Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change

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creativework.keywords - en
Serology
Zoonosis
Trichinellosis and other foodborne zoonotic pathogens
Trichinella
creativework.keywords - fr
Sérologie
Zoonoses
Trichinellose et autres pathogènes zoonotiques d'origine alimentaire
Trichinella
dc.contributor.author
Pilfold, Nicholas W.
Richardson, Evan S.
Ellis, John
Jenkins, Emily
Scandrett, W. Brad
Hernández-Ortiz, Adrián
Buhler, Kayla
McGeachy, David
Al-Adhami, Batol
Konecsni, Kelly
Lobanov, Vladislav A.
Owen, Megan A.
Rideout, Bruce
Lunn, Nicholas J.
dc.date.accessioned
2023-05-19T16:04:09Z
dc.date.available
2023-05-19T16:04:09Z
dc.date.issued
2021
dc.description.abstract - en
The influence of climate change on wildlife disease dynamics is a burgeoning conservation and human health issue, but few long-term studies empirically link climate to pathogen prevalence. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are vulnerable to the negative impacts of sea ice loss as a result of accelerated Arctic warming. While studies have associated changes in polar bear body condition, reproductive output, survival, and abundance to reductions in sea ice, no long-term studies have documented the impact of climate change on pathogen exposure. We examined 425 serum samples from 381 adult polar bears, collected in western Hudson Bay (WH), Canada, for antibodies to selected pathogens across three time periods: 1986–1989 (n = 157), 1995–1998 (n = 159) and 2015–2017 (n = 109). We ran serological assays for antibodies to seven pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Trichinella spp., Francisella tularensis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine morbillivirus (CDV) and canine parvovirus (CPV). Seroprevalence of zoonotic parasites (T. gondii, Trichinella spp.) and bacterial pathogens (F. tularensis, B. bronchiseptica) increased significantly between 1986–1989 and 1995–1998, ranging from +6.2% to +20.8%, with T. gondii continuing to increase into 2015–2017 (+25.8% overall). Seroprevalence of viral pathogens (CDV, CPV) and N. caninum did not change with time. Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence was higher following wetter summers, while seroprevalences of Trichinella spp. and B. bronchiseptica were positively correlated with hotter summers. Seroprevalence of antibodies to F. tularensis increased following years polar bears spent more days on land, and polar bears previously captured in human settlements were more likely to be seropositive for Trichinella spp. As the Arctic has warmed due to climate change, zoonotic pathogen exposure in WH polar bears has increased, driven by numerous altered ecosystem pathways.
dc.identifier.citation
Pilfold, N. W., Richardson, E. S., Ellis, J., Jenkins, E., Scandrett, W. B., Hernández-Ortiz, A., Buhler, K., McGeachy, D., Al-Adhami, B., Konecsni, K., Lobanov, V. A., Owen, M. A., Rideout, B., & Lunn, N. J. [Article in press]. Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change. Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15537
dc.identifier.doi
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15537
dc.identifier.uri
https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/293
dc.language.iso
en
dc.publisher
Wiley
dc.subject - en
Nature and environment
dc.subject - fr
Nature et environnement
dc.subject.en - en
Nature and environment
dc.subject.fr - fr
Nature et environnement
dc.title - en
Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change
dc.type - en
Accepted manuscript
dc.type - fr
Manuscrit accepté
local.pagination
1-17
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