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Berner J, Jore S, Abass K, Rautio A. One health in the Arctic - connections and actions. Int J Circumpolar Health 2024; 83:2361544. [PMID: 38870398 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2024.2361544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
There is growing awareness and recognition of the importance of the One Health paradigm to address existing environmental threats and recognise emerging ones at an early stage among Arctic residents, public health agencies, and wildlife resource managers. The One Health approach, emphasising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health, plays a pivotal role in addressing these multifaceted issues. Warming climate and permafrost thaw may influence both contaminant exposure and the spread of zoonotic infectious diseases and have impacts on water and food security. Migration from rural regions to larger communities and urban centres along with increased tourism may be accompanied by changes in exposure to contaminants and zoonotic diseases. Universities have developed educational programmes and research projects on One Health in the Arctic, and under the Arctic Council there is running a project of One Arctic, One Health. These arctivities have produced interdisciplinary information and practical solutions for local communities, decision-makers, and in scientific forums. There is a need for epidemiological zoonotic/human disease models, as well as new approaches to integrate existing and future surveillance data to climatic and environmental data. This requires not only regional and international collaboration but also multi-agency and transdisciplinary research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim Berner
- Science, Division of Community Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Solveig Jore
- Section of Zoonotic, Food and Waterborne Diseases, Norwegian Public Health Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Khaled Abass
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Arja Rautio
- Arctic Health, Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Amill F, Gauthier J, Rautio M, Derome N. Characterization of gill bacterial microbiota in wild Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus) across lakes, rivers, and bays in the Canadian Arctic ecosystems. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0294323. [PMID: 38329329 PMCID: PMC10923216 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02943-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Teleost gill mucus has a highly diverse microbiota, which plays an essential role in the host's fitness and is greatly influenced by the environment. Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), a salmonid well adapted to northern conditions, faces multiple stressors in the Arctic, including water chemistry modifications, that could negatively impact the gill microbiota dynamics related to the host's health. In the context of increasing environmental disturbances, we aimed to characterize the taxonomic distribution of transcriptionally active taxa within the bacterial gill microbiota of Arctic char in the Canadian Arctic in order to identify active bacterial composition that correlates with environmental factors. For this purpose, a total of 140 adult anadromous individuals were collected from rivers, lakes, and bays belonging to five Inuit communities located in four distinct hydrologic basins in the Canadian Arctic (Nunavut and Nunavik) during spring (May) and autumn (August). Various environmental factors were collected, including latitudes, water and air temperatures, oxygen concentration, pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration. The taxonomic distribution of transcriptionally active taxa within the gill microbiota was quantified by 16S rRNA gene transcripts sequencing. The results showed differential bacterial activity between the different geographical locations, explained by latitude, salinity, and, to a lesser extent, air temperature. Network analysis allowed the detection of a potential dysbiosis signature (i.e., bacterial imbalance) in fish gill microbiota from Duquet Lake in the Hudson Strait and the system Five Mile Inlet connected to the Hudson Bay, both showing the lowest alpha diversity and connectivity between taxa.IMPORTANCEThis paper aims to decipher the complex relationship between Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and its symbiotic microbial consortium in gills. This salmonid is widespread in the Canadian Arctic and is the main protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids source for Inuit people. The influence of environmental parameters on gill microbiota in wild populations remains poorly understood. However, assessing the Arctic char's active gill bacterial community is essential to look for potential pathogens or dysbiosis that could threaten wild populations. Here, we concluded that Arctic char gill microbiota was mainly influenced by latitude and air temperature, the latter being correlated with water temperature. In addition, a dysbiosis signature detected in gill microbiota was potentially associated with poor fish health status recorded in these disturbed environments. With those results, we hypothesized that rapid climate change and increasing anthropic activities in the Arctic might profoundly disturb Arctic char gill microbiota, affecting their survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Amill
- Institute of Integrative and Systems Biology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jeff Gauthier
- Institute of Integrative and Systems Biology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
| | - Milla Rautio
- Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Derome
- Institute of Integrative and Systems Biology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
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Hillemann F, Beheim BA, Ready E. Socio-economic predictors of Inuit hunting choices and their implications for climate change adaptation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220395. [PMID: 37718596 PMCID: PMC10505855 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In the Arctic, seasonal variation in the accessibility of the land, sea ice and open waters influences which resources can be harvested safely and efficiently. Climate stressors are also increasingly affecting access to subsistence resources. Within Inuit communities, people differ in their involvement with subsistence activities, but little is known about how engagement in the cash economy (time and money available) and other socio-economic factors shape the food production choices of Inuit harvesters, and their ability to adapt to rapid ecological change. We analyse 281 foraging trips involving 23 Inuit harvesters from Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, Canada using a Bayesian approach modelling both patch choice and within-patch success. Gender and income predict Inuit harvest strategies: while men, especially men from low-income households, often visit patches with a relatively low success probability, women and high-income hunters generally have a higher propensity to choose low-risk patches. Inland hunting, marine hunting and fishing differ in the required equipment and effort, and hunters may have to shift their subsistence activities if certain patches become less profitable or less safe owing to high costs of transportation or climate change (e.g. navigate larger areas inland instead of targeting seals on the sea ice). Our finding that household income predicts patch choice suggests that the capacity to maintain access to country foods depends on engagement with the cash economy. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change adaptation needs a science of culture'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Hillemann
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bret A. Beheim
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elspeth Ready
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Grunst ML, Grunst AS, Grémillet D, Fort J. Combined threats of climate change and contaminant exposure through the lens of bioenergetics. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5139-5168. [PMID: 37381110 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Organisms face energetic challenges of climate change in combination with suites of natural and anthropogenic stressors. In particular, chemical contaminant exposure has neurotoxic, endocrine-disrupting, and behavioral effects which may additively or interactively combine with challenges associated with climate change. We used a literature review across animal taxa and contaminant classes, but focused on Arctic endotherms and contaminants important in Arctic ecosystems, to demonstrate potential for interactive effects across five bioenergetic domains: (1) energy supply, (2) energy demand, (3) energy storage, (4) energy allocation tradeoffs, and (5) energy management strategies; and involving four climate change-sensitive environmental stressors: changes in resource availability, temperature, predation risk, and parasitism. Identified examples included relatively equal numbers of synergistic and antagonistic interactions. Synergies are often suggested to be particularly problematic, since they magnify biological effects. However, we emphasize that antagonistic effects on bioenergetic traits can be equally problematic, since they can reflect dampening of beneficial responses and result in negative synergistic effects on fitness. Our review also highlights that empirical demonstrations remain limited, especially in endotherms. Elucidating the nature of climate change-by-contaminant interactive effects on bioenergetic traits will build toward determining overall outcomes for energy balance and fitness. Progressing to determine critical species, life stages, and target areas in which transformative effects arise will aid in forecasting broad-scale bioenergetic outcomes under global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Andrea S Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
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Barratclough A, Ferguson SH, Lydersen C, Thomas PO, Kovacs KM. A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change. Pathogens 2023; 12:937. [PMID: 37513784 PMCID: PMC10385039 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Barratclough
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Steven H. Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada;
| | - Christian Lydersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
| | - Peter O. Thomas
- Marine Mammal Commission, 4340 East-West Highway, Room 700, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Kit M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; (C.L.); (K.M.K.)
