Back to Search
Start Over
Volatile metabolomic signatures of rabies immunization in two mesocarnivore species
- Source :
- PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 13, Iss 12, p e0007911 (2019)
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science, 2019.
-
Abstract
- Rabies is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with rabies virus, which circulates naturally in several wild carnivore and bat reservoirs in the United States (US). The most important reservoir in the US from an animal and public health perspective is the raccoon (Procyon lotor). To prevent the westward expansion of a significant raccoon rabies epizootic along the eastern seaboard, an operational control program implementing oral rabies vaccination (ORV) has existed in the US since the 1990s. Recently, two vaccine efficacy studies conducted with raccoons and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) provided the opportunity to determine if volatile fecal metabolites might be used to non-invasively monitor ORV programs and/or predict virus protection for these species. The volatile metabolome is a rich source of information that may significantly contribute to our understanding of disease and infection. Fecal samples were collected at multiple time points from raccoons and striped skunks subjected to oral treatment with rabies vaccine (or sham). Intramuscular challenge with a lethal dose of rabies virus was used to determine protection status at six (raccoons) and 11 (skunks) months post-vaccination. In addition to fecal samples, blood was collected at various time points to permit quantitative assessment of rabies antibody responses arising from immunization. Feces were analyzed by headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection and the chromatographic responses were grouped according to cluster analysis. Cluster scores were subjected to multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) to determine if fecal volatiles may hold a signal of immunization status. Multiple regression was then used to build models of the measured immune responses based on the metabolomic data. MANOVA results identified one cluster associated with protective status of skunks and one cluster associated with protective status of raccoons. Regression models demonstrated considerably greater success in predicting rabies antibody responses in both species. This is the first study to link volatile compounds with measures of adaptive immunity and provides further evidence that the volatile metabolome holds great promise for contributing to our understanding of disease and infections. The volatile metabolome may be an important resource for monitoring rabies immunization in raccoons and striped skunks.<br />Author summary Permanent damage to ecosystems and direct transmission to humans (zoonoses) are two serious consequences of infectious wildlife diseases. Rabies is one such zoonotic disease of concern. Recently, two rabies vaccine efficacy studies were conducted with raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). These studies allowed us the opportunity to investigate the presence of volatile signals of rabies immunization coded in fecal odors. These signals, if sensitive and specific, could permit non-invasive monitoring of rabies vaccination in wildlife populations. Semi-quantitative analyses of fecal volatiles and quantitative assessment of rabies binding antibodies (rVBA; which represent humoral immune responses to the vaccine or virus) were made at multiple time points. Regression models predicting rVBA responses using volatile fecal metabolites demonstrated predictive qualities in both species. This is the first study to link volatile compounds with adaptive immunity and provides further evidence that the volatile metabolome holds great promise for contributing to our understanding of wildlife diseases.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
RNA viruses
Male
Veterinary medicine
Viral Diseases
Physiology
RC955-962
medicine.disease_cause
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Biochemistry
Biological Factors
Feces
0302 clinical medicine
Rabies vaccine
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
Zoonoses
Immune Physiology
Medicine and Health Sciences
Public and Occupational Health
Immune Response
Mammals
Vaccines
Immune System Proteins
Eukaryota
Vaccination and Immunization
Vaccination
Infectious Diseases
Medical Microbiology
Viral Pathogens
Vertebrates
Viruses
Metabolome
Raccoons
Female
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Pathogens
medicine.drug
Research Article
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Infectious Disease Control
Rabies
030231 tropical medicine
Immunology
Biology
Disease cluster
Microbiology
Injections, Intramuscular
Antibodies
03 medical and health sciences
Rabies Virus
medicine
Animals
Metabolomics
Microbial Pathogens
Epizootic
Volatile Organic Compounds
Rabies virus
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Organisms
Biology and Life Sciences
Proteins
medicine.disease
Vaccine efficacy
Tropical Diseases
United States
030104 developmental biology
Metabolism
Rabies Vaccines
Amniotes
Lyssavirus
Preventive Medicine
Mephitidae
Blood Chemical Analysis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19352735 and 19352727
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....0186e96f7fb0dae28446be298aceff14