Geology topics

Mo Salman

Publications and source records attributed to Mo Salman.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2012

Three pathogens in sympatric populations of pumas, bobcats, and domestic cats: Implications for infections disease transmission

Anthropogenic landscape change can lead to increased opportunities for pathogen transmission between domestic and non-domestic animals. Pumas, bobcats, and domestic cats are sympatric in many areas of North America and share many of the same pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. We analyzed bobcat, puma, and feral domestic cat samples collected from targeted geographic areas. We examined exposure to three pathogens that are taxonomically diverse (bacterial, protozoal, viral), that incorporate multiple transmission strategies (vector-borne, environmental exposure/ingestion, and direct contact), and that vary in species-specificity. Bartonella spp., Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Toxoplasma gondii IgG were detected in all three species with mean respective prevalence as follows: puma 16%, 41% and 75%; bobcat 31%, 22% and 43%; domestic cat 45%, 10% and 1%. Bartonella spp. were highly prevalent among domestic cats in Southern California compared to other cohort groups. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus exposure was primarily associated with species and age, and was not influenced by geographic location. Pumas were more likely to be infected with FIV than bobcats, with domestic cats having the lowest infection rate. Toxoplasma gondii s eroprevalence was high in both pumas and bobcats across all sites; in contrast, few domestic cats were seropositive, despite the fact that feral, free ranging domestic cats were targeted in this study. Interestingly, a directly transmitted species-specific disease (FIV) was not associated with geographic location, while exposure to indirectly transmitted diseases – vector-borne for Bartonella spp. and ingestion of oocysts via infected prey or environmental exposure for T. gondii – varied significantly by site. Pathogens transmitted by direct contact may be more dependent upon individual behaviors and intra-specific encounters. Future studies will integrate host density, as well as landscape features, to better understand the mechanisms driving disease exposure and to predict zones of cross-species pathogen transmission among wild and domestic felids.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS2004

Chronic wasting disease risk analysis workshop: An integrative approach

Risk analysis tools have been successfully used to determine the potential hazard associated with disease introductions and have facilitated management decisions designed to limit the potential for disease introduction. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) poses significant challenges for resource managers due to an incomplete understanding of disease etiology and epidemiology and the complexity of management and political jurisdictions. Tools designed specifically to assess the risk of CWD introduction would be of great value to policy makers in areas where CWD has not been detected. To this end, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) created a steering committee representing states, native communities, federal, academic, and non-government entities. This committee formulated a collaborative process for the development of CWD risk assessment tools applicable to both free-ranging and captive populations. The committee recommended a workshop be held on the topic and suggested the format, content, and potential participants. Identified objectives of the workshop included: 1. Identify and discuss the needs of various government and non-government groups involved with assessing, managing, and/or preventing CWD. 2. Identify current gaps in CWD research specifically in relation to information applicable to the risk analysis process. 3. Construct a general, consensual, framework model (Figure 1) that incorporates all factors identified as potentially associated with the presence or absence of CWD (Table 1). The resulting CWD Risk Analysis Workshop was held May 11–13, 2004 in Fort Collins, Colorado. The workshop was attended by 28 individuals representing a cross-section of management, research, and nongovernment organizations. Experts with experience in a variety of risk analysis approaches and representatives from public and private user groups presented in the plenary session. The remainder of the workshop consisted of facilitated breakout sessions and all-group discussions. The framework model (Figure 1) reflects the workshop discussions and subsequent review and comments from workshop participants and steering committee members.

Open-File Report↗