The biology of Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis, a lung nematode of muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic : field and laboratory studies

Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis (Up) is a protostrongylid nematode which requires gastropod intermediate hosts (IH) for development from first-stage larvae (L1) to third-stage larvae (L3). Three captive muskoxen were infected with L3 of 'Up'. The prepatent period ranged from 91-95 days and patent periods extended at least 2 yr. Lung lesions were visible radiographically by 178 and 191 days post-infection (PI) and post mortem computed tomography was useful for locating and characterizing lung cysts. Cyst size was positively correlated with the number of adult nematodes contained. Lung pathology appeared restricted to the cysts. In the IH 'Deroceras laeve', most larval growth occurred following the second molt. Larvae developed more rapidly at warmer temperatures and the threshold temperatures were 8.5 C and 9.5 C in 'D. laeve' and 'D. reticulatum', respectively. The degree-days required for development, 167, were the same in both species. In the laboratory the majority of the L3 emerged from 'D. laeve ' and 'D. reticulatum' by 60 days PI and emergence occurred independently of the intensity of infection. L3 emerged from ' Catinella' sp, in the laboratory and 'D. laeve' under semi-natural conditions in the Arctic. Emerged L3 developed to adults in a captive muskox. Development rates of 'Up' in 'D. laeve' in enclosures in the tundra near Kugluktuk, Canada, corresponded with those predicted using surface microhabitat temperatures and laboratory derived threshold temperatures and thermal constants. Infected slugs overwintered on the tundra and first and second-stage larvae resumed development the following spring. This enclosure-model system could be used to investigate protostrongylids in other geographic regions or under different climatic conditions. In the mainland Arctic near Kugluktuk, Nunavut, the terrestrial gastropods: ' D. laeve; Columella alticola; C. edentula; E. fulvus; Vertigo' cf ' modesta'; and 'Catinella' sp., and the freshwater gastropods: ' Aplexa hypnorum; Physa jennessi jennessi; Valvata sincera helicoidea'; and 'Stagnicola' sp., were found. 'Deroceras laeve, A. hypnorum, Valvata' sp., and 'Stagnicola' sp., were also present on Victoria Island, Nunavut. Larvae developed to L3 in ' D. laeve, C. alticola, E. fulvus, Catinella' sp., and 'A. hypnorum '. From this research a model for the seasonal development and transmission of 'Up' in the Arctic is presented

Biodiversity and springtime patterns of egg production and development for parasites of the Chisana Caribou herd, Yukon Territory, Canada

We investigated the biodiversity and springtime patterns of parasite egg/oocyst and larval production from feces and parasite development in the environment for the Chisana caribou herd in the southwest Yukon Territory, Canada from 29 March to 14 June 2006. Fecal samples from 50 adult cows that were housed in a temporary enclosure within the herd’s natural range at Boundary Lake, Yukon Territory were collected and analyzed during 5 sampling periods. A minimum of 6 parasite genera were recovered: eggs of Trichostrongylidae species (most likely Ostertagia gruehneri and Teladorsagia boreoarcticus), Marshallagia sp., Anoplocephalidae cestodes, and Skrjabinema sp.; oocysts of Eimeria spp.; and dorsal-spined first-stage protostrongylid larvae, including Parelaphostrongylus andersoni. Prevalence of Trichostrongylidae spp. eggs in fresh fecals was at or near 100% throughout the sampling period, however, the median intensity increased significantly from 8 to 34 eggs per gram (epg) at the peak of calving and then decreased to 12 epg 2 weeks post-calving (P = 2.83e-07). Three plots of feces collected from these animals were established outside of the enclosure on 4 May 2006 and monitored every 10 days to investigate patterns of parasite development under natural conditions. The total number of Trichostrongylidae spp. (eggs + larvae) in fecal plots did not change over time, but as the number of larvae increased, egg counts decreased. The presence of other parasite species in the fecal plots remained constant over time. This study is the first to document the parasite diversity for the Chisana caribou herd and to exam¬ine the development and survival of eggs and larvae in feces throughout the spring and early summer. Abstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag: Parasitters artssammensetning og forløp av eggproduksjon og parasittutvikling om våren hos Chisanavillreinen i Yukon, Canada I en periode fra 29. mars til 14. juni 2006 tok vi prøver fra reinmøkk og under¬søkte artsammensetning, egg/oocysteproduksjon og parasittutvikling i et område sørvest i Yukon, Canada, der Chisana caribou’en holder til. Møkkprøver fra 50 voksne simler, holdt i en midlertidig inngjerding i det naturlige beiteområdet ved Bondary Lake, ble samlet og analysert i løpet av fem prøveperioder. Parasitter fra minst seks slekter ble funnet: materialet omfattet egg av Trichostrongylidae-arter (mest sannsynlig Ostertagia gruehneri og Teledorsagia boreoarcti¬cus), Marshallagia-art, Anaplocephalidae-bendelmark og Skrjabinema-art, oocyster av Eimeria-arter, og ryggpiggete førstestadiums Protostrongylidae-larver, bl.a. av Parelaphostrongylus andersoni. I ferske møkkprøver var prosentvis tilstedeværelse av Trichostrongylidae-egg nesten 100 % gjennom prøveperioden, men median intensitet (parasittmengde) økte statistisk signifikant fra 8 til 34 egg per gram under kalvingens mest intense periode og avtok til 12 egg per gram to uker etter kalving. Møkk fra forsøkssimlene ble den 4. mai plassert i tre felt utenfor området der simlene ble holdt inngjerdet, og undersøkt hver tiende dag for å følge parasittutviklingen under naturlige betingelser. Det totale antall av egg + larver Trichostrongylidae i feltene forandret seg ikke; larvemengden økte samtidig som eggmengden avtok. Tilstedeværelsen av andre parasitter i feltene forble også konstant over tid. Vår studie er den første til å dokumentere parasittdiversiteten i Chisanavillreinen og å undersøke utviklingen og overlevelsen av egg og larver gjennom vår og tidlig sommer