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Snyman J, Snyman LP, Buhler KJ, Villeneuve CA, Leighton PA, Jenkins EJ, Kumar A. California Serogroup Viruses in a Changing Canadian Arctic: A Review. Viruses 2023; 15:1242. [PMID: 37376542 DOI: 10.3390/v15061242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arctic is warming at four times the global rate, changing the diversity, activity and distribution of vectors and associated pathogens. While the Arctic is not often considered a hotbed of vector-borne diseases, Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) and Snowshoe Hare virus (SSHV) are mosquito-borne zoonotic viruses of the California serogroup endemic to the Canadian North. The viruses are maintained by transovarial transmission in vectors and circulate among vertebrate hosts, both of which are not well characterized in Arctic regions. While most human infections are subclinical or mild, serious cases occur, and both JCV and SSHV have recently been identified as leading causes of arbovirus-associated neurological diseases in North America. Consequently, both viruses are currently recognised as neglected and emerging viruses of public health concern. This review aims to summarise previous findings in the region regarding the enzootic transmission cycle of both viruses. We identify key gaps and approaches needed to critically evaluate, detect, and model the effects of climate change on these uniquely northern viruses. Based on limited data, we predict that (1) these northern adapted viruses will increase their range northwards, but not lose range at their southern limits, (2) undergo more rapid amplification and amplified transmission in endemic regions for longer vector-biting seasons, (3) take advantage of northward shifts of hosts and vectors, and (4) increase bite rates following an increase in the availability of breeding sites, along with phenological synchrony between the reproduction cycle of theorized reservoirs (such as caribou calving) and mosquito emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jumari Snyman
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Louwrens P Snyman
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Kayla J Buhler
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Carol-Anne Villeneuve
- Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Patrick A Leighton
- Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Emily J Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
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Reeve C, Robichaud JA, Fernandes T, Bates AE, Bramburger AJ, Brownscombe JW, Davy CM, Henry HAL, McMeans BC, Moise ERD, Sharma S, Smith PA, Studd EK, O’Sullivan A, Sutton AO, Templer PH, Cooke SJ. Applied winter biology: threats, conservation and management of biological resources during winter in cold climate regions. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad027. [PMID: 37179705 PMCID: PMC10170328 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Winter at high latitudes is characterized by low temperatures, dampened light levels and short photoperiods which shape ecological and evolutionary outcomes from cells to populations to ecosystems. Advances in our understanding of winter biological processes (spanning physiology, behaviour and ecology) highlight that biodiversity threats (e.g. climate change driven shifts in reproductive windows) may interact with winter conditions, leading to greater ecological impacts. As such, conservation and management strategies that consider winter processes and their consequences on biological mechanisms may lead to greater resilience of high altitude and latitude ecosystems. Here, we use well-established threat and action taxonomies produced by the International Union of Conservation of Nature-Conservation Measures Partnership (IUCN-CMP) to synthesize current threats to biota that emerge during, or as the result of, winter processes then discuss targeted management approaches for winter-based conservation. We demonstrate the importance of considering winter when identifying threats to biodiversity and deciding on appropriate management strategies across species and ecosystems. We confirm our expectation that threats are prevalent during the winter and are especially important considering the physiologically challenging conditions that winter presents. Moreover, our findings emphasize that climate change and winter-related constraints on organisms will intersect with other stressors to potentially magnify threats and further complicate management. Though conservation and management practices are less commonly considered during the winter season, we identified several potential or already realized applications relevant to winter that could be beneficial. Many of the examples are quite recent, suggesting a potential turning point for applied winter biology. This growing body of literature is promising but we submit that more research is needed to identify and address threats to wintering biota for targeted and proactive conservation. We suggest that management decisions consider the importance of winter and incorporate winter specific strategies for holistic and mechanistic conservation and resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor Reeve
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jessica A Robichaud
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Timothy Fernandes
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Amanda E Bates
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd., Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2 Canada
| | - Andrew J Bramburger
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Jacob W Brownscombe
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Christina M Davy
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Hugh A L Henry
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St. N, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Bailey C McMeans
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Eric R D Moise
- Natural Resources Canada – Canadian Forest Service, 26 University Drive, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Sapna Sharma
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Paul A Smith
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Emily K Studd
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Antóin O’Sullivan
- Biology Department, Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, 550 Windsor St., Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Alex O Sutton
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Rd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UR, UK
| | - Pamela H Templer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
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Emelyanova A, Savolainen A, Oksanen A, Nieminen P, Loginova O, Abass K, Rautio A. Research on Selected Wildlife Infections in the Circumpolar Arctic-A Bibliometric Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11260. [PMID: 36141528 PMCID: PMC9517571 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
One Health, a multidisciplinary approach to public health, which integrates human, animal, and environmental studies, is prudent for circumpolar Arctic health research. The objective of our bibliometric review was to identify and compare research in select infectious diseases in Arctic wildlife species with importance to human health indexed in English language databases (PubMed, Scopus) and the Russian database eLibrary.ru. Included articles (in English and Russian languages) needed to meet the following criteria: (1) data comes from the Arctic, (2) articles report original research or surveillance reports, (3) articles were published between 1990 and 2018, and (4) research relates to naturally occurring infections. Of the included articles (total n = 352), most were from Russia (n = 131, 37%), Norway (n = 58, 16%), Canada (n = 39, 11%), and Alaska (n = 39, 11%). Frequently reported infectious agents among selected mammals were Trichinella spp. (n = 39), Brucella spp. (n = 25), rabies virus (n = 11), Echinococcus spp. (n = 10), and Francisella tularensis (n = 9). There were 25 articles on anthrax in eLibrary.ru, while there were none in the other two databases. We identified future directions where opportunities for further research, collaboration, systematic reviews, or monitoring programs are possible and needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Emelyanova
- Thule Institute, University of Oulu & University of the Arctic, P.O. Box 7300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
| | - Audrey Savolainen
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
- Finnish Food Authority (FINPAR), Elektroniikkatie 3, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti Oksanen
- Finnish Food Authority (FINPAR), Elektroniikkatie 3, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
| | - Pentti Nieminen
- Medical Informatics and Data Analysis Research Group, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Olga Loginova
- Laboratory of Parasite Systematics and Evolution, Center for Parasitology, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii Prospect 33, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Khaled Abass
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
| | - Arja Rautio
- Thule Institute, University of Oulu & University of the Arctic, P.O. Box 7300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90590 Oulu, Finland
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Wolverines (Gulo gulo) in the Arctic: Revisiting distribution and identifying research and conservation priorities amid rapid environmental change. Polar Biol 2022; 45:1465-1482. [PMID: 36090964 PMCID: PMC9440465 DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03079-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Wolverines (Gulo gulo) occupy most of the globe’s Arctic tundra. Given the rapidly warming climate and expanding human activity in this biome, understanding wolverine ecology, and therefore the species’ vulnerability to such changes, is increasingly important for developing research priorities and effective management strategies. Here, we review and synthesize knowledge of wolverines in the Arctic using both Western science sources and available Indigenous Knowledge (IK) to improve our understanding of wolverine ecology in the Arctic and better predict the species’ susceptibility to change. To accomplish this, we update the pan-Arctic distribution map of wolverines to account for recent observations and then discuss resulting inference and uncertainties. We use these patterns to contextualize and discuss potential underlying drivers of distribution and population dynamics, drawing upon knowledge of food habits, habitat associations, and harvest, as well as studies of wolverine ecology elsewhere. We then identify four broad areas to prioritize conservation and research efforts: (1) Monitoring trends in population abundance, demographics, and distribution and the drivers thereof, (2) Evaluating and predicting wolverines’ responses to ongoing climate change, particularly the consequences of reduced snow and sea ice, and shifts in prey availability, (3) Understanding wolverines’ response to human development, including the possible impact of wintertime over-snow travel and seismic testing to reproductive denning, as well as vulnerability to hunting and trapping associated with increased human access, and (4) Ensuring that current and future harvest are sustainable.
