Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory
2020 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. A new reference for coccidian parasites. Coccidian parasites cause enteric disease in people, wildlife, and livestock. ARS researchers in Beltsville, Maryland, authored a textbook covering every aspect of parasite biology, pathology, diagnosis, and control. This text bolsters control efforts by synthesizing current information, rich with illustrations, tables, and references. An expansive chapter summarizes the epidemiology of Cyclospora cayetanensis, a parasite newly prioritized by USDA because of its growing threat to food safety.
2. A human parasite rediscovered. Produce contaminated with the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis causes human enteric disease. Outbreaks of this parasite impair health and create liability for growers. ARS researchers in Beltsville, Maryland, collaborated with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and academic partners to re-examine how disease progresses. By carefully inspecting an unusually heavy infection, they identified new stages of parasite development. This breakthrough aids diagnosis and suggests new approaches to treating disease.
3. Deer: an underappreciated source for zoonotic parasites. Pork, lamb, and venison are infection sources for zoonotic parasites. ARS researchers in Beltsville, Maryland, published the results of years-long surveys for parasites in these meats. By genotyping the isolates, the team discovered how often such parasites move between wildlife and livestock. Deer are frequently infected. Some deer harbor strains responsible for especially severe human disease. These data reshape food safety understanding and help epidemiologists and clinicians address ongoing public health concerns.
Review Publications
Su, C., Dubey, J.P. 2019. Molecular methods, Toxoplasama. Book Chapter. 2071:49-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9857-9_3.
Sokol S.L., Wong Z.S., Boyle J.P., Dubey J.P. 2019. Generation of Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi oocysts and purification of their sporozoites for downstream manipulation. In: Tonkin C., editor. Toxoplasma gondii: Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana, New York, NY: vol 2071.
Escotte-Binet, S., Malik Da Silva, A., Cances, B., Aubert, D., Dubey, J.P., La Carbona, S., Villena, I., Poulle, M. 2019. A rapid and sensitive method for Toxoplasma gondii oocyst detection in soil. Veterinary Parasitology. 274(2019):108904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.07.012.
Dubey, J.P., Hill, D., Fournet, V.M., Hawkins Cooper, D.S., Cerqueira-Cezar, C.K., Murata, F.H., Verma, S.K., Kwok, O.C., Rani, S., Fredericks, J.N., Adams, B., Jones, J., Weigand, R., Ying, Y., Guo, M., Su, C., Pradhan, A.K. 2019. Low prevalence of viable Toxoplasma gondii in fresh, unfrozen, American pasture-raised pork and lamb from retail meat stores in the United States. Food Control. 109:106961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.106961.
El-Alfy, E., Abbas, I., Al-Kappany, Y., Al-Araby, M., Abu-Elwafa, S., Dubey, J.P. 2019. Prevalence of Eimeria species in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from Egypt and first report of Eimeria bareillyi oocysts. Journal of Parasitology. 105:748-754.
Crouch, E.E., Mittel, L.D., Southard, T.L., Cerqueira-Cezar, C.K., Murata, F.H., Kwok, O.C., Su, C., Dubey, J.P. 2019. Littermate cats rescued from a shelter succumbed to acute, primary toxoplasmosis associated with TOXO DB genotype #4, generally circulating in wildlife. Parasitology International. 72(2019):101942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2019.101942.
Rousseau, A., Escotte-Binet, S., La Carbona, S., Dumètre, A., Chagneau, S., Favennec, L., Kubina, S., Dubey, J.P., Majou, D., Bigot-Clivot, B., Villena, I., Aubert, D. 2019. Assessing Toxoplasma gondii oocyst infectivity using a sporocyst-based cell-culture assay combined with qPCR for environmental application. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 85(20):e01189-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01189-19.
Dubey, J.P., Cerqueira-Cézar, C.K., Murata, F.H., Verma, S.K., Kwok, O.C., Pedersen, K., Rosenthal, B.M., Su, C. 2019. Genotyping Toxoplasma gondii from the first national survey of feral swine revealed nearly 40% seroprevalence in the adult animals, and the presence of highly virulent parasite genotypes. Parasitology. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182019001586.
