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Kelly DJ, Marples NM, Byrne RL, Fogarty U, Kenny K, Cameron H, Griffin D, Holland CV. An investigation of Mycobacterium bovis and helminth coinfection in the European badger Meles meles. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY: PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2022; 19:311-316. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Doolin ML, Weinstein SB, Dearing MD. PINWORMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TAXONOMIC BUT NOT FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE GUT MICROBIOME OF WHITE-THROATED WOODRATS (NEOTOMA ALBIGULA). J Parasitol 2022; 108:408-418. [PMID: 36066907 DOI: 10.1645/22-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates rely on their gut microbiome for digestion, and changes to gut microbial communities can impact host health. Past work, primarily in model organisms, has revealed that endoparasites disrupt the gut microbiome. Here, using wild-caught white-throated woodrats (Neotoma albigula), we tested whether naturally acquired parasite infections are associated with different microbiome structure and function. We surveyed wild N. albigula in eastern Utah for gastrointestinal parasites in the spring and fall of 2019, using traditional fecal float methods and testing a PCR-based approach to detect infection. We tested whether the host gut microbiome structure and function differed based on infection with the most prevalent parasite, the pinworm Lamotheoxyuris ackerti. In spring, infected and uninfected animals had significantly different microbiomes, but these differences were not detected in the fall. However, for both sampling periods, infection was associated with differences in particular microbial taxa determined by differential abundance analysis. As N. albigula rely on their microbiomes to digest both fiber and the plant defensive compound oxalate, we compared microbiome function by measuring dry matter digestibility and oxalate intake in infected and uninfected animals. Although we expected infected animals to have reduced fiber degradation and oxalate intake, we found no difference in microbiome function using these assays. This work suggests that parasite effects on the microbiome may be difficult to detect in complex natural systems, and more studies in wild organisms are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret L Doolin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Sara B Weinstein
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - M Denise Dearing
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
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Shanebeck KM, Besson AA, Lagrue C, Green SJ. The energetic costs of sub-lethal helminth parasites in mammals: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1886-1907. [PMID: 35678252 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, by definition, have a negative effect on their host. However, in wild mammal health and conservation research, sub-lethal infections are commonly assumed to have negligible health effects unless parasites are present in overwhelming numbers. Here, we propose a definition for host health in mammals that includes sub-lethal effects of parasites on the host's capacity to adapt to the environment and maintain homeostasis. We synthesized the growing number of studies on helminth parasites in mammals to assess evidence for the relative magnitude of sub-lethal effects of infection across mammal taxa based on this expanded definition. Specifically, we develop and apply a framework for organizing disparate metrics of parasite effects on host health and body condition according to their impact on an animal's energetic condition, defined as the energetic burden of pathogens on host physiological and behavioural functions that relate directly to fitness. Applying this framework within a global meta-analysis of helminth parasites in wild, laboratory and domestic mammal hosts produced 142 peer-reviewed studies documenting 599 infection-condition effects. Analysing these data within a multiple working hypotheses framework allowed us to evaluate the relative weighted contribution of methodological (study design, sampling protocol, parasite quantification methods) and biological (phylogenetic relationships and host/parasite life history) moderators to variation in the magnitude of health effects. We found consistently strong negative effects of infection on host energetic condition across taxonomic groups, with unusually low heterogeneity in effect sizes when compared with other ecological meta-analyses. Observed effect size was significantly lower within cross-sectional studies (i.e. observational studies that investigated a sub-set of a population at a single point in time), the most prevalent methodology. Furthermore, opportunistic sampling led to a weaker negative effect compared to proactive sampling. In the model of host taxonomic group, the effect of infection on energetic condition in carnivores was not significant. However, when sampling method was included, it explained substantial inter-study variance; proactive sampling showing a strongly significant negative effect while opportunistic sampling detected only a weak, non-significant effect. This may partly underlie previous assumptions that sub-lethal parasites do not have significant effects on host health. We recommend future studies adopt energetic condition as the framework for assessing parasite effects on wildlife health and provide guidelines for the selection of research protocols, health proxies, and relating infection to fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Shanebeck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anne A Besson
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Clement Lagrue
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.,Department of Conservation, 265 Princes Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie J Green
