Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear
This study aimed to investigate the variations of parasites in the feces of brown bears Ursus arctos inhabiting the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). A total of 248 bear fecal samples were collected throughout one year, spanning from August 2018 to September 2019, at an approximate frequency of 20 sa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-04-01
|
| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424000129 |
| _version_ | 1797221752294604800 |
|---|---|
| author | Esther Valderrábano Cano Vincenzo Penteriani Iris Vega María del Mar Delgado Enrique González-Bernardo Giulia Bombieri Alejandra Zarzo-Arias Rita Sánchez-Andrade Fernández Adolfo Paz-Silva |
| author_facet | Esther Valderrábano Cano Vincenzo Penteriani Iris Vega María del Mar Delgado Enrique González-Bernardo Giulia Bombieri Alejandra Zarzo-Arias Rita Sánchez-Andrade Fernández Adolfo Paz-Silva |
| author_sort | Esther Valderrábano Cano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to investigate the variations of parasites in the feces of brown bears Ursus arctos inhabiting the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). A total of 248 bear fecal samples were collected throughout one year, spanning from August 2018 to September 2019, at an approximate frequency of 20 samples per month. The results were analyzed in relation to both the season and the biological activity of the brown bears, i.e., hibernation, mating and hyperphagia. Among the examined samples, eggs of Dicrocoelium dendriticum (32.2%; 95% Confidence Interval: 26.4–38.1), Baylisascaris sp. (44.8%; 38.5–50.9), ancylostomatids (probably belonging to Uncinaria spp.) (16.5%; 11.9–21.1) and Trichuris sp. (1.2%; 0–2.6) were observed. Significant seasonal differences were noted for Baylisascaris and ancylostomatids (χ2 = 21.02, P = 0.001 and χ2 = 34.41, P = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the presence of helminth eggs was correlated with the activity phase of the brown bears. Dicrocoelium attained the highest prevalence during the mating phase, while Baylisascaris and ancylostomatids were more frequent during hyperphagia. Notably, the highest egg-output counts for Dicrocoelium and Baylisascaris sp. were recorded during the mating phase and hibernation, respectively, whereas ancylostomatids eggs peaked during hyperphagia. Additionally, variations in egg-output counts were significant for all helminths concerning the season, with the exception of Trichuris sp., and for Dicrocoelium and Baylisascaris sp. According to bear activity. It is concluded that infection by gastrointestinal helminths depends on the season and the biological activity of the bears from the Cantabrian Mountains, and their health status could result influenced. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:48:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35831feb8fd346479d59cf6816ab4348 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:10:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj.art-35831feb8fd346479d59cf6816ab43482024-04-05T04:40:40ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442024-04-0123100916Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bearEsther Valderrábano Cano0Vincenzo Penteriani1Iris Vega2María del Mar Delgado3Enrique González-Bernardo4Giulia Bombieri5Alejandra Zarzo-Arias6Rita Sánchez-Andrade Fernández7Adolfo Paz-Silva8COPAR Research Group (GI-2120-USC), Faculty of Veterinary, 27002, Lugo, Spain; Marcelle Natureza Zoological Park, 27154, Outeiro de Rei, Lugo, SpainDepartment of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, SpainCOPAR Research Group (GI-2120-USC), Faculty of Veterinary, 27002, Lugo, SpainBiodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, CSIC-UO-PA), Mieres Campus, 33600, Mieres, SpainDepartment of Zoology, University of Granada, Av Fuente Nueva S/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain; University of Oviedo, C/ San Francisco, 3, E-33003, Oviedo, Asturias, SpainMUSE – Science Museum, Research & Collections Department, Conservation Biology Unit, Trento, ItalyDepartment of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain; University of Oviedo, C/ San Francisco, 3, E-33003, Oviedo, Asturias, SpainCOPAR Research Group (GI-2120-USC), Faculty of Veterinary, 27002, Lugo, SpainCOPAR Research Group (GI-2120-USC), Faculty of Veterinary, 27002, Lugo, Spain; Corresponding author.This study aimed to investigate the variations of parasites in the feces of brown bears Ursus arctos inhabiting the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). A total of 248 bear fecal samples were collected throughout one year, spanning from August 2018 to September 2019, at an approximate frequency of 20 samples per month. The results were analyzed in relation to both the season and the biological activity of the brown bears, i.e., hibernation, mating and hyperphagia. Among the examined samples, eggs of Dicrocoelium dendriticum (32.2%; 95% Confidence Interval: 26.4–38.1), Baylisascaris sp. (44.8%; 38.5–50.9), ancylostomatids (probably belonging to Uncinaria spp.) (16.5%; 11.9–21.1) and Trichuris sp. (1.2%; 0–2.6) were observed. Significant seasonal differences were noted for Baylisascaris and ancylostomatids (χ2 = 21.02, P = 0.001 and χ2 = 34.41, P = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the presence of helminth eggs was correlated with the activity phase of the brown bears. Dicrocoelium attained the highest prevalence during the mating phase, while Baylisascaris and ancylostomatids were more frequent during hyperphagia. Notably, the highest egg-output counts for Dicrocoelium and Baylisascaris sp. were recorded during the mating phase and hibernation, respectively, whereas ancylostomatids eggs peaked during hyperphagia. Additionally, variations in egg-output counts were significant for all helminths concerning the season, with the exception of Trichuris sp., and for Dicrocoelium and Baylisascaris sp. According to bear activity. It is concluded that infection by gastrointestinal helminths depends on the season and the biological activity of the bears from the Cantabrian Mountains, and their health status could result influenced.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424000129Ursus arctosNW SpainEndoparasitesSeasonalityFecal prevalence |
| spellingShingle | Esther Valderrábano Cano Vincenzo Penteriani Iris Vega María del Mar Delgado Enrique González-Bernardo Giulia Bombieri Alejandra Zarzo-Arias Rita Sánchez-Andrade Fernández Adolfo Paz-Silva Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Ursus arctos NW Spain Endoparasites Seasonality Fecal prevalence |
| title | Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear |
| title_full | Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear |
| title_fullStr | Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear |
| title_short | Influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in Cantabrian bear |
| title_sort | influence of seasonality and biological activity on infection by helminths in cantabrian bear |
| topic | Ursus arctos NW Spain Endoparasites Seasonality Fecal prevalence |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424000129 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT esthervalderrabanocano influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT vincenzopenteriani influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT irisvega influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT mariadelmardelgado influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT enriquegonzalezbernardo influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT giuliabombieri influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT alejandrazarzoarias influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT ritasanchezandradefernandez influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear AT adolfopazsilva influenceofseasonalityandbiologicalactivityoninfectionbyhelminthsincantabrianbear |