Long-Term Dynamics of Coxiella burnetii in Farmed Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

ABSTRACTThe control of multihost pathogens, such asCoxiella burnetii, should rely on accurate information about the roles played by the main hosts. We aimed to determine the involvement of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the ecology ofC. burnetii. We predicted that red deer populations from broad geographic areas within a European context would be exposed toC. burnetii, and therefore, we hypothesized that a series of factors would modulate the exposure of red deer toC. burnetii. To test this hypothesis, we designed a retrospective survey of 47 Iberian red deer populations from which 1,751 serum samples and 489 spleen samples were collected. Sera were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in order to estimate exposure toC. burnetii, and spleen samples were analyzed by PCR in order to estimate the prevalence of systemic infections. Thereafter, we gathered 23 variables—within environmental, host, and management factors—potentially modulating the risk of exposure of deer toC. burnetii, and we performed multivariate statistical analyses to identify the main risk factors. Twenty-three populations were seropositive (48.9%), andC. burnetiiDNA in the spleen was detected in 50% of the populations analyzed. The statistical analyses reflect the complexity ofC. burnetiiecology and suggest that although red deer may maintain the circulation ofC. burnetiiwithout third species, the most frequent scenario probably includes other wild and domestic host species. These findings, taken together with previous evidence ofC. burnetiishedding by naturally infected red deer, point at this wild ungulate as a true reservoir forC. burnetiiand an important node in the life cycle ofC. burnetii, at least in the Iberian Peninsula.

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Seasonality of Coxiella burnetii among Wild Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the Hyalomma lusitanicum (Acari: Ixodidae) in a Meso-Mediterranean Ecosystem

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens11010036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 36

Author(s):

María Sánchez ◽

Félix Valcárcel ◽

Julia González ◽

Marta G. González ◽

Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Q Fever ◽

Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽

Wild Rabbit ◽

Sylvatic Cycle ◽

Almost Everywhere ◽

In The Wild

(1) Background: Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii that have cases reported in humans and animals almost everywhere. The aim of this study was to describe the seasonality of Coxiella burnetii in the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the tick Hyalomma lusitanicum in a meso-Mediterranean ecosystem. (2) Methods: two populations of wild rabbits that differ in whether or not they share habitat with ungulates, mainly red deer (Cervus elaphus) were sampled for a year to collect ticks, blood and vaginal or anal swabs. Presence of C. burnetii DNA in swabs and the tick H. lusitanicum was determined by PCR and serum antibodies by ELISA. (3) Results: C. burnetii DNA was detected in 47.2% of 583 rabbits, in 65.5% of sera, and in more than half of the H. lusitanicum. There were small variations according to sex and age of the rabbits but significant according to the habitat (4) Conclusions: The results indicate that C. burnetii circulates freely between wild rabbits and H. lusitanicum and the sylvatic cycle in meso-Mediterranean environments relies in the presence of wild rabbits and H. lusitanicum above all if sharing habitat with red deer.

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A long-term survey of Fascioloides magna in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Slovakia (Danube floodplain forests) during the period of 2005 – 2015

Helminthologia ◽

10.1515/helmin-2016-0024 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 243-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. Bazsalovicsová ◽

M. Špakulová ◽

L’. Juhásová ◽

Š. Miholics ◽

D. Rajský ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Liver Fluke ◽

Red Deer ◽

Floodplain Forests ◽

Fascioloides Magna ◽

Domestic Ruminants ◽

Giant Liver Fluke ◽

Ongoing Monitoring ◽

Long Term Survey

Summary Fascioloidosis of wild and domestic ruminants is caused by giant liver fluke, Fascioloides magna (Trematoda; Fasciolidae). In Slovakia, the parasite is present in the Danube floodplain forests permanent focus for almost 30 years. Here we provide data on 11-year survey of F. magna acquired from 137 red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in the southwestern hunting grounds (districts Komárno and Dunajská Streda). Almost 47 % of all examined deer, including males, females and fawns, were infected with F. magna. During the studied period, the prevalence ranged between 33.3 % (2009) and 63.6 % (2007). Prevalence of fascioloidosis varied between sexes and age categories; while the lowest overall prevalence was detected in females (33.3 %), higher values were documented for red deer males (50.6 %) and fawns (43.3 %). A presence of giant liver fluke in studied regions of southwestern Slovakia deserves future attention and ongoing monitoring due to a possible threat of F. magna infection of domestic ruminants in overlapping regions.

