TY - JOUR
T1 - Serosurvey for Trichinella in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard and the Barents Sea
AU - Åsbakk, Kjetil
AU - Aars, Jon
AU - Derocher, Andrew E.
AU - Wiig, Øystein
AU - Oksanen, Antti
AU - Born, Erik W.
AU - Dietz, Rune
AU - Sonne, Christian
AU - Godfroid, Jacques
AU - Kapel, Christian Moliin Outzen
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - Blood samples of live-caught polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard collected 1991-2000 (Period 1) and 2006-2008 (Period 2) and from the pack ice of the Barents Sea collected in Period 1, were assayed for antibodies against Trichinella spp. by ELISA. Of 54 cubs-of-the-year included in the Period 1 sample, 53 were seronegative, indicating that exposure to Trichinella infected meat is uncommon during the first months of life for polar bears in the Svalbard region. Of 30 mother-offspring pairs, 18 mothers were seropositive with seronegative offspring (n= 27), suggesting (1) that maternal antibodies had dropped to levels below detection limit by the time of capture in April (offspring approximately 4 months old), and (2) supporting experimental studies in other animal models showing that vertical transmission of Trichinella spp. is uncommon. Bear 1 year and older had higher prevalence in Svalbard (78%) than in the Barents Sea (51%). There was no temporal change in prevalence for bears from Svalbard during the time between the two periods. The prevalence increased with age in both sexes. A positive correlation was found between anti- Toxoplasma gondii and anti- Trichinella spp. antibodies.
AB - Blood samples of live-caught polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard collected 1991-2000 (Period 1) and 2006-2008 (Period 2) and from the pack ice of the Barents Sea collected in Period 1, were assayed for antibodies against Trichinella spp. by ELISA. Of 54 cubs-of-the-year included in the Period 1 sample, 53 were seronegative, indicating that exposure to Trichinella infected meat is uncommon during the first months of life for polar bears in the Svalbard region. Of 30 mother-offspring pairs, 18 mothers were seropositive with seronegative offspring (n= 27), suggesting (1) that maternal antibodies had dropped to levels below detection limit by the time of capture in April (offspring approximately 4 months old), and (2) supporting experimental studies in other animal models showing that vertical transmission of Trichinella spp. is uncommon. Bear 1 year and older had higher prevalence in Svalbard (78%) than in the Barents Sea (51%). There was no temporal change in prevalence for bears from Svalbard during the time between the two periods. The prevalence increased with age in both sexes. A positive correlation was found between anti- Toxoplasma gondii and anti- Trichinella spp. antibodies.
U2 - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.05.018
DO - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.05.018
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0304-4017
VL - 172
SP - 256
EP - 263
JO - Veterinary Parasitology
JF - Veterinary Parasitology
IS - 3-4
ER -