Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i>
Tularemia is a zoonotic disease found throughout most of the northern hemisphere that may experience range expansion with warming temperatures. Rodents and lagomorphs are reservoirs for the disease, and outbreaks of tularemia often follow peaks in their abundance. As small mammals dominate the diet...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/1/28 |
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| author | Kayla Buhler Émilie Bouchard Stacey Elmore Gustaf Samelius Jessica Jackson Matilde Tomaselli Heather Fenton Ray Alisauskas Emily Jenkins |
| author_facet | Kayla Buhler Émilie Bouchard Stacey Elmore Gustaf Samelius Jessica Jackson Matilde Tomaselli Heather Fenton Ray Alisauskas Emily Jenkins |
| author_sort | Kayla Buhler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tularemia is a zoonotic disease found throughout most of the northern hemisphere that may experience range expansion with warming temperatures. Rodents and lagomorphs are reservoirs for the disease, and outbreaks of tularemia often follow peaks in their abundance. As small mammals dominate the diet of arctic foxes (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), we determined whether they may serve as sentinels by identifying antibodies in live-captured and harvested foxes from northern Canada. Overall seroprevalence was 2% (CI95 1–2%) in 176 foxes harvested in 2018–2019 compared to 17% (CI95 12–22%) of 230 foxes captured live in 2011–2021. Prevalence was at an all-time high in 2018, following a peak in vole abundance in 2017. Antibodies were identified in fox pups born in 2018 and 2019, suggesting that <i>F. tularensis</i> was actively transmitted during the summers. High precipitation during the summer, increased snow cover and colder temperatures in May, and a higher abundance of voles were all associated with increased seroprevalence in live-captured foxes. Thus, exposure to <i>F. tularensis</i> is largely mediated through climate and rodent populations in the Canadian Arctic, and arctic foxes are useful sentinels for <i>F. tularensis</i> in northern ecosystems. Further studies should investigate whether infection impacts arctic fox survival and reproductive success in the circumpolar North. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:30:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c92b2553203543958d07b6496b06e8f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:30:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-c92b2553203543958d07b6496b06e8f22023-11-30T23:52:45ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172022-12-011212810.3390/pathogens12010028Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i>Kayla Buhler0Émilie Bouchard1Stacey Elmore2Gustaf Samelius3Jessica Jackson4Matilde Tomaselli5Heather Fenton6Ray Alisauskas7Emily Jenkins8Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, CanadaDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, CanadaDivision of Natural Sciences, University of Maine Fort Kent, 23 University Drive, Fort Kent, MA 04743, USASnow Leopard Trust, 4649 Sunnyside Ave North, Suite 325, Seattle, WA 98103, USADepartment of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, CanadaCanadian High Arctic Research Station, Polar Knowledge Canada, 1 Uvajuq Road, P.O. Box 2150, Cambridge Bay, NU X0B 0C0, CanadaGovernment of The Northwest Territories, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 5th Floor Scotiabank Centre, P.O. Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P9, CanadaPrairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4, CanadaDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, CanadaTularemia is a zoonotic disease found throughout most of the northern hemisphere that may experience range expansion with warming temperatures. Rodents and lagomorphs are reservoirs for the disease, and outbreaks of tularemia often follow peaks in their abundance. As small mammals dominate the diet of arctic foxes (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), we determined whether they may serve as sentinels by identifying antibodies in live-captured and harvested foxes from northern Canada. Overall seroprevalence was 2% (CI95 1–2%) in 176 foxes harvested in 2018–2019 compared to 17% (CI95 12–22%) of 230 foxes captured live in 2011–2021. Prevalence was at an all-time high in 2018, following a peak in vole abundance in 2017. Antibodies were identified in fox pups born in 2018 and 2019, suggesting that <i>F. tularensis</i> was actively transmitted during the summers. High precipitation during the summer, increased snow cover and colder temperatures in May, and a higher abundance of voles were all associated with increased seroprevalence in live-captured foxes. Thus, exposure to <i>F. tularensis</i> is largely mediated through climate and rodent populations in the Canadian Arctic, and arctic foxes are useful sentinels for <i>F. tularensis</i> in northern ecosystems. Further studies should investigate whether infection impacts arctic fox survival and reproductive success in the circumpolar North.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/1/28<i>Francisella tularensis</i>tularemiaarcticrodentsvectorsarctic fox |
| spellingShingle | Kayla Buhler Émilie Bouchard Stacey Elmore Gustaf Samelius Jessica Jackson Matilde Tomaselli Heather Fenton Ray Alisauskas Emily Jenkins Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> Pathogens <i>Francisella tularensis</i> tularemia arctic rodents vectors arctic fox |
| title | Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> |
| title_full | Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> |
| title_fullStr | Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> |
| title_short | Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>), to <i>Francisella tularensis</i> |
| title_sort | tularemia above the treeline climate and rodent abundance influences exposure of a sentinel species the arctic fox i vulpes lagopus i to i francisella tularensis i |
| topic | <i>Francisella tularensis</i> tularemia arctic rodents vectors arctic fox |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/1/28 |
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