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Nguyen TTM, Dorny P, Dinh TD, Nguyen VT, Nguyen HN, Nguyen TGT, Dao HT, Dermauw V. Helminth infections in dogs in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2022; 2:100091. [PMID: 35676919 PMCID: PMC9167857 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2022.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Helminths are among the most-commonly encountered disease-causing agents in dogs all over the world, including Vietnam. A cross-sectional survey was carried out between March and December 2019 in four dog slaughter-slabs in Yen Lap District, Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, aiming to reveal the occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths in dogs. Worms were collected from 350 dog samples and identified by morphological techniques followed by molecular methods for tapeworms and hookworms. Nine species, including Taenia hydatigena, Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, Dipylidium caninum, Spirocerca lupi, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, Ancylostoma caninum, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina and Trichuris vulpis, were found to occur in this area. Infection with at least one worm species was found in 272 dogs (77.7%; 95% Wilson score CI: 73.1-81.8%). The most common species was A. ceylanicum, with a prevalence of 45.1% (95% Wilson score CI: 40.0-50.4%) while T. hydatigena had a very low prevalence of 0.3% (95% Exact CI: 0.0-1.6%). Co-infection with hookworms and D. caninum was common. Five of the recovered helminth species have a zoonotic potential. Control of these parasites is necessary in order to protect human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Thuy Man Nguyen
- National Center for Veterinary Diagnosis, Hien Ninh, Soc Son, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - The Dung Dinh
- Vietnamese-Russian Tropical Center, 63 Nguyen Van Huyen, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Van Toan Nguyen
- National University of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tran Quy, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Hong Nhan Nguyen
- National Center for Veterinary Diagnosis, Hien Ninh, Soc Son, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Ha Thanh Dao
- National Institute of Veterinary Research, 86 Truong Chinh, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Veronique Dermauw
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Miljević M, Lalošević D, Simin V, Blagojević J, Čabrilo B, Čabrilo OB. Intestinal helminth infections in the golden jackal (Canis aureus L.) from Vojvodina: Hotspot area of multilocular echinococcosis in Serbia. Acta Vet Hung 2021; 69:274-281. [PMID: 34506299 DOI: 10.1556/004.2021.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, 64 golden jackals were examined for intestinal helminths in three regions of Vojvodina, Serbia. Among the examined jackals 57.8% were infected with at least one parasite species. Using the intestinal scraping technique (SCT), eight species of intestinal helminths were found: Alaria alata (7.8%), Toxascaris leonina (9.4%), Toxocara canis (4.7%), Uncinaria stenocephala (20.3%), Echinococcus multilocularis (14.1%), Mesocestoides sp. (42.2%), Taenia pisiformis, and Taenia hydatigena (the overall prevalence of Taenia infection was 6.3%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of T. leonina in jackals from Serbia. In comparison with the SCT results, coprological tests were less sensitive and specific for parasite identification, as only two nematode species (T. leonina and T. canis) as well as ancylostomatid and taeniid eggs were identified. The total prevalence of intestinal helminths was higher in males (71.9% males, 45% females), but the difference was not statistically significant (χ 2 = 3.76; P = 0.052). Co-infection with two species of intestinal helminths was found in 35% of the examined golden jackal individuals, three-species co-infection was demonstrated in 21.6%, whereas four-species co-infection was detected in 2.7% of the golden jackals examined. Echinococcus multilocularis has previously been recorded in jackals and foxes in Serbia, but only in Vojvodina. Our results corroborate the findings of previous studies, and indicate that the Vojvodina Province, more specifically the Srem region, is probably a high-risk area for E. multilocularis transmission to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Miljević
- 1 Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research ‘Siniša Stanković’, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dušan Lalošević
- 2 Department for Microbiological and Other Diagnostics, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Verica Simin
- 2 Department for Microbiological and Other Diagnostics, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jelena Blagojević
- 1 Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research ‘Siniša Stanković’, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Borislav Čabrilo
- 3 Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Olivera Bjelić Čabrilo
- 3 Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
