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. 2024 Dec 28;14(1):31232.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82581-7.

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of blood-associated pathogens from spleen samples of wild raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Germany

Maria Sophia Unterköfler  1 , Aria Schwingshandl  2 , Barbara Eigner  2 , Jutta Pikalo  2 , Josef Harl  3 , Joachim Spergser  4 , Peter Steinbach  5   6 , Diana Jeschke  7 , Michael Striese  7 , Elisabeth Striese  7 , Hermann Ansorge  7   8 , Hans-Peter Fuehrer #  2 , Mike Heddergott #  6
Affiliations

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of blood-associated pathogens from spleen samples of wild raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Germany

Maria Sophia Unterköfler et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) originated in North America and have been introduced to Europe. Due to their close contact with human settlements, they are important reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens, such as Baylisascaris procyonis. The relevance and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens have not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we screened 285 spleen samples of raccoons, collected between 2019 and 2022 in Germany. The samples were analysed by PCR to detect Mycoplasma spp., Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella spp., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., Filarioidea, Trypanosomatida and Hepatozoon spp., and positive PCR products were sequenced. In total, 104 samples were positive for Mycoplasma spp. (36.49%), making this the first study to detect Mycoplasma spp. in raccoons outside of North America. Three samples were positive for Babesia spp. (1.05%) and two for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.7%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Mycoplasma spp. detected all belong to the haemotrophic mycoplasmas cluster and were grouped within a single phylogenetic clade. Two different Babesia spp. were detected, one of which was closely related to Babesia canis, while the other was more closely related to Babesia sp. from ruminants. It is unclear whether the pathogens detected have an impact on the health of raccoons or whether they may serve as a reservoir for other animals.

Keywords: Haemotrophic Mycoplasma; Invasive raccoon; Vector-borne disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The raccoon is on the list of invasive species in Germany and is not protected by law. The species can be hunted by licensed hunters outside the closed season and without a special permit. All animals were legally shot and made available to the authors. No animals were killed for the purpose of providing samples for this study.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Geographical location and number of raccoons (Procyon lotor) sampled in Germany and the prevalence of Mycoplasma spp. EIC, Eichsfeld; TH, Thuringia, WT, Wittenberg, SA, Saxony-Anhalt, UL, Upper Lusatia, S: Saxony, SJ: Swabian Jura, BW: Baden-Württemberg.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Bayesian interference tree featuring 16S rRNA (538 nucleotide positions) sequences of selected Mycoplasma spp. Nodes are marked with Bayesian interference posterior probabilities and maximum likelihood bootstrap values. Sequences which are written in bold are from Procyon spp., sequences marked in red were obtained in this study, and sequences marked in green are identical to sequences obtained in this study. Triangles represent collapsed clades. The scale bar indicates the expected mean number of substitutions per site according to the model of sequence evolution applied.
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