Associations between Ornithodoros spp. Ticks and Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) Obtained from Health Assessment Documents.

IF 1.1 4区 农林科学 Q3 VETERINARY SCIENCES Journal of Wildlife Diseases Pub Date : 2024-10-01 DOI:10.7589/JWD-D-23-00172
Molly J Bechtel, Jeffrey T Foster, Todd C Esque, Nathan C Nieto, Kristina Drake, Mike B Teglas
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Abstract

Soft ticks in the genus Ornithodoros occur throughout the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada, southeastern California, and parts of southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, USA, and are frequently observed parasitizing Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). However, limited research exists examining the relationship between ticks and desert tortoises. Mojave desert tortoises are listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and as such, their populations are monitored and individual tortoise health is routinely assessed. These health assessments document the presence and abundance of ticks present on tortoises, but detailed examination of the relationship between ticks and tortoise health has been lacking. This study analyzed the relationship between tick presence and desert tortoise health assessments as a function of season, location, age (adult vs. juvenile), foraging behavior, evidence of clinical signs of disease, body condition score, and sex. Our results indicate that more ticks were found on tortoises in the summer than in any other season. Ticks were observed more frequently on captive tortoises versus wild tortoises, and more ticks were likely to be present on adult tortoises than on juveniles. Ticks were also more likely to be observed on tortoises that lacked evidence of foraging and on tortoises with observed clinical signs of disease. These findings provide valuable insights into the biology of ticks in relation to tortoises that may be useful for management of both captive and free-living threatened tortoise populations where ticks are detected. Our study also may improve understanding of potential tick-borne disease dynamics in the Mojave desert tortoise habitat, including Borrelia sp. carried by Ornithodoros ticks, which cause tick-borne relapsing fever in people.

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从健康评估文件中获取的 Ornithodoros spp.
Ornithodoros 属软蜱遍布美国内华达州南部、加利福尼亚州东南部、犹他州西南部和亚利桑那州西北部的莫哈韦沙漠,并经常被观察到寄生在莫哈韦沙漠陆龟(Gopherus agassizii)身上。然而,关于蜱虫与沙漠陆龟之间关系的研究却很有限。莫哈韦沙漠陆龟被美国鱼类和野生动物管理局列为濒危物种,因此对其种群进行监测,并对陆龟个体的健康状况进行例行评估。这些健康评估记录了陆龟身上蜱虫的存在和数量,但缺乏对蜱虫与陆龟健康之间关系的详细研究。本研究分析了蜱虫的存在与沙漠陆龟健康评估之间的关系,并将其作为季节、地点、年龄(成年与幼年)、觅食行为、疾病的临床表现、身体状况评分和性别的函数。我们的研究结果表明,夏季在陆龟身上发现的蜱虫比其他季节都多。与野生陆龟相比,在人工饲养的陆龟身上发现蜱虫的频率更高,而且成年陆龟身上的蜱虫可能比幼年陆龟身上的更多。此外,在没有觅食迹象的陆龟和有临床疾病症状的陆龟身上也更容易观察到蜱虫。这些发现为了解蜱虫与陆龟的生物学关系提供了宝贵的信息,可能对发现蜱虫的人工饲养和自由生活的受威胁陆龟种群的管理有用。我们的研究还可以加深对莫哈韦沙漠陆龟栖息地潜在的蜱传疾病动态的了解,包括由 Ornithodoros 蜱携带的 Borrelia sp.
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来源期刊
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Journal of Wildlife Diseases 农林科学-兽医学
CiteScore
2.70
自引率
0.00%
发文量
213
审稿时长
6-16 weeks
期刊介绍: The JWD publishes reports of wildlife disease investigations, research papers, brief research notes, case and epizootic reports, review articles, and book reviews. The JWD publishes the results of original research and observations dealing with all aspects of infectious, parasitic, toxic, nutritional, physiologic, developmental and neoplastic diseases, environmental contamination, and other factors impinging on the health and survival of free-living or occasionally captive populations of wild animals, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Papers on zoonoses involving wildlife and on chemical immobilization of wild animals are also published. Manuscripts dealing with surveys and case reports may be published in the Journal provided that they contain significant new information or have significance for better understanding health and disease in wild populations. Authors are encouraged to address the wildlife management implications of their studies, where appropriate.
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