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Extirpation and reintroduction of the Corsican red deer Cervus elaphus corsicanus in Corsica

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605307012069 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 488-494 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Nicolas Kidjo ◽

Gérard Feracci ◽

Eric Bideau ◽

Georges Gonzalez ◽

César Mattéi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Natural Choice ◽

Sardinian Population ◽

In The Wild ◽

Nature Park ◽

Regional Nature Park

AbstractThe Endangered Corsican red deer Cervus elaphus corsicanus was extirpated from Corsica in the early 1970s, at which time the Sardinian population fell to <250 individuals. The Sardinian authorities agreed to protect this subspecies and to secure its reintroduction in Corsica, a natural choice, considering ethological and historical descriptions. Since the beginning of 1985, when the first deer destined for captive breeding and eventual reintroduction arrived in Corsica, the population increased from 13 Sardinian founders to 106 captive animals under constant monitoring in three enclosures (Quenza, Casabianda and Ania di Fium'Orbu). The sites of Quenza, Chisà and Santo Pietro di Venaco were selected by the Regional Nature Park of Corsica for the reintroduction into the wild that began in 1998. Currently the size of the whole Corsican population is c. 250 individuals. These deer are still closely monitored and studied, both in enclosures and in the wild, to secure the long-term conservation of this subspecies. The Corsican and Sardinian populations together now total slightly >1,000, and the subspecies could therefore be downgraded to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

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Long-term stimulatory effects of a continuous infusion of LHRH agonist on testicular function in male red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/jrf.0.0800257 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 257-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

G. A. Lincoln

Keyword(s):

Continuous Infusion ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Testicular Function ◽

Lhrh Agonist

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Impact of interspecific relations between native red deer (Cervus elaphus) and introduced sika deer (Cervus nippon) on their rutting season in the Doupovské hory Mts.

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/47/2014-jfs ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 60 (No. 7) ◽

pp. 272-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Z. Macháček ◽

S. Dvořák ◽

M. Ježek ◽

D. Zahradník

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Native Species ◽

Red Deer ◽

Sika Deer ◽

Military Training ◽

Cervus Nippon ◽

Data Set ◽

In The Wild ◽

The Military

The behaviour of sika and red deer during the rutting season is highly variable in relation to vocalization, habitat preference during the rut, and onset and termination of rutting. The red deer is a native species in Central Europe, but the areas where it lives in sympatry with the introduced sika deer have been increasing in the last three decades. Such situation can be found in the Doupovské hory Mts., where sika deer has been intensively spreading. Hybridization between the two species and changes in behaviour are the most important problems. In this study we prove the shift in the rutting period shown by both species. To evaluate the shift in the rutting season, we used a very extensive long-term data set on deer shot within the Military Training Area. These changes occur very slowly, however, and are very difficult to monitor and evaluate in the wild. Based on our results, the timing of the rutting season has converged at the mean rate of 0.62 day per year (rutting season starts later in the red deer and earlier in the sika deer).  

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Long-Term Determinants of the Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a Wild Ungulate Community

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10122349 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2349

Author(s):

Patricia Barroso ◽

Ignacio García-Bocanegra ◽

Pelayo Acevedo ◽

Pablo Palencia ◽

Francisco Carro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Wild Boar ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Host Community ◽

