title: Levels of metals in kidney, liver and muscle tissue and their relation to the occurrence of parasites in the red fox in the Lower Silesian Forest in Europe.
abstract: Together with the occurrence of parasites, increased concentrations of xenobiotics, to which scavengers are greatly exposed, may significantly influence the physiology of red foxes. It is also suspected that these two factors interact. The accumulation of various metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in kidney, liver and muscle tissue was investigated, as well as the occurrence of parasites, and the potential link to the presence of metals. Generally speaking, neither sex nor age influenced these concentrations. K, Mg and Fe were found in the highest concentrations and Hg was found in the lowest. Various relationships between the concentrations of metals were observed in the tissues. 34% of the specimens studied were hosts to parasites. No clear, significant connection between the concentrations and the occurrence of parasites was noted, but the discernible trend confirmed by the logistic regression, needs further study.
authors: Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: ljbinkowski@gmail.com.
authors: Łukasz J
authors: ŁJ
authors: Binkowski
authors: Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: dorota-zbl@o2.pl.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Merta
authors: Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: anna0543@o2.pl.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Przystupińska
authors: Division of Parasitology, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 31, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: zenon.soltysiak@up.wroc.pl.
authors: Zenon
authors: Z
authors: Sołtysiak
authors: Division of Parasitology, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 31, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: jaroslaw.pacon@up.wroc.pl.
authors: Jarosław
authors: J
authors: Pacoń
authors: Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: rms@up.krakow.pl.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Stawarz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D065928:Forests; D005589:Foxes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D010271:Parasites
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Accumulation; Cadmium; Lead; Mercury; Parasites; Scavengers; Trace elements