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Nielsen MK. What makes a good fecal egg count technique? Vet Parasitol 2021; 296:109509. [PMID: 34218175 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The first parasite fecal egg counting techniques were described over 100 years ago, and fecal egg counting remains essential in parasitology research as well as in clinical practice today. Several novel techniques have been introduced and validated in recent years, but this work has also highlighted several current issues in this research field. There is a lack of consensus on which diagnostic parameters to evaluate and how to properly design studies doing so. Furthermore, there is a confusing and sometimes incorrect use of terminology describing performance of fecal egg counting techniques, and it would be helpful to address these. This manuscript reviews qualitative and quantitative diagnostic performance parameters, discusses their relevance for fecal egg counting techniques, and highlights some of the challenges with determining them. Qualitative parameters such as diagnostic sensitivity and specificity may be considered classic diagnostic performance metrics, but they generally only have implications at low egg count levels. The detection limit of a given technique is often referred to as the "analytical sensitivity", but this is misleading as the detection limit is a theoretically derived number, whereas analytical sensitivity is determined experimentally. Thus, the detection limit is not a diagnostic performance parameter and does not inform on the diagnostic sensitivity of a technique. Quantitative performance parameters such as accuracy and precision are highly relevant for describing the performance of fecal egg counting techniques, and precision is arguably the more important of the two. An absolute determination of accuracy can only be achieved by use of samples spiked with known quantities of parasite ova, but spiking does not necessarily mimic the true distribution of eggs within a sample, and accuracy estimates are difficult to reproduce between laboratories. Instead, analysis of samples from naturally infected animals can be used to achieve a relative ranking of techniques according to egg count magnitude. Precision can be estimated in a number of different approaches, but it is important to ensure a relevant representation of egg count levels in the study sample set, as low egg counts tend to associate with lower precision estimates. Coefficients of variation generally provide meaningful measures of precision that are independent of the multiplication factor of the techniques evaluated. Taken together, there is a need for clear guidelines for studies validating fecal egg counting techniques in veterinary parasitology with emphasis on what should be evaluated, how studies could be designed, and how to appropriately analyze the data. Furthermore, there is a clear need for better consensus regarding use of terminology describing the diagnostic performance of fecal egg count techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin K Nielsen
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Helminthiasis, iron intake, and hemoglobin levels in pregnant women. ENFERMERIA CLINICA 2021. [PMID: 33849175 DOI: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The study aims to analyze the correlation of helminthiasis, iron intake, and hemoglobin levels in pregnant women in the Public Health Center of Kemusu 2 Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia. A cross-sectional research design was applied to 164 pregnant women who are in the second-third trimester and selected using simple random sampling. The Cyanmethemoglobin tool was utilized to measure the respondents' hemoglobin levels. The iron intake was obtained using the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Data analysis applied the Pearson's correlation test. This study discovered that 12.2% of subjects are infected by Ascaris lumbricoides; 34.1% and 36.6% of the subjects suffer from iron intake deficiency and anemia. There is a correlation between helminthiasis, iron intake, and hemoglobin levels in pregnant women (p=.005 and p=.007). Nutrition program is still needed to prevent the helminthiasis, reduce the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women, and improve their iron intake through supplementation and nutrition education.
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Habig B, Chowdhury S, Monfort SL, Brown JL, Swedell L, Foerster S. Predictors of helminth parasite infection in female chacma baboons ( Papio ursinus). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021; 14:308-320. [PMID: 33898232 PMCID: PMC8056146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Helminth parasite infection can impose major consequences on host fitness. Several factors, including individual characteristics of hosts, environmental conditions, and patterns of coinfection, are thought to drive variation in parasite risk. Here, we report on four key drivers of parasite infection-phase of reproduction, steroid hormone profiles, rainfall, and patterns of coinfection-in a population of wild female chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in South Africa. We collected data on reproductive state and hormone profiles over a 3-year span, and quantified helminth parasite burdens in 2955 fecal samples from 24 female baboons. On a host level, we found that baboons are sensitive to parasite infection during the costliest phases of the reproductive cycle: pregnant females harbored higher intensities of Protospirura eggs than cycling and lactating females; lactating and cycling females had a higher probability of Oesophagostomum infection than pregnant females; and cycling females exhibited lower Trichuris egg counts than pregnant and lactating females. Steroid hormones were associated with both immunoenhancing and immunosuppressive properties: females with high glucocorticoid concentrations exhibited high intensities of Trichuris eggs but were at low risk of Oesophagostomum infection; females with high estrogen and progestagen concentrations exhibited high helminth parasite richness; and females with high progestagen concentrations were at high risk of Oesophagostomum infection but exhibited low Protospirura egg counts. We observed an interaction between host reproductive state and progestagen concentrations in infection intensity of Protospirura: pregnant females exhibited higher intensities and non-pregnant females exhibited lower intensities of Protospirura eggs with increasing progestagen concentrations. At a population level, rainfall patterns were dominant drivers of parasite risk. Lastly, helminth parasites exhibited positive covariance, suggesting that infection probability increases if a host already harbors one or more parasite taxa. Together, our results provide a holistic perspective of factors that shape variation in parasite risk in a wild population of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Habig