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Deka MA, Vieira AR, Bower WA. Modelling the ecological niche of naturally occurring anthrax at global and circumpolar extents using an ensemble modelling framework. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e2563-e2577. [PMID: 35590480 PMCID: PMC10961590 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a spore-forming bacterium that primarily affects herbivorous livestock, wildlife and humans exposed to direct contact with infected animal carcasses or products. To date, there are a limited number of studies that have delineated the potential global distribution of anthrax, despite the importance of the disease from both an economic and public health standpoint. This study compiled occurrence data (n = 874) of confirmed human and animal cases from 1954 to 2021 in 94 countries. Using an ensemble ecological niche model framework, we developed updated maps of the global predicted ecological suitability of anthrax to measure relative risk at multiple scales of analysis, including a model for circumpolar regions. Additionally, we produced maps quantifying the disease transmission risk associated with anthrax to cattle, sheep and goat populations. Environmental suitability for B. anthracis globally is concentred throughout Eurasia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania. Suitable environments for B. anthracis at the circumpolar scale extend above the Arctic Circle into portions of Russia, Canada, Alaska and northern Scandinavia. Environmental factors driving B. anthracis suitability globally include vegetation, land surface temperature, soil characteristics, primary climate conditions and topography. At the circumpolar scale, suitability is influenced by soil factors, topography and the derived climate characteristics. The greatest risk to livestock is concentrated within the Indian subcontinent, Australia, Anatolia, the Caucasus region, Central Asia, the European Union, Argentina, Uruguay, China, the United States, Canada and East Africa. This study expands on previous work by providing enhanced knowledge of the potential spatial distribution of anthrax in the Southern Hemisphere, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and circumpolar regions of the Northern Hemisphere. We conclude that these updated maps will provide pertinent information to guide disease control programs, inform policymakers and raise awareness at the global level to lessen morbidity and mortality among animals and humans located in environmentally suitable areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Deka
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Antonio R Vieira
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - William A Bower
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Ferchiou S, Caza F, de Boissel PGJ, Villemur R, St-Pierre Y. Applying the concept of liquid biopsy to monitor the microbial biodiversity of marine coastal ecosystems. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:61. [PMID: 37938655 PMCID: PMC9723566 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00145-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Liquid biopsy (LB) is a concept that is rapidly gaining ground in the biomedical field. Its concept is largely based on the detection of circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) fragments that are mostly released as small fragments following cell death in various tissues. A small percentage of these fragments are from foreign (nonself) tissues or organisms. In the present work, we applied this concept to mussels, a sentinel species known for its high filtration capacity of seawater. We exploited the capacity of mussels to be used as natural filters to capture environmental DNA fragments of different origins to provide information on the biodiversity of marine coastal ecosystems. Our results showed that hemolymph of mussels contains DNA fragments that varied considerably in size, ranging from 1 to 5 kb. Shotgun sequencing revealed that a significant amount of DNA fragments had a nonself microbial origin. Among these, we found DNA fragments derived from bacteria, archaea, and viruses, including viruses known to infect a variety of hosts that commonly populate coastal marine ecosystems. Taken together, our study shows that the concept of LB applied to mussels provides a rich and yet unexplored source of knowledge regarding the microbial biodiversity of a marine coastal ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Ferchiou
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - France Caza
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | | | - Richard Villemur
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Yves St-Pierre
- INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, H7V 1B7, Canada.
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12
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Kruckenberg H, Müskens GJDM, Glazov P, Moonen S, Morkunas J, Loshchagina J, Buij R. Severe feather deformation in greater white-fronted goose ( Anser alb. albifrons) goslings during hot summer period on Kolguev Island 2016. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022; 68:56. [PMID: 35967093 PMCID: PMC9362333 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01603-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
In summer 2016, we observed premature feather malformation among goslings of greater white-fronted goose (Anser alb. albifrons), between 7 and 10 weeks of age on family gathering areas on Kolguev Island, Russia, the most important breeding island in the Western Palearctic. Rarely reported in wild birds, to our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been recorded in wild geese of this species, despite continuous ringing and marking of thousands of wild geese across Northern Europe and Arctic Siberia. This feather malformations were documented in 36 unfledged goslings showing weak feather basis, deformed or unevenly grown wing feathers or even dead feather buds. Approximately about one-third of all chicks were affected. Feather malformations like this, causing flightless chicks as a result, have never been noticed in any other of our 12 study years since 2006. The lesion was characterised by soft feather buds, weak or incomplete wing feathers and lack of feather development. No other abnormalities were observed in the goslings, so goslings did not differ in weight or body sizes. Affected fledglings never became airworthy and were killed in large numbers by predators or at latest perished during the Arctic winter. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10344-022-01603-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Kruckenberg
- Institute for Wetlands and Waterbird Research IWWR e.V, Am Steigbügel 3, D-27283 Verden, Germany
| | | | - P. Glazov
- grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Institute for Geography, Moscow University, Moscow, Russia
| | - S. Moonen
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Alterra-WUR, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J. Morkunas
- grid.14329.3d0000 0001 1011 2418Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - J. Loshchagina
- grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Institute for Geography, Moscow University, Moscow, Russia
| | - R. Buij
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Alterra-WUR, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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13
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Pilfold NW, Richardson ES, Ellis J, Jenkins E, Scandrett WB, Hernández‐Ortiz A, Buhler K, McGeachy D, Al‐Adhami B, Konecsni K, Lobanov VA, Owen MA, Rideout B, Lunn NJ. Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4481-4497. [PMID: 34292654 PMCID: PMC8457125 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W. Pilfold
- Conservation Science and Wildlife HealthSan Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceEscondidoCAUSA
| | - Evan S. Richardson
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology BranchEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaWinnipegMBCanada
| | - John Ellis
- Department of Veterinary MicrobiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Emily Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary MicrobiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - W. Brad Scandrett
- Centre for Food‐borne and Animal ParasitologyCanadian Food Inspection AgencySaskatoonSKCanada
| | | | - Kayla Buhler
- Department of Veterinary MicrobiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - David McGeachy
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology BranchEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Batol Al‐Adhami
- Centre for Food‐borne and Animal ParasitologyCanadian Food Inspection AgencySaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Kelly Konecsni
- Centre for Food‐borne and Animal ParasitologyCanadian Food Inspection AgencySaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Vladislav A. Lobanov
- Centre for Food‐borne and Animal ParasitologyCanadian Food Inspection AgencySaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Megan A. Owen
- Conservation Science and Wildlife HealthSan Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceEscondidoCAUSA
| | - Bruce Rideout
- Conservation Science and Wildlife HealthSan Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceEscondidoCAUSA
| | - Nicholas J. Lunn
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology BranchEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaEdmontonABCanada
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14
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Li J, Bian C, Yi Y, Yu H, You X, Shi Q. Temporal dynamics of teleost populations during the Pleistocene: a report from publicly available genome data. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:490. [PMID: 34193045 PMCID: PMC8247217 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07816-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Global climate oscillation, as a selection dynamic, is an ecologically important element resulting in global biodiversity. During the glacial geological periods, most organisms suffered detrimental selection pressures (such as food shortage and habitat loss) and went through population declines. However, during the mild interglacial periods, many species re-flourished. These temporal dynamics of effective population sizes (Ne) provide essential information for understanding and predicting evolutionary outcomes during historical and ongoing global climate changes. Results Using high-quality genome assemblies and corresponding sequencing data, we applied the Pairwise Sequentially Markovian Coalescent (PSMC) method to quantify Ne changes of twelve representative teleost species from approximately 10 million years ago (mya) to 10 thousand years ago (kya). These results revealed multiple rounds of population contraction and expansion in most of the examined teleost species during the Neogene and the Quaternary periods. We observed that 83% (10/12) of the examined teleosts had experienced a drastic decline in Ne before the last glacial period (LGP, 110–12 kya), slightly earlier than the reported pattern of Ne changes in 38 avian species. In comparison with the peaks, almost all of the examined teleosts maintained long-term lower Ne values during the last few million years. This is consistent with increasingly dramatic glaciation during this period. Conclusion In summary, these findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the historical Ne changes in teleosts. Results presented here could lead to the development of appropriate strategies to protect species in light of ongoing global climate changes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07816-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Chao Bian
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Yunhai Yi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Yu
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinxin You
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.,BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. .,BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. .,Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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15
