has provided fundamental insights into infectious disease epidemiology, but has rarely been used for examining transmission dynamics of a bacterial pathogen in wildlife. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), outbreaks of brucellosis have increased in cattle along with rising seroprevalence in elk. Here we use a genomic approach to examine Brucella abortus evolution, cross-species transmission and spatial spread in the GYE. We find that brucellosis was introduced into wildlife in this region at least five times. The diffusion rate varies among Brucella lineages (∼3 to 8 km per year) and over time. We also estimate 12 host transitions from bison to elk, and 5 from elk to bison. Our results support the notion that free-ranging elk are currently a self-sustaining brucellosis reservoir and the source of livestock infections, and that control measures in bison are unlikely to affect the dynamics of unrelated strains circulating in nearby elk populations.",

author = "Kamath, \{Pauline L.\} and Foster, \{Jeffrey T.\} and Drees, \{Kevin P.\} and Gordon Luikart and Christine Quance and Anderson, \{Neil J.\} and Clarke, \{P. Ryan\} and Cole, \{Eric K.\} and Drew, \{Mark L.\} and Edwards, \{William H.\} and Rhyan, \{Jack C.\} and Treanor, \{John J.\} and Wallen, \{Rick L.\} and White, \{Patrick J.\} and Suelee Robbe-Austerman and Cross, \{Paul C.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation-Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (DEB-1067129). Partial funding was provided by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (Scientific Contribution Number 2664). This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project (1007917).",

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Kamath, PL, Foster, JT, Drees, KP, Luikart, G, Quance, C, Anderson, NJ, Clarke, PR, Cole, EK, Drew, ML, Edwards, WH, Rhyan, JC, Treanor, JJ, Wallen, RL, White, PJ, Robbe-Austerman, S & Cross, PC 2016, 'Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock', Nature Communications, vol. 7, 11448. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11448

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AU - Kamath, Pauline L.

AU - Foster, Jeffrey T.

AU - Drees, Kevin P.

AU - Luikart, Gordon

AU - Quance, Christine

AU - Anderson, Neil J.

AU - Clarke, P. Ryan

AU - Cole, Eric K.

AU - Drew, Mark L.

AU - Edwards, William H.

AU - Rhyan, Jack C.

AU - Treanor, John J.

AU - Wallen, Rick L.

AU - White, Patrick J.

AU - Robbe-Austerman, Suelee

AU - Cross, Paul C.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation-Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (DEB-1067129). Partial funding was provided by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (Scientific Contribution Number 2664). This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project (1007917).

PY - 2016/5/11

Y1 - 2016/5/11

N2 - Whole-genome sequencing has provided fundamental insights into infectious disease epidemiology, but has rarely been used for examining transmission dynamics of a bacterial pathogen in wildlife. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), outbreaks of brucellosis have increased in cattle along with rising seroprevalence in elk. Here we use a genomic approach to examine Brucella abortus evolution, cross-species transmission and spatial spread in the GYE. We find that brucellosis was introduced into wildlife in this region at least five times. The diffusion rate varies among Brucella lineages (∼3 to 8 km per year) and over time. We also estimate 12 host transitions from bison to elk, and 5 from elk to bison. Our results support the notion that free-ranging elk are currently a self-sustaining brucellosis reservoir and the source of livestock infections, and that control measures in bison are unlikely to affect the dynamics of unrelated strains circulating in nearby elk populations.

AB - Whole-genome sequencing has provided fundamental insights into infectious disease epidemiology, but has rarely been used for examining transmission dynamics of a bacterial pathogen in wildlife. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), outbreaks of brucellosis have increased in cattle along with rising seroprevalence in elk. Here we use a genomic approach to examine Brucella abortus evolution, cross-species transmission and spatial spread in the GYE. We find that brucellosis was introduced into wildlife in this region at least five times. The diffusion rate varies among Brucella lineages (∼3 to 8 km per year) and over time. We also estimate 12 host transitions from bison to elk, and 5 from elk to bison. Our results support the notion that free-ranging elk are currently a self-sustaining brucellosis reservoir and the source of livestock infections, and that control measures in bison are unlikely to affect the dynamics of unrelated strains circulating in nearby elk populations.

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JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

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ER -

Genomics reveals historic and contemporary transmission dynamics of a bacterial disease among wildlife and livestock

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

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