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY, 11367, USA
| | - Shahrina Chowdhury
- Department of Anthropology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York NY, 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Anthropology Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Steven L. Monfort
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Janine L. Brown
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York NY, 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Anthropology Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY, 11367, USA
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Steffen Foerster
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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Habig B, Jansen DAWAM, Akinyi MY, Gesquiere LR, Alberts SC, Archie EA. Multi-scale predictors of parasite risk in wild male savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2748-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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10
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Corlatti L, Lorenzetti C, Bassano B. Parasitism and alternative reproductive tactics in Northern chamois. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8749-8758. [PMID: 31410277 PMCID: PMC6686307 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs), discrete phenotypic variations evolved to maximize fitness, may entail different cost-benefit trade-offs. In large mammals, differences in costs associated with ARTs-including energy expenditure and parasite infection-are typically greatest during the breeding season. Nonetheless, physiological and behavioral differences between ARTs can manifest throughout the year, possibly involving costs that may contribute to maintain ARTs within populations. Using the number of nematode larvae per gram of feces (LPG) as a proxy, we explored the temporal changes in lung parasite infection in territorial and nonterritorial male chamois Rupicapra in the Gran Paradiso National Park (Italy), between 2011 and 2012. We aimed to identify which tactic-specific physiological and behavioral features (including age, hormonal levels, inter- and intrasexual interactions, and space use) or climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) best explained yearly variation in parasite infection within and between ARTs. Generalized additive mixed models showed that the fecal larval counts of lung nematodes underwent strong temporal changes in both male types. Differences between ARTs (with higher LPG values in territorial than nonterritorial males) were greatest during the rut and-to a lesser extent-in spring, respectively, at the peak and at the onset of territoriality. The difference in LPG between tactics was largely explained by the greater levels of hormone metabolites in territorial males during the rut. The other variables did not contribute significantly to explain the different shedding of larvae within and between ARTs. Our analysis suggests that different values of LPG between territorial and nonterritorial males are largely a result of tactic-specific differences in the secretion of hormone metabolites, but only during the rut. To clarify whether rut-related parasitism contributes to the maintenance of ARTs, tactic-specific life history trade-offs, for example, between reproduction and parasite-related mortality, must be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Corlatti
- Wildlife Ecology and ManagementUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | | | - Bruno Bassano
- Alpine Wildlife Research CentreGran Paradiso National ParkValsavarencheItaly
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Oc Byrne J, Byrne AW, Zintl A, Jankowska K, Coulange E, de Waal T, McCarthy G, O'Keeffe J, Hamnes IS, Fogarty U. Identification and epidemiological analysis of Perostrongylus falciformis infestation in Irish badgers. Ir Vet J 2019; 72:7. [PMID: 31333818 PMCID: PMC6617904 DOI: 10.1186/s13620-019-0144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The lungworm, Perostrongylus falciformis (fomerly known as Aelurostrongylus falciformis) has been identified in badgers (Meles meles) in Britain, the Russian Federation, Italy, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Bosnia Herzegovina and Romania, while Aelurostrongylus pridhami has been reported from badgers in Spain. Results Pulmonary tissue from 1580 Irish badgers was examined and an estimated prevalence of 32.09% (95% CI: 29.79–34.45%) of this parasite was detected. Confirmation of its occurrence was made by PCR analysis on a subset of the population. Conclusion Infestation was widely distributed throughout the Republic of Ireland, with a trend towards higher infestation risk in western versus eastern counties. In addition males were at a higher risk of infestation than females and juveniles were at a significantly higher risk than adult badgers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew W Byrne
- 2Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Stoney Road, Belfast, BT4 3SD Northern Ireland
| | - Annetta Zintl
- 3UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karolina Jankowska
- 3UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Theo de Waal
- 3UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Grainne McCarthy
- 3UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James O'Keeffe
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Inger S Hamnes
- 6Section of Parasitology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Sentrum, NO-0106 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ursula Fogarty
- 1Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, County Kildare Ireland
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