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Nili S, Khanjani N, Bakhtiari B, Jahani Y, Dalaei H. The effect of meteorological variables on salmonellosis incidence in Kermanshah, West of Iran: a generalized linear model with negative binomial approach. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2021; 19:1171-1177. [PMID: 34150303 PMCID: PMC8172766 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00684-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Salmonella is one of the main causes of gastroenteritis, and its incidence may be affected by meteorological variables. This is the first study about the effect of climatic factors on salmonella incidence in Kermanshah, Iran. METHODS Data about salmonellosis cases in Kermanshah were inquired from Center for Communicable Disease Control, at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, for the 2008 to 2018 time-frame. Meteorological variables including maximum, minimum and mean of temperature and humidity, sunshine hours and rainfall were inquired for the same time frame. Negative binomial generalized linear models (GLM) were used to assess the effect of meteorological variables on the weekly incidence of salmonellosis. RESULTS During the years under study, 569 confirmed cases were registered in Kermanshah province. Study results showed a 3 % increase in salmonellosis incidence, after 1 % increase in minimum humidity in the week before (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.03; 95 % confidence interval (CI):1.02-1.05) and also a 4 % increase in incidence for 1 °C increase in mean temperature in the same week (IRR: 1.04; 95 % CI:1.02-1.06). CONCLUSIONS Increase in minimum humidity and mean temperature may have a role in increasing the incidence of salmonellosis in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sairan Nili
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Narges Khanjani
- Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, 76169-13555 Kerman, Iran
| | - Bahram Bakhtiari
- Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Yunes Jahani
- Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Hamideh Dalaei
- Research Deputy of Iranian Meteorological Organization (IRIMO), Tehran, Iran
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16
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Keatts LO, Robards M, Olson SH, Hueffer K, Insley SJ, Joly DO, Kutz S, Lee DS, Chetkiewicz CLB, Lair S, Preston ND, Pruvot M, Ray JC, Reid D, Sleeman JM, Stimmelmayr R, Stephen C, Walzer C. Implications of Zoonoses From Hunting and Use of Wildlife in North American Arctic and Boreal Biomes: Pandemic Potential, Monitoring, and Mitigation. Front Public Health 2021; 9:627654. [PMID: 34026707 PMCID: PMC8131663 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.627654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to zoonotic disease spillover and spread. Commercial wildlife trade, and associated markets, are recognized mechanisms for zoonotic disease emergence, resulting in a growing global conversation around reducing human disease risks from spillover associated with hunting, trade, and consumption of wild animals. These discussions are especially relevant to people who rely on harvesting wildlife to meet nutritional, and cultural needs, including those in Arctic and boreal regions. Global policies around wildlife use and trade can impact food sovereignty and security, especially of Indigenous Peoples. We reviewed known zoonotic pathogens and current risks of transmission from wildlife (including fish) to humans in North American Arctic and boreal biomes, and evaluated the epidemic and pandemic potential of these zoonoses. We discuss future concerns, and consider monitoring and mitigation measures in these changing socio-ecological systems. While multiple zoonotic pathogens circulate in these systems, risks to humans are mostly limited to individual illness or local community outbreaks. These regions are relatively remote, subject to very cold temperatures, have relatively low wildlife, domestic animal, and pathogen diversity, and in many cases low density, including of humans. Hence, favorable conditions for emergence of novel diseases or major amplification of a spillover event are currently not present. The greatest risk to northern communities from pathogens of pandemic potential is via introduction with humans visiting from other areas. However, Arctic and boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes through climate warming, habitat encroachment, and development; all of which can change host and pathogen relationships, thereby affecting the probability of the emergence of new (and re-emergence of old) zoonoses. Indigenous leadership and engagement in disease monitoring, prevention and response, is vital from the outset, and would increase the success of such efforts, as well as ensure the protection of Indigenous rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Partnering with northern communities and including Indigenous Knowledge Systems would improve the timeliness, and likelihood, of detecting emerging zoonotic risks, and contextualize risk assessments to the unique human-wildlife relationships present in northern biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Keatts
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Arctic Beringia Program, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Sarah H. Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Arctic and Northern Studies Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Stephen J. Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David S. Lee
- Department of Wildlife and Environment, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M. Sleeman
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK, United States
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Craig Stephen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Conservation Medicine Unit, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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17
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Baecklund TM, Morrison J, Donaldson ME, Hueffer K, Kyle CJ. The role of a mechanistic host in maintaining arctic rabies variant distributions: Assessment of functional genetic diversity in Alaskan red fox (Vulpes vulpes). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249176. [PMID: 33831031 PMCID: PMC8031376 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations are exposed to different types and strains of pathogens across heterogeneous landscapes, where local interactions between host and pathogen may present reciprocal selective forces leading to correlated patterns of spatial genetic structure. Understanding these coevolutionary patterns provides insight into mechanisms of disease spread and maintenance. Arctic rabies (AR) is a lethal disease with viral variants that occupy distinct geographic distributions across North America and Europe. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are a highly susceptible AR host, whose range overlaps both geographically distinct AR strains and regions where AR is absent. It is unclear if genetic structure exists among red fox populations relative to the presence/absence of AR or the spatial distribution of AR variants. Acquiring these data may enhance our understanding of the role of red fox in AR maintenance/spread and inform disease control strategies. Using a genotyping-by-sequencing assay targeting 116 genomic regions of immunogenetic relevance, we screened for sequence variation among red fox populations from Alaska and an outgroup from Ontario, including areas with different AR variants, and regions where the disease was absent. Presumed neutral SNP data from the assay found negligible levels of neutral genetic structure among Alaskan populations. The immunogenetically-associated data identified 30 outlier SNPs supporting weak to moderate genetic structure between regions with and without AR in Alaska. The outliers included SNPs with the potential to cause missense mutations within several toll-like receptor genes that have been associated with AR outcome. In contrast, there was a lack of genetic structure between regions with different AR variants. Combined, we interpret these data to suggest red fox populations respond differently to the presence of AR, but not AR variants. This research increases our understanding of AR dynamics in the Arctic, where host/disease patterns are undergoing flux in a rapidly changing Arctic landscape, including the continued northward expansion of red fox into regions previously predominated by the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan M. Baecklund
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Jaycee Morrison
- Forensic Science Undergraduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael E. Donaldson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. Kyle
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Forensic Science Department, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Natural Resources DNA Profiling & Forensic Centre, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Stella E, Mari L, Gabrieli J, Barbante C, Bertuzzo E. Permafrost dynamics and the risk of anthrax transmission: a modelling study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16460. [PMID: 33028874 PMCID: PMC7541526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72440-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent outbreak of anthrax disease, severely affecting reindeer herds in Siberia, has been reportedly associated to the presence of infected carcasses or spores released from the active layer over permafrost, which is thawing and thickening at increasing rates, thus underlying the re-emerging nature of this pathogen in the Arctic region because of warming temperatures. Anthrax is a global zoonotic and epizootic disease, with a high case-fatality ratio in infected animals. Its transmission is mediated by environmental contamination through highly resistant spores which can persist in the soil for several decades. Here we develop and analyze a new epidemiological model for anthrax transmission that is specifically tailored to the Arctic environmental conditions. The model describes transmission dynamics including also herding practices (e.g. seasonal grazing) and the role of the active layer over permafrost acting as a long-term storage of spores that could be viable for disease transmission during thawing periods. Model dynamics are investigated through linear stability analysis, Floquet theory for periodically forced systems, and a series of simulations with realistic forcings. Results show how the temporal variability of grazing and active layer thawing may influence the dynamics of anthrax disease and, specifically, favor sustained pathogen transmission. Particularly warm years, favoring deep active layers, are shown to be associated with an increase risk of anthrax outbreaks, and may also foster infections in the following years. Our results enable preliminary insights into measures (e.g. changes in herding practice) that may be adopted to decrease the risk of infection and lay the basis to possibly establish optimal procedures for preventing transmission; furthermore, they elicit the need of further investigations and observation campaigns focused on anthrax dynamics in the Arctic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Stella
- Institute of Polar Sciences, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mari
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Gabrieli
- Institute of Polar Sciences, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy
| | - Carlo Barbante
- Institute of Polar Sciences, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy.,Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Scientific Campus, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy
| | - Enrico Bertuzzo
- Institute of Polar Sciences, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy. .,Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Scientific Campus, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Mestre-Venice, Italy.