A New Lungworm in Muskoxen: an Exploration in Arctic Parasitology

Ruminants are vital elements of the Holarctic ecosystem. Little is known, however, of the structure or biology of their parasite fauna, particularly in North America. Global warming, coupied with increasing human activity in the Arctic, requires enhanced intemational interdisciplinary efforts to better understand the many factors, including parasites, that influence the population health of caribou, reindeer, muskoxen and wild sheep. The discovery of an unusual new genus of protostrongylid lung nematode in muskoxen from the central Canadian Arctic is described, and the intricacies of the parasite\u27s relationship with its muskoxen definitive hosts, its gastropod intermediate hosts and the arctic environment are discussed

Where Are the Parasites? [Letters]

First paragraph: The review by E. Post et al. ( Ecological dynamics across the Arctic associated with recent climate change, 11 September 2009, p. 1,355) paid little heed to parasites and other pathogens. The rapidly growing literature on parasites in arctic and subarctic ecosystems provides empirical and observational evidence that climate-linked changes have already occurred. The life cycle of the protostrongylid lungworm of muskoxen, Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis, has changed, and the range of that organism and the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus, has expanded

Where Are the Parasites? [Letters]

First paragraph: The review by E. Post et al. ( Ecological dynamics across the Arctic associated with recent climate change, 11 September 2009, p. 1,355) paid little heed to parasites and other pathogens. The rapidly growing literature on parasites in arctic and subarctic ecosystems provides empirical and observational evidence that climate-linked changes have already occurred. The life cycle of the protostrongylid lungworm of muskoxen, Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis, has changed, and the range of that organism and the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus, has expanded

Revision of the taxonomic status of \u3ci\u3eAphis floridanae\u3c/i\u3e Tissot (Hemiptera: Aphididae) using morphological and molecular insight

Morphological and cytochrome oxidase 1 (Cox1) data show that Aphis floridanae Tissot (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is not synonymous with A. nasturtii Kaltenbach. Instead, A. floridanae matches the morphological characters of A. impatientis Thomas. Additionally, the range of cytochrome oxidase 1 (Cox1) pair-wise distance of the multiple collections of A. impatientis on Cornus spp., Impatiens spp. and Erechtites hieraciifolius (L.) Raf. ex DC. is 0–0.39%. Therefore, we conclude that A. floridanae Tissot, 1933 is a junior synonym of A. impatientis Thomas, 1878, new synonymy. In addition, A. impatientis is re-described, including first descriptions of the ovipara and alate male of that species

Dog-walking behaviours affect gastrointestinal parasitism in park-attending dogs

In urban parks, dogs, wildlife and humans can be sympatric, introducing the potential for inter- and intra-specific transmission of pathogens among hosts. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of zoonotic and non-zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in dogs in Calgary city parks, and assess if dog-walking behaviour, park management, history of veterinary care, and dog demographics were associated with parasitism in dog

Examining the Risk of Disease Transmission between Wild Dall’s Sheep and Mountain Goats, and Introduced Domestic Sheep, Goats, and Llamas in the Northwest Territories

This risk assessment has been carried out following the guidelines for Health Risk Analysis entitled “Wild Animal Translocations” prepared by the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (http://wildlife1.usask.ca). It includes 9 comprehensive appendices of bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal organisms reported from domestic sheep, goats, llamas and wild sheep and mountain goats. The report is a breakdown of those appendices into discussions of organisms of major concern, organisms of unknown concern, organisms of minimal concern, and those that cause no apparent disease, are not transmissible between the species of interest, or do not occur in Canada. Where possible, organisms were assigned a risk designation according to the probability of transmission as well as the effects on susceptible species