title: Using a top predator as a sentinel for environmental contamination with pathogenic bacteria: the Iberian wolf and leptospires.
abstract: The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus) is the top predator in the Iberian environments in which it lives, feeding on a wide range of species, thus encountering a wide range of disease agents. Therefore, the wolf can serve as sentinel of environmental contamination with pathogens. We investigated the exposure of free-living wolves to 14 serovars of Leptospira interrogans sensu lato. Kidney samples from 49 wolves collected from 2010-2013 in northwestern Spain were analysed by culture, direct immunofluorescence and polymerase chain reaction. Tissue fluids were analysed for antibodies by a microscopic agglutination test. Ten wolves (observed prevalence: 20%, 95% confidence interval = 11-33%) showed evidence of contact with leptospires, eight through direct detection and nine through serology (7 wolves were positive according to both techniques). Titres below the cut-off level were also detected in seven cases. Serovars confirmed were Canicola (n = 4), Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 3) and Sejroë, Ballum and Grippotyphosa (n = 1 each), indicating that wolves were infected with serovars for which dogs, rodents and ungulates, are the natural hosts and supporting the utility of the wolf and other large predators as environmental sentinels for pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Millán
authors.affiliation: Asesores en Recursos Naturales SL, Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilio J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Sociedad de Servicios del Principado de Asturias SA, Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Oleaga
authors.affiliation: Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Principado de Asturias, Mieres, Spain.
authors.forename: José Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: López-Bao
authors.affiliation: Asesores en Recursos Naturales SL, Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Llaneza
authors.affiliation: Asesores en Recursos Naturales SL, Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.affiliation: Área de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Mónica G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Candela
authors.affiliation: Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
authors.forename: Aitor
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cevidanes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de la Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Área de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: León-Vizcaíno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D017753:Ecosystem; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000379:methods; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance / Q000662:veterinary*; D065288:Serogroup; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D019596:Wolves / Q000382:microbiology*