Survey of Coyotes for Vector-Borne and Bacterial Pathogens in South Carolina and Tennessee, USA.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) can serve as hosts for many pathogens of concern and may be useful for monitoring the prevalence and emergence of these pathogens. We collected serum and/or whole blood antemortem from 43 coyotes from South Carolina, US, and collected samples from opportunistically collected carcasses from 71 Tennessee, US and 15 South Carolina, US coyotes. We tested samples with SNAP 4Dx PLUS rapid ELISA tests for Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Dirofilaria immitis, and Borrelia burgdorferi and with microscopic agglutination tests for Leptospira spp. Real-time and conventional PCR for B. burgdorferi were performed on Ixodes scapularis ticks from Tennessee coyotes, detecting B. burgdorferi DNA in 5% of tested ticks. We found 43% (28/65) of Tennessee coyotes were seropositive for B. burgdorferi compared to only 2% (1/52) of South Carolina coyotes. Coyotes were also seropositive for Ehrlichia spp. (66% [43/65] in Tennessee; 21% [11/52] in South Carolina) and Anaplasma spp. (26% [14/65] in Tennessee). Three Tennessee coyotes were PCR-positive for Leptospira spp., including two sequences most similar to Leptospira santarosai and one most similar to Leptospira interrogans. A total of 25% of coyotes (23/91) were seropositive for Leptospira spp., and interstitial nephritis was associated with Leptospira spp. seropositivity. This study demonstrates the expanded geographic range of B. burgdorferi in the southeast and the high prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in the coyote populations of Tennessee and South Carolina.