La caza: herramienta clave para el control de la sobreabundancia.

En nuestra sociedad cada vez más alejada del medio rural, la caza se encuentra fuertemente cuestionada. Es previsible que esta situación evolucione a peor conforme el número de cazadores disminuya (Massei et al., 2015) y el pensamiento animalista gane adeptos (Boadella y Gortázar, 2018). Existen sin embargo argumentos poderosos para defender la actividad cinegética

Modelling the transmission and persistence of African swine fever in wild boar in contrasting European scenarios

African swine fever (ASF) is a severe viral disease that is currently spreading among domestic pigs and wild boar (Sus scrofa) in large areas of Eurasia. Wild boar play a key role in the spread of ASF, yet despite their significance, little is known about the key mechanisms that drive infection transmission and disease persistence. A mathematical model of the wild boar ASF system is developed that captures the observed drop in population density, the peak in infected density and the persistence of the virus observed in ASF outbreaks. The model results provide insight into the key processes that drive the ASF dynamics and show that environmental transmission is a key mechanism determining the severity of an infectious outbreak and that direct frequency dependent transmission and transmission from individuals that survive initial ASF infection but eventually succumb to the disease are key for the long-term persistence of the virus. By considering scenarios representative of Estonia and Spain we show that faster degradation of carcasses in Spain, due to elevated temperature and abundant obligate scavengers, may reduce the severity of the infectious outbreak. Our results also suggest that the higher underlying host density and longer breeding season associated with supplementary feeding leads to a more pronounced epidemic outbreak and persistence of the disease in the long-term. The model is used to assess disease control measures and suggests that a combination of culling and infected carcass removal is the most effective method to eradicate the virus without also eradicating the host population, and that early implementation of these control measures will reduce infection levels whilst maintaining a higher host population density and in some situations prevent ASF from establishing in a population.Xander O’Neill was supported by The Maxwell Institute Graduate School in Analysis and its Applications, a Centre for Doctoral Training funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant EP/L016508/01), the Scottish Funding Council, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh. The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of the COST Action ASF-STOP CA15116, from the MCIU project CGL2017-89866-R and support from Fundación Biodiversidad, Ministerio de Transición Ecológica.Peer reviewe

Relación entre la Alimentación Suplementaria de los Ciervos y el Impacto de la Herbivoría en un Área Mediterránea

Gran parte de las poblaciones de ciervo (Cervus elaphus L.) situadas en la mitad sur peninsular se encuentran bajo manejos intensivos, siendo la alimentación suplementaria una herramienta a la que frecuentemente se recurre. Este trabajo evalúa la relación entre la alimentación suplementaria y el efecto que elevadas densidades de ciervo pueden ejercer sobre la composición y estructura de la cubierta vegetal típicamente mediterránea mediante una aproximación pseudo-experimental. Durante el estudio (2004-2006) se ha aprovisionado de alimentación artificial a los animales de una parcela experimental. Por el contrario, en otra parcela (ambas con densidad similar y alta <1,5ind/ha) los animales han dependido exclusivamente de los recursos vegetales naturales. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la disponibilidad de algunas de las especies consideradas en el estudio, ha sido modificada por efecto de los herbívoros. Por otro lado se ha visto que la alimentación suplementaria podría haber mitigado el efecto de la herbivoría sobre determinadas especies. A pesar de ello, el grado de deterioro de la cubierta vegetal fue elevado incluso en la parcela con suplementación de alimento

Fine-tuning the space, time, and host distribution of mycobacteria in wildlife

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We describe the diversity of two kinds of mycobacteria isolates, environmental mycobacteria and <it>Mycobacterium bovis </it>collected from wild boar, fallow deer, red deer and cattle in Doñana National Park (DNP, Spain), analyzing their association with temporal, spatial and environmental factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>High diversity of environmental mycobacteria species and <it>M. bovis </it>typing patterns (TPs) were found. When assessing the factors underlying the presence of the most common types of both environmental mycobacteria and <it>M. bovis </it>TPs in DNP, we evidenced (i) host species differences in the occurrence, (ii) spatial structuration and (iii) differences in the degree of spatial association of specific types between host species. Co-infection of a single host by two <it>M. bovis </it>TPs occurred in all three wild ungulate species. In wild boar and red deer, isolation of one group of mycobacteria occurred more frequently in individuals not infected by the other group. While only three TPs were detected in wildlife between 1998 and 2003, up to 8 different ones were found during 2006-2007. The opposite was observed in cattle. Belonging to an <it>M. bovis</it>-infected social group was a significant risk factor for mycobacterial infection in red deer and wild boar, but not for fallow deer. <it>M. bovis </it>TPs were usually found closer to water marshland than MOTT.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The diversity of mycobacteria described herein is indicative of multiple introduction events and a complex multi-host and multi-pathogen epidemiology in DNP. Significant changes in the mycobacterial isolate community may have taken place, even in a short time period (1998 to 2007). Aspects of host social organization should be taken into account in wildlife epidemiology. Wildlife in DNP is frequently exposed to different species of non-tuberculous, environmental mycobacteria, which could interact with the immune response to pathogenic mycobacteria, although the effects are unknown. This research highlights the suitability of molecular typing for surveys at small spatial and temporal scales.</p