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19
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Welch K, Shipp-Hilts A, Eidson M, Saha S, Zansky S. Salmonella and the changing environment: systematic review using New York State as a model. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2019; 17:179-195. [PMID: 30942769 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2018.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Salmonella is a public health concern, for which a complex interplay between host, agent, and environment exists. An improved understanding of causal processes can be used to better gauge the causes and trajectory of Salmonella in a changing environment. This would be useful in determining the impact of climate change on the New York State (NYS) environment, the effect of climate change on Salmonella in NYS, factors contributing to Salmonella vulnerability in humans, and aspects of climate change and Salmonella which necessitate further research. A systematic review was conducted to study associations between Salmonella and the environment. Using the search criteria, a total of 91 relevant articles were identified from four electronic databases. Key information was abstracted, organized, and synthesized to identify causal processes and linkages between climate change, the environment of NYS, and Salmonella-related outcomes, as well as risk factors to characterize Salmonella vulnerabilities. Three inter-related domains were identified for consideration and application to epidemiological research to confirm and extrapolate disease patterns using climate change scenarios: improved quantification of causal relationships, inclusion of factors linked to sectors not immediately associated with the exposure and outcome, and increased capacity to validate models in diverse settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Welch
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, New York, 12144, USA and Office of Public Health Practice, New York State Department of Health, 1092 Corning Tower, Albany, New York, 12237, USA E-mail:
| | - Asante Shipp-Hilts
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, New York, 12144, USA and Office of Public Health Practice, New York State Department of Health, 1092 Corning Tower, Albany, New York, 12237, USA E-mail:
| | - Millicent Eidson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, New York, 12144, USA and Office of Public Health Practice, New York State Department of Health, 1092 Corning Tower, Albany, New York, 12237, USA E-mail:
| | - Shubhayu Saha
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Shelley Zansky
- Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, New York State Department of Health, 651 Corning Tower, Albany, New York, 12237, USA
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20
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Kafle P, Peacock SJ, Grond S, Orsel K, Kutz S. Temperature-dependent development and freezing survival of protostrongylid nematodes of Arctic ungulates: implications for transmission. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:400. [PMID: 29986762 PMCID: PMC6038258 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2946-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis and Varestrongylus eleguneniensis are two potentially pathogenic lungworms of caribou and muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic. These parasites are currently undergoing northward range expansion at differential rates. It is hypothesized that their invasion and spread to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are in part driven by climate warming. However, very little is known regarding their physiological ecology, limiting our ability to parameterize ecological models to test these hypotheses and make meaningful predictions. In this study, the developmental parameters of V. eleguneniensis inside a gastropod intermediate host were determined and freezing survival of U. pallikuukensis and V. eleguneniensis were compared. METHODS Slug intermediate hosts, Deroceras laeve, were collected from their natural habitat and experimentally infected with first-stage larvae (L1) of V. eleguneniensis. Development of L1 to third-stage larvae (L3) in D. laeve was studied at constant temperature treatments from 8.5 to 24 °C. To determine freezing survival, freshly collected L1 of both parasite species were held in water at subzero temperatures from -10 to -80 °C, and the number of L1 surviving were counted at 2, 7, 30, 90 and 180 days. RESULTS The lower threshold temperature (T0) below which the larvae of V. eleguneniensis did not develop into L3 was 9.54 °C and the degree-days required for development (DD) was 171.25. Both U. pallikuukensis and V. eleguneniensis showed remarkable freeze tolerance: more than 80% of L1 survived across all temperatures and durations. Larval survival decreased with freezing duration but did not differ between the two species. CONCLUSION Both U. pallikuukensis and V. eleguneniensis have high freezing survival that allows them to survive severe Arctic winters. The higher T0 and DD of V. eleguneniensis compared to U. pallikuukensis may contribute to the comparatively slower range expansion of the former. Our study advances knowledge of Arctic parasitology and provides ecological and physiological data that can be useful for parameterizing ecological models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratap Kafle
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Stephanie J. Peacock
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Sarah Grond
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Karin Orsel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Susan Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
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Sonne C, Andersen-Ranberg E, Rajala EL, Agerholm JS, Bonefeld-Jørgensen E, Desforges JP, Eulaers I, Jenssen BM, Koch A, Rosing-Asvid A, Siebert U, Tryland M, Mulvad G, Härkönen T, Acquarone M, Nordøy ES, Dietz R, Magnusson U. Seroprevalence for Brucella spp. in Baltic ringed seals ( Phoca hispida ) and East Greenland harp ( Pagophilus groenlandicus ) and hooded ( Cystophora cristata ) seals. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2018; 198:14-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Sonne C, Letcher RJ, Jenssen BM, Desforges JP, Eulaers I, Andersen-Ranberg E, Gustavson K, Styrishave B, Dietz R. A veterinary perspective on One Health in the Arctic. Acta Vet Scand 2017; 59:84. [PMID: 29246165 PMCID: PMC5732494 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-017-0353-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to long-range transported industrial chemicals, climate change and diseases is posing a risk to the overall health and populations of Arctic wildlife. Since local communities are relying on the same marine food web as marine mammals in the Arctic, it requires a One Health approach to understand the holistic ecosystem health including that of humans. Here we collect and identify gaps in the current knowledge of health in the Arctic and present the veterinary perspective of One Health and ecosystem dynamics. The review shows that exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is having multiple organ-system effects across taxa, including impacts on neuroendocrine disruption, immune suppression and decreased bone density among others. Furthermore, the warming Arctic climate is suspected to influence abiotic and biotic long-range transport and exposure pathways of contaminants to the Arctic resulting in increases in POP exposure of both wildlife and human populations. Exposure to vector-borne diseases and zoonoses may increase as well through range expansion and introduction of invasive species. It will be important in the future to investigate the effects of these multiple stressors on wildlife and local people to better predict the individual-level health risks. It is within this framework that One Health approaches offer promising opportunities to survey and pinpoint environmental changes that have effects on wildlife and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Robert James Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Arctic Technology, The University Centre in Svalbard, PO Box 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Emilie Andersen-Ranberg
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Kim Gustavson
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Bjarne Styrishave
- Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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Furgal CM. Monitoring as a community response for climate change and health. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 64:440-1. [PMID: 16440605 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v64i5.18024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Parkinson AJ, Butler JC. Potential impacts of climate change on infectious diseases in the Arctic. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 64:478-86. [PMID: 16440610 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v64i5.18029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change could cause changes in the incidence of infectious diseases in Arctic regions. Higher ambient temperatures in the Arctic may result in an increase in some temperature sensitive foodborne diseases such as gastroenteritis, paralytic shellfish poisoning and botulism. An increase in mean temperature may also influence the incidence of infectious diseases of animals that are spread to humans (zoonoses) by changing the population and range of animal hosts and insect vectors. An increase in flooding events may result in outbreaks of waterborne infection, such as Giardia lamblia or Cryptospordium parvum. A change in rodent and fox populations may result in an increase in rabies or echinococcosis. Temperature and humidity influence the distribution and density of many arthropod vectors which in turn may influence the incidence and northern range of vectorborne diseases such as West Nile virus. Recommendations include: the strenghtening of public health systems, disease surveillance coordinated with climate monitoring, and research into the detection, prevention, control and treatment of temperature-sensitive infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Parkinson
- Arctic Investigations Program, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Anchorage Alaska 99508, USA.
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Culler LE, Ayres MP, Virginia RA. In a warmer Arctic, mosquitoes avoid increased mortality from predators by growing faster. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:rspb.2015.1549. [PMID: 26378217 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering environmental temperature, a factor that influences ectothermic organisms by controlling rates of physiological processes. Demographic effects of warming, however, are determined by the expression of these physiological effects through predator-prey and other species interactions. Using field observations and controlled experiments, we measured how increasing temperatures in the Arctic affected development rates and mortality rates (from predation) of immature Arctic mosquitoes in western Greenland. We then developed and parametrized a demographic model to evaluate how temperature affects survival of mosquitoes from the immature to the adult stage. Our studies showed that warming increased development rate of immature mosquitoes (Q10 = 2.8) but also increased daily mortality from increased predation rates by a dytiscid beetle (Q10 = 1.2-1.5). Despite increased daily mortality, the model indicated that faster development and fewer days exposed to predators resulted in an increased probability of mosquito survival to the adult stage. Warming also advanced mosquito phenology, bringing mosquitoes into phenological synchrony with caribou. Increases in biting pests will have negative consequences for caribou and their role as a subsistence resource for local communities. Generalizable frameworks that account for multiple effects of temperature are needed to understand how climate change impacts coupled human-natural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Culler
- The Dickey Center for International Understanding, Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, 6214 Haldeman Center Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, 113 Steele Hall Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA
| | - Matthew P Ayres
- The Dickey Center for International Understanding, Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, 6214 Haldeman Center Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA
| | - Ross A Virginia
- The Dickey Center for International Understanding, Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, 6214 Haldeman Center Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, 113 Steele Hall Hanover, NH 03755-3563, USA
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Van Hemert C, Flint PL, Udevitz MS, Koch JC, Atwood TC, Oakley KL, Pearce JM. Forecasting Wildlife Response to Rapid Warming in the Alaskan Arctic. Bioscience 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biv069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Krey A, Ostertag SK, Chan HM. Assessment of neurotoxic effects of mercury in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the Canadian Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 509-510:237-247. [PMID: 24958011 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.05.134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2013] [Revised: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Marine mammals are indicator species of the Arctic ecosystem and an integral component of the traditional Inuit diet. The potential neurotoxic effects of increased mercury (Hg) in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are not clear. We assessed the risk of Hg-associated neurotoxicity to these species by comparing their brain Hg concentrations with threshold concentrations for toxic endpoints detected in laboratory animals and field observations: clinical symptoms (>6.75 mg/kg wet weight (ww)), neuropathological signs (>4 mg/kg ww), neurochemical changes (>0.4 mg/kg ww), and neurobehavioral changes (>0.1mg/kg ww). The total Hg (THg) concentrations in the cerebellum and frontal lobe of ringed seals and polar bears were <0.5mg/kg ww, whereas the average concentration in beluga whale brain was >3mg/kg ww. Our results suggest that brain THg levels in polar bears are below levels that induce neurobehavioral effects as reported in the literature, while THg concentrations in ringed seals are within the range that elicit neurobehavioral effects and individual ringed seals exceed the threshold for neurochemical changes. The relatively high THg concentration in beluga whales exceeds all of the neurotoxicity thresholds assessed. High brain selenium (Se):Hg molar ratios were observed in all three species, suggesting that Se could protect the animals from Hg-associated neurotoxicity. This assessment was limited by several factors that influence neurotoxic effects in animals, including: animal species; form of Hg in the brain; and interactions with modifiers of Hg-associated toxicity, such as Se. Comparing brain Hg concentrations in wildlife with concentrations of appropriate laboratory studies can be used as a tool for risk characterization of the neurotoxic effects of Hg in Arctic marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Krey
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada.
| | - Sonja K Ostertag
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada.
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, 20 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
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Van Hemert C, Pearce JM, Handel CM. Wildlife health in a rapidly changing North: focus on avian disease. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2014; 12:548-556. [PMID: 32313510 PMCID: PMC7164092 DOI: 10.1890/130291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate-related environmental changes have increasingly been linked to emerging infectious diseases in wildlife. The Arctic is facing a major ecological transition that is expected to substantially affect animal and human health. Changes in phenology or environmental conditions that result from climate warming may promote novel species assemblages as host and pathogen ranges expand to previously unoccupied areas. Recent evidence from the Arctic and subarctic suggests an increase in the spread and prevalence of some wildlife diseases, but baseline data necessary to detect and verify such changes are still lacking. Wild birds are undergoing rapid shifts in distribution and have been implicated in the spread of wildlife and zoonotic diseases. Here, we review evidence of current and projected changes in the abundance and distribution of avian diseases and outline strategies for future research. We discuss relevant climatic and environmental factors, emerging host-pathogen contact zones, the relationship between host condition and immune function, and potential wildlife and human health outcomes in northern regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John M Pearce
- US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
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Ramey A, Reed J, Schmutz J, Fondell T, Meixell B, Hupp J, Ward D, Terenzi J, Ely C. Prevalence, transmission, and genetic diversity of blood parasites infecting tundra-nesting geese in Alaska. CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2014-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A total of 842 blood samples collected from five species of tundra-nesting geese in Alaska was screened for haemosporidian parasites using molecular techniques. Parasites of the genera Leucocytozoon Danilewsky, 1890, Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890, and Plasmodium Marchiafava and Celli, 1885 were detected in 169 (20%), 3 (<1%), and 0 (0%) samples, respectively. Occupancy modeling was used to estimate prevalence of Leucocytozoon parasites and assess variation relative to species, age, sex, geographic area, year, and decade. Species, age, and decade were identified as important in explaining differences in prevalence of Leucocytozoon parasites. Leucocytozoon parasites were detected in goslings sampled along the Arctic Coastal Plain using both historic and contemporary samples, which provided support for transmission in the North American Arctic. In contrast, lack of detection of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites in goslings (n = 238) provided evidence to suggest that the transmission of parasites of these genera may not occur among waterfowl using tundra habitats in Alaska, or alternatively, may only occur at low levels. Five haemosporidian genetic lineages shared among different species of geese sampled from two geographic areas were indicative of interspecies parasite transmission and supported broad parasite or vector distributions. However, identical Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus lineages on public databases were limited to waterfowl hosts suggesting constraints in the range of parasite hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.M. Ramey
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - J.A. Reed
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - J.A. Schmutz
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - T.F. Fondell
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - B.W. Meixell
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - J.W. Hupp
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - D.H. Ward
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - J. Terenzi
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - C.R. Ely
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
