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Questions and Answers
What is the outcome of the trophic cascade caused by sarcoptic mange in red fox populations in Sweden?
What is the role of the pine marten in the recovery of the native red squirrel population?
What is the impact of devil facial tumour disease on Tasmanian devils?
What is the goal of isolating uninfected Tasmanian devils?
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What is the limitation of culling infected Tasmanian devils as a management strategy?
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What is the role of the Major Histo-compatibility Complex (MHC) in devil facial tumour disease?
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What is the impact of pollution on wildlife?
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What is the goal of the vaccination research for devil facial tumour disease?
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What is the impact of introducing non-native species on native ecosystems?
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What is the outcome of the trophic cascade caused by myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease in rabbit populations?
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What term is used to describe diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans?
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Which of the following is an example of a disease that can be transmitted from humans to animals?
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What percentage of diseases in livestock also infect wildlife or wildlife and humans?
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What is the term used to describe novel diseases that are evident for the first time?
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Which of the following is an example of a pathogen that can jump between host species?
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What is the term used to describe the introduction of invasive species, such as livestock, companion animals, and/or commensal rodents, which can lead to pathogens jumping from those animals to wildlife?
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Which of the following is an example of a disease that involves mammals and is of interest in the field of mammalian pathogens?
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What is the term used to describe the study of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, and involve pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites?
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Which of the following is NOT an example of a pathogen type?
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What percentage of diseases in cats and dogs also infect wildlife or wildlife and humans?
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Study Notes
Pathogen Types and Mammalian Pathogens
- Pathogens can be infectious (viruses, bacteria, prions) or non-infectious (endoparasites, ectoparasites) and can impact wildlife.
- Major areas of interest include zoonotic infections, emerging infectious diseases, mammal conservation, and biological control.
Zoonotic Infections
- Zoonosis: a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
- Examples of zoonoses that involve mammals include anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, bubonic plague, Lyme disease, and rabies.
Host Specificity and Disease Transmission
- Many pathogens are not host-specific, allowing them to jump between host species.
- Cleveland et al. compiled a database of infectious agents in humans, livestock, cats, and dogs, showing that:
- 54% of diseases in livestock also infected wildlife or humans.
- 60% of diseases in cats and dogs also infected wildlife or humans.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Novel diseases that have emerged for the first time.
- Known diseases that have increased in severity and/or geographical distribution in a defined time period.
- Examples include HIV/AIDS, Ebola, SARS, avian influenza, and Covid-19.
Mammal Conservation and Biological Control
- Completely new diseases, such as devil facial tumour disease and transmissible cancer.
- Creation of bridging hosts, leading to disease transmission between species.
- Introduced invasive species can lead to extinction, as seen in the Christmas Island rat.
- Biological control agents, such as myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease, have been used to control rabbit populations.
Diseases in Context
- Diseases can have population-level effects, such as reduced fertility or mortality.
- Ecosystem-level effects, such as trophic cascades, can also occur.
- Examples include:
- Sarcoptic mange in red foxes in Sweden.
- Myxomatosis and RVHD in rabbits.
Vaccines and Treatment Approaches
- Vaccination can be an effective management strategy.
- Novel treatment approaches, such as using homemade door flaps to deliver acaricides to wombats.
Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD)
- Infectious cancer that affects Tasmanian devils.
- Possibly originated from a mutation of Schwann cells.
- Linked to transmission of cell lines by grafting.
- Symptoms include tumours that develop around the facial area, with a high mortality rate.
- Management strategies include isolation, culling, and vaccination research.
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Description
Explore the different types of pathogens that impact wildlife, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Learn about zoonotic infections, emerging diseases, and conservation efforts.