Koloren, Z., Cerqueira-Cezar, C., Murata, F., Kwok, O.C., Banfield, J., Brown, J., Su, C., Dubey, J.P. 2019. High seroprevalence but low rate of isolation for Toxoplasma Gondii from wild elk (cervus canadensis) in Pennsylvania. Journal of Parasitology. 105(6):890–892. https://doi.org/10.1645/19-110.
Zhao, L., Pi, L., Qin, Y., Lu, Y., Zeng, W., Xiang, Z., Wei, X., Chen, X., Li, C., Zhang, Y., Wang, S., Si, Y., Yang, G., Huang, Y., Rosenthal, B.M., Yang, Z. 2019. Malaria parasites imported to China from Central and Western Africa bear high frequencies of mutations conferring resistance to sulfadoxine-pyramethamine, constraining treatment options for source and recipient populations. International Journal for Parasitology: Drug and Drug Resistance. 12:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.11.002.
Pereira, D.C., Dubey, J.P., Da Mata, A., Neto, H., Cardoso, L., Lopes, A. 2020. Epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cattle, sheep, goats and pigs from São Tomé and Príncipe. Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Parasitology. 29(1):eo14819. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612019101.
Geba, E., Aubert, D., Durand, L., Escotte, S., La Carbona, S., Cazeaux, C., Bonnard, I., Bastien, F., Palos Ladeiro, M., Dubey, J.P., Villena, I., Geffard, A., Bigot-Clivot, A. 2019. Use of bivalve Dreissena polymorpha as biomonitoring tool to reflect the protozoan load in freshwater bodies. Water Research. 170:115297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115297.
Sooryanarain, H., C. Lynn, H., Hill, D., Fredericks, J.N., Rosenthal, B.M., Stephen, W., Tanja, O., Xiang-Jing, M. 2020. Hepatitis E virus infection in market weight pigs from slaughterhouses, United States, 2017-2019. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 26(2):354-357.
Dubey, J.P., Lindsay, D.S., Jenkins, M.C., Bauer, C. 2019. Biology of Intestinal Coccidia. In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Almeria, S., Cinar, H.N., Dubey, J.P. 2019. Coccidiosis in Humans. In: Dubey, J.P. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Group. p. 268-312.
Christian, B., Dubey, J.P. 2019. Coccidiosis in horses and other equids. In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 231-243.https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Dubey, J.P. 2019. Coccidiosis in Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Dubey, J.P. 2019. Coccidiosis in South American Camelids. In: Dubey, J.P. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 153-158. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Dubey, J.P. 2019. Coccidiosis in Cats (felis catus). In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 255-265. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Dubey, J.P., Lindsay, D.S. 2019. Coccidiosis in Dogs (canis familiaris). In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 245-254. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105
Dubey, J.P., Schuster, R.K. 2019. Coccidiosis in Old World Camels. In: Dubey, J.P., editor. Coccidiosis in Livestock, Poultry, Companion Animals, and Humans. 1st Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 147-152. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429294105.
Lindsay, D.S., Dubey, J.P. 2020. Neosporosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Sarcocystosis in Ruminants: An Update. Veterinary Clinics of North America. 36:(205-222). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.11.004.
Durand, L., La Carbona, S., Geffard, A., Possenti, A., Dubey, J.P., Lalle, M. 2019. Comparative evaluation of Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) vs qPCR to detect T. gondii oocysts in mussels. Experimental Parasitology. 208:107809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107809.
Schares, G., Dubey, J.P., Rosenthal, B.M., Tuschy, M., Barwald, A., Conraths, F.J. 2020. Immunomagnetic separation of Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts and sporocysts using a single monoclonal antibody. International Journal of Parasitology. 11:114-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.01.011.
Dubey, J.P., Almeria, S., Mowery, J.D., Fortes, J. 2020. Endogenous developmental cycle of the human coccidian, Cyclospora cayetanensis. Parasitology. 106(2):295-307. https://doi.org/10.1645/20-21.