Doñana National Park ◽

Wild Ungulate ◽

Wild Host

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan which infects warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans, worldwide. In the present study, the epidemiology of T. gondii was studied in the wild ungulate host community (wild boar, red deer, and fallow deer) of Doñana National Park (DNP, south-western Spain) for 13 years (2005–2018). We assessed several variables which potentially operate in the medium and long-term (environmental features, population, and stochastic factors). Overall, the wild ungulate host community of DNP had high seroprevalence values of T. gondii (STG; % ± confidence interval (CI) 95%; wild boar (Sus scrofa) 39 ± 3.3, n = 698; red deer (Cervus elaphus) 30.7 ± 4.4, n = 423; fallow deer (Dama dama) 29.7 ± 4.2, n = 452). The complex interplay of hosts and ecological/epidemiological niches, together with the optimal climatic conditions for the survival of oocysts that converge in this area may favor the spread of the parasite in its host community. The temporal evolution of STG oscillated considerably, mostly in deer species. The relationships shown by statistical models indicated that several factors determined species patterns. Concomitance of effects among species, indicated that relevant drivers of risk operated at the community level. Our focus, addressing factors operating at broad temporal scale, allows showing their impacts on the epidemiology of T. gondii and its trends. This approach is key to understanding the epidemiology and ecology to T. gondii infection in wild host communities in a context where the decline in seroprevalence leads to loss of immunity in humans.

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Physiological Stress Reactions in Red Deer Induced by Hunting Activities

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10061003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1003

Author(s):

Sofia Vilela ◽

António Alves da Silva ◽

Rupert Palme ◽

Kathreen E. Ruckstuhl ◽

José Paulo Sousa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Stress Reactions ◽

Fecal Cortisol ◽

Hunting Activity ◽

Stress Levels ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

Cortisol Levels

Hunting activity is usually seen as a factor capable of causing an intense stress response in wildlife that may lead to short but also long-term stress. In the Lousã Mountain, Portugal, the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) is the target of intensive seasonal hunting. We collected and measured cortisol (and its metabolites) in three tissues types (blood, feces and hair) from red deer hunted during two hunting seasons to evaluate the stress levels at different time windows. We also assessed the immunological and physical condition of the animals. We predicted that the hunting activity would act as a stressor inducing increased short and long-term stress levels in the population. Results showed an increase in hair cortisol levels during the months of harvesting. Surprisingly, the tendency for plasma cortisol levels was to decrease during the hunting season, which could be interpreted as habituation to hunting activity, or due to the hunting duration. Contrary to our predictions, fecal cortisol metabolites did not show any clear patterns across the months. Overall, our results suggest an influence of hunting activities on the physiological stress in red deer. In addition, hair seems to be useful to measure physiological stress, although more studies are required to fully understand its suitability as an indicator of long-term stress. Methodologically, our approach highlights the importance of simultaneously using different methods to assess short and long-term effects in studies on physiological stress reactions.

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Red deer (Cervus elaphus) Did Not Play the Role of Maintenance Host for Bluetongue Virus in France: The Burden of Proof by Long-Term Wildlife Monitoring and Culicoides Snapshots

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v11100903 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 903 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sophie Rossi ◽

Thomas Balenghien ◽

Cyril Viarouge ◽

Eva Faure ◽

Gina Zanella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Bluetongue Virus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Burden Of Proof ◽

Natural Environments ◽

Sylvatic Cycle ◽

Bridge Species

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a Culicoides-borne pathogen infecting both domestic and wild ruminants. In Europe, the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) (RD) is considered a potential BTV reservoir, but persistent sylvatic cycle has not yet been demonstrated. In this paper, we explored the dynamics of BTV1 and BTV8 serotypes in the RD in France, and the potential role of that species in the re-emergence of BTV8 in livestock by 2015 (i.e., 5 years after the former last domestic cases). We performed 8 years of longitudinal monitoring (2008–2015) among 15 RD populations and 3065 individuals. We compared Culicoides communities and feeding habits within domestic and wild animal environments (51,380 samples). Culicoides diversity (>30 species) varied between them, but bridge-species able to feed on both wild and domestic hosts were abundant in both situations. Despite the presence of competent vectors in natural environments, BTV1 and BTV8 strains never spread in RD along the green corridors out of the domestic outbreak range. Decreasing antibody trends with no PCR results two years after the last domestic outbreak suggests that seropositive young RD were not recently infected but carried maternal antibodies. We conclude that RD did not play a role in spreading or maintaining BTV in France.

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