Wild Boar and Red Deer Display High Prevalences of Tuberculosis-Like Lesions in Spain

We describe the distribution of tuberculosis-like lesions (TBL) in wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Spain. Animals with TBL were confirmed in 84.21% of mixed populations (n = 57) of red deer and wild boar and in 75% of populations of wild boar alone (n = 8) in central and southern Spain (core area). The prevalence of TBL declined towards the periphery of this region. In the core area, the prevalence ranged up to 100% in local populations of wild boar (mean estate prevalence 42.51%) and up to 50% in red deer (mean estate prevalence 13.70%). We carried out exploratory statistical analyses to describe the epidemiology of TBL in both species throughout the core area. Prevalence of TBL increased with age in both species. Wild boar and red deer mean TBL prevalence at the estate level were positively associated, and lesion scores were consistently higher in wild boars than in red deer. The wild boar prevalence of TBL in wild boar did not differ between populations that were or were not cohabiting with red deer. Amongst the wild boars with TBL, 61.19% presented generalized lesions, and the proportion of generalized cases was similar between sex and age classes. In red deer, 57.14% of TBL-positive individuals presented generalized lesions, and the percentage of generalized cases increased with age class, but did not differ between the sexes. These results highlight the potential importance of wild boar and red deer in the maintenance of tuberculosis in south central Spain

Piroplasmosis in wildlife: Babesia and Theileria affecting free-ranging ungulates and carnivores in the Italian Alps

BACKGROUND: Piroplasmosis are among the most relevant diseases of domestic animals. Babesia is emerging as cause of tick-borne zoonosis worldwide and free-living animals are reservoir hosts of several zoonotic Babesia species. We investigated the epidemiology of Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in wild ungulates and carnivores from Northern Italy to determine which of these apicomplexan species circulate in wildlife and their prevalence of infection. METHODS: PCR amplification of the V4 hyper-variable region of the 18S rDNA of Babesia sp./Theileria sp was carried out on spleen samples of 1036 wild animals: Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (n = 462), Red deer Cervus elaphus (n = 52), Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra (n = 36), Fallow deer Dama dama (n = 17), Wild boar Sus scrofa (n = 257), Red fox Vulpes vulpes (n = 205) and Wolf Canis lupus (n = 7). Selected positive samples were sequenced to determine the species of amplified Babesia/Theileria DNA. RESULTS: Babesia/Theileria DNA was found with a mean prevalence of 9.94% (IC95% 8.27-11.91). The only piroplasms found in carnivores was Theileria annae, which was detected in two foxes (0.98%; IC95% 0.27-3.49). Red deer showed the highest prevalence of infection (44.23%; IC95% 31.6-57.66), followed by Alpine chamois (22.22%; IC95% 11.71-38.08), Roe deer (12.55%; IC95% 9.84-15.89), and Wild boar (4.67%; IC95% 2.69-7.98). Genetic analysis identified Babesia capreoli as the most prevalent piroplasmid found in Alpine chamois, Roe deer and Red deer, followed by Babesia bigemina (found in Roe deer, Red deer and Wild boar), and the zoonotic Babesia venatorum (formerly Babesia sp. EU1) isolated from 2 Roe deer. Piroplasmids of the genus Theileria were identified in Wild boar and Red deer. CONCLUSIONS: The present study offers novel insights into the role of wildlife in Babesia/Theileria epidemiology, as well as relevant information on genetic variability of piroplasmids infecting wild ungulates and carnivores

Draft Genome Sequences of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. marginale, and A. ovis Isolates from Different Hosts

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of isolates of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, and Anaplasma ovis. The genomes of A. phagocytophilum (human), A. marginale (cattle), and A. ovis (goat) isolates from the United States were sequenced and characterized. This is the first report of an A. ovis genome sequence

LIMITED ANTIBODY EVIDENCE OF EXPOSURE TO MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS IN FERAL SWINE (\u3ci\u3eSUS SCROFA\u3c/i\u3e) IN THE USA

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic disease of cattle (Bos taurus) caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. Efforts have been made in the US to eradicate the disease in cattle, but spillover into wildlife and subsequent spillback have impeded progress in some states. In particular, infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been followed by infection in cattle in some Midwestern states. Infection has also been documented in feral swine (Sus scrofa) on the Hawaiian island of Molokai and in various European countries, but no large-scale survey of antibody exposure to the bacteria has been conducted in feral swine in the US. We tested 488 sera from feral swine collected near previously documented outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in cattle and captive cervids, in addition to 2,237 feral swine sera collected across the US from 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014. While all but one of the samples were antibody negative, the results are important for establishing baseline negative data since feral swine are capable reservoirs and could be implicated in future outbreaks of the disease