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Enangue Njembele AN, Bailey JL, Tremblay JJ. In vitro exposure of Leydig cells to an environmentally relevant mixture of organochlorines represses early steps of steroidogenesis. Biol Reprod 2014; 90:118. [PMID: 24740604 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.113.116368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Leydig cell steroidogenesis is mainly regulated by LH via increased cAMP production leading to STAR protein activation. STAR is essential for cholesterol shuttling inside mitochondria where steroidogenesis is initiated. Accumulating evidence suggest that persistent organochlorine compounds disrupt testicular function, but the mechanism of action remains poorly characterized. Here we report that in vitro exposure of MA-10 and MLTC-1 Leydig cells to an environmentally relevant mixture of 15 organochlorines impairs steroidogenesis. While having no effect on cell viability and basal steroid production, the organochlorine mixture caused a 50% decrease in cAMP-induced progesterone production. The mixture also reduced cAMP-induced 30 kDa STAR protein by 50% while having no effect on basal STAR protein. Basal or cAMP-induced Star mRNA levels and promoter activity were unaffected by the mixture, indicating that the organochlorine mixture acted at the translational/posttranslational level. Further supporting this is the fact that in COS-7 cells overexpressing STAR, the organochlorine mixture caused a decrease in the 30 kDa form of STAR and an accumulation of the 37 kDa forms. In addition to STAR, we found that the organochlorine mixture also decreases the levels of CYP11A1 and ADXR, two proteins essential for the conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone. In conclusion, our data show that organochlorine exposure disrupts Leydig cell function by targeting different components of the steroidogenic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janice L Bailey
- Centre for Research in Biology of Reproduction, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Jacques J Tremblay
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, Canada Centre for Research in Biology of Reproduction, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis Kanki
- , Department of Immunology and Infectious, Harvard School of Public Health, Huntington Avenue 651, Boston, 02115 Massachusetts USA
| | - Darrell Jay Grimes
- , Department of Coastal Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, East Beach Drive 703, Ocean Springs, 39564 Mississippi USA
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Latitudinal variability in the seroprevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in non-migrant and Arctic migratory geese. Vet Parasitol 2012; 194:9-15. [PMID: 23339847 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Revised: 12/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular coccidian parasite found worldwide and is known to infect virtually all warm-blooded animals. It requires a cat (family Felidae) to complete its full life cycle. Despite the absence of wild felids on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, T. gondii has been found in resident predators such as the arctic fox and polar bear. It has therefore been suggested that T. gondii may enter this ecosystem via migratory birds. The objective of this study was to identify locations where goose populations may become infected with T. gondii, and to investigate the dynamics of T. gondii specific antibodies. Single blood samples of both adults and juveniles were collected from selected goose species (Anser anser, A. brachyrhynchus, Branta canadensis, B. leucopsis) at Arctic brood-rearing areas in Russia and on Svalbard, and temperate wintering grounds in the Netherlands and Denmark (migratory populations) as well as temperate brood-rearing grounds (the Netherlands, non-migratory populations). A modified agglutination test was used on serum, for detection of antibodies against T. gondii. Occasional repeated annual sampling of individual adults was performed to determine the antibody dynamics. Adults were found seropositive at all locations (Arctic and temperate, brood-rearing and wintering grounds) with low seroprevalence in brood-rearing birds on temperate grounds. As no juvenile geese were found seropositive at any brood-rearing location, but nine month old geese were found seropositive during spring migration we conclude that geese, irrespective of species and migration, encounter T. gondii infection in wintering areas. In re-sampled birds on Svalbard significant seroreversion was observed, with 42% of seropositive adults showing no detectable antibodies after 12 months, while the proportion of seroconversion was only 3%. Modelled variation of seroprevalence with field data on antibody longevity and parasite transmission suggests seroprevalence of a population within a range of 5.2-19.9%, in line with measured values. The high occurrence of seroreversion compared to the low occurrence of seroconversion hampers analysis of species- or site-specific patterns, but explains the absence of an increase in seroprevalence with age and the observed variation in antibody titre. These findings imply that even though infection rate is low, adults introduce T. gondii to the high Arctic ecosystem following infection in temperate regions.
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Sonne C, Letcher RJ, Leifsson PS, Rigét FF, Bechshøft TØ, Bossi R, Asmund G, Dietz R. Temporal monitoring of liver and kidney lesions in contaminated East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) during 1999-2010. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2012; 48:143-149. [PMID: 22922222 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2012] [Revised: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 07/08/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Organohalogen contaminants bioaccumulate to high concentrations in tissues of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The exposure levels are in the order to be toxic to inner organs like liver and kidney. We therefore investigated the temporal development of lesions in liver (n=115) and kidney (n=122) samples from East Greenland polar bears taken over the 12 year period from 1999 to 2010. Seven liver and seven kidney lesions were observed of which six were age-related. Controlling for this, the analyses showed that hepatic steatosis and renal cell infiltrations, glomerular sclerosis and tubular hyperplasia decreased over the investigated time period (all p<0.05). Similarly, hypertrophy of hepatic Ito cells, renal glomerular capillary wall thickening and interstitial fibrosis increased over the study period (all p<0.05). Regarding contaminant, concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in adipose tissue were negatively associated with hepatic mononuclear cell infiltrations (p=0.05) and a similar trend was found for Hg (p=0.09). Hexachlorobenzene was positively associated with portal cell infiltrations and hepatic lipid granulomas, while polychlorinated biphenyls were negatively associated with the prevalence of steatosis (both p<0.05) and a similar trend was found for hexachlorocyclohexanes (p=0.08). Mercury was positively correlated with the frequencies of hypertrophic Ito cells (p=0.002) and a similar trend was found for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (p=0.07). In renal tissue, hexachlorocyclohexanes were positively associated with medullar hyaline casts (p=0.03) and a similar trend was found for cell infiltrations (p=0.08). There was a trend of trans-nonachlor being positively associated with glomerular sclerosis (p=0.06) while dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes were negatively associated with tubular hyperplasia (p=0.02). These results suggest that specific liver and renal lesions have decreased or increased over time and that long-range transported organohalogen contaminants and mercury may be among the co-factors responsible for these observations. These relationships are important to take into account when biomonitoring health and pollution in wildlife species such as polar bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Bioscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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Andersen LK, Hercogová J, Wollina U, Davis MDP. Climate change and skin disease: a review of the English-language literature. Int J Dermatol 2012; 51:656-61; quiz 659, 661. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05258.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Baylis M, Risley C. Climate Change Effects on Infectious Diseases. Infect Dis (Lond) 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2463-0_524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
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Hoberg EP, Galbreath KE, Cook JA, Kutz SJ, Polley L. Northern host-parasite assemblages: history and biogeography on the borderlands of episodic climate and environmental transition. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2012; 79:1-97. [PMID: 22726642 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-398457-9.00001-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Diversity among assemblages of mammalian hosts and parasites in northern terrestrial ecosystems was structured by a deep history of biotic and abiotic change that overlies a complex geographic arena. Since the Pliocene, Holarctic ecosystems assembled in response to shifting climates (glacial and interglacial stages). Cycles of episodic dispersal/isolation and diversification defined northern diversity on landscape to regional scales. Episodes of geographic expansion and colonisation linked Eurasia and North America across Beringia and drove macroevolutionary structure of host and parasite associations. Asynchronous dispersal from centres of origin in Eurasia into the Nearctic resulted in gradients in parasite diversity in the carnivoran, lagomorph, rodent and artiodactyl assemblages we reviewed. Recurrent faunal interchange and isolation in conjunction with episodes of host colonisation have produced a mosaic structure for parasite faunas and considerable cryptic diversity among nematodes and cestodes. Mechanisms of invasion and geographic colonisation leading to the establishment of complex faunal assemblages are equivalent in evolutionary and ecological time, as demonstrated by various explorations of diversity in these high-latitude systems. Our ability to determine historical responses to episodic shifts in global climate may provide a framework for predicting the cascading effects of contemporary environmental change.
