Increased pathogen exposure of a marine apex predator over three decades
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Abstract
Environmental changes associated with global warming create new opportunities for pathogen and parasite transmission in Arctic wildlife. As an apex predator ranging over large, remote areas, changes in pathogens and parasites in polar bears are a useful indicator of changing transmission dynamics in Arctic ecosystems. We examined prevalence and risk factors associated with exposure to parasites and viral and bacterial pathogens in Chukchi Sea polar bears. Serum antibodies to six pathogens were detected and prevalence increased between 1987–1994 and 2008–2017 for five: Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus/suis, and canine distemper virus. Although bears have increased summer land use, this behavior was not associated with increased exposure. Higher prevalence of F. tularensis, C. burnetii, and B. abortus/suis antibodies in females compared to males, however, could be associated with terrestrial denning. Exposure was related to diet for several pathogens indicating increased exposure in the food web. Elevated white blood cell counts suggest a possible immune response to some pathogens. Given that polar bears face multiple stressors in association with climate change and are a subsistence food, further work is warranted to screen for signs of disease.
Study Area
Publication type | Article |
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Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Title | Increased pathogen exposure of a marine apex predator over three decades |
Series title | PLoS ONE |
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0310973 |
Volume | 19 |
Issue | 10 |
Year Published | 2024 |
Language | English |
Publisher | PLOS |
Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Ecosystems |
Description | e0310973, 23 p. |
Country | Russia, United States |
State | Alaska |
Other Geospatial | Chukchi Sea |
Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |