title: Vector-borne pathogens in arctic foxes, Vulpes lagopus, from Canada.
abstract: Because of the relatively low biodiversity within arctic ecosystems, arctic foxes, Vulpes lagopus, could serve as sentinels for the study of changes in the ecology of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular prevalence of 5 different genera of vector borne pathogens (Anaplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp.) using blood collected from 28 live-trapped arctic foxes from the region of Karrak Lake, Nunavut, Canada. Bartonella henselae (n = 3), Mycoplasma haemocanis (n = 1), Ehrlichia canis (n = 1), and an Anaplasma sp. (n = 1) DNA were PCR amplified and subsequently identified by sequencing. This study provides preliminary evidence that vector borne pathogens, not typically associated with the arctic ecosystem, exist at low levels in this arctic fox population, and that vector exposure, pathogen transmission dynamics, and changes in the geographic distribution of pathogens over time should be investigated in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory (IPRL), Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Mascarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N EB4, Canada.
authors.forename: Stacey A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Elmore
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N EB4, Canada.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada.
authors.forename: Ray T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Alisauskas
authors.affiliation: Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory (IPRL), Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory (IPRL), Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Breitschwerdt
authors.affiliation: Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory (IPRL), Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, NC, USA. Electronic address: ricardo_maggi@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Ricardo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maggi
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000235:genetics; D005589:Foxes / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Bartonella; Canada; Ehrlichia; Foxes; Mycoplasma; Vector-borne; Zoonosis