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Hovelsrud GK, Poppel B, van Oort B, Reist JD. Arctic Societies, Cultures, and Peoples in a Changing Cryosphere. AMBIO 2011; 40:100-110. [PMCID: PMC3357774 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-011-0219-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Changes in sea ice, snow cover, lake and river ice, and permafrost will affect economy, infrastructure, health, and indigenous and non-indigenous livelihoods, culture, and identity. Local residents are resilient and highly adaptive, but the rate and magnitude of change challenges the current adaptive capacity. Cryospheric changes create both challenges and opportunities, and occur along local, regional, and international dimensions. Such changes will provide better access to the Arctic and its resources thereby increasing human activities such as shipping and tourism. Cryospheric changes pose a number of challenges for international governance, human rights, safety, and search and rescue efforts. In addition to the direct effects of a changing cryosphere, human society is affected by indirect factors, including industrial developments, globalization, and societal changes, which contribute to shaping vulnerability and adaptation options. Combined with non-cryospheric drivers of change, this will result in multifaceted and cascading effects within and beyond the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Birger Poppel
- Ilisimatusarfik, University of Greenland, Manutooq 1, Postbox 1061, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Bob van Oort
- CICERO Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research—Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway
| | - James D. Reist
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6 Canada
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Jenkins EJ, Schurer JM, Gesy KM. Old problems on a new playing field: Helminth zoonoses transmitted among dogs, wildlife, and people in a changing northern climate. Vet Parasitol 2011; 182:54-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Hueffer K, O'Hara TM, Follmann EH. Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment. Acta Vet Scand 2011; 53:17. [PMID: 21392401 PMCID: PMC3061946 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-53-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). The interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latitudes is not very well understood with respect to intra-annual cycles (seasons). The annual cycles of interacting pathogen and host biology is regulated in part by highly synchronized temperature and photoperiod changes during seasonal transitions (e.g., freezeup and breakup). With a warming climate, only one of these key biological cues will undergo drastic changes, while the other will remain fixed. This uncoupling can theoretically have drastic consequences on host-pathogen interactions. These poorly understood cues together with a changing climate by itself will challenge host populations that are adapted to pathogens under the historic and current climate regime. We will review adaptations of both host and pathogens to the extreme conditions at high latitudes and explore some potential consequences of rapid changes in the Arctic.
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Lee SH, Chon TS. Effects of climate change on subterranean termite territory size: a simulation study. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2011; 11:80. [PMID: 21870966 PMCID: PMC3391912 DOI: 10.1673/031.011.8001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2010] [Accepted: 03/08/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In order to study how climate change affects the territory size of subterranean termites, a lattice model was used to simulate the foraging territory of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), and the minimized local rules that are based on empirical data from the development of termites' foraging territory was applied. A landscape was generated by randomly assigning values ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 to each lattice site, which represented the spatially distributed property of the landscape. At the beginning of the simulation run, N territory seeds - one for each founding pair, were randomly distributed on the lattice space. The territories grew during the summer and shrank during the winter. In the model, the effects of climate change were demonstrated by changes in two variables: the period of the summer season, T, and the percentage of the remaining termite cells, σ, after the shrinkage. The territory size distribution was investigated in the size descending order for the values of T (= 10, 15, ... , 50) and σ (= 10, 15, ... , 50) at a steady state after a sufficiently long time period. The distribution was separated into two regions: the larger-sized territories and the smaller-sized territories. The slope, m, of the distribution of territory size on a semi-log scale for the larger-sized territories was maximal with T (45 ≤ T ≤ 50) in the maximal range and with σ in the optimal range (30 ≤ σ ≤ 40), regardless of the value of N. The results suggest that the climate change can influence the termite territory size distribution under the proper balance of T and σ in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Hee Lee
- Division of Fusion and Convergence of Mathematical Sciences, National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Tae-Soo Chon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan (Pusan), South Korea
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Kirk CM, Amstrup S, Swor R, Holcomb D, O'Hara TM. Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma exposure and association with hematological parameters for southern Beaufort Sea polar bears: potential response to infectious agents in a sentinel species. ECOHEALTH 2010; 7:321-31. [PMID: 20607348 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-010-0323-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2010] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Arctic temperatures are increasing in response to greenhouse gas forcing and polar bears have already responded to changing conditions. Declines in body stature and vital rates have been linked to warming-induced loss of sea-ice. As food webs change and human activities respond to a milder Arctic, exposure of polar bears and other arctic marine organisms to infectious agents may increase. Because of the polar bear's status as arctic ecosystem sentinel, polar bear health could provide an index of changing pathogen occurrence throughout the Arctic, however, exposure and monitoring protocols have yet to be established. We examine prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, and four morbilliviruses (canine distemper [CDV], phocine distemper [PDV], dolphin morbillivirus [DMV], porpoise morbillivirus [PMV]) including risk factors for exposure. We also examine the relationships between antibody levels and hematologic values established in the previous companion article. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and morbilliviruses were found in both sample years. We found a significant inverse relationship between CDV titer and total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils, and a significant positive relationship between eosinophils and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Morbilliviral prevalence varied significantly among age cohorts, with 1-2 year olds least likely to be seropositive and bears aged 5-7 most likely. Data suggest that the presence of CDV and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies is associated with polar bear hematologic values. We conclude that exposure to CDV-like antigen is not randomly distributed among age classes and suggest that differing behaviors among life history stages may drive probability of specific antibody presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M Kirk
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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Hoberg EP, Polley L, Jenkins EJ, Kutz SJ, Veitch AM, Elkin BT. Integrated approaches and empirical models for investigation of parasitic diseases in northern wildlife. Emerg Infect Dis 2008; 14:10-7. [PMID: 18258071 PMCID: PMC2600137 DOI: 10.3201/eid1401.071119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A decade of research has yielded a multidisciplinary approach for detection, prediction, and potential mitigation measures. The North is a frontier for exploration of emerging infectious diseases and the large-scale drivers influencing distribution, host associations, and evolution of pathogens among persons, domestic animals, and wildlife. Leading into the International Polar Year 2007–2008, we outline approaches, protocols, and empirical models derived from a decade of integrated research on northern host–parasite systems. Investigations of emerging infectious diseases associated with parasites in northern wildlife involved a network of multidisciplinary collaborators and incorporated geographic surveys, archival collections, historical foundations for diversity, and laboratory and field studies exploring the interface for hosts, parasites, and the environment. In this system, emergence of parasitic disease was linked to geographic expansion, host switching, resurgence due to climate change, and newly recognized parasite species. Such integrative approaches serve as cornerstones for detection, prediction, and potential mitigation of emerging infectious diseases in wildlife and persons in the North and elsewhere under a changing global climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P Hoberg
- U.S. National Parasite Collection and Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
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Burek KA, Gulland FMD, O'Hara TM. Effects of climate change on Arctic marine mammal health. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2008; 18:S126-34. [PMID: 18494366 DOI: 10.1890/06-0553.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The lack of integrated long-term data on health, diseases, and toxicant effects in Arctic marine mammals severely limits our ability to predict the effects of climate change on marine mammal health. The overall health of an individual animal is the result of complex interactions among immune status, body condition, pathogens and their pathogenicity, toxicant exposure, and the various environmental conditions that interact with these factors. Climate change could affect these interactions in several ways. There may be direct effects of loss of the sea ice habitat, elevations of water and air temperature, and increased occurrence of severe weather. Some of the indirect effects of climate change on animal health will likely include alterations in pathogen transmission due to a variety of factors, effects on body condition due to shifts in the prey base/food web, changes in toxicant exposures, and factors associated with increased human habitation in the Arctic (e.g., chemical and pathogen pollution in the runoff due to human and domestic-animal wastes and chemicals and increased ship traffic with the attendant increased risks of ship strike, oil spills, ballast pollution, and possibly acoustic injury). The extent to which climate change will impact marine mammal health will also vary among species, with some species more sensitive to these factors than others. Baseline data on marine mammal health parameters along with matched data on the population and climate change trends are needed to document these changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy A Burek
- Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, P.O. Box 773072, Eagle River, Alaska